Falling asleep next to Thomas as his best friend was nice, but as his girlfriend is awesome.

If you ever need to get Thomas fast asleep, just start running your hands and nails all over his scalp. He was out in less than five minutes.

Now I've snuggled close to him because as his now girlfriend, I'm free to do that. It's nice to finally be able to actually feel his body warmth. Not just it radiating of his body, but actually lying against it.

Staring at him while he sleeps no longer feels like a crime. It's probably still a bit weird, but I can't help it. He looks so innocent and peaceful when he sleeps.

I guess he is quite innocent. I mean, compared to some other boys his age. Peaceful, maybe not. But he's happy enough. Slowly recovering from Mr. Keller and Teresa.

Sometimes, I wish he mentions it more. I'm grateful he opened up a bit at the beginning, but now he no longer speaks about any of it. I'm not sure if that's good. It's maybe the best way to forget about everything. I just don't know how he's really doing, even though I can almost always see through him. 

Then, on the other side, his words from a while ago come back to me. That I'm expecting him to open up while I never open up. He was very angry during that. He blurted things out, some of them true, some a bit unnecessary.

I guess he does open up more than me. I just have nothing to open up about. I went to him with the issues I had with Mr. Leadford. That's one of the very few things I have to worry about.

The killer is one of them, and what will happen to Aris after a while. But everything else is going pretty well in my life and I'm glad about that.

☯︎︎

I always spend longer getting ready than Thomas. He's always already eating breakfast when I finally show up. I often catch little flares of the conversations he has with either one of his parents in the morning.

Today, it's Monday. I have science today. If Mr. Leadford shows up, it'll be with a limp; Mango apparently bit him.

I just really, really hope he doesn't show up. Last time I believed he quit trying things, he apparently wasn't done yet. Followed me, tried to get me in the school building. Made Thomas call the police.

I shiver at all the memories. No. I'll stay close to Brenda today. I don't speak to her a lot—which is pretty bad, because I do like her—but she'll be there for me. Guess we need a way to get closer anyway.

Dressed and all ready—not mentally—for the day, I walk down the stairs. And as always, I stop at the second step. It's a great spot to listen to whatever is being said in the kitchen. I always listen for a few seconds to make sure I don't interrupt important conversations Thomas has with his parents.

"—look, I'm just telling you that if—"

"Dad," Thomas mocks, dragging the last letter out for a while. "I'm aware of all of that."

"Look, you've had a girlfriend before, so I'm sure you do. Viviette has never had a boyfriend before. I want you to be careful."

My eyebrows raise.

I shouldn't eavesdrop. It's a bad habit.

Well, neither should I have read the letters, because guess how that ended.

But this is different. They know I'm in the house and if I really wanted to, I'd be able to hear them from the bathroom. They're taking the risks.

"I don't need the talk! I've had it many times before."

"I'm just saying. We don't want your sibling to be an uncle or aunt straight away, do we?"

Oh! That's, uhm... yeah, the talk, I guess.

"Dad. I'm eighteen. We're both eighteen. We know all that shit. And no one said that's the first thing on our mind right now— it's not."

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm only letting you know."

"You don't have to."

"But, besides the uncle or aunt thing, please actually be careful. Like, with everything. As I said, you're her first boyfriend."

I sit down on the stairs at this point.

"I won't mess up," Thomas replies.

"I know you won't. Just keep it in the back of your head. A lot of things will be a first to Vi and I don't—"

"I got it. A lot of things will be a first to me, too."

"You had a girlfriend for over a year," Dan says dryly.

"Yeah, but we didn't do... anything— gosh, this is not something I should tell you."

It still sounds crazy to me. I already knew because Thomas said it before—when Minho interviewed him while we were walking to the beach, which now feels like centuries ago—but still. Together for more than a year, both around the age of eighteen, head over heels in love, but never like... taking it much further.

Never mind. It's not even that crazy. Well, maybe it is, but I'm personally terrified of naked boys— bluntly said.

"You can," Dan replies. "I'm glad we still can, you know? There's plenty of people out there who don't mention a single thing to their parents."

