*Flashback 6 months ago*

My father gave me a bruise on my head just because I had an argument with one of our neighbour's daughter. He said men don't fight or harm girls, but we didn't even resorted to fists, and it was just a small squabble about the misplaced trashcans. 

I didn't lay a finger on her, but he didn't believe me...he also said I was an untrustworthy and dangerous kid, so he should punish me nevertheless.

I decided to vent about it to Kevin when basketball practice was done. What I really like about the guy was he'd listen and give me comforting pats on the back while blowing off steam. It always soothes me, knowing my friend was there and he's listening, not just hearing and everything went out through the other ear. 

We just stayed there for a few minutes sitting close together, having a heart to heart moment, when someone whistled from our side and interrupted us.

It was Pax, with a smirk on their face. "Hey. Am I...interrupting something here?~" the sing sang tone in their was very unsubtly teasing us. They knew what their interruption meant and boy they were proud that they ruined the moment.

Yes, you are. I am having a private moment with my crush and you're here distracting me with your existence!

I pulled myself away from the athlete suddenly all flustered, and avoided at both Kevin's and Pax's direction for a moment. "N-no! You're not interrupting anything..." but my tone was passive aggressive despite the soft stammering.

"What brings you here, Pax?" Kevin rubs his neck bashfully. Pax answers, but more stolid this time. "Mikayla is roaming around the corridors with a crowbar. I felt very threaten by her so I came here for safety."  

That name...feels like a forbidden territory. My body couldn't say it even if I wanted...which I didn't. 

I turned to Kevin, his usual smile faded into a troubled frown. "Oh...I'm sorry to hear that." he says with too much sympathy and regret for something he didn't cause. His eyes have clouded and darken with guilt.

Looking at Pax for answers, but their eyes were narrowed down and sharply focused at the troubled athlete in front of them. The blue eyes held suspicion and bitterness to their target.

Pax's actions towards Kevin...while still polite and friendly, had been a little more subtly hostile lately. They don't show it, but I could see and hear the change through their voice and their body language; spending time with the twin had surely sharpen my perspective, hehe.

All was silence before Kevin stand up and started packed up his things as fast as he could. 

Kevin has been really avoidant these days. Don't get me wrong, he still hangs out with his friends and still was a sweetheart, but the frequent sudden up-and-go out of nowhere was becoming more common. As if he was needed in a lot of times and needed to go urgently.

"I need to go now, I'm sorry. See you tomorrow, alright?" He gives us a weak smile before waving away and hurriedly ran out of the court.

We didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

Pax then approaches me, arms crossed. They looked a little more worried, as if something was terribly wrong.

"What's up?" I asked them, standing up and fixing my outfit. We were now standing in front each other.

They bite their lip for a moment and turn to the closed doors where Kevin went through. "Jack, don't you think Kevin has been really suspicious recently?" they whispered cautiously. 

Huh? Why would they say that? "No? Why would you think so?"

"I'm surprise you haven't noticed; every time that female troublemaker is nearby, he completely ditches whatever he was doing. And he always seems to fixated at the topic of her."

Uneasiness swelled inside me, but I tried to remain unfazed. "Maybe it's just a coincidence?"

"I observe students here as my free time, Jack. It's no coincidence that he keeps doing this whenever Mikayla is around."

Please stop saying her name, it doesn't sit straight with me. I closed my eyes tightly as if I was in pain just by hearing that girl's name. Once I finally relaxed, my eyes opened to meet with the blue ocean eyes the twin had. They held trouble but then relaxed when I opened my vision to them.

The peaceful shine of their eyes have ease me down as soon as we locked eyes. Isn't it weird that the eyes of someone can have an effect on your emotion? 

My family's eyes always held stress, stubbornness and exhaustion, Kevin's eyes were always full of joy and life, Pax and Hannah's, though the same, Hannah had a more energetic glint whereas Pax had more tranquility gleaming in their eyes that always calms me down.

"You're probably over reading this, how can someone so gentle and friendly like Kevin have any connection with the total opposite of him?" I said with doubt. Then again, how can someone like him befriend someone as worthless as me?

"I have no idea unfortunately, I'm still figuring that out. For now..." The twin steps closer to me, putting both their hands onto my shoulders. Their expression held more seriousness, protectiveness and concern. "I want you to be careful...he might hurt you."

"Hurt me...? How, exactly?" 

"I don't know...but please be cautious around him until I say so. I know you know him very well and he doesn't seem the type do something harmful, but I will never forgive myself if something happens to you." 

Their voice pleaded to me very softly and gently, but it still stayed stern and serious. Their eyes were begging along. 

