A little ter than usual (sorry), but here’s the neter.

  This week, I went back to school (help!), and my schedule is a mess (thank you for that, Mexi education system). Now I ’t go to work after csses because my entire day is basically taken up by school. But that’s not the important part—the truly important thing is that I now have less time to write each day, but I’ll keep writing anyway.

  Enjoy.

  ...

  The day, early in the m, after preparing a fairly simple breakfast for my siblings and myself, I headed to the hospital, leaving behind Teddy and Gabe, who only agreed not to e for Mom after I expio them that I was simply going to pick up our parents and drive back.

  At the hospital, after calling Mom's room before leaving the house, she and Bob were already waiting for me at the reception area. For obvious reasons, Mom was in a wheelchair, holding a bundle of bhat was surely my new sister, Charlie.

  “So…” After helping Bob get Mom into the car aing him drive while I rexed in the passenger seat, Mom, from the back seat, tending to a sleeping Charlie in her baby seat, suddenly spoke.

  I retty sure I knew what was ing. In fact, I’d spent the whole night preparing for it.

  “If I remember correctly, Diane said, ‘a romantic retionship’?” Mom asked. Even though I couldn’t see her face, just from the tone of her voice, I retty sure she was wearing a wide and triumphant smile.

  “Yeah,” I replied, defeated, l my head slightly. “It retty sudden, not very special,” I admitted, hoping that somehow Mom wouldn’t be too ied.

  “Oh, you know that won’t work,” Mom said insistently, but still keeping her voice low so as not to wake Charlie.

  Yeah I knew.

  Looking to Bob for help, I noticed how the man was visibly trying to keep his attention on the road, avoiding looking at me at all costs.

  With a heavy sigh, I nodded before briefly reting what had happened. I khat even if I didn’t tell her what had transpired between Diane and her mother, Mrs. Cooper would immediately fill her in. “And that’s why Diane is staying at Meemaw’s house for a while,” I said as I fihe story.

  “I’m really gd she spoke up to her mother. From what Mary told me, that woman was quite the handful,” Mom said seriously. “And I’m really gd you two are now together. For days, I’ve noticed how obviously smitten you were, and havi Diane, I uand why,” she added with amusement.

  “Obviously?” For some strange reason, feeling offended, I turned in my seat and asked.

  “Oh, honey,” Mom decred, shaking her head and ughing softly.

  “Pretty obvious,” Bob, who had remained silent for most of the drive, said with a snort.

  Oh, now you talk.

  I’d only known for a couple of days that my feelings for Diane were, but I retty sure I wasirely obvious about it, right?.

  The rest of the ride home was quiet and peaceful—two things that, in the ing nights, would bee ent at home.

  Upourning, after helping Bob escort a still-weakened Mom to her room, I headed back outside to visit Diane.

  “Yeah?,” after a couple of minutes of knog and waiting at Meemaw’s door, she said upon opening it. “Oh, hello, young man. What do you need?” she asked, smiling mischievously in an odd attempt at a joke, pretending not to know me.

  “Good m, ma’am. I was w if Diane is home,” I said, deg immediately to py along.

  Nodding slowly, Meemaw stepped back. “Diahere’s a boy here for you!” she yelled into the house.

  Surprisingly, staying in character as we waited for Diao arrive, Meemaw studied me ily with a serious expression. “What are your iions with my granddaughter?” she asked, crossing her arms and staring at me.

  “The best, of course,” I quickly replied, matg her seriousness. “What you should really worry about is Diane’s iions with me,” I added moments ter, leaning slightly with a false look of on my face.

  “Oh, you were doing so well, Aces,” Meemaw said with a ugh, shaking her head. “If my husband, Pop-pop, had heard that st part, you’d be running bae with a shotgun poi you,” she added casually, as if threatening someoh a shotgun was entirely normal.

  “Well, I’m gd he didn’t hear me then,” I said slowly, doubting whether my response ropriate when talking about someone deceased.

  “Yeah, pretty hard to hear anything six feet under,” Meemaw said nontly, nodding.

  “PJ,” Diane called, saving me from adding anything else awkward to the versation, already dressed in one of her sweaters, she greeted me with a small smile as she walked to the door.

  “Hey,” I said quickly, relieved by Diane’s presence.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Tucker,” Diane said, smiling at Meemaw as she stepped out of the house.