"Yes, alright— it's still awkward. Can we talk about something else? Like how I'm going to survive my grandparents next week?!"

I nearly jump straight up.

Gosh, no. Not his grandparents.

Indigo and Dan really saved the genes. Ew, Thomas could've been a little brat had he grown up with his grandparents.

Or, like Newt and Sonya, he became unhappy.

Either one of them. No in between.

I think I'll be hiding in my room—or his room—the whole week. They don't like me and they have no shame making that clear. They don't like anyone from our family. They don't even like any generation except for theirs— no, they don't like any generation. They only like themselves.

It is surprising that Thomas shares genes with them. Very surprising.

Anyway, I eventually decide to continue making my way down the stairs, a few of the steps cracking below my shoes. The fourth, seventh, and tenth.

I know that because of many reasons. Not only those few days in which our moms didn't allow Thomas and I to continue our streak, so I had to sneak upstairs (I was not going to climb any more windows or hedges), but also when we were younger. Sometimes, when we had a sleepover, we couldn't sleep. We sneaked downstairs and ate some snacks, or watched TV, or Thomas would try to teach me how to play video games.

Which didn't always work out. He wanted Minecraft survival mode and I wanted creative mode. He wanted to fight off the zombies and I wanted to build us a pretty house, which he did not find convenient for fighting.

And then I got angry at him for killing sheep and pigs, and he got angry at me for using his weapons to build. We quit playing Minecraft after that.

"Your grandparents?" I ask, sitting down at the table.

Thomas nods. "Unfortunately."

I take a piece of bread off the wooden cutting board as I nod a good morning to Dan, then I turn back to Thomas. "No offense, but—"

"Please. Just say it with a lot of offense."

Even Dan doesn't scowl at Thomas for that.

"Yeah, well— it's not going to be an... amazing week," I say slowly. My cheeks fill with heat. Even though his grandparents are awful people, it still feels wrong to say things like this about someone else's family members.

I barely ever see my grandparents. My grandma on my father's side has died about ten years ago. Grandpa now lives in a retirement home. We only see him once a year or something. I would visit more often if I had a license and the drive wouldn't be four hours. Finn sometimes goes, but he says Grandpa suffers from dementia. There isn't a lot of fun in visiting.

The other two are still alive, but they live all the way in South Korea. We don't have the money and time to travel there every year. We video call them on holidays, though.

I can't imagine that something like that will happen with my parents. That I'll move far away from them or that I won't ever see them. That they might be dead before I even have kids.

"Indeed," Thomas agrees. "And they're sleeping in my room. I've got the guest room."

"You can sleep in my room the whole week," I say immediately.

"Yeah, if that doesn't cause any issues with Minho and Finn. You know, the whole rotation cycle."

I shrug. "Otherwise, we'll share the guest room."

"Or you can spend a single night apart—"

"No, Dad. Not possible."

I lost count on the streak and I think Thomas did, too. Guess we're just holding it up.

Or maybe it's the fact that we're a couple now. I don't know. Dan had a point; I have no idea how normal it is for couples who are still in school to spend nights together. Every day.

I have no idea about a lot of things.

"Just saying."

We continue eating in silence. I can feel the tension rise. In Thomas's body, at least. I know exactly what he's thinking about.

"I will be bringing you to his class and I will be there the second the bell goes off so he can't keep you in there for a second longer than necessary," he tells me.

I nod, but the nerves are still in my stomach. Is this how we're supposed to cope with a creep for the following months? And once I've graduated, someone will be his next victim, won't they?

Victim. Speaking of victims, I have a feeling Aris still is one. As far as I know, no one has died from any kind of water. I think we're still at Hades.

Newt's mom might've been too interested in Aris at lunch yesterday? She already is one of our suspects and she hasn't made herself less suspicious.

Oh, by the way, they said they'd think about allowing Newt and Sonya to come with us.

Which means they've either already decided that they're absolutely not coming with us, or they will actually consider it.

"Yes." Fast, I nod. "Thank you."

Dan's head turns towards us. "What is he talking about?"

