Again a 'filler' chapter, really what happens is that I didn't have much time to write and this chapter was supposed to be 8/9k words, but I decided to cut it in two.

  Without further ado (see you week).

  Enjoy.

  ---

  After saying goodbye to Bob, I entered my room and found my friends lying on the floor, talking quietly.

  "Hey," I greeted softly, as I could hear Gabe’s gentle snores. I lightly kicked the leg of one of my two friends on the floor as I passed by to turn on my small night mp.

  "You're not going to guess what," Geie murmured, sarcasm dripping from his lips as he lifted his head ohere was a source of light in the room.

  "I was with Karen Smith," David said, with obvious pride in his voice.

  "No way, really?" I asked, feigning surprise while taking off my shirt. I had actually see the party. "I don’t believe you," I added as I ged into my pajamas.

  "That's what I said," Geie whispered, dropping his head bato the makeshift pillow on the floor.

  "Well, I did, and I prove it," David said, annoyed but still keeping his voice low.

  "Oh, don’t worry about it, man. I'm sure you did," I said with exaggerated dession, mog my friend.

  "Seeing is believing," Geie decred ironically.

  "I'm telling the truth," David stated, raising his hands in exasperation. "And besides that, it seems to me that you're talking a lot for someone who spent the party alone," he whispered a sed ter, with an edge to his voice, trying to throw the joke back at Geie.

  "Who said I didn’t?" Geie decred, surprisingly fident in his words. "It's just that a true gentlema kiss and tell, right, PJ?" he added.

  "Yeah," I replied, genuinely surprised by the maturity my friend was showing. After finishing ging and tossing my dirty clothes into the room’s undry basket, I turned off the small mp again.

  "Geie, aren’t you supposed to be sleeping in your own rht now?" I asked while lying in my bed.

  "Yeah, but don’t worry. Mom doesn’t check my room until it's time to go to church, and I haven't left yet. I just o wake up early and sneak bato the house, pretending I came from my room," Geie answered effortlessly, clearly having pnned everything in advance.

  "All right," I murmured, nodding slightly.

  Surprisingly, Geie actually woke up 'early' to leave for his house the day. He may have received a little help from me when I _actally_ kicked his feet, but despite that, Geie headed home.

  The m, after returning from my m run, David was watg TV alongside Gabe in the living room, pletely entranced by the cartoons, just like my brother.

  "Hey, do you wao take you home, or do you prefer to watch Bugs Bunny a little longer?" I asked, tapping my friend’s shoulder to snap him out of his trance.

  "What?" David asked, startled, turning his fapletely clueless at my question.

  "Nothing," I sighed. "I'll just take a shower and then drive you home," I added, amused.

  "Good, thanks," David replied immediately, returning his attention to the TV a moment ter.

  Fortunately, David didn’t live far from my house. In just a few minutes, I dropped him off in his yard and was bae.

  As I got out of my car and checked my watch, I noticed that even though it was still early, Diane robably already awake. I was curious about how she was feeling after her adveh alcohol the night before.

  When I arrived at Meemaw’s house, after knog on the door, the woman who owhe house—already dressed for her day, likely prepared for church—opehe door with a smile.

  "Aces, just the guy I was looking for," Meemayfully, motioning for me to e inside. "Yoing to love this," she added with a chuckle, leadihrough her house to the living room.

  In the living room, Diane was lying on Meemaw’s couch with her eyes closed. Uhe night before, she was now wearing pajamas—an oversized T-shirt and shorts.

  "How are you feeling now, sweetheart?" Meemaw asked, raising her voice slightly.

  "Not so loud," Diane pleaded, rubbing the side of her head. "My head is still killing me," she added a sed ter, keeping her eyes tightly shut.

  "I ’t get enough of this," Meemaw huffed, shaking her head in amusement with her arms crossed.

  "I will never drink again," Diane groaned, shifting painfully on the coud curling up into a ball, hugging her legs.

  "That's what everybody says," Meemaw decred sarcastically. "Heck, that’s what _I_ say every time I drink—and I have a date today to drink with my bowling team," she added with a grin.