  “Don’t mention it, sweetheart,” Meemaw replied, returning Diane’s smile. But as soon as Diane wasn’t looking, Meemaw shifted her expressioirely, fixih a serious look while pointing two fingers at her eyes and then at me in an obviously intimidatiure.

  Well, at least she was taking her role as Diane’s guardian seriously.

  “See you ter, kiddo,” Meemaw added, impressively rec her warm smile as she closed the door behind Diane.

  “So, how are you settling in on your first night?” I asked, walking with Diao the small beneemaw’s porch, fetting the odd disfort caused by Meemaw’s earlier behavior.

  “Pretty well,” Diane answered immediately, nodding slowly. “The bed Mrs. Tucker prepared for me is very fortable and warm,” she added, as though trying to think of more things to say. “Oh, and we had ba, eggs, and waffles for breakfast,” she added, ically widening her eyes.

  “Sounds like your stay is acceptable, then,” I joked, finding Diane’s review amusing, as if she were critiquing a hotel.

  “Yeah, it definitely is,” Diane replied calmly, nodding. “Oh, also, Mrs. Cooper came by to invite me to church,” she ented, strangely amused, as if it were an afterthought.

  “Oh, really?” I asked, not really surprised. “What did you say to her?”

  “I’m nious,” Diane responded as though it were obvious, shrugging. “I expihat to her and deed the offer, thanking her for the invitation,” she added calmly.

  “And how did she take your refusal?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  “Judging by her rea, I doubt it was the answer she was expeg,” Diane replied, tilting her head slightly, seeming unsure.

  Yeah, I imagine Mrs. Cooper expeg a different response.

  “But, surprisingly, she didn’t push the issue. She just said she’d do what she does with Sheldon and pray for my soul,” Diane added, pressing her lips together, seemingly impressed.

  “That’s good,” I murmured, nodding slowly, relieved that Mrs. Cooper didn’t try to force Diao follow her religious practices.

  “And what about you?” Diane asked, her head still tilted slightly, staring at me. “How’s your day been so far?”

  “Pretty good, thank you,” I replied easily, amused by Diane’s obvious attempt to keep the versation going. “I made a quick breakfast for me, Teddy, and Gabe, theo pick up my parents and Charlie from the hospital. I actually just got back a few minutes ago,” I narrated casually, cheg my watch. “I thought I’d e here.”

  “Oh yeah, why?” Diane asked, fused.

  “Well, sihe experimeeically ends today—” I began to expin, amused by her question.

  “Oh, that’s right,” Diaerrupted, seemingly remembering the experiment I’d proposed just the previous week. “The experiment was definitely a success. You were right about it,” she added formally.

  “Well, thanks,” I said, nodding and mirr her formality. “So I thought, sihe experiment is over and you and I have started a romantic retionship, it would only make seo invite you on an official date,” I decred, keeping my words formal, recalling all the times others had told me what I’d doh Diane were obviously dates.

  “I see what you mean,” Diane said, pressing her lips together with a smile. “I’d be more than happy to go on an official date with you,” she added with a slight nod.

  “Great,” I decred with exaggerated relief. “For a moment, I thought you’d say no,” I admitted, exhaling dramatically.

  Rolling her eyes in exasperation but still smiling widely, Diane shook her head without saying a word.

  That day, I took Diao eat at Red Lobster—which, acc to Missy, was the fa restaurant in Medford—to the movies, and for a short walk in the park that ended in a chaste and brief make-out session in my car before heading home.

  After saying goodbye to Diane once more at Meemaw’s doorstep, I returned home, barely able to tain the joy I felt. Nothing could ruin my mood at that moment.

  Upoering the house, the fact of having a baby sister became immediately noticeable with all the noise inside.

  The baby’s g, music bsting from Teddy’s room, the television Gabe was watg peting with both the g and the music, also at full volume. Suddenly, Bob walked past me from my parents’ room, holding a small b dripping with some sort of substance, but, despite all this, I was still quite cheerful, believing the noise would only be temporary.

  And it was—at least the TV and Teddy’s music. However, as days passed, every night became filled with my younger sister’s g. Somehow, only Gabe and Teddy seemed to have full nights of sleep, leaving my parents and me as the only ones affected.

  Deg not to visit the hospital that week, I apanied Diane every day after school to help her adjust to her new life routine. In hindsight, I realized this wasirely necessary. Apparently, while I was at school, Diane spent her days with Mom, Mrs. Cooper, and Meemaw, when she didn’t have other pns, simply chatting or apanying them in their daily activities.

