Millie loved her last month of summer, and she was beyond disappointed that it would end and she'd have to move into the dorms again and attend classes. Her time with Davyn had been a dream come true. She knew it wasn't over, but responsibilities and stress did tend to dampen the mood.

However, as she retook her place in the room she was already used to, she found that her new roommates were kind and understanding people who had no qualms with her missing from time to time. Or almost all the time. Fortunately, Davyn had been right to anticipate that, as time went by and they got more of each other, her need wouldn't be so dire. He actually encouraged her to spend at least three nights a week in her designated bed. Which was fine, really. Not like she couldn't go a night without him. Especially since those three nights were never in a row.

The beginning of the school year came with a flurry of anxiousness as the protests against drugs in school became even more virulent. Apparently, there was some big police investigation happening, and their school was involved. Millie wasn't sure if the gossip flying around was true, but she'd heard rumors that Nicholas Harkin had been called in for questioning. He was still in school, but whenever she caught a glimpse of him, he was alone and often in a hurry. He'd lost his swagger and his annoying habit of picking on people during breaks. It gave Millie hope that the rumors were true and that the police had humbled him.

"Wouldn't it be amazing?" she asked Davyn on night as they cuddled up in bed. "If he'd get arrested?"

Davyn just hummed, his gaze once again fixed on the flickering flames of a nearby candle.

"I mean, he's given you nothing but trouble," she pressed.

He was silent for another few moments before turning to her, the lost look still in his eyes. "It's not that easy."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The police are very picky with what they choose to peruse. And Harkin's got money. They're not going to arrest him."

Millie huffed. He was probably right, but she didn't like to think about the unfairness of the world. "They should do something. I've noticed that he's a lot more silent, though."

Davyn nodded at this, apparently pleased with this change. "That's a good thing."

It was, but it didn't really make her feel much better because not all of the rumors were optimistic, and there were certain theories about Harkin's sudden meekness that she really hoped weren't true. "Maybe his boss is mad at him."

"His boss?"

"Yes, Snitch Gravel. People in school claim he's mad that Harkin hasn't been pushing hard enough and the school is not profitable for him anymore." And if that was true, she was sure the protests would get out of hand. She didn't think she could stand it if school got worse.

"The school is a shit market."

"You'd think. But then you have Karen hiding coke under her mattress."

He huffed and tightened his hold around her. "You should sleep, not discuss drug dealing issues."

"They're hard to escape when everything at school is all about this. The protests have gotten a bit out of hand lately. People are calling for Harkin to get expelled."

"Yeah, good luck with that."

Millie agreed. Unfortunately, life wasn't fair. And even if the news didn't impact her directly, the negative atmosphere was getting to her. She didn't like the crowd outside the school, didn't like seeing Harkin, and most certainly didn't like that his former bullies were identifying protesters, cornering them when they were alone and beating them up. It didn't quiet the revolt, just made people stick together even more.

A few weeks into the school year, it became obvious that the protests were just getting worse. Someone else was discovered holding drugs, and the crowds outside continued to grow, as did the hostility against Harkin and Snitch Gravel. At one point, it even became difficult to sneak through the crowd and exit the school building. As much as she agreed with the reason for the protest, it was getting a little ridiculous.

This was a school. They were still kids. What did an underground legend like Snitch Gravel want with them? And why would be even employ a kid to begin with?

"Maxi! Wait up!!"

It took her a moment to realize that the person was addressing her, and she only stopped because she recognized the voice. Freider made his way through the crowd towards her. She stepped to the side and waited for him to reach her.

"Hi," he said, out of breath. "Had a nice summer?"

"Yes, actually." She hugged her books to her chest. The warm light in her chest hadn't extinguished even with all the craziness of school. "How have you been?"

"Well..." He turned to glance at the crowd again. "I was definitely not expecting this."

She let out a giggle. "Why? Where have you been?"

"Minding my own business, really." He surveyed the crowd for another few moments. "I did hear something about it on the radio, but I never thought it was that bad."

"Um..." That was very odd. Had he missed the beginning of the school year? "But seriously. This has been going on for a while. I mean, it's been hell just getting inside the school for the past few weeks."

"I haven't been in since we saw each other last time."

She narrowed her eyes. "What exactly are you doing in school?" Maybe it was rude, but she was already convinced he wasn't a teacher. A teacher wouldn't be this clueless.

Freider sighed. "Trying to keep an eye on my little brother. He's very prone to trouble, and this is definitely not helping." He nodded towards the crowd.

"You have a little brother?" The thought was sweet, and it completely changed the way she saw Freider. He wasn't a new teacher, but a concerned brother. "How old is he?"

"Thirteen. And let me tell you, he's a handful." He let out a laugh.

Millie's shoulders relaxed. A thirteen-year-old brother meant that she'd gotten his age wrong, too. He was probably barely twenty.

