It seems like I haven't published a chapter in a while... but what nonsense am I saying? It's obvious nothing like that happened.

  300k words.

  Enjoy.

  ---

  "You know what? It really doesn't matter," Maddie said calmly, spreading her arms. "Because I already won, he asked me out first," she tinued quickly.

  "Oh yeah? Well, I'll take PJ on the best date money buy," Londoed arrogantly, feeling offended.

  "What? I-" I was saying, but Maddie immediately interrupted me.

  "Yeah? Well, I saw PJ shirtless," Maddie excimed, drawing even more attention from the people in the lobby.

  I knew listening to Bob was a bad idea. What was I thinking?

  "Ah," London excimed incredulously, "let me-" and without shame, she moved quickly, grabbing my shirt and trying to lift it.

  "Oh no, you won't," Maddie, also moving quickly, pushed my hand away from my shirt and started struggling with London to stop her from moving my clothes.

  "Okay, stop this," I said, using enough strength to separate their hands and holding their wrists above their heads. "It's ridiculous that you're doing this," I said, stopping their yelling and movements.

  "But-" Maddie and London said in surprising synization.

  "Nothing," I interrupted, a bit annoyed. Now everyone in the lobby was watg us. "Let's calm down," I said calmly, slowly releasing their wrists.

  Maddie and London, finally notig the otion they were causing in the lobby, nodded, embarrassed.

  "Look, I really feel very fttered, but I've only beewo days. I mean, you barely know me, London I just returned y," I said, making Maddie smile proudly.

  "That doesn't matter, you're cute," London easily argued.

  "Okay..." I said slowly, impressed by her response. "So, think about it from your own self-respect. You two are really impressive girls, I'm sure," I tinued, not really knowing them that well, a bit more Maddie. "And I'm only here for two weeks. Is it really worth fighting over that?"

  "He's right," Maddie said, nodding slightly, embarrassed.

  "Yes, we shouldn't fight," London added.

  "Yes, thank you. Instead, we all be friends," I said relieved, but at the same time, London and Maddie spoke again, in surprising synization.

  "We have to divide the remaining days, no fight" Maddie decred.

  "May the best girl win, no fight" London added seriously.

  "Wait, I didn't mean that-" I said nervously, my words misuood.

  "Since you two went out yesterday, today is my turn," London decred, ign me pletely.

  "And siomorrow is New Year's, we'll take a break until Friday," Maddie tinued, making London nod vigorously.

  "Don't I have a say in this?" I asked, my words once again falling on deaf ears.

  "So be it. May the best girl win," Maddie said, shaking hands with London.

  "That will be me," London decred. "I'll pick you up in a couple of hours, PJ," she added before walking towards the elevators in the lobby.

  Am I a trophy man?

  "Not if I win first," Maddie excimed, walking away from her store.

  "What just happened?" I asked no oanding alone in front of the dy store.

  "Actually, I work here," Maddie said, ing bad going behind her ter, embarrassed. " you... you know?" she asked, moving her hand slowly.

  Am I a dog now?

  Feeling a headache ing on again, I decided to return to the suite for a fortable and hot bath. I would deal with whatever happens with the girls ter.

  After ing off the sweat, my family was already ready to go and have breakfast, even Gabe, who was clearly exhausted from his effort to shovel snow.

  Again, the hotel's tial buffet breakfast, which was included as a gift from the Thomas family for our stay at the Tipton, tasted surprisingly good.

  "Teddy and I are going to visit an art gallery. Does anyone want to join us?" Mom asked when we finished breakfast.

  "Oh no thanks, honey," Bob immediately responded as if the mere idea of going to an art gallery was nonsense, pletely ign the look Mom was giving him.

  "Zad Cody invited me to py Risk with other kids from their school," Gabe said, equally ued i gallery.

  "I don't want you to get into trouble, or shoveling snow will be the least of your worries for the rest of the days left in Boston," Mom seriously warhe boy. "And what about you, PJ? Do you want to join us?" After staring at Gabe, causing him to shrink slightly in fear, Mom asked me.

  "I'd love to, but I think I have another date," I said, immediately regretting it when I saw Mom's excited face.

  "With Maddie?" Mom asked, trying and failing to hide her excitement, pretending disi.

  Teddy, who was drinking the rest of her e juice, smmed her gss oable, obviously upset.

  Sighing, I quickly shook my head. "No, it's anirl I met. I returned her dog. It's plicated," I expined.

  "Oh yeah, her dog's name is the same as the hotel," Gabe added, excitedly remembering the small animal trapped in the elevator with us.

  "Not just her dog. Apparently, her father owns the hotel," I expined calmly, causing Bob to start coughing violently, seemingly choking on his own saliva.

  "What?" he asked incredulously.

  "Yeah, I ran into her this m when I went out for a run. She told me some things about her life, like when her dad lost all his money in a bad iment, but luckily, he got it all back," I expined calmly.

  "Do you know where you're taking her? You definitely need money. I have to call the bank," Bob said, his attitude ging suddenly, being pletely serious and trying to stand up, quickly stopped by Mom.

  "Don't interfere," Mom said, hitting Bob's shoulder, warning him with just a look, like she did with Gabe a few seds ago.