  Meanwhile, when I got home from school, we tinued our routine from the previous week. Some days we visited the mall, enjoying new music records that I obviously bought, adding to my colle, Diane bought more sweaters, we drank ilkshakes, and strolled through the park until Diane grew tired, at which poi on a bend enjoyed each other’s pany.

  In additioched at least two movies every night, ones we rented from the store o the gym and watched in Meemaw’s living room. Most of the time, the elderly woman would remind us of her presen the house as often as she could.

  Despite that, whenever we had the ce for privacy away from the public eye, Diane and I slowly progressed in our retionship—as much as one week would allow.

  On Saturday, after pleting my m routine aing ready to spend another day with Diane, I arrived at Meemaw’s house. To my surprise, Diane was already sitting on the small porch bench, pletely engrossed in some kind of dot in her hands.

  Quietly, I approached her. “Good m,” I decred, trying to hide my smile after successfully surprising her, as I took a seat beside her.

  “Don’t do that,” Diane said, softly hitting my arm, feigning irritation. “Good m to you too,” she added a moment ter, pouting slightly.

  “I’ll definitely do that again at some point,” I said pyfully, smiling. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing at the papers in her hands with i.

  “Oh, it’s the paperwork from East Texas Tech. Apparently, they’ve finally sorted things out with my mom,” she replied nontly, handihe stack of papers.

  “That’s great!” I decred, genuinely happy for her as I took the papers from her hands.

  Diane had tacted the uy president earlier that week. Likely, the president wao avoid Diane residering her choice of uy and had quickly reached out to Mrs. Adler.

  It was obvious the unpleasant woman had tried to dey Diane’s pns as much as possible by withholding the necessary dots for her immediate acceptahankfully, it seemed Mr. Summers had mao vince her otherwise.

  “I have to go on Monday to discuss my obligations and privileges,” Diane murmured softly, leaning against my shoulder.

  Given the early hour and Diane’s strange ability to feel cold no matter where she was, it was obvious she was chilly at that moment.

  “What time do you have to go?” I asked, ied. “If you need, I leave school early—it’s not a big deal,” I added, already brainst ways to vihe principal to let me leave.

  “Don’t worry about it. The uy will send a driver for me,” Diane said, attempting to bury herself against my side, likely seeking warmth. “And after that, they’ll give me a car to drive myself,” she added nontly, her eyes closed.

  “Wait a moment—you know how to drive?” I asked, surprised. “Why didn’t you ever mention that?” I added, lifting my arm so I could look her directly in the eyes.

  “It just never came up,” Diane shrugged indifferently. “Besides, I enjoy it more when you drive,” she added, pressing her lips together in a faintly dismissive gesture.

  “Oh, yeah?” I asked, feigning offense. “Well, today you’re driving,” I added a moment ter.

  I didn’t actually mind driving all the time—I’d realized a while ago that it was quite cathartie. I just wao make sure Diane really did know how to drive.

  “All right,” Diane murmured, nodding slightly. After studying my fa silence for a moment, she asked with genuine curiosity, “Did it really bother you that I old you I could drive?”

  “Of course not,” I murmured, chug softly as I pulled her closer into a hug.

  The weekend passed, and Monday arrived. After my usual m routine, I arrived at school to find Kat standing in front of my locker. She looked obviously upset, arms crossed, while Geie stood awkwardly beside her, looking guilty and avoiding my gaze.

  “Well, Geie sted lohan I thought,” I murmured as I walked toward my iable fate.

  I may have lightly threatened Geie at the start of st week to keep Diane’s situation a secret. I didn’t mind if Kat and the rest of my friends knew, but I figured if David found out, the rest of the school wouldn’t be far behind.

  “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you,” I admitted to Kat, lifting my hands slightly as I reached my locker, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

  “Yeah, you should have,” Kat said, pausing briefly in surprise—likely because I hadn’t given her a ce to say whatever she’d been rehearsing—before returning to her annoyed demeanor.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just that the more people khe more likely it was the whole school would find out,” I expihough even as I said it, I realized how silly my reasoning was. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you. On the trary—” I quickly tried to crify.

  “I don’t care about that,” Kat interrupted, frowning, but I could still see a flicker of hurt in her eyes. “You had Diane spending a whole week with just a couple of older women—no offense,” she added, apologizing to Geie, who raised his hands and lowered his head in an attempt to disappear. “And with you. She needs friends.”