"It's really nice of you to look out for him."

He shrugged. "I try. Though, to be honest, I'm not very good at it."

"As long as you're doing your best."

"I definitely want to keep him away from this. So maybe he could stay home for another week."

Could they do that? Not go to school because of the protests? Well, not like Millie wanted to miss school. She needed the art and music rooms to practice. Julliard felt much closer after the school year started. She barely had months left to go.

"Look," Freider said all of a sudden, scratching the back of his head. "Do you know any good coffee places around here?"

"There's actually a very nice little café just around the corner."

"Can you show me?"

Millie looked back towards the dorms, but the way there was through the crowd. She wasn't in a hurry, especially since it was one of her days in the dorm, so she shrugged.

"Sure."

They started walking away from the school, Millie clasping her books, Freider sinking his hands in his pockets.

"It's a lovely day," he said.

"It is, indeed."

"Want help with the books?"

"No, thank you, they're not heavy."

"Okay, but my offer stands if your arms get tired."

It was so odd walking by his side, but at the same time, it was nice to have someone to talk to. She still didn't have any friends, especially with Bianca and Diana leaving for college. Sure, her new roommates were nice, but they barely saw each other. 

"What are you working on now?" he asked.

"Painting-wise or in general?"

"Whichever you're inclined to share."

Millie pondered on how to answer. It was just small talk, and she was so bad at it. "I'm doing flowers at the moment."

"Oh, really? Which are your favorite?"

She'd gotten so used to Davyn, it was so odd for someone to ask normal questions without teasing or sarcasm being involved. "Peonies." 

"Oh, God, I'm terrible. I don't even know what those look like."

"Well, they can be in different shades of pink or mauve, or white, and they're like... Um, fluff balls?"

Freider let out a laugh. "Ah, yes. The fluff-ball flowers."

Millie giggled, too, and was a little sorry that they'd already reached the café. "Here we are."

He glanced at the building as if he'd forgotten that it was he who'd asked her to take him there. "Thank you. Can I repay you with a cup of coffee?"

She narrowe her eyes. "Repay me?"

"Well, yes. You've been so helpful and such a pleasant company."

Heat rose to her cheeks, and a part of her panicked. Don't be an idiot. This is not a date or anything sketchy. "Thank you, but I'm not sure I should."

"Too bad. I was curious to learn more about your art."

Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. She did enjoy talking about her art to someone who seemed genuinely interested. "Okay, I'll have a cappuccino, then."

As it turned out, making small talk with Freider was easy. He asked more about flowers and what else she painted, and she told him. Then she asked about his brother, and he shared a bit of his worries regarding a possible drug addiction.

The more they talked, Millie was glad she'd accepted his invitation. It was easy to have this conversation, which was simple and not loaded. He was a pleasant man who seemed honestly curious about what she did. They didn't get into any complicated subjects like life plans, expectations, or politics. Just simple things. Even the way he called her Maxi was endearing, so she didn't correct him. It worked. It also pushed him into the smallest part of her life, where he would be safe.

When they said goodbye, he just waved and walked away, so she was convinced she had a potential new friend.

The feeling only strengthened during their next coffee meeting. And the next. He stayed friendly. They discussed books, movies, and current events. He asked about her mother and brother, but that was about it. She asked about his job and where he wanted to take it. Finding out he was trying to make it as a private investigator was really interesting. When they said goodbye, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before sinking his hands in his pockets and striding off.

Heat rose to her face. It was a friendly gesture. She shouldn't read into it. Nothing had changed. They were still just having coffee.

But if she and Freider were truly friends, she had to tell Davyn about him. If she hid him, it was obviously wrong.

She just had to figure out a way to bring up her new friend.

♣️

The police investigation about the drug rings had turned being Snitch Gravel into a full-time job.

Davyn's dreams of reading reports and meeting with Baron once a week were shattered as he found himself having to put out fire after fire. Preparing Baron for his imminent questioning turned out to be the easiest part.

Protected by his family name, and seriously grilled by Davyn, who took on the role of the bad cop, Nicholas was proficient at answering questions and shifting the blame towards a rivaling organization.

But that didn't mean they were in the clear. The police seemed to want Snitch Gravel's head, and the protests in Saint Agnes weren't helping. Unfortunately, some stupid kid as rich and as moronic as Harkin had decided now was a perfect time to pump his veins full of some badly cut heroin and ended up almost dying from anaphylactic shock. This only turned the whole ordeal into a rich eat rich war and Baron was no longer protected by his name.

Davyn had seen the crowd, the determination with which they gathered each and every day, and demanded that Baron be thrown out together with his bullies.

It no longer mattered that they'd moved out of the school almost entirely and that idiot had bought his drugs elsewhere. Their reputation ensured that as long as the gang was physically there, it was a problem.