  "Don't worry about it, Dad. I don't need money," I said, at least that's what I thought. Actually, given how the fight between London and Maddie had developed, Bob was very wrong. I wouldn't be taking her; it was the other way around.

  "Well, you're all missing out. Teddy and I will go enrich our culture by enjoying art," Mom said proudly, linking arms with my sister, making Gabe ugh softly, stopping immediately wheiced Mom's gaze again.

  Several mier, almost all the family members had left the suite. Only Bob and I remained. Bob, who was in the living room in front of the gigantic TV, seemed in a trag some kind of infomercial in a loop with a big smile on his face.

  "Dad?" I slowly asked when the infomercial started again.

  "Yeah?" Bob asked, ing out of his trance.

  "Are you okay?" I asked, ed. Since we came up from breakfast, he had been lost in his thoughts.

  "Sure, I was just thinking about the future," Bob decred, smiling dreamily.

  "Okay," I said, puzzled, sitting dowo him on the sofa. "Do you mind if I ge the TV el?" I asked, making Bob immediately hahe remote.

  "No, go ahead," he replied nontly. "Are you going to wear that to your date?" he asked suddenly, looking at my clothes.

  "Yes, why?" I asked, surprised, looking at my clothes. I was wearing one of my many polo shirts in different colors, jeans, and regur shoes.

  "Oh, no reason, it's just a bit, you know... pin."

  "What?" I asked, surprised, looking at my clothes. I didn't see anything wrong with them.

  "Oh, don't take it the wrong way, son," Bob quickly said. "You don't look bad, obviously. I mean, you're a Dun," he decred proudly, putting his hand on my shoulder. "It's just that, you know," he tinued slowly, pointing at my clothes.

  Holy a bit offended, I searched my clothes for the 'you know' Bob was referring to. I had no idea about style or anythied to it. The shirt, since I had bought it a few weeks ago like the rest of my upper clothes, fit a bit snug, but aside from that, again, I saw nothing wrong with it.

  "I don't think it's bad," I said, defending my 'style'. "I feel fortable, and it's more effit this way."

  "Effit?" Bob asked incredulously. "What do you mean by effit?"

  "I mean, if I have enough shirts for two weeks, wearing one a day, I don't have to worry about thinking about what to wear for two weeks. I just have to grab the one," I expined quickly.

  Bob stared at me incredulously for a long time. "There's a limit to what the Dun genes do," he decred sarcastically.

  "Oh yeah, mock me," I said, a bit offended. "But my system works."

  "All right, all right, just try to make a good impression," Bob said, strangely nervous.

  It was strange because usually, there was no reason for Bob to be so ied. Pride was a reason to be ied, but in this case, it was obvious that London's surname was much more iing than 'the Dun genes.'

  "Good impression?" I asked, amused, already getting an idea of what Bob had in mind.

  "It's just that the Tiptons have a of hotels across the Uates," Bob finally said, a bit embarrassed.

  Yes, I knew what was happening. "You wao put in a good word about my father who oest trol pany?" I asked

  , amused, seeing Bob's face light up immediately at my words.

  "Yeah!" Bob excimed right away. "I mean, yes, it would be pretty good for the business," he tinued, scratg the side of his face, much calmer.

  "Of course, Dad, if the opportunity arises, I'll obviously put in a good word for 'Bob's Bugs Be Gone.' Don't worry," I assured him, and he nodded seriously.

  "I'm ting on you," Bob said, relieved, putting his hand on my shoulder.

  As if Bob's st words were a switch, the suite door was knocked on.

  Widening his eyes exaggeratedly, Bob poio the door and whispered, "She's here."

  For some reason, this felt wrong. Ign Bob's straement, I went to open the door.

  "PJ," London said, standing oher side of the door with a big smile, "Oh," she lost her smile for a sed.

  "Hey, o meet you, Bob Dun of Bob's Bugs Be Gone," Bob said, shaking London's hand before I could ask what was wrong with my clothes again. Bob, smiling formally, introduced himself, "Oh, and I'm PJ's father," he added as an afterthought.

  "Funny, it rhymes," London said, smiling holy. "Are you ready?" she asked, maintainirangely simir smile to Billy Sparks, the chi boy, still occasionally looking strangely at my clothes.

  "Yeah," I said slowly, patting Bob's arm as a farewell, and stepped out with London. "So, do you have something pnned?" The elevator was still open when I left the suite.

  "Oh yeah," London responded, cheg her face with the same small hand mirror she had when I met her. "But I'm going to cel it all. We're going to do something much more fun than that," she said, smiling cheerfully. "Let's go shopping!" she excimed excitedly.

  "Shopping?" I asked, intrigued.

  "Oh yes, let's go shopping. You obviously need clothes," she said, still smiling cheerfully.

  What? Not again.

  "I don't need clothes. I have all I want," I said, feeling offended once again.

  "Oh, PJ, needing and wanting are two very different things. It's funny you don't know that," London said seriously. "For example, this scarf, I bought it a couple of days ago. Did I want it? Yes. Did I ? Yes," she tinued, pletely sure of herself.

  "Your point?" I asked, puzzled.

  "'s just that it's very cute, isn't it?" London responded, smiling widely.

