"Mr. Keller was an amazing teacher," the principal is begins.

And I'm late, because I was helping my math teacher clean some stuff up. So now I've got to walk through a whole crowd of people with chairs on both sides like I'm the bride walking down the aisle on my way to Viviette, who's sitting somewhere at the front.

Which is probably not a good comparison to make because this is a memorial but alright.

Even worse, people have taken the seats beside her. There's like... no seats left in that row.

But at the end of the row, I see Mr. Leadford. The lightbulb appears above my head—must be because I'm named after the guy who thought of it—and I move closer to the person beside Sage, our English teacher.

"Hi, Miss," I greet in a whisper. "I was helping Mr. Hilbert with some things and now I am late. Would it be a trouble if I can get the seat next to Viviette and you can scoot one seat to the left?"

"Oh, sure," she says.

Just like that, the whole row on the left of Vi has to get up, and they all take one step to the left like robots. All of them except for Mr. Leadford are now sitting on a new chair. Fortunately, he gets the ground.

"Thank you." I plop down next to Viviette, way too satisfied with my actions. Perhaps it'll slow down the sadness for Mr. Keller.

"—so that is most of what I wanted to say. Thank you, students, for treating him well. I know he enjoyed his work. And thank you, teachers, for making him feel welcome all forty years of his career here. May Albert Keller rest in peace." And then he steps aside with a tiny bow.

What would I say if I did accept his request about the speech?

I think go through some memories. Talk about the highlights. Why Mr. Keller was such a good person. What it was like finding him. That I wish the person who murdered him gets an even more horrible death—

I start clapping softly along with everyone else.

"Thank you all for coming here," the principal then says. "For the rest of the day and this weekend, you're all free to visit. Pray, lie down some flowers, grieve, share memories, anything."

Slowly, people start getting up. Talks start. A short line in front of the small podium. They set up a table with a picture of Mr. Keller and one of the medals he won when he was younger.

Tomorrow's Finn birthday and I don't think I can wait until Sunday to lie flowers down, so I brought them with me today. Sage and I get up without having to share any words and get in line.

It doesn't take long. People mostly just lie their flowers down and then start speaking to others.

Once we're there, Vi is the first to lie her rose down. I'm pretty sure it came out of their garden. I bought two lilies. Both of them get a place in front of his smiling picture.

I quickly step away when my heart starts aching.

"Did he have a wife?" Viviette quietly asks.

"Yes, but she died like twenty years ago," I mutter. "Less pain for her now, I guess."

"Yeah."

"Hey, Thomas," a louder voice forces me to look up. It's the principal. "As Mr. Keller no longer has family members, we're not sure how to get rid of the stuff he left. You go onto runs, don't you?"

"...yes," I say slowly.

"You're free to take his stopwatch." Mr. Ross holds up the little device. I remember it hanging around Mr. Keller's neck every day. The long, black string. His furrowed eyebrows focused on the time when someone was running.

I'm at a loss of words for a second. I'm blinking like crazy, like that will help me sort out the consequences of taking this with me.

"I— uh— yes," I stammer. "That'd be... lovely, sir."

A soft smile grows on his face while he presses the stopwatch in my hands. "Okay. Take good care of it." His eyes go to Viviette before they go back to me. "Condoled, both of you."

"You, too," Viviette says. I give a last little nod before the principal walks off. Immediately, she looks at me. The question doesn't have to leave her lips for me to understand.

"I'm alright," I assure. Probably going to have another cry at home, but for now, I'm alright.

"Do you want to stay or...?"

"Not for much longer. I'm just gonna go to the bathroom," I tell her.

Sage smiles softly. It brings some kind of wave of calmness over me, then I make my way into the boy's bathroom.

My phone buzzes a minute later, just as I'm washing my hands.

Teresa

Hi
Sorry for the random message
Just letting you know we'll be moving tomorrow, somewhere in the afternoon
Idk, maybe if we want to say a last goodbye? I don't think we'll see each other much after this.
Just letting you know

We're going to a restaurant at six for Finn's birthday, with both my and his family. Teresa will be moving before that. I have time. Do I want to, though?

I don't know. It would be awkward. I don't think seeing her will help me recover.

This memorial was helping in some way. I was focused on something else. And it wasn't even that bad, because the memorial is out of honor. That felt kind of nice.

I'll see
Have a good day

That's all I can think of right now and I sound like a total dick.