  "No, I mean it. I won’t drink again," Diane said, still with her eyes closed. "I uand that it's a sociocultural struct, but I don’t see the appeal in losing trol of your senses. I mean—"

  "Really?" I asked, amused, interrupting Diane’s speed surprising her. She had obviously ignored my presence. "Last night, you seemed to enjoy the ‘sociocultural struct’ quite a bit."

  "PJ," Diane said, opening her eyes. "When did you get here?" she asked a moment ter, slightly sitting up on the couch.

  "Not long ago," I replied, amused. "Are you feeling really bad?" I asked gently, sitting beside her on the couch.

  "Yeah," Diane immediately answered, resting her head on my arm. "I have all the symptoms of _veisalgia_."

  "A what?" Meemaw asked, puzzled, still standing a few steps away from the couch.

  "Hangover," I expined, amused.

  "Oh," Meemaw said, nodding. "Yeah, this is definitely a hangover," she added cheerfully.

  "You just need some water and to take it easy today," I said, gently rubbing Diane’s arm.

  "I'll get her some water," Meemaw said, cheg her watch. "It's almost time to head to church."

  "Thanks, Meemaw," Diane murmured, lifting her head from my arm.

  With Meemaw out of the room, Diane, seemingly f her eyes to stay open, studied me closely. For some reason, a moment ter, she frowned, looking strangely annoyed.

  "You look pristine," Diane said, pointing at me. "How?" she asked incredulously a moment ter.

  "Pristine?" I asked, amused. "Well, thanks."

  "No, really. How do you look so refreshed?" Diane asked, with a hint of frustration in her voice.

  "Well, the oxygenation in my brain thanks t exercise could be a factor," I expined calmly. "There’s also the release of ransmitters," I added with a shrug.

  "Exercise?" Diane asked incredulously, slightly widening her eyes.

  "Well, yeah, you know that—every m," I reminded her, fused.

  "Yeah, I know. It's just that siook a bath a couple of ho, I’ve been lying on this same couch without moving," Diane said slowly. "I ’t imagine wanting to do any physical activity."

  "Here you go, honey," Meemaw said, returning to the room and handing Diane a gss of water.

  "Thanks, Meemaw," Diane said, quickly taking the gss and drinking its tents.

  "Don't mention it," Meemaw said dismissively, waving her hands. "Now, I'm heading to church. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do," she ordered sternly, raising a finger. "Or anything I _would_ do, either," she added a sed ter, shaking her head.

  "All right... have fun?" I said, tilting my head, unsure if my farewell ropriate.

  "I'll try," Meemaw replied with a shrug, not sounding vi all, before turning on her heels and walking out of the house.

  Shortly after Meemaw left, with Diaing against my shoulder, we remained silent for a couple of minutes.

  "You should take a nap... in your bed," I said softly, feeling Diane’s breathing slow against my shoulder.

  "But I'm so fortable here. It's nice," Diane murmured, shifting her head against my shoulder.

  "Yeah, I've been told I have nice shoulders," I joked. "e o's get you to your bed," I added, slowly standing up, with Diaill ging to my arm.

  "No," Diane whined, dragging out the word with a pained voice.

  "You'll feel better after a good nap," I said, supp Diane as we walked to her room. "So good that you'll ask me to go for a run."

  "No, I won’t," Diane immediately said, looking at me as if I had said something absurd.

  "I know," I sighed, stepping into the room.

  "All right," I said gently, settling Diao her bed.

  "Don't go," Diane said, lying on her hand, pouting slightly.

  "Sure," I replied casually, taking a seat beside her on the bed.

  Immediately, Diane—momentarily dropping her pained expression—smiled slightly aed her head on my leg.

  "I don’t mean to offend you, but... are you maniputing me?" I asked, amused, gently stroking the side of her face.

  "Yes," Diane answered nontly, rolling onto my leg to face me.

  "All right," I sighed, amused.

  "I do have a headache, and I don't even remember part of st night. Me! I remember everything," she added, narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

  "You don't?" I asked, disappointed.