But I could only sigh and pulled their hands off my shoulders. They retreated and returned back to crossing against the twin's chest. 

"Pax...look, it's sweet of you to be worried, but I can handle myself." I knew they won't take that as their answer, so I added, "If he tries anything, I promise you'll be the first one to know."

They didn't say anything, they looked away and bit their lip again before taking a deep breath and meet my eyes again. Hesitantly they said, "...okay. I'll hold you on to that."

I smiled and decided to pitch my voice into a more enthusiastic tone. "Now don't look so grouchy, Mx Knight In Shining Silver Shoes! Come, let's walk home together so you won't have to be afraid."

Despite the doubtful they still had, they let themselves smile at my enthusiasm. "To be honest, I'm more frighten if you're with me. I'd have to protect myself and you."

"You're underestimating me, Pax."

"Just because you're taller than I am, doesn't mean anything. I'm still a month older than you after all."

====

Date: 2012 April 28 - 13 days remaining

Hannah's perspective

If I tell you that my twin was fine...it would be a lie. Since the argument they had with that asshat, Pax has been avoiding everyone...including me; they don't respond anything to what I say, they would always look distracted in thought, and they would always go straight to their room as soon as school ends and won't go out unless it was a bathroom break or meal time. Everytime our parents tried to ask Pax what was wrong, they won't reply. Luckily they still do their chores and responsibilities...just didn't wanna interact with anyone.

Today, after school, I was trying to find them and ended up in the basketball court where the basketball team was doing their usual practice, with one major difference. Their coach had called in sick about two days ago so the faculty assigned our teacher, Mr Harrison, to be their temporary coach; it was such a shock to many since Mr Harrison isn't the man you would strike as someone involved in sports, but he surprisingly have a lot of knowledge about basketball theory...just in theory though. 

The reason I headed there is so I could ask Mr Harrison about Pax's disappearance. They say our teachers are our second parents and that's what Mr Harrison was to us; a substitute parent who treated us with equal respect and kindness. He doesn't yell or punish us, but he does give us extra homework when we misbehave and we're never afraid to ask him anything (unless it's concerning underage sex and drugs). Pax and I trust the man enough to let him know where we would be, so the chance of him knowing where my twin is close to a hundred.

"Uh...okay, good job everyone!" He awkwardly praises and claps his hand together, the basketball team formed a straight line that made their hair colors look like a rainbow if you look from above. "But the only complaint I'd say is Patrick's angle is at forty-five in the right, when it should be left." he points to his left.

Patrick, the tangerine-haired in the line, stepped forward. "Forgive me, allenatore (italian: coach). But you didn't really specify whose left I should be following." "Oh right! Ahh...I'm sorry, that's my bad...oh haha I'm not used to this...coaching thing. I'm not the athletic type..." Our teacher trails off, sorting his papers followed by an anxious chuckle. Poor Harrison... everyone was unsure what to do next when the awkwardness was thickening each second pass.

Ashton, the captain of the team, cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention. He had a relax smile painted on his face. "No sweat, Mr Harrison. Everyone was surprised too when they assigned you as our coach, but we trust the school knows what it's doing; you're pretty good at the sport's theory so that's a good thing. Just tell us what to do and I, as the captain, will do the rest." The red-haired gleams brightly at its crew, and most returns it by grinning back at him; the only one who looked away was Kevin, who was in the farthest of the line.

I don't know much about the two, but I heard they were good friends until last week, Kevin publicly announced to the whole school he was dating his step-sister, Mikayla. Since then, they've been very distant to each other. 

"Thank you, Ashton." Mr Harrison grins at the new enthusiasm aura around them. He finally detected my presence and turns to me. "Oh, Ms Quinn. This is such an expected event. What brings you here? Shouldn't you be going home?" he asked me, the the basketball players' eyes were now on me as well. Everyone knew who I was by my appearance.

I wore a cerulean dress with a pink jacket and a magenta belt, fresh from my closet; with all the confusion I felt the past days, I decided it's for the best if I step it all aside for a moment with everything piling up and Pax being aloof and frosty. I sucked it up and became a 'girl' again. 

"I can't find where my other, three hours older, and cooler version of me is and our parents wouldn't like it if I leave them. Do you, by any chance, know where Pax is?" I asked Mr Harrison.

"Pax? Oh, they're over there. They said they wanted to watch practice, strange isn't it? I recalled you two mourning over the thought of basketball when we did a sport essay." he points to the third row seat on the right side of the stadium, where my twin was writing something in their notes with complete focus, away from the other people watching the practice. "Yeah...strange, very strange." I trail to a quiet mumble. 'What are you doing here?' the thought came across me before marching up to the stairs on the right when I hear someone calling my name.