  "Yeah," I replied, amused by her rexed attitude. "So, shopping?" I asked, not feeliirely fortable with the whole 'petition,' but being in Boston for two weeks and on vacation was the perfect excuse to go out and explore the city.

  "Oh yes, I'm thinking maybe some suits, shirts, and slightly tight pants, obviously. Some sweaters, vests, watches, and shoes, enough for the days you're here in Boston," London listed, giving my clothes another quispe and pg her hand on her . "I like your style, but it's branded," she added with a look of disdain.

  "Don't you prefer to do something else?" I asked, ed. "Shopping for clothes just for me sounds like a b idea."

  "Ah," London excimed, pletely opening her mouth in surprise. "There's nothier than shopping," she decred, offended, raising one of her fingers. "Well, maybe giving someone who needs it a makeover is like charity," she added cheerfully.

  As she finished speaking, the elevator doors opened, and we found ourselves once again iel lobby.

  "Mosby," London said, approag the hotel manager with her calm smile. "Call the pilot and cel the flight," she decred as if it were nothing, causing Mr. Mosby to nod pletely calmly at the idea of calling a pilot.

  "Flight?" I asked, following London out of the hotel, intrigued.

  "Yes, in my daddy's helicopter," she said nontly, taking some keys from one of the hotel workers aering a luxurious red car.

  "Helicopter," I murmured before also getting into the car on the passenger side.

  "It's still early. If we go quickly, we'll have enough time for a couple of hours of shopping," London said, strangely preparing her hands to start driving. "Not as much as I'd like, but I'm sure we do it in time."

  As she drove, London talked to herself, listing what I could uand were clothing brands.

  "So, how much do you pn to spend?" I asked. I had told Bob that she had invited me oe, but I couldn't let her pay for clothes for me, even if I didn't hem.

  "None of that, daddy pays," London decred nontly, ughing as if it were a joke.

  "I 't let you pay for everything, especially if we're just buying clothes for me."

  "It's nothing, I assure you. I don't even think I'll o switch cards," London said with some disdain, waving her hand.

  "A thousand dolrs?!" A few mier, inside one of the most luxurious malls I had ever seen, I excimed as I looked at the small tag on a suit. Just one suit from this store cost almost as much as my car.

  "Only a thousand?" London asked, surprised, taking the tag from my hand. "Wow, men really have it easy; their clothes are so cheap," she said, ughing, pg the suit in front of me before tossing it onto my shoulder.

  "Oh yes, definitely," London tiaking many marments without even cheg the price of eae and tossing them to me without even turning around.

  As she tinued, Londohrowing clothes at me until it became difficult to catch whatever she threw.

  "I think that's enough for now," London said several mier, having gohrough the eore, looking at the small mountain of clothes in my arms.

  Finally, thanks.

  "At least in this store," she added, looking around the store.

  "What?" I murmured, incredulous. Despite the fact that the clothes on my arms practically weighed nothing, I was already extremely exhausted for some reason. "We have much more clothing than I wear in two weeks, London. There's o go overboard," I said nervously, deg not to add up the total in my head anymore.

  "Overboard?" London asked, finding my words amusing. "It's just a couple of shirts, pants, and suits. This will only st you about four days," she said fidently, making some sort of calcution in her head. "You need much more clothing for when you have to get rid of this," she said, pointing to the clothes with plete tranquility.

  "Get rid of?" I asked, scared by the implications.

  "Of course, you 't wear the same outfit twice, silly," London decred as if it were pletely obvious. "e on, daylight is wasting," and she tinued walking through the store as if nothing had happened.

  After a couple of seds in shock at the milliirl's way of thinking, I walked behihinking we were done in that store and prepared to take the clothes to the register to pay for everything.

  "Go in there, we o see if they fit you," London said, taking a seat on a sofa oddly pced iore, pointing to a door—the fitting rooms. "e on," she said, g her hands twid smiling as always.

  Seeing that London's expression didn't ge at all, I accepted my fate and walked to the fitting room.

  What followed were several minutes on different clothes and outfits, ing out of the fitting rooms to get London's approval or disapproval. At some point, other store workers, including both women and men, also joined London, apparently giving their own opinions before the girl made her verdict.

  Putting o outfit, a blue suit with white pants, I had finally firying on all the clothes London had chosen for me. "Definitely," London and the workers at her side said in unison as soon as I left the fitting room. Somehow, they had mao get a tray full of chocote-covered fruits and a rger sofa.

  No more ers?

  "You'll wear that, where are your old clothes? We o burn them," London asked cheerfully, getting up.

  "Oh, we took care of that," one of the store workers decred calmly, smiling professionally.

  "They threw away my clothes?" I asked, pletely ignored as the workers moved in unison, following London's orders to carry the accepted clothes.

  "London, I really appreciate this, but I think it's enough. I don't feel right making you spend thousands of dolrs on me," I said seriously, walking out of the store with several shopping bags.

  "But it's my turn," London said, for the first time since we arrived, losing her smile.

  "I know, but I think we could be having a much better time doing something else, maybe just walking," I said hopefully.

  "Walking in a mall without buying anything?" London asked, pletely incredulous.

  "Yes, maybe chatting and looking at some stores, maybe buying something that really catches your eye," I tinued. "You know, getting to know each other."