  Blinded by my oiness, I hadn’t noticed, but Kat was certainly right. In a way, I was mirr Mrs. Adler’s behavior by not giving Diane a ake friends her own age.

  “Yeah, you’re right,” I murmured, nodding slowly.

  “Of course I am,” Kat said with an air of self-evidence. “You’re really so dumb,” she added, shaking her head in annoyance as she walked away. “Mande and I are going to visit Diaoday. Don’t be there.”

  “Okay,” I murmured, feeling strangely nervous as I watched Kat walk off.

  Turning slowly to Geie, I stared at him expressionlessly.

  Geie, now left without the prote of another person to distract me, avoided eye tafortably.

  “I’m sorry. She asked how you were doing after Dia for Boston, and before I k, I told her everything that happe the hospital and that Diane is now living with Meemaw. Please don’t punch me,” without me needing to say anything Geie blurted out, raising his hands protectively over his head.

  Sloroag him, I raised my hand, g it into a fist as if I were about to hit him. Surprisingly, Geie lowered his hands and closed his eyes, brag for what he thought was ing.

  “It’s okay, dude,” I murmured, lightly patting his forehead with no real force. “Did you wet yourself?” I asked sarcastically, amused by his relieved expression.

  “No,” Geie replied immediately, trying to mask his embarrassment with false pride.

  Chug, I opened my locker to prepare for the day.

  “By the way, Kat told me not to tell you about her question. Please don’t tell her I told you,” Geie said nervously.

  “Really, Geie?” I asked incredulously.

  “I’m sorry, I ’t help it,” Geie admitted, shaking his head in frustration.

  Sighing, I shook my head without saying anything.

  The day passed, and at the end of school, sitting in my car, I paused to think about what Kat had said. After a few seds, I made my decision, nodding abruptly, and started the car, driving in the dire of the hospital.

  Upon arriving at the hospital, after greeting the nurses and thanking them for their good wishes regarding my new sister, I walked straight to the diagnostic lounge as usual, ign the weak ughter of the nurses watg me leave.

  "Oh well, look at that," Chase and Camerohe only ones present wheered the room. "Wele back, lover boy," Chase said with a mischievous smile, raising his eyebrows.

  "Let me guess, the nurses?" I asked, defeated, while ping the bridge of my nose.

  "Well, that or anyone who heard the yelling iernity wing hallway," Cameron replied, amused, shrugging her shoulders. "By the way, gratutions on your new sister. I spoke with Dr. Stratford, aold me everythi well."

  "Thanks, Charlie is healthy as a baby should be" I murmured thinking specifically about her lungs, uo fully express my joy, as I took a seat in one of the empty chairs. "So..." Narrowing my eyes, I was about to ask.

  "No, I don’t think House knows, or at least he hasn’t mentio," Chase answered preemptively.

  "Great," I nodded in relief. At least House’s behavior kept him from learning things through the nurses’ informatiowork.

  "So, is there any case?" I asked, even though I could already guess the answer from the pletely empty board.

  "You’d know the ao that if you kept up with your responsibilities," came House’s unmistakably sarcastic voice from behind me.

  Turning to face him, I immediately studied House to see if he’d overheard any of the previous versation. At the same time, House narrowed his eyes, obviously studying me iurn.

  "Did you two just start a staring test or something?" Chase asked sarcastically.

  "What are you hiding?" House asked me, narrowing his eyes further.

  "What are _you_ hiding?" I tered, fog on keeping my face expressionless, hoping to give away nothing that might help him detect a lie.

  "Oh, you really want to know my secrets, huh?" House asked with a sinister grin. "You’re not ready yet," he added, leaning on his e.

  "What secrets? That deep down you have a heart?" I asked ironically.

  "How dare you?" House excimed, stepping bad pretending to be offended. "I don’t have a heart," he proudly decred, pointing at himself and smirking.

  "My bad, I’m sorry," I quickly admitted, raising my hands.

  "It’s fine, just don’t let it happen again," House said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "Now, you owe me a week of ic duty. Better start paying it ht now. e on," he added as he left the room.

  Knowing him, he’d likely avoided the ic all week, waiting for me to do his hours.

  "Good luck," Cameron said with a slight tilt of her head, smiling.

  "Thanks," I murmured as I got up and followed House out of the room.

  Clearly determio fill his ic hours, House and I keep w in the ic... well, I was w. House had a small mountain of magazines beside him.