"Uh...Hannah?" somehow the sound of my own name has been bothering me lately. I spin back and see Steffan, one of our promising students in school and arguably the tallest player in the team staring at me with a faint pink blush on his cheeks, the other members snickered teasingly behind him. His green emerald eyes shined and gazed at me deeply.

"I think you're a pretty...cool lady." he mutters, looking away as the hue on his face deepens from light pink to cherry red and his hand moved up to rub his neck; half of the team groans loudly in frustration. A slight ache of guilt began eating me inside; for years I've known he has feelings for me, I'm not dumb, and I might like him back if we would ever date, but that would only be torture for him because he likes girls.

I remained a soft smile. "Thank you, Steffan. I think you're a cool guy." He seems genuinely happy and brightened even more when I smiled at him. I turned back to the stairs and strides to my twin.

When I reached Pax, they only glanced at me for a split second and quickly returned to their notes, their hair was in slight mess and the worry in their look since this morning still haven't left them. "Hey, Pax...how are you doing?" I asked, and as I predicted, no reply. A sigh slipped out of me and take a seat next to them. 

"Look...I know you're not talking to anyone at the moment, but I just want you to know I'm here if you're ready to talk." I said as I hesitantly put a hand on their shoulder. Instead of them sharply shrugging it off like they did before, the only respond I got was a short pause of their pen and resumed composedly. 

Sighing again, we silently watch the team practice. It seems like we're gonna be stuck here for awhile.

====A few hours later====

The practice was...predictable. However, I noticed some off patterns during their performance; their captain wouldn't try to glance at Kevin's direction and sometimes, instead of passing it to him, the red haired would attempt to goal on his own instead which caused everyone to start over. There will be occasions where he will pass it to the other...a little too hard than he should've. 

Wow, they're really being distant.

"Okay, that's it for today. Great work, team!" Mr Harrison yelled to the players. When the team dispersed for a water break, he strolls towards Ash. "Ashton, I've seen how aggressive you were to Hail...I won't punish you this time, but please remember to be friendly with your teammates. This isn't a one man show, all drama should be on the sidelines." "I'm sorry, coach. I promise to do better next time." but the almost momentarily rumble in Ash's voice says so otherwise.

And very soon, one by one left the arena; Steffan waved at me before leaving the building, reluctantly I waved back. 

When Mr Harrison left and there were only few people remained, Kevin and Ashton were in a heated argument on the benches while they were packing their stuff. Silently, I stand up from my seat, carefully crawled down the stairs and ducked behind a trashcan just meters away from the bench to listen in their quarrel; I know I shouldn't, but it might shed some light to whatever tension is between the two. With the shadow covering me and my body curled up into a ball, I doubt they'd see me.

"Can you please say something to me?" Kevin's voice plead in a firm yet weak tone.

"I can, but I won't." Ashton grumbled, and the frequency of putting his items into his bag going faster.

"Ashton...would you stop being a pussy and look at me?"

The action stops and two audible shoe steps were heard. "Okay, dickhead. I'm looking with my two bright hazel eyes. Now what?"

"Just... tell me where did I go wrong here. I thought everything would be okay if we announced our relationship after being months in the shadow. But you're here, avoiding me and purposely hurting me during practice."

Then there was a scoff from the captain before he replied to his teammate. "Kevin, I could go on and on about the wrongs you did and it wouldn't get through your thick head."

"Try me."

"Alright, I'll put it simple; first, I've specifically told each and every one of you to not to get your hands on Mikayla, second is the fact you were dating that psycho without my consent or knowledge for months in secret broke every code existed between friends, and third is you're sending a lot of mixed signals."

A brief huff of bitter laughter and a few step backs were heard from Kevin. "Me? Sending mixed signals?"

There was a pause of silence before the brunet spoke again. "Why do you hate your sister, Ash? Your own sister?"

"Oh, I don't know, why do you like her? What did she have that of all the girls and boys in this school doesn't? A fucked up mind? Is that what you're into?"

I heard stomps from the other to the red haired and snarled, "Don't talk about my girlfriend like that."

"Don't act like you know her longer than I do."  Ash snapped at him and there was an audible shove. "I've seen that girl in her worst times; yes she's daring, she's bold, she's mysterious, she's your typical bad girl who will steal every boy and questioning lesbian's rebellious heart. But you don't know what she's capable of, this isn't a Wattpad story."

"You talk like you're better, Mr Playboy."