  "I remember dang, and I remember very well the taste of the beer," Diane admitted with a hint of disgust on her face. "After that, I have a vague memory of being carried to this very bed," she added, narrowing her eyes, seemingly doubting the memory.

  "Yes, that did happen," I responded with a smile.

  "It's my first time, you know?" Diane murmured after a few seds of silence. "Not remembering something," she added a moment ter.

  "Wele to the mortal world," I decred sarcastically. "But seriously, you have nothing to worry about. You didn't say anything promising," I assured her.

  "promising?" Diane asked, fused.

  "Well, sometimes, when people get drunk, they lose all sense of discretion," I expined slowly.

  "I uand," Diane said, nodding. "But I don't think I have anything embarrassing to say, even without inhibitions," she added a sed ter, pressing her jaw.

  "Really?" I asked maliciously.

  "Yes," Diane replied fidently. "I am what you would call 'an open book,'" she added with a bit of pride in her voice.

  "I'm so gd to hear that," I decred pyfully, raising my eyebrows. "Now you should take a nap," I added seriously, "and I sincerely hope you have really nice dreams," I said in the deepest voice I could, leaning in until I was just inches from Diane's face.

  "Wh-what?" Diane asked, ically widening her eyes.

  "Oh, nothing, just wishing you sweet dreams," I replied, uo hold back a wide smile as I quickly kissed her nose.

  With narrowed eyes, uo see through my little lie, Diane shrugged nontly, moving her head off my leg and burying her fa her pillow.

  Not long after, Diane was sound asleep, allowio silently leave Meemaw's house and head bae.

  "Hey, Bud," I said, greeting Gabe, who was still watg TV in the living room.

  "Hey," my brother replied without taking his eyes off the s.

  "I was thinking we could go do something today if you want to," I said, sittio Gabe on the coud pg my hand on his head. "We go eat burgers, just you and me… and Charlie, if she wants to e," I added a sed ter, jokingly.

  From the ughter and musiing from Teddy's room, I was sure she was still with her friends.

  "Really?" Gabe asked, incredulous. "You're not going out with Diaoday?"

  "Sometimes I just want to hang out with my little brother," I said, pushing his head aretending to be offended.

  "Yeah, sure," Gabe scoffed, shaking his head. "She probably got bored of you, and that's why you have nothing to do."

  "Hey, I have feelings, remember?" I asked, pg a hand over my chest, surprised by his rexed statement. "But yeah, maybe she did get bored of me, so I thought… who’s the sed-best person to hang out with?" I added, raising my hands.

  With a skeptical look, Gabe turned his attention away from the TV to stare at me.

  "But An is somewhere being a mysterious guy," I quickly added. "So I thought, the third-best? But Brock is in Boston—"

  "Shut up," Gabe interrupted, practically throwing himself at my ribs.

  "Uh, I was just joking," I said, ughing as I covered my torso from my brother’s quick punches. "Obviously, the sed-best option is Charlie," I added, uo stop ughing.

  "Wow, my boys are so cheerful this m," Mom said from the hallway, appearing behind us with an unusually quiet Charlie in her arms. "Good m," she added, kissing Gabe on the head while I still held him in a firm hug, preventing him from moving.

  "Good m, Mom. Charlie," I replied, smiling at her as she kissed my head as well.

  "Aren't you going to have breakfast with Diane?" Mom asked curiously while rog Charlie in her arms.

  "She got bored of him," Gabe quickly said, still struggling—or at least trying tle—against my grip.

  "She's just tired from the party," I expined calmly, not really using much strength on Gabe but keeping him pletely at my mercy.

  "You guys didn’t get home too te, did you?" Mom asked, ed.

  "No, Diane wao experience drinking at a party," I said, pressing my lips together. "Nothing irresponsible, I promise," I quickly assured her, raising my hands as I saw her pletely serious expression.

  "Did you drink?" Mom asked slowly.

  "Of course not, I was the driver," I replied immediately.

  "Okay, just don’t make a habit of it," Mom said after a few seds of silence, warning me.

  "I wasn’t pnning on it," I replied, nodding.