  Following my usual routine, after leaving the hospital, I drove to the gym and then headed home.

  Still slightly sweaty, I immediately walked over to Meemaw’s house.

  "Oh, Aces," Meemaw greeted me triumphantly after a few seds of knog on her door. "What do you need?" she asked, smiling smugly.

  "So Diane’s not here," I deduced right away, noting her expression.

  "Oh, don’t ruin my fun," Meemaw replied, feigning irritation.

  "Oh, sorry," I decred, pretending to be overly apologetic. "Let me try again." I waved my hands slightly in front of me, then tinued, "Meemaw, is Diane home?" I asked, tilting my head and faking .

  Clearly unimpressed by my performance, Meemaw slowly closed the door without a word.

  "Well, thanks, Meemaw," I murmured stiffly at the door before heading bay house.

  With nothing to do, I grabbed Gabe and carried him under my arm to the garage to lift weights before dinner. Since Charlie’s arrival, Bob uandably hadn’t had the time or energy to train with us.

  After finishing my workout and sh, I walked into the living room with a towel over my shoulders, my hair still damp. Mom was there with Charlie.

  "Who’s the cutest little girl?" Mom cooed in a much higher-pitched voice than usual, using the odd 'baby voice' she and Bob always used when talking to Charlie. She gently touched the baby’s nose. "Hey, honey, what are you doing here?" she asked me in the same tone.

  "You’re still doing the voice," I murmured, pressing my lips together in disfort.

  "Oh, sorry," Mom said, feigning embarrassment but clearly not actually embarrassed. "What are you doing here? Didn’t you go out with Diaoday?" she repeated, her voice returning to normal.

  "No, Kat and Maook her somewhere," I replied while drying my hair, shrugging.

  "Oh, really? That’s good," Mom said, nodding happily. "She needs friends her age," she added with amusement. "She ’t always be hanging out with us; it’s not healthy."

  "Yeah," I murmured softly, nodding.

  "Aw, are you feeling lonely?" staring at me Mom asked, oddly reverting to the baby voice.

  "No," I replied immediately, a bit too quickly for my liking.

  Sure, I missed Diane, but feeling lonely? No, at least I didn’t think so.

  "Oh, my big baby, e here," Mom said, opening her free arm. "e on," she insisted, motioning with her arm.

  "Sure, why not," I murmured, shrugging as I walked over to sit beside her on the couch.

  Being much taller than Mom, it was slightly unfortable to be hugged by her on the couch.

  "Hey, Charlie," I greeted as Mom held me under her arm. Charlie, who was awake, was nht in front of my face. "Ah," clearly ied in my face, Charlie reached out, almost poking me in the eye.

  "Don’t attack your brother, Charlie," Mom murmured in an exaggerated baby voice, gently stroking Charlie’s head.

  As I sat there, we suddenly heard loud musid the clear voices of some girls singing along from outside, thanks to the retive quiet in the house.

  "Looks like Diane’s back," Mom said, smiling broadly as she released me from her embrace.

  Raising an eyebrow, she seemed to expect me to run out to meet Diane, determined not to give her the satisfa, I simply stood up and walked to the opposite side of the room to put my towel away. Then, without missing a beat, I quickly walked out of the house, ign Mom’s triumphant smile.

  Outside, I saw Mande’s car driving away, leaving Diaanding in Meemaw’s yard.

  "Hey," I greeted Diah a smile as I crossed the street.

  "Hello to you too," Diane murmured, pressing her lips into a small smile.

  "Did you have a good day?" I asked as I walked closer to her.

  "Yeah," Diane replied after thinking for a moment, smiling. "Your hair is wet," she noted, reag out to touch it curiously.

  "It’s sweat," I said, grinning pyfully.

  "I smell your shampoo," Diane said, rolling her eyes slightly, unimpressed with my joke.

  "Ah, you got me," I murmured, feigning disappoi as I smiled and leaned in closer.

  "Yeah," Diane murmured, biting her lip slightly to keep from smiling as she stretched up to meet me.

  Yes, I really missed her.

  ...

  A rather cheesy ending? Yeah, definitely. But what I say—starting from here, for a feters, we’ll return to the normal flow of the story (still with some retionship progress, but now in the background). Anyway, see you around! :D

  Strangely, I didn’t know how to end this note, so I’ll just reend the series The Day of the Jackal. It’s really good.

  ...Author Thoughts:

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

  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.