GAVIN, BRONWYN, CANDICE, Sydney, and I sit together on the couch and watch a romance movie of which I have forgotten the title again. I'm far too distracted by Sydney, who has tears in her eyes while moving her lips in sync with the actors' lines. 

Why does even that turn me on? 

But at the same time, I would like to take her in my arms, because somehow I don't like the fact that she is crying, even if it's just because of a movie. Very slowly, I draw circular movements on her shoulder with my fingertips and feel that she is holding her breath.

Grinning, I turn my attention back to the TV. 

I don't know how we all ended up together in Sydney and Bronwyn's apartment, but here we are, sitting with several bowls of popcorn and a trashy movie that I would never watch under any other circumstances. Gavin and I just decided to hang out with Sydney and Bronwyn half an hour ago, and then Candice joined us because my best friend probably can't do it without her for even a few hours. 

"You don't like romance movies, right?" whispers Sydney so softly that even I can barely understand her. 

I really don't have to think long about her question. "If I had to choose between a romance movie and meeting Xander, I'd definitely choose the last one." 

She snorts. "I don't think so." 

"Of course you don't think that." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" she wants to know. Questioningly, she slides closer to me, eyeing my face. 

I smile. "It's supposed to mean, that most of the time you have to disagree with what I say." 

"That's not true." 

"See, you're doing it again," I say, more than satisfied that I've won this debate. "You're disagreeing with me." 

"I'm not doing that at ..." She pauses. "You really drive me crazy sometimes, Dean." 

Yeah, she drives me crazy, too, but in a surprisingly good way. I don't know anyone who can give as much counter as Sydney and also be incredibly sweet. No matter how many times she disagrees with me, it doesn't change the fact that I still like her. 

I also like her stubborn look that is only for me. "Stop looking at me like that, Curly, it will give you wrinkles on your forehead." 

"Shut up." 

"Make me," I teasingly challenge her, causing her blue eyes to flash with suspicion. 

Sydney already opens her lips to say something, when Candice takes a handful of popcorn and throws it at Sydney, who obviously has to control herself not to jump on Candice in response. 

While I try to stifle a grin, I pull single pieces of popcorn out of Sydney's tangled hair. "Why did you do that, Candice?" 

She smiles condescendingly. "I can't hear half of the movie with all your dirty talk." 

Sydney blushes. "That wasn't dirty talk." 

Suddenly, there's a knock coming from the front door. 

Although Sydney and Candice almost got, just a moment ago, into each other's hair, it's now long forgotten. Neither of us moves or dares to say anything. 

There is another knock, but louder than before. 

I'm about to get up and open the door as Sydney holds me back. "I'll go." 

That's probably smarter.

Slowly, she stands up and for a short moment I'm distracted from her long legs, but then I concentrate again. Should I go into another room? Hide somewhere? Actually, I don't want to do any of that, instead of escorting Sydney to the door, but Gavin's warning look tells me that if it's necessary, he'll force me to stay where I am. 

I try to give him the same warning look, simply because he's getting on my nerves. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" says Sydney suddenly, and I look over Bronwyn, Candice, and Gavin toward the front door. Sydney, however, is covering up the person who knocked, but from her surprised-sounding question, I can kind of guess who it is. 

"I need to talk to you, Sydney-Britney."

No. 

Kolin Queens seems to have made it very well over the last two days from Candice's party because otherwise, he wouldn't have the audacity to just walk into the apartment. He looks around and spots Bronwyn, Candice, Gavin, and me. 

"You should go," Bronwyn orders as she gets up from the couch with the bowl of popcorn in her hands. When Kolin doesn't move, she reaches into the bowl just as Candice did and throws the precious popcorn at him. "Tell me, are you deaf? Get your ass out of our apartment or ─" 

"Or what?" Kolin runs a hand through his dark blond curls. "Or you'll get your dolls and make me redress them?" 

What is he talking about? 

"How many times more?" Bronwyn stomps on the floor like an angry little child. "Just because I study mode management doesn't mean I dress dolls all the time!" 

"So what are you going to do if I don't leave?" asks Kolin provocatively. "Call the police? I don't think that's so smart, considering you're watching The Notebook with a full-fledged murderer."

So that's the name of the movie. 

"I'm surprised that you know the movie," Sydney fires back. 