  Nodding slowly, apparently processing what I had just said.

  "I mean, I bet that besides my name, you don't know much about me," I said, even though it was the same the other way around. Wow, I knew her father had tons of money and they owhe hotel , but apart from that, I knew nothing else. London couldn't be that shallht?

  "You're a cute guy," London decred fidently.

  "Well, thanks, but again, that's not much," I said, slightly embarrassed.

  "Okay, fine, let's try your idea," London said nervously before g her hands twice.

  "Allow me," aremely well-dressed person wearing sungsses, eared to be just anyone, suddenly arrived at my side, seriously extending his hand.

  "Oh, don't worry about him; he's one of the shopping carriers my daddy hired for me," London said, pletely carefree, smiling cheerfully.

  Handing over the bags I was holding to the strange man, I sed the people around us again. I hadn't noticed because they were dressed to match the luxurious pce, but at least a dozen people around us were dressed like this man, stantly cheg the area. They were definitely bodyguards. How long have they been following us?

  London, still smiling ily, seemed to be mentally preparing herself, breathing as if she were about to start something dangerous.

  "Are you ready?" I asked, looking at the remely serious London.

  "Yeah," London replied, nodding firmly and narrowing her eyes.

  As we walked through the mall, noart from the painfully obvious bodyguard team several steps behind us, I could also notiany people we passed stared at me. Was it really that important to have such well-arranged clothes?

  "Definitely fashion, maybe in a magazine, Vogue, Elle, Runway, or Marie Cire, you know, the most important ones," London finally began to calm down and chat without a problem, almost n to shop at the stores we passed by.

  "That sounds like a great goal," I admitted, now much more fortable.

  "I knht?" London said, smiling cheerfully. "Hey, look, Au Bon Pain. I don't think they sell chocote shakes there, but they have coffee," she poio a pce that appeared to be a luxurious café.

  "I'd love to have some coffee," I said, walking towards the pce.

  "You know, I've never been so far from clothing stores," London said, amused. "I didn't know there were actually more stores besides clothing ones," she admitted with her i smile. "Your experiment is w very well."

  The café, unlike Michelle's café, smelled extremely good, but like the extroverted girl's store, it was full of people. "Do you think your father's workers would like some coffee?" I asked, notig how the men split into two groups, oering the café with us and cheg everyone inside, and the roup f a sort of perimeter outside the store.

  "Oh, I don't know. They usually don't talk unless I talk to them first," London said, genuinely intrigued, before waving her hand to call one of them over.

  "Yes, Miss?" the closest of the men quickly arrived, pletely serious, and asked.

  "Do you want some coffee?" London asked calmly,

  causing the previously emotionless man's face to ge to surprise. "So..." London tinued after a few seds without getting a response.

  "Yes, we'd love some coffee," the man finally replied, genuinely surprised, smiling gratefully.

  "Why didn't you say so before?" London asked, as always, smiling ily, theurned her attention to the small queue about to end at the café ter.

  Previously, with what little I had known about London, I found many simirities with Regina. Simirities that, with my new ability to 'read' lies, I discovered did not represent at all that they were alike. London, having been born into a family with what seemed like inexhaustible resources, lived in a bubble of innod ignora did not despise those who were 'below' her, which distinguished her frina.

  "Hello," I finally said, greeting the barista behind the ter as our turn came, who was focused on her cash register.

  "Hello, wele to Au Bon Pain. What I get you... today?" the girl said, stopping for a moment to reappreciate the clothes London had chosen for me.

  It was just clothes.

  "How about thirteen bck coffees," I said slowly, making sure the bodyguard agreed with the order. "And..." I paused, pointing to London.

  "I want a cappuo," London said, hugging one of my arms and smiling at the barista.

  "That's all, thank you," I said, fused by London's sudden possessiveness, trying to ighe pressure on my arm as I took out my wallet. After all the money London had spent ohe least I could do ay for the drinks.

  "Oh yeah," oddly taken aback by my words, the girl quickly started entering the order into her cash register. "Your total is one hundred eighty-four dolrs."

  Coughing in surprise at the total, I almost dropped my wallet as I took it out of my new pants. Almost two hundred dolrs for fourteen drinks. I had pletely fotteype of mall we were in.

  Painfully taking the st bills from my wallet, I paid for all the coffees, leaving the rest as a tip.

  "You didn't have to pay for this," London said, finally releasing my arm from her strangely strong grip.

  "It was my turn to pay for something," I said, trying tain the feeling in my arm and thinking I would o go to an ATM to withdraw more cash.

  "All right, thanks," London said with a slight smile.

  "It's nothing pared to what you spent ooday," I said, a bit embarrassed.

  "I told you, it was more like a gift for me. I had the ce to help someone in need," London decred, extremely proud of herself.

  When the drinks were ready, London's bodyguards entered in turns to get their drinks, each giving me a small nod of gratitude as they returo their posts with their hot beverages in hand.

  "We already talked about what I want to do iure. What about you?" London asked, resuming our versation as we sat at one of the tables in the café.

  Unlike what I had expected from this day, the 'date' with London turned out to be surprisingly pleasant. It was fun to hear certain points of view from London on some topics, pletely geed from her 'bubble of privilege.'