"Maybe it's because I am? I don't kidnap my crushes and tie them in our dead sister's bedroom for my messed up fetish, I don't hit my step mother with my trophies until her head bled, and I don't karate kick our neighbour's seven year old only child's head so hard to the point we had to take him to the hospital."

...What the fuck?!

"I...what?" Kevin's voice faltered into a confused whisper.

"Yeah, you didn't know that, did you? And I'm not even kidding, you can search up 'Seven year old kid get beaten up by neighbour' in Youtube."

There was an even longer pause than I anticipated. Crawling out of my spot a little to peak of what was going on and saw an intense staring showdown between the athletes. Then Ashton broke the gaze with a sigh and take a step closer to the other, putting both his hands on Kevin's shoulders.

"Kevin, as your friend, I'm only worried what she'd do something to you. She may have been in therapy, meds, counselling for years, but you just don't know when she'll repeat herself. I know for a fact she hasn't fully recovered yet, if she did she wouldn't be the 'bad girl' of the school. If you know what's better for you; break up with her and date anyone else who interests you...maybe your emo friend who dropped out of school? Or have you forgotten about him?" 

Oh, they're talking about Jack.

Kevin had a small red tint of blush when Ash mentions him and shrugs off the red hair's hands. "Of course I still remember him, he's my friend."

"Your friend who you refuse to visit or check up on."

"That's because Mikayla told me not to...oh."

"Mmm... if that isn't the first sign of a red flag, I don't know what is."

Ashton steps away to carry on with his packing. The brunet was quiet still in his place by the time the captain was done. When he was walking away, he finally spoke up.

"You're right. But...I don't wanna break up with her, damn it. I'm in love with your sister."

Ash stops in his tracks and paused to think of an answer and then turns his head around. "Love is blind, Kevin. But you're not."

Then walked out of the court, leaving his friend in his thoughts. 

"God...why is this so difficult?" I heard Kevin groan to himself while he walked away to where his bag was placed. "Maybe I should visit him tomorrow after my job at the shelter is done..."

By the time he was gone, I stand up and turn back to where Pax was...only to see their seat was empty. They must've snuck out while I was focus on the two. With a frown, I grab my bag and left the stadium.

====

While walking down the halls alone, a small 'psst' from the girl's bathroom was heard from the one I passed by. I stop, turn around, and walk back to the bathroom. The door creaks open ever so slightly and see...Leslie. 

"Hannah. Can you please help me here?" she whispers very lowly. I assume she's hiding from someone so I lowered my tone when I asked. "What's the matter?" 

"Bianca is out there waiting for me for our date. But I accidentally splashed juice on my dress, but luckily I have two spares ready in my bag."

Oh...okay then? "Oh okay, great. I don't see the problem here."

"The problem is I don't think either of dresses match the color of my shoes or my accessories! You are an ace at matching colors, please help me!" She opens the door wider, I could see she was wearing a stainless scarlet red floral tea length outfit. Stain? What stain?

Like the kind person I was, however, I didn't turn her down. And helping her might benefit me in the future. "Uh...fine, I guess I'll-"

"Thanks, love! You're an angel!"

With one swift movement, she grab my hand, pull me into the restroom, and lock it. The surroundings was just the normal school bathroom except there was a magenta pink bag open and two dress laid on of the sinks, one of them had visible juice stains.

"Now the only dress I packed is this red one..." She gestures down to her dress. I never knew Leslie has nice curves, she could beat mine. She looks up and points towards the sink. "...and that orange one. That pink dress on the sink is the one I accidentally spilled with juice so that obviously doesn't count anymore."

"I think the right words you should describe them are scarlet red, cider orange, and lemonade pink." I comment proudly, she turns back to me with a smile...her pink lips are too shiny, did she lip gloss? This date must be extremely fancy. "See what I mean? You have a gift Hannah, and that gift is going to help me pick the right outfit. Now...what would you say on this one?" She poses in front of me as I take her imagine in.

"Hmm...it's a tad overwhelming for the eyes, the scarlet dress red and  the strawberry pink shoes you have mixed together is too much." my eyebrows furrow with a hand curled against my lips.

She nods understandingly. "Alright. Then to the orange." and she suddenly starts stripping in front of me!- "LESLIE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" 

She stops midway when the dress rested on her hips. OH NO SHE'S SO FIT! Her hips looks so perfect and smooth... I could feel myself heating up from head to toe and turn my head away from the sight. Don't look at her breast area, don't look at her breast area, don't look at her breast area...why do I wanna look at her breast area?!?! "Shut your gob, Bianca might hear you!"