He grins insinuatingly at her. "It's your favorite movie right, Sydney-Britney? I remember it very well when you made me watch it with you every week." 

I snort as I get up from the sofa. "And I remember very well when I almost twisted your arm." 

"I would be nicer to me now if I were you," Kolin says, and any remnant of fun is suddenly gone. "I'm supposed to say hello to you from your parents, by the way. They're hoping so much that you'll be coming home soon ... so they can make sure you're locked up in the nearest jail." 

I quickly step forward and my fist lands in his face with such lightning speed that he can't dodge it. Kolin looks visibly surprised and when I try to take advantage and punch him again, but Gavin holds me by my arm. "Stop it, Dean, this isn't doing anything." 

"Yes it is, Dean, go ahead." Kolin deliberately tries to provoke me, grinning as he wipes the blood from under his nose. "I'm sure your parents will be even prouder of you when they hear that you broke my nose." 

"After today, it won't just be your nose that's broken," I say, gritting my teeth angrily to keep myself from falling blindly on him. I have to control myself, but I'm finding it increasingly hard. 

Suddenly, Sydney stands next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder. "You need to calm down. Don't you see? This is exactly what he wants. He wants you to hurt him and then he can go to the police and show them the wounds." She turns back to Kolin. "What do I have to do to make you, one, disappear, and two, not run straight to anyone and tell them you saw Dean with us?"

Kolin looks mighty pleased with the turn of the whole situation and comes dangerously close to Sydney and me. "The truth is, I don't really want you to end up in jail, Dean." 

Completely perplexed, I look at him. "What?" 

"Hunter, Xander, and I know for a fact that you didn't do it." 

Bronwyn mumbles very quietly something pretty close to "What the hell is going on?" while Sydney and Gavin make completely shocked faces next to me. I don't know what Candice is doing because I'm still standing with my back to the couch, but I bet she's still eating popcorn and finds us now a lot more interesting than the movie. 

"Wait a minute," Sydney says suddenly, fixing her big blue eyes on Kolin, "You've been the unknown third guy who keeps showing up and stalking Dean. You, Hunter, and Xander were even here in my apartment once. And that's how you've known all this time that I've been in contact with Dean." 

I'm impressed with the way Sydney is putting everything together. "How do you know Hunter and Xander? As far as I know, you've only been going to college for five months, Kolin." 

He just shrugs, like it doesn't matter. "I know a lot of people. But Hunter and Xander are definitely among those who really hate you to death, Dean." 

We were friends, even if most of the time we just went to parties and hit on women, but still, I wouldn't have expected any of this from Hunter and Xander. 

"Okay, you definitely know more than you're saying," Gavin says, looking at Kolin searchingly. "Why can't they stand Dean, why are you forming this weird gang of wannabes, and why don't you want Dean extradited? By you guys and your yelling every time you just increase the risk." 

Kolin doesn't answer. 

"Not really," Sydney says after a while, for which she earns several strange looks. She sighs. "Think about it. If Kolin, Hunter, and Xander always show up before the police do, Dean is basically warned every time. How else could he always manage to escape?" 

"I've thought until now that it was because I was a genius," I interject. 

Kolin grins. "I think it was more because I'm the genius. We both know I've always been the better one, at least that's what both my parents and yours claim." 

"I don't really think it's genius to chase someone even though you know damn well they're innocent," I fire back. "What exactly do you three have against me, and why are you making false statements to the police? Xander has already indicated that he has since given himself up and has been spreading lies to make me the prime suspect." 

"You guys have so many questions," he mumbles, then looks at his nonexistent wristwatch. "And it's so late, I really should go now. But it's been nice talking to you, Dean. Anything you want me to tell your parents?" 

"Yes," I counter. "Tell them you're a fucking liar who doesn't have enough attention from his parents, because he needs to get it from my parents, too, so he can feel like he's something better." 

Kolin stops smiling. "I'll see you when your own stupidity lands you in jail and I visit you there to tell you that's exactly what you deserve." His gaze lingers on Sydney. "And we'll talk soon, too, Syd."

Syd? Why the hell is he calling her Syd? 

One thing is pretty sure. At some point, Kolin is going to get more than a half-twisted arm and a broken nose from me.

-

Can someone pls punch the hell out of Kolin? Thanks!