  After finishing our drinks, we returo the hotel. During the ride back, I could see the 'undercover' cars following London's, and I wondered how I hadn't noticed them before.

  "Who would have thought that going to the mall and not buying things would be so iing?" London decred ily as she walked beside me, once again taking my arm. "Maybe I'll try it again someday," she said seriously.

  "You totally should," I decred, amused, quickly taking the shopping bags from the hotel worker who was closely following us. "I got it, thanks," I said to the man.

  "I usually let them take my purchases up. It's easier that way," London said ily, stopping me by the shoulder.

  "Really, there's no need. I carry them myself," I assured the worker, who seemed nervous.

  "Of course you ," London said cheerfully, pressing my arm with her hands.

  As we ehe hotel, we almost immediately ran into Maddie, who seemed to be on her way out. "Maddie," I said cheerfully iing.

  "Wow, hey," she said, obviously taken by surprise, stopping for a moment to look at my clothes. "You look good."

  "I knht?" London excimed excitedly.

  "Thanks, London thought it would be a good idea to go shopping, and she got me this," I said, lifting the bags, making London smile proudly.

  "Of course you went shopping," Maddie decred ironically, smiling.

  "I told you it was better than just going for chocote shakes," London said proudly.

  "Well, it doesn't matter. I'll see you in a couple of days," Maddie said, pletely uned, smiling. "Happy New Year, I will win," she decred calmly, staring at London as she walked out of the hotel.

  I had pletely fotten about the 'petition.'

  "Sometimes she be scary," London said seriously, losing her i smile and releasing my arm, whiehow had enough strength to cut off circution.

  "Well, I have an appoi with the manicurist. See you," London said cheerfully, smiling as if nothing had happened while she walked away from the lobby.

  It was amusing to see how London lived pletely carefree.

  Ba the suite, just like when I left, only Bob resent, sitting on the living room couch, still watg TV, pletely fortable with some junk food spread out in front of him.

  "Hey, oh hey," Bob said, surprised as I took off my coat. "Look at you," he added, getting up and walking toward me. "Is that more clothes like that?" he asked, pointing to the bags in my hand.

  "Yeah, London ended up taking me shopping," I said, slightly embarrassed. "Don't mention it," I added, stopping Bob, who seemed about to make fun of the situation.

  "Well, she did you a great favor. Now you look like a true Dun," Bob said proudly, shaking my shoulder.

  "You really abuse that," I said sarcastically, also taking off my jacket. "I'm going to put all this away," I tinued, feeling embarrassed by the number of bags I had with me as I walked to the room I shared with Gabe.

  "If you keep growing at the rate you did these past few months, that shirt will rip in no time," Bob decred amused as I returo the living room after carefully putting away the clothes. I sat dowo him, taking a bowl full of chips.

  "So Gabe will have new shirts if he ever wants them," I replied.

  "Yeah, I see that," Bob agreed, ughing. "So..." he added slowly, fog his gaze oV. "How did it go?"

  "I talked to her about 'Bob's Bugs be Gone,'" I said immediately, dedug the reason for his i. "She thinks it's very brave of you to deal with pests."

  "Do you think she'll talk to her father about it?" Bob asked nervously, fetting his attempt to appear casual.

  "I don't know," I responded. I really didn't know. Having spent almost the entire day with Londoing to know her a bit, I doubted very much that Bob's pany's information would stay in her mind.

  "I hope she does. They have a hotel in Houston and Austin. The Tipton would be one of my best ts," Bob said hopefully, once again turning his attention to the TV.

  It wasn't long before Teddy and Mom arrived, ughing boisterously.

  "Oh my God, who are you, and what did you do with my son?" Mom excimed dramatically upon seeing me on the couext to Bob.

  "Dad, be careful, who is he?" Teddy asked, matg Mom's exaggerated ag, feigning .

  "You two are so funny. It's just clothes," I said, slightly frustrated, raising my arms.

  "Just clothes," Teddy and Mom repeated incredulously. "It's actually sad," Teddy said, shaking her head in pity.

  "Don't worry, PJ," Mom said, sittio me with the same pitying look as Teddy, pg one of her hands on my face. "I'm sure you'll find someone who ignore your total ck of fashion sense."

  "This really hurts my feelings," I said seriously.

  After the female members of my family tio tease me, they made me show them all the clothes London had chosen for me.

  "That girl did you a great favor," Mom said cheerfully, still iing one of the garments.

  "She said it was like a gift for her," I said, amused, recalling London's reasoning.

  "I totally uand her," Mom said resolutely, looking at the clothes I was wearing once again.

  I didn't dress that badly.

  The day, after everyone had breakfast, dressed in one of the outfits London had given me, chosen by Teddy, we left early for the Thomas's house, this time taking a taxi from the hotel.

  "Ah, young PJ," Alfred said cheerfully a couple of seds after I knocked ohomas's door. He was wearing an apron over his alresent incredibly formal clothes. "I assume this is your family. o meet you all. Allow me to take that," he said, professionally taking a bottle of wine from Bob's hands aing us into the house.

  "Ah, Alfred, yes. This is my mother Amy, father Bob, and my siblings, Gabe and Teddy," I said, greeting him bad introdug each family member.