  "All right, give me a hand," Mom said, quickly gititude and smiling as she handed Charlie to me. "I’ll go make breakfast."

  "Hello," I said softly as I took Charlie in my arms. The little baby silently studied my face, pletely ued in being passed around.

  " we have ba and pancakes for breakfast?" Gabe asked, now sitting at the other end of the couch since I had let him go.

  "Sure," Mom replied immediately.

  "Do you want to go eat burgers with Gabe and me, Charlie?" I asked my little sister seriously, holding my arms out in front of me.

  Once again, Charlie remained pletely ued, silently sug on her hand while staring at me.

  "I’ll take that as a no," I said, nodding i.

  " she eve burgers?" Gabe asked, fused.

  "I’ll give her one if she wants," I replied jokingly.

  Several minutes passed before Bob also came out of his room. After greeting us and kissing Charlie on the forehead, he helped Mom make breakfast for everyone.

  "How was the party?" Teddy asked ter at the dining table while we were all eating, including her friends.

  "Pretty fun," I replied holy. "Diane e."

  "That’s it?" Teddy asked incredulously after a few seds. "What did you guys do? What did you see? Did anything iing happen?" she asked, exasperated.

  "I mean, we danced, and we came bae," I answered, slightly lost at her questions.

  For some reason, my response was funny to Teddy’s friends and Mom.

  "I ’t believe it," Teddy murmured, throwing her hands up. "Did you really go to this party?"

  "Yes, I did," I replied. "I don’t uand what you expect me to say," I admitted, defeated.

  "Don’t waste your breath, Teddy. Your dad was the same. If it wasn’t something like a fight or an explosion, he wouldn’t tell you," Mom said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "The men in this family are pletely oblivious."

  "No, I’m not," Gabe immediately defended himself.

  "You will be, my love," Mom said desdingly.

  "We’re not gossips," Bob corrected with a smile. "And that’s not a bad thing," he assured Gabe.

  Later, while I was watg TV with Gabe again, the phone suddenly rang.

  "I’ll take that," Mom said excitedly, appearing out of nowhere.

  Judging by the time of the call, I retty sure it was Mrs. Cooper.

  "Oh my God," Mom said, shocked. "Poor family," she added a moment ter, c her mouth.

  "What’s going on?" I asked, worried.

  "Of course, we will, yes," Mom said on the phone, raising a hand to stop my question. "All right, see you soon," she added a moment ter before hanging up.

  "What?" I asked, ed, walking toward her when I saw her sad expression.

  "A girl from your school died st night in a car act," Mom answered quietly, pg a hand on her chest to keep Gabe from hearing.

  "What? Who?" I asked, incredulous.

  "Martha Hanson. She was ye," Mom said sadly, waiting for my rea.

  "That’s horrible," I said.

  "You didn’t know her?" Mom asked, still with sadness in her voice.

  "No, I didn’t," I replied softly.

  The day, the school had a decidedly bitter feeling in the hallways. One of the lockers not far from mine, obviously the ohat beloo Martha, was filled with flowers in a sort of altar in her memory.

  "My mom is really affected, and I didn’t even knew her," Geie said, puzzled, as we stood in front of our lockers, looking at the usually noisy pow in an unfortable silence.

  "She was e, your mom's just worried about you," I expined calmly.

  "I guess that makes sense. My mom told me I won’t be allowed to go to any parties for a while," David said, nodding.

  "My dad said the same thing," decred Kat, who, along with Mande, approached us.

  "Did you know her?" I asked, notig how Mande was staring at the decorated locker, surrounded by people.

  "Mande had theater css with her," Kat answered for her friend after a few seds of silence.

  "She had a lot of passion for ag," Mande said. "I saw her at the party, she was drinking. I didn’t think she would drive in that state," she added sadly.

  "Was she driving uhe influence?" I asked surprised.

  "Yeah" Mande replied.

  In my time as a paramedic I had seen dozens if not hundreds of car acts caused by drinking and driving, it was never a good day when one of these occurred.