I almost start denying it. I'm ashamed any of this has happened in the first place. I should be capable of just telling Mr. Leadford I don't want to 'look through my test'. Even if I'd have to yell it.

No one but Thomas knows. Yeah, the woman behind the counter, who probably didn't even tell the principal anything. And the police, who don't even act.

No one will act until we show up with real proof. With something else than 'he gets really close and touches my arm'. The video wasn't enough.

Unless he doesn't show up today and got attested. Or is no longer allowed to work at the school. Any school.

"There's a creepy teacher," Thomas eventually replies, the annoyance so clearly dropping off his voice that Dan's face darkens. He can tell by just Thomas's tone how bad it is. "He followed Sage at night, Dad."

He explains the whole story, leaving Dan with wide eyes and a half open mouth. Then he closes his mouth and roughly gets off his chair. "What the hell does the police think? That this is some sick joke? Come on, we'll go again— right freaking now. For all I care, you ditch school today. It's a very decent reason."

Shrinking in my seat, I shrug. "I, ehm, I've got a test today. I don't know if—"

"Sage. This is our chance. You can make that test later on. You want him to stop, right?"

"Obviously," I murmur. "But what if they don't believe us? Again? Or what if they have already arrested Mr. Leadford?"

"Then what? It's not a waste of time," Dan tells me.

☯︎︎

The police said they haven't heard a single thing from Mr. Leadford.

Thomas told me Mr. Leadford said he'd report himself. But of course he didn't. We shouldn't have expected him to.

But he wasn't at his own house. The police went on the search for him; they do believe us. They just can't find the guy.

He didn't show up at school either. I don't know what that says. Did he flee? Does it have something to do with the killer? Is he hiding somewhere else? Is he waiting for me? No— can't let my thoughts go that way.

I'm eating dinner at home tonight. Thomas will be eating it with his parents. We're still holding onto the deal of not getting too attached.

At the age of eleven, we were literally two peas in a pot. We could not go without each other. We begged our parents for sleepovers and we didn't leave each other's side for a second. If I had to go to the bathroom, Thomas would keep talking with his back turned to me, and the other way around. Which is insane.

So our moms—because our dads probably couldn't care less—pulled us apart. Like, physically pulled. Thomas was kicking and yelling as Indie dragged him across the street. I refused to step into our house.

A few people passed the whole situation or even got out of their houses to check what the screaming was about.

Thomas then pulled the 'don't hit me!' because he was—is—a smart boy (sort of).

But Indie got so mad at him after that. She started yelling until he was crying.

Not that that made anything better. Thomas acting like he got abused and his mom then making him cry rose the suspicions. But alright.

Thinking about it, it's kind of funny. Even Thomas dropping to the floor with tears running down his cheeks and Indie yelling for Dan to drag his son inside.

After two weeks or so, we were allowed to hang out again. We still saw each other at school but we were scared our moms placed trackers on our backpacks or something, so we didn't get very close. Then we never got that attached again.

"Can you call Minho and Finn?" Mom asks me, setting the pasta down on the table.

With a nod, I run upstairs. I always hate it when people start yelling from below that dinner is ready, so I won't do the thing I hate to others: I knock on their door and tell them calmly.

But when I'm about the knock on Minho's door, I hear his voice. Immediately, curiosity takes over and I'm eavesdropping again.

Such a horrible habit. All the invasion of privacy. I need to work on it.

"—but she still didn't say anything at school today, Finn. What do I do? Get on my freaking knees?"

Minho's drama with Evie.

"I think at this point, yes. You should," Finn replies, unbothered as always.

"I will," Minho answers. He sounds way too determined. "I do really want her forgiveness, do you know that?"

"Mhm. Just don't ask me. I might know psychology but I haven't read a lot about relationship things yet. Ask Vi."

"Yeah, why does she have a love life and we don't? Why does she have a good one, at least? Why can't I have a good one?"

"It's your own fault."

"Even Newt has a better love life."

"Since when does Newt have a love life?"

"He doesn't. That's my point. You people without a love life have a better love life than me!"