  "Ah, the Duns, e in, e in," Dottie said, carrying a bowl that looked like a sad, eically greeting each person as they entered her house.

  "Look at you, PJ, so handsome," Dottie said, hugging my ightly with her free hand.

  "You look beautiful too, Dottie. Let me help you," I replied, taking the bowl from her hands.

  "You have many good things to learn from Don, but being a ftterer is not one of them, I assure you," Dottie pyfully scolded me, tapping my shoulder.

  "Who arrived?" Dr. Thomas asked excitedly from the kit, also wearing an apron. "The Dun family," he said, opening his arms joyfully. "e in, e in."

  "I was just finishing up dinner, but I think the cookies are ready. Would you like one?" Dottie asked kindly, now with her hands free, looking at Gabe.

  "Oh yes, please," Gabe responded immediately, ag strangely sweet like a child, taking Dottie by the arm and walking to the kit.

  The Thomas's kit was filled with various dishes spread out, ready to be served.

  "Are you expeg more people?" Mom asked, approag to help Dottie.

  "Oh yes, we always invite all our friends. PJ met many of them on his st visit," Dr. Thomas responded cheerfully.

  "This time, we had several firmed guests, so we're dining iio," Dottie said, affeately hugging Gabe, who was happily eating cookies.

  "Isn't it snowing?" Teddy asked, taking one of the cookies in front of Gabe.

  "Oh yes, dear, but we have a tent with gas heaters. Don't worry about anything except enjoying the dinner," Dottie responded kindly, obviously enjoying the presence of children in her house.

  As Dottie had already mentiohe dinner and the preparations were virtually plete. There wasn't much else to do. Shortly after my family arrived at the Thomas's house, the couple's uests began to arrive, causing us to move from the kit to the patio.

  The Thomas's patio, like their house, was easily gigantic, allowing for a tent much rger than the living room of our house ba Medford to shield us

  from the cold winter wind.

  Besides the tent iio, the Thomas's had also hired waiter service. Quickly, the rge table ihomas's patio filled with people who, without having to wait long, were served appetizers and drinks by the hired waiters.

  "Here in Boston, as well as in New York, your mai problem isn't is but small rodents. So, to disi a rge building like, for example, the Tipton Hotel, you have to hunt them down to their s," Bob, who had been asked by the Thomas's uests about his job, spoke without any shame.

  "Look who arrived," Dottie said cheerfully from the back door of the Thomas's house, apanied by Dr. Grey and Meredith, who had her long face again, obviously unfortable being there.

  "PJ," Meredith, the st one, pletely surprised to see me also present, immediately ged her expression and quickly walked over to where I was sitting with my siblings.

  "Meredith," I said, standing up to greet the girl who happily came to give me a hug.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked joyfully, squeezing my torso.

  "I crashed the dinner," I admitted dramatically, making her roll her eyes. "Oh, let me introdueredith, this is my sister Teddy. Teddy, this is Meredith. She helped me choose the clothes I brought for you from Boston."

  Teddy, who was reading one of her magazines, pletely ued in the adults' versations, cheerfully greeted Meredith.

  "Is that the test Seventeen?" Meredith asked, ied, seeing the magazine in my sister's hands, quickly sittio Teddy, seemingly ign her own social disfort being with someone closer te.

  "Dr. Grey," I said, taking the opportunity to greet the woman since Meredith was now more fortable talking to my sister. She was waiting with Dottie, waving at the other people from afar.

  "PJ," she said, taking my hand in a firm handshake, her always serious face showing a barely visible smile. "I didn't know you had arrived in Boston until just a few ho. Yesterday, we had an incredible total coley. I would have been more than happy for you to watch it from the gallery. You would have loved it."

  "I'm sure I would have," I replied kindly. "Doctor, let me introduce you to my parents," I said quickly, notig my mom's ied look. "Mom, Dad, this is Dr. Grey, one of, if not the best, general surgeons currently in our try."

  While my parents introduced themselves kindly to the always serious Dr. Grey, I saw Dottie behind her, happily Teddy and Meredith getting along, ughing occasionally at an article in my sister's magazine.

  "Grandma Dottie, I have more cookies?" Gabe, taking advantage of Mom's distra, sweetly asked Dottie.

  "Oh, absolutely, honey. Go to the kit and tell Alfred to give you more," Dottie replied, stroking my brother's face, making Gabe run into the house immediately.

  "You know he's just using your kio take advantage of yht?" I sarcastically asked Dottie.

  "Obviously, but let's not let him know that. It's nice having kids in the house," Dottie replied sweetly, pg her hand on my face before walking over to where Dr. Grey and my parents tialking, mostly mom.

  The evening tinued, and Meredith and Teddy quickly got along wonderfully, whispering and ughing about who knows what, occasionally pointing at me in their secretiveness. Gabe, not having anyone his age to eain himself like our sister, kept up his fa?ade and mao get Dottie to give him many things, fog all her grandmotherly love on him.

  Engaged in many different versations with the Thomas's guests, I fortunately could ighe ck of people my age. With so many doctors present, there were great and iing versations to be had.

  "Your son is a genius rarely seen," one of the guests, Dr. Eaton, who had been giving the medical diagnosis css that Dr. Thomas and I had infiltrated on my st visit, told my parents.

