"Fuck you Zart!" Right as I reached my window I saw it. Gally sailing his fist into unsuspecting Zart's face, crushing his nose in the process. The boy toppled over, hand moving splat to the middle of his face.

"Gally!" I cried out from the ledge. He twisted his neck to me, eyes beaded with anger. Upon glancing at my face he softened, loosening his fist. Previously packed tightly now hung at his side. Then he just stormed off. Leaving Zart with a bloodied up nose.

__________________________

"I'm sorry." I couldn't help blurting it out an apology after seeing Zart's face. His nose was puffed up, swollen and red. Purple and blue already on their way.

"Not your fault." He held on to his nose firmly. "I had it coming. You had to tell him eventually. I'm surprised he only hit me once." Moving his hand aside I stared at the contusion again, as much as it made me wince.

"Here." I dug through the medjacks assortment of pills. "This will take the pain away, Frypan has ice packs in the fridge." He made what he could of a smile and gave a quick nod.

"Thank you." As he stood in the doorway Zart stopped. Turning around he left me with. "I'm sorry. Really sorry. I won't bug you from now on I swear." Then he was gone.

_______________________

"You." I mumbled, reaching out and encircled my fingers around Victor's thin wrist. "Come with me." He balanced his food tray as he followed.

Lunch.

Made by Frypan. Delicious as always.

"Am I finally gonna get to see the treehouse?" He grinned, a slight blush stuck on his cheeks. It made him look healthy, almost normal.

"That's the idea." I murmured, climbing up the ladder. It wasn't till we both were inside when I spoke again. Arms crossed as I delivered my order. "You're going to eat everything on your plate." He blew his hair up, the fluff barely moving.

"I can't-"

"You will." I slid down the wall to join the redhead on the wooden floor.

"No seriously, I can't."

"Then I'll help you."

"How?"

With one movement I did it. Settling myself on his lap sideways.

"This good enough?" I said dryly.

"Suddenly I'm starving."

"Good, eat." It was slow bites at first, then he started to gain a sort of momentum for it. I watched as he ate, mouthful after mouthful of food. Then he was finished, wiping his mouth off with his sleeve. Now it was his turn to talk.

"You trying to make him jealous?"

"No." I rolled my eyes. "I don't want to make him jealous on purpose. He doesn't need help with that." I felt something against the underside of my leg then.

Something hard.

"Oh for fucks sake!" I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"You're on my lap!"

"Get rid of it!"

"How?!"

"I don't know! Think about everyone you love dying! Shouldn't you know?!" I was off of him now, unable to take my eyes off his stupid boner.

"Don't stare at it!" He cried out, covering his little problem up with his hands.

"I'm sorry but it's just there and it weird and it's gross!"

"Look at the ceiling then!"

"Fine!" Obeying I glued my eyes on the wooden planks that were my dull ceiling, hoping it would leave. Silence. "You could think about clowns." I offered.

"No, clowns turn me on." He said much to calmly. I whipped my head back towards him.

"How the fuck do clowns turn you on?!"

"It's a thing!" He shouted, cheeks blazen a burnt pink.

"Jeez, no wonder you and Paul were such good friends." I grumbled. Victor chuckled at my statement. "What's so funny?"

"Whatever we were, we weren't friends." What? What did he mean by that? Did he mean...

"Were you too-"

"If you count making out with someone once in a while friends, then sure."

"You're-"

"Yup." Everything made so much more sense now. It all clicked into place. Why Paul hated me so much. Why he wanted me dead. Victor was a little more like me than I thought.

"Me too."

"Nice." He replied running his pale knuckles across my knee. Side to side.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." He shook his head back and forth. "How about your thing?"

"Do I have too?" I nestled my chin against my upright thigh, mumbling my words against the skin.

"No, but can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"As much as I like you and as much as everything's all shucked up, I think you should get back with Gally."

"What?!" Didn't he remember what Gally had called me. Wasn't he supposed to be hitting on me, not giving me advice?

"Not now." His hand was all sprawled out on my thigh, squeezing it occasionally. "Once he stops being such a slinthead and figures out how to say sorry for real."

"No way-" I shook my head furiously at what Victor was even attempting to suggest.

"He made you happy right?"

"Yes but-"

"And you still love him don't you?"

"Well..." This was stupid. Victor was raising too many questions. Too many things to think about. I bit at my nails in response.

"I still love Paul in a way. Even after everything he's done. Everyone he's hurt." His eyes, a warm coffee brown, watched the tips of his fingers glide on my skin. "It's not something you can just turn off. It doesn't just go away."

"I dunno." Did I still love Gally? Yes. Regrettably and miserably.

Yes.

"Kind of like how I love you." My heart practically stopped at his words. "But you need to be with Gally." Loved me? How did Victor love me after all of this?! What did this mean?

"So you're giving up on me?" A sense of loss gaped in me. "You're going to stop with all of the horrible pick up lines? That's it?"

"Never." He cleared his throat, slinging an arm around my shoulder. Strumming at my collarbone Victor did that really annoying smirk. The one I sort of hated but was comforting. Like when grandmas pinch your cheeks. "That's one thing Gally's gonna have to deal with Hot Stuff."

"You're cute." I cocked my head, teasing him. "In the really weird and ugly way." A grin split his face. He tugged a lock of my hair as revenge.

"Well you're-"

"Ben!"

"Calm down Ben!" What happened next is still hard to say.

I'm sorry Ben.