Exhaling, I leave the bathroom. It's a struggle to put my phone back in my pocket— I swear this embarrassing thing always happens in public. My pocket is jumping away from me or something.

Once I've done the simple job, my eyes scan around for a sigh of Viviette. Or the long black hair. Or the outstanding but nice outfit. The backpack that is sometimes a little too big for her. The person who is most likely to knock things over. The—

Not this man again.

Mr. Leadford is talking to her. In a corner. She's standing in the corner, looking up at him. Her eyes are wider than they're supposed to be. The way she's standing literally makes the uncomfortableness shine off her. And he's way too close. Talking way too weirdly. Being way too touchy.

"Thomas, hey." I get greeted from beside. It's Alby. "I expected to see you here. Are you alright? Condoled, man. I—"

"I'm sorry, Alby. Just... one second."

I stride across the room and stop abruptly behind Mr. Leadford. His eyes linger in such a way... I swear, one of these days—

"Ah, Thomas. Hey. Are you okay? Condoled." The teacher straightens his back when he notices me, his face filling with false joy.

I ignore it. "Are you okay?"

"Well, I mean, Mr. Keller was a—"

"I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Viviette," I say sharply. "Not like a teacher is being inappropriate towards her or something."

He's a bit shocked as I cast an 'are you okay' look at Vi. "I wouldn't know what you're talking about," he says.

"Because your head is so full with the idea of her, or what? You're way too close and you're touching her."

"Her arm, Thomas. I was making sure—"

"—that you will be able to keep it in your pants every time you do this? It's not the first time, is it?" I pull her away from him. "Leave her alone. Don't you take her for talks after class." Anger surges through my body. "I'm reporting you."

I catch a flash of panic before he smiles again. "I'm not doing a thing. I'm being friendly."

"Don't ever be friendly again then, please. If you do, I will report you."

I bet Mr. Ross likes me and Viviette better than Mr. Leadford anyway. No way anyone likes this man.

"Oh my god— thank you," Viviette pleads quietly. "I had no idea what to tell him or what to do. He's so scary—"

"Kick him in the balls and run off. Slam that ridiculously heavy backpack against his head, too. Report him. Tell me. And I'll report him as well."

"Yes, alright. Noted," she says.

I did not think Viviette would agree with the backpack thing— probably too locked in.

"Let's go now," I reply. My hand is still holding her wrist, maybe a little too tightly. I pull away as fast as I can, as if it's wrong. Then I realize it's not, and I take ahold of it again, just not that tightly.

Her skin is always soft. As long as I can remember, it has been like that. But my skin is always warmer. And more tanned, even in the winter.

"Oh, hey, guys—"

"No," I tell Gally, and I put Viviette in the front seat of the car, then sit down myself.

What are all the obstacles for today?

A little taken aback, Sage blinks at me. Clears her throat.

"Oh, sorry. Did you... want to talk to him?"

"No, thanks," she says.

Now it's kind of confusing. "You don't plan on making a move?"

For a second, it seems like she's about to start yelling at me and will steal the wheel to drive us into a cliff. But then she calmly replies, "Nope."

"Hm. That's... very Viviette-ish. But a waste, isn't it? He seems to be alright with you."

Fuck no. She can't ever take advice from me. Just kicking and slamming Mr. Leadford. She may do that. But making a move on Gally?

"Eh— I guess."

I realize she is at a loss of words, so I let go of it and continue driving.

"Will I see you tomorrow at Finn's birthday?" She wonders.

"Yeah, at the dinner." Sadly only at the dinner.

"You won't be there in the morning? Finn says you're welcome anytime."

The eyes. The voice. Why do they have to look and sound like that when she's asking me for something? Eyes big and glowy. Voice soft and pleading in a way I don't think I'll ever be able to resist.

"Oh, sure. I'll be there. What time?"

"I don't know. Tonight, I'll be sleeping on my own again. Finn said he won't mind sharing a bed with Minho on his birthday. He doesn't want to mess our current system up."

Aw, sweet of him...

...to leave a place for me in her bed.

"Can we start a sleepover streak?" I blurt out.

There is a one second pause. If she refuses, it'll be embarrassing. The possibility is there, though. Like, she wouldn't have paused if she wouldn't have a thousand thoughts—

"Sure," she says. 

Easily said, not easily done.

I mean... how many best friends of different genders share beds at the age of eighteen?