"Stop victimizing yourself."

"How did she manage?"

Good question.

"I don't know. She's really kind. Caring. Selfless," Finn summarizes.

These are nice talks to overhear.

Satisfied, I lean against the wall.

"She acts like a mom," Minho corrects. "Soon, she'll be feeding that baby food to Thomas with a spoon."

That's not happening.

"He wouldn't mind."

"I wouldn't mind Evie feeding me baby food."

Okay, I guess he does really-really like her.

Finn and Minho have this communication. Minho isn't open to anyone but Finn. Not to me either. He wouldn't admit this to me in a million years. To Finn, he mentions it very casually.

It's kind of nice. I go to Minho with my problems, Minho goes to Finn with his problems, and Finn doesn't have a lot of problems. Genuinely, he seems to have a very peaceful life. He goes to Dad sometimes.

He should go more often, though. Even if he doesn't have any issues. He should talk more. His anger at random things will ball up and sooner or later, there will be another fight. It's been calm for way too long.

"I didn't need that piece of information," Finn says, disgusted.

Minho ignores that. There's a loud sigh. "Do you think she'll even forgive me?"

"You made her lose all her friends. I'm not so sure, bud. You're dumb to start a friends-with-benefits in the first place. You turned seventeen not even that long ago. Do you want a kid before you're eighteen—"

"Shut up. Don't mention all of that."

"Ah, so you get dirty all the time but you're ashamed to talk about it? Childish."

I can hear the scowl on Minho's face. "It's not childish. It's privacy that I don't want to share with my brother. You're just pissed I at least 'get dirty'."

"Why do you make everything a competition? Sex is the last thing I'm thinking of right now."

I no longer want to listen to this, ew. Well, it's not ew— actually, it kind of is? I have so many mixed thoughts. It's scary, that's for sure.

"I should go to Vi at this point. This is not going to work with you."

"Why? You're going to spill about your sex life to her?"

"Stop. Stop saying that. If Mom hears, I'm dead. And no, I'm not going to talk about that. Vi won't give better advice than you."

Thanks, Minho.

It's true, though.

"She's the one with a relationship."

"Of just two days," Minho reminds him. "It'll take them another three years to take a step further. But let's stop talking about her love life now."

Yes, please. The thought of others imagining things like this about me is weird. Especially my brothers.

"Good idea," Finn agrees. "I hope it takes another three years, if not five."

Oh, alright, then.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I guess I will agree," Minho says randomly.

"This sounds like we're turning her into a Vestal."

Minho snorts. Finn lets go of a laugh.

I pull a face, offended.

From now on, because of this, I will tease them I have the boyfriend, and they don't. Or girlfriend, for all I care.

Then I knock on the door. "Hey, it's time for dinner."

Two yelps. "Jeez— you scared the shit out of us."

"Then you shouldn't have called me a Vestal," I blurt out, annoyed.

"You are a Vestal."

I tilt my head to the side. "How would you know?"

What. Am. I. Starting?

"You look like one," Minho says dryly.

"You can't look like a Vestal— and just call it virgin."

"Yes, you can. And you can act like one. You act like one."

"And who's got the partner here? Not you," I shoot back.

Finn's eyebrows raise.

"You and Thomas are both innocent little angels," Minho replies.

"And you're the slutty devil?"

"Did you just call me a slut—"

"DINNER! VIVIETTE, I TOLD YOU—"

"YES!" I yell back at Mom.

She does yell below the stairs.

☯︎︎

A/n: Lol this chapter is low-key useless

But my question matches the topic, I guess; how much spice do y'all want in this book

Surely there will be one single scene (no smut, as I've mentioned before) but I don't know how y'all want it

Like, I don't care if I write no spice at all or quite a lot of spicy chapters—

I hate the word spicy

And I'm currently on vacation. I should save my updates so I can spread them around the weeks but I actually still have some time to write and since I enjoy doing it so much, I have no problem writing now and then

So here is the third update of the day, wow.

Now I'm yapping

Okay enough, have a good dayyyayayayaya and keep loving Minho's biceps 😘😘