"Why are you undressing in front of me?!" Still not looking, nope. Good thing the door was locked, otherwise someone might come in and get the wrong idea. There was a long pause before she speaks out. "I'm confused. Aren't we both ladies, and you're straight?"

Gulping my saliva, I try to speak. "I...I'm not..." I'm not...I'm not what? I'm not WHAT? No matter how hard I try to find the right words, it keeps failing me. What was I? What was I trying to say? Then I hear Leslie speak again. "...Ohhh, I see what's going on. My apologies, I'll go change in a stall." And thankfully she did...

A part of me regret not seeing her breast area. Why do I wanna see what bra she was wearing? Ugh! I'll just look at my own breasts if that's the case!

When she came out wearing the orange dress, she twirled her way towards me and the dress glitter ribbons sparkled as she did so. It fits her more than the red, her pink earrings and shoes surprisingly compliments the cider orange better than I expected. 

"Okay, this is the dress. Thank you so much for your help, Hannah." She proceeds to twirl again, with a grateful smile dancing on her lip glossed lips. I could only nod at her with my mind occupied at the memory of her almost slipping out the red dress in my very own two eyes. "N-No problem." I choked out, my voice was slightly off from the nervousness.

She slowly stops and looks at me, her expression changed and faded from happy and carefree to worrisome and serious. "Oh and uh...can we talk for a minute?" she murmurs. I clear my throat and take a deep breath before replying. "Sure. Aren't we already talking minutes ago?"

"It's about Jack." 

Oh shit, how do I unlock a door without turning around? "What about him?" trying to keep the conversation going while my hands attempt to unlock the door behind me. I am so not in the mood to talk to about cockhead and one of the rules Pax and I created was to never let out information we found to anyone else to avoid trouble.

"You know Ashton's birthday was days ago?"

"Yeah, Pax and I didn't go because we were too tired. Why?"

She starts filling me in about the mystery guest during Ash's party who hogged the spotlight and the old man she confided to at the balcony about her relationship problems. No doubt it was Jack, who else would eat that many gummies in one setting? When she told me the man's name, I snorted. "'Jack King'? Seriously?" I'm more convinced the old man was also him in a different voice, she did say she couldn't see him from below.

"I know right? But I didn't realize until two days later how suspicious that name sounded. I even asked Ash if he had a relative with the surname 'King' and he said none. Then I remembered Steffan was chasing the guest at midnight...and there were trails of the same petals I showed to you and Pax left, complete with blood."

"Have you told anyone else about this?"

"Only to you and Bianca. Do you think...he was the mystery guest?" I remember she doesn't know anything else aside Jack hacking out petals. I try to play along, but when you have further knowledge on something than the person in front of you, it's hard to play dumb.

"Maybe. I mean he's sick, right? How would he go to someone's party with a flu?" I attempt to debunk her theory, but it only made her eyes narrowing on me and her eyebrows creasing together suspiciously.

"That's what have I been thinking. But I figured you might know something?" Whoops, she was on to me, the pursed frown lips accompanying her already doubtful face. "You might as well tell me if you do, Hannah. I know you visited him that day, and as much as I respect your detective case, this is not some random person we're dealing; this is Jack, he's our friend, someone we care about and his life probably depends on us."

...Leslie is right. Jack has Hanahaki and it's killing him every passing minute, and I'm here hating on the guy because he yelled at my sibling. I should've stop and think of the situation he was in... Stepping aside the rules I vowed to Pax, I told her everything since she deserves it; what happened the day we visited Jack, the Hanahaki, and the fight they had days ago. 

"Ahh, that explains...literally everything; the petals, the mystery guest, Pax's losing the plot..." she comments thoughtfully, rubbing her chin in thought. She then gazes back to me. "We should look at this further. You said you borrowed the medical book, right?"

"Yeah, but Pax has it and they won't let anyone get through their materials."

"Then we should let Pax sort whatever they're doing. It sounds like your twin is not sulking over their fight, not with the amount of time they're spending on their notepads or the hours they spent in their room; I bet they're trying to study something that concerns the disease."

"Maybe...but I've never seen them so mournful in all my life, for all we know, they're venting their feeling by writing them down. When Jack said they were never important to them...you could sense their heart breaking in that very moment. They were best friends so it meant so much to them."

"Trust me on this. Jack tells me about the two of you a lot, and based from what he said, Pax sounds like someone who will do anything to finish their job, and since their friend is their current case, they won't simply drop out on this one."

"I hope..."

Once our conversation was done, Leslie and I went out the restroom and parted ways. By the time I came home, Pax was already in their room with the door locked. 

I hope they'll open up soon...