  "So fake," Kat murmured, strangely furious, immediately drawing the attention of my friends. "Regina, look at her," she added, discreetly pointing down the hallway.

  Sure enough, among all the people in front of the locker, c her face, Regina was g, seemingly devastated, while Karen and Gret hugged her, both also appearing sad.

  The day went on, and lunchtime arrived quickly. Like in the m, the cafeteria was surprisingly quieter than usual. There were still some people talking, but mostly in murmurs.

  "We have ining," Kat suddenly murmured, g her jaw.

  "PJ, we talk?" Regina asked, appearing behih slightly puffy eyes. "It'll be quick, I promise," she added a moment ter.

  "Sure," I responded after a sed of silence. Exhaling slightly, I stood up, smiling calmly at my friends.

  Walking behind Regina, we left the cafeteria, with a few eyes following our steps.

  "What do you need, Regina?" I asked once we were outside the cafeteria.

  "I’ve been refleg," Regina admitted slowly. "With everything that's happening, the horrible news," she added, gesturing toward the school hallway, "I’ve decided tive you," she softly decred, pg her hand on my arm.

  "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, incredulous.

  "I realized hile life is and decided that silly fights aren’t worth it," Regina decred with a slight smile. "I five you and accept you back," she added ‘kindly.’

  "Accept me back?" I asked, processing what was happening—I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

  "Yes, I think you deserve a sed ce," Regina responded, caressing my arm.

  "I 't believe this. This is a joke, right?" I asked, stopping Regina’s hand on my arm with some disgust and slowly moving it away, clearly careful not to hurt her.

  "Of course not, silly, I'm serious," Regina responded, apparently fetting her sadness pletely, with a wide smile.

  I had thought Kat's disdain fina earlier that day was entirely caused by her anger, but now I could see what she meant.

  "Regina... this is a new level of low," I murmured, still shaking my head in disbelief. "I ’t believe you’re using something as tragic as a cssmate’s death to fuel your delusions. You need help," I added with disgust.

  "Wha—"

  "Nina, I don’t want to hear it. I told you at the party, I’m with Diane, and that’s not going to ge, even if it’s what you want," I decred, cutting her off before she could say anything else. "Please, don’t ever talk to me again," I added, frowning and quickly walking back to the cafeteria.

  Regina didn’t e back, and I didn’t answer my friends’ questions.

  Days passed, and with them, the heavy feeling at school slowly faded. The locker still had pictures, flowers, and stuffed animals scattered on the floor, but people gradually moved on with their lives.

  On Friday afternoon, as the weekend of fights Case had promised us arrived—without going to the hospital—and after saying goodbye to my family and Diane, I followed the muscur man's orders and arrived at the gym with a backpack packed for three days.

  "Thanks fing me," I said to Bob from inside his awful truck.

  "Don’t mention it, champ. Good lu your trip," Bob responded, patting my shoulder kindly.

  "Thanks, see you ter," I said, getting out of the car a sed ter.

  Ihe gym, Tim and Case, each carrying their oacks, were waiting.

  "A mier, and you would’ve had to run after the car," Case decred seriously, cheg his watch.

  "That’s why I arrived a minute early," I responded, uo help myself, making Tim snort.

  "Funny. e on, it's time to go. Lock up," Case ordered, without the slightest hint of amusement on his face.

  Following the man’s instrus, I walked with Tim to the back alley of the gym, where Daisy arked.

  "No rummaging through the drawers, up after yourselves, and roll down the windows if you o fart," Case said with a frown, stoppio his RV.

  "Got it," I said, while Tim simply nodded.

  "Let's go," Case said, exhaling.

  ---

  By the way, I really didn't pn on the death of a pletely unknown character being such a big cliffhanger.

  I've read some ents talking about the pag of the story and I agree that I may have gotten a bit hung up on the repetitiveness of the chapters, at least these st few, but as I said before, the first volume will only be about 100 chapters long (possibly about 10/15 chapters after the 100th) there are just a few things left to develop.

  ---

  Author Thoughts:

  As always, I'm not Ameri, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen, not Michael Phelps, not Arsene Lupin and not McLovin.

  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.