  "We know," my obviously proud mom said, puffing out her chest.

  "I mean it pletely seriously. I'm excited to see what the future of medie holds with someone like PJ leading it," Dr. Eaton said dreamily. "What do you think of the idea of PJ ing to study at Harvard wheime es?" he asked, raising his gss to drink more wine.

  "I think it's an incredible idea," Mom responded immediately, blinded by pride aement.

  "We believe it's PJ's decision. Whatever he chooses, we will be more than happy to support him," Bob quickly responded, stopping Mom.

  "But of course, rest assured that if PJ decides to study here, I will personally write a letter of reendation and speak with the admissions ittee," Dr. Eaton said.

  "Oh, Joseph, you don't have to worry about that. I am more than prepared to do it myself," Dr. Thomas, who seemed to be listening to the versation, said arrogantly, smiling widely.

  "Of course you are, Don, of course you are," Dr. Eaton said, ughing loudly. "But two letters and good words never hurt," he added, winking at me.

  "Or three," another doctor present quickly took the opportunity, causing many of the doctors I had versed with to offer to write a letter of reendation.

  "All of you fet about your letters; with mine, PJ has more than enough," Dr. Thomas arrogantly excimed, causing the other doctors to fall silent for a sed before exploding in unison, discussing with Dr. Thomas.

  "Ahem," Dottie loudly excimed, standing up, effectively sileng the noisy doctors. "It's almost time," she decred, waiting for everyoo quiet down, nodding to one of the waiters o a television ected ihe house.

  The television immediately showed the Times Square ball and hundreds of people around it waiting.

  When the ball dropped and everyone celebrated oelevision, we also celebrated ihomas's patio.

  It was officially 1991.

  The adults toasted, we ate various desserts, and ehe musid other much calmer versations.

  As the night went on, people began to say their goodbyes and leave the Thomas's house. "I think it's time for us to go too," Bob said after Mom rested her head on his shoulder, exhausted. Besides us, only a few people were left.

  "Dottie, Dr. Thomas, thank you so much for inviting us," Mom said, standing up with Bob's help, clearly tired.

  "Oh, nothing of the sort, dear. This is your home," Dottie said kindly, standing up and taking Mom's arm.

  "Thank you for ing to spend this occasion with us," Dr. Thomas added, also standing up to see us off.

  Sihere were retively few people present, saying goodbye didn't take long.

  "PJ, go get your siblings, please," Bob said while helping Mom put on her coat.

  Teddy, Meredith, and Gabe had gone ihe house several minutes earlier, exg themselves from the uing versations at the table.

  "Hey, buddy, put on your coat. It's time to go," I said, shaking Gabe, who was asleep ohomas's sofa.

  "So soon?" Teddy, who was sharing another sofa with Meredith, asked disappointedly.

  "Yes, put on your coat. It's cold outside," I replied, still shaking my impressively sleepy brother.

  "What?" Gabe finally asked after several seds of shaking, opening his eyes.

  "We're leaving," I said, amused, watg the boy struggle to keep his eyes open.

  "There's really no problem; it's very difficult to find a taxi at this hour," Dr. Thomas, followed by Bob, Mom, and Dottie, said, talking to Bob.

  "All right then, thank you, doctor," Bob said, nodding.

  "Bah, don't mention it," Dr. Thomas said, taking a key from his key raext to the door.

  "Are you ready, kids?" Mom asked.

  " Meredith e with us?" Teddy asked anxiously while putting on her coat, looking at Mom.

  "Oh, honey, it's New Year's. I'm sure Meredith wants to spend it with her mother," Mom replied affeately, making Meredith snort instinctively. "Tell you what, if her mom gives permission, of course she ," Mom added, puzzled by the girl's response.

  "Thanks," Teddy said quickly, rushing out to where Dr. Grey was, followed closely by Meredith.

  " you carry that?" Bob, pointing to Gabe, who had fallen asleep again after putting on his coat, asked me amusedly.

  "Sure," I replied, equally amused.

  Not long after, the girls, followed by Dr. Grey, returo where we were waiting.

  "Are you willing to have Meredith for a sleepover?" Dr. Grey asked Mom.

  "Of course, if you agree," Mom replied, likely puzzled by the woman's manner of speaking.

  "Oh, absolutely. I have rounds in a couple of hours. If she go with you, I could sleep at the hospital," Dr. Grey said, cheg her watch with some relief. "In fact, I have a surgery scheduled for first thing in the m. Could Meredith—" the woman was saying, but Mom interrupted her.

  "Of course, no problem at all. Meredith stay with us as long as needed," Mom said easily, smiling kindly, though I could see she was getting angry with the other woman, just like Dottie, who didn't hide her frown.

  Fortunately, Meredith, who theoretically should have been the most affected, pletely ignored her mother's words, celebrating with Teddy while they pnned what to do.

  "That's perfect," Dr. Grey said, g with more excitement than she had shown during the entire dinner.

  "Yes, it is. You have nothing to worry about; they will have a great time together," Mom assured, putting her hands owo girls' shoulders, showing more of her annoyah Dr. Grey.

  "Oh, clothes," Dr. Grey suddenly remembered. "I think I send something to the Tipton Hotel for Meredith," she added seriously after thinking for a few seds.