Long nights and stressful days translated into more frequent migraines. His desire to keep Millie well away from it also meant that they'd brought down the nights they spent together to three a week. It was not what he'd wanted, but his need to protect her was greater than his desire for her. And they did get to make up for it when they were together.

At least physically. Because as the weeks stretched on with no ending in sight, Davyn found it harder and harder to keep up a proper conversation with her. This job was eating him alive. But he'd decided it was worth the risk to plant evidence on their biggest rivals and get Baron out of it snot free. All he had to do was plan everything carefully and wait.

But planning was turning into his new obsession, so it was hard to focus on anything else, Millie included.

"So I've made a new friend," she was saying, her cheek leaning against his shoulder. "We went out for coffee a few times."

"That's great, you need to make friends." He also needed to make sure his spies gathered the information he needed about Nemski and his gang so he could sink them.

"He's nice. A bit older, but his brother goes to Saint Agnes, so he's around to look after him."

There was something important in what she was saying because her tone had been weary, but he still couldn't look away from the candle he was admiring or stop plotting.

"It's okay, right?"

This got his attention, and he turned to her, resting on one elbow. Why was she even asking him this, acting as if she couldn't take a step without his approval? He got that enough from his idiot men. He couldn't start micromanaging her as well. He'd explode.

"Millie, you're free to make whatever friends you like."

"So you're not jealous." She was somewhere between relief and disappointment, and it made him laugh.

Right. She was making friends with some guy. He guessed he deserved that question, because he didn't actually seem like the reasonable type.

"Are you doing him?"

Her eyes widened to comical proportions. "What? Of course not!"

He laughed. "Why should I be jealous, darling? He's a friend, isn't he?"

"Yes." She still looked weary, as if she expected him to change his mind and blow up on her.

"You can have friends. You can have a life outside of me. I believe you when you say you love me, and if you do, I trust you won't cheat on me or hurt me. If you do that, this whole thing would be over anyway."

"That sounds very pessimistic."

"I just said I trusted you. And my love for you implies I wouldn't even want to touch anyone else the way I touch you, give them what I give you." He leaned over and kissed her temple. "Let me fantasize that you feel the same."

"I do feel the same." She put her hand on his cheek. "I love you so much, I can't even imagine myself with anyone else. Ever."

He smiled and leaned over and kissed her. "There you go, darling."

"I'm glad you're fine with this."

"Why shouldn't I be? You're not going to randomly fall for someone else unless this is not working for you. And I always want you to be open if something is not working."

She nodded and kissed him deeply. It only got him in the mood to get back to more lucrative things instead of making devious plans, so he rolled over her, trapping her under him.

"There is something," she suddenly said.

He faltered, and for the briefest second he had no idea what she was talking about.  "Something?"

"You've been very distant lately. Distracted and thoughtful."

Oh, that. Yes, that was an issue. "Really now?"

"Yes. Sometimes I have a feeling you're thinking about something else even when we... You know."

That was definitely not true. It was the only time he could take a break from thinking altogether. But the fact that she'd noticed how out of it he'd been was a problem.

"Work's just being a bitch, but it will blow over eventually."

"Can I help?"

"You're already helping." And he started planting kisses on her neck.

"You don't tell me much about your work."

God, why did she feel like talking? He rose on his elbows and studied her. She wasn't in her usual haze of desire, but more cerebral. He hated it.

"My work is boring and I don't really want to think about it outside working hours."

"And yet it's on your mind constantly lately."

She could read him better than he'd thought. And he wanted to kick himself both for being so obvious and for not realizing how much they'd grown as a couple.

"I'm sorry, that was wrong of me."

"Davyn..."

"Millie..."

She pushed him off her. "Seriously, stop teasing. I really feel as if..." She faltered, biting down on her lower lip.

"You're still my number one priority."

"No, it's not that. I don't doubt that. I mean you're wonderful."

He could feel a but there, and he didn't like it.

"But I feel as if you're hiding something from me."

That he was. And it wasn't about to change any time soon. At least not until they truly pulled out of Saint Agnes.

"Don't be ridiculous. What could I be hiding?"

This seemed to convince her on some level since she couldn't even being to imagine what he'd gotten himself into. When she stayed silent, he leaned over her again. This time, she fell into it and stopped asking questions.

It felt good to have her abandoning herself to him. But even as they made love, something nagged at the back of his mind.

The flimsy balance he'd built seemed on the verge of breaking, and he wasn't sure what the consequences would be.

♣️♣️♣️

Things are heating up. Not necessarily in the relationship sense. Davyn has his hands full, Millie is noticing, and Freider has entered the chat and proves that he can be likable. This won't go well...

But yes, the plot is moving and going in a direction Millie might not enjoy. Hope you stick around to watch her take action!

Any and all thoughts (and votes) are greatly appreciated!