  "Nonseeddy has clothes to lend her," Mom quickly said, shaking her head.

  "Perfect then," Dr. Grey said, showing more excitement than during the entire dinner. "I'd better go. Behave, I don't want to hear that you did something I didn't raise you for," she warned, fixing Meredith's hair. "Dr. Thomas, Dottie, as always, a pleasure. Thank you for your hospitality. Bob, Amy," she said, starting her goodbyes in her usual serious manner. "PJ, always a pleasure. If you have time in the few days, I'm sure I could show you some iing surgeries."

  "I'd love to," I replied, a bit unfortable, notig the looks Mom and Dottie were giving the other woman.

  "Perfect," Dr. Grey said, nodding as she took her keys and calmly left the house to her car, since she had already said goodbye to everyone.

  Like Dr. Grey, my family, with the addition of Meredith, also left the Thomas's house, who were kind enough to lend Bob their new SUV to drive back to the hotel.

  On the way back, I could notice how Bob and Mom occasionally talked in whispers while cheg the car's rearview mirror, obviously about Meredith, who, fortunately, along with Teddy and Gabe, was pletely asleep.

  The following day, after we all had breakfast together at the hotel buffet, the girls, along with mom, went for another spa day while Bob, at the request of a strange engineer and sequently Mr. Mosby, was dealing with a family of ras living iel boilers.

  For some reason, Gabe wanted me to apany him to the Martin family's suite, the suite the twins shared with their mother, who had bee close friends with my brother over the past few days.

  "Why do you wao e?" I asked again as Gabe knocked on the door of the small family.

  "You'll see," Gabe said pyfully.

  "Gabe, you're te, Maddie is going cra—" one of the twins, the calmer one judging by his attire, Cody, opehe door and started speaking immediately upon seeing my brother. He stopped when he saw me, closing the door to prevent me from seeing inside. "PJ, yht PJ," he added incredulously and obviously scared.

  "Yes, who better than my brother to answer all the questions?" Gabe said calmly, smiling without a hint of embarrassment.

  "What is going on?" I asked, seeing how the boy struggled to prevent me from looking inside his house.

  "Oh, we’re just helping to—" Gabe was responding, but Cody anxiously let go of the door and quickly covered my brother's mouth.

  "Nothing," said the nervous boy.

  "Ok, then thanks for letting us in," I said, while the boy and my brother were fighting noting that since Cody was stopping Gabe from tinuing, there was no oo block the door.

  "Was that him? Is he here? We're behind schedule," Maddie, obviously nervous by the speed at which she eaking, said with her bae, fully focused on a board alongside the other twin.

  "I think if we move this, there will be more time for the walk where you use these themes" Zack said pointing with one of the markers.

  "Iing, but I would like the walk to start when the lights in the park turn on, that's the best time" Slowly Maddie, denying, responded.

  In the ter of the board hotograph of me, ected with threads to various things, clearly some kind of pn.

  This felt wrong.

  "PJ is here," Cody shouted a sed ter, running to my side.

  "PJ!" Maddie shouted, surprised, as she jumped in pd pushed the board in a failed attempt to hide it, almost knog Zack over in the process as he quickly covered another part of it.

  "Should I be worried about this?" I asked without receiving any response, slightly nervous, seeing the board's tent.

  "I tried to stop him" Cody ashamed said.

  "I see that," with a forced smile said Maddie, standio Zad trying to cover the entire board with her back, opening her eyes wide and grittieeth.

  "Maddie has a lot of questions," Gabe said maliciously, calmly walking behind Cody. "Who better than you to ahem?" he asked, feigning innoce.

  "What is happeni—oh, good m, PJ," Mrs. Martin said, stepping out of her room and stopping when she saw me standing in her living roidly walking alongside her son and Maddie, who was helping cover the board.

  "Did he see it?" she asked Maddie with a rigid smile on her face.

  "I don't know," Maddie responded, matg the woman's rigid smile.

  "I think he definitely saw it," Zack added, mimig Maddie and his mother's behavior.

  "He obviously saw it," Cody excimed, exasperated.

  "I saw it," I replied, still feeling slightly strange.

  ---

  Author Thoughts:

  This is the st chapter 100% focused on the development of Boston and I would like to say a couple of things about it:

  I hadn't thought about this Boston development at all until I read your ents and knowing the story and its sequel I thought, "why not? It could be iing" so I did a little research (I watched several chapters to fully remember the personality of the characters, as well as several summaries on YouTube and video essays about the show) but I fot an essential part of my writing process, which is pnning.

  I always have a general outline pnned for what I am going to write iure, for example, I had 100% pnned for Teddy and Meredith to meet and bee friends, but the development of Maddie and London was not something I pnned in advand that blocked me.

  So, I did what I could and flowed with what I had already done, but I haven't felt pletely fortable with what I've done, so I hope you won't be surprised when the rest of the trip is slightly summarized the chapter, as I said, I decided that the chapter will not be 100% development of Boston.

  By the way, I'm also sorry if ahought there would be a lot more development with aionship between PJ and Maddie or London, as I said from the beginning of this mini ar Boston, most of it would be pletely filler as I developed the end of the first arc .

  With that said,

  I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.

  Thank you for reading! :D

  PS: PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.