Trechial swung on the newly installed white wooden porch swing. Charlie replaced the swing her father put up for her mom. It was like he searched out ways to rid the house of the memories of her father. The sun made its slow descent into the horizon, bringing forth chilly temperatures. After dinner, Trechial decided to sit out on the porch and wait for her mom to get home since Charlie had the night off and claimed the living room TV—reruns of Archie bunker was the night's order. Unfortunately, Devin and Candice were posted up on the curb. Candice had started coming back around with or without Devin's consent. Candice wore a mini-skirt and tank top, far from Trechial's tee shirt and jean shorts outfit, and Trechial wondered if that was the reason Devin hadn't completely given her the boot. Candice held up a plate with a white alien substance to Devin. Trechial watched Devin shove a chunk of cake into his mouth from the glass plate that Candice held up to him with an ecstatic grin on her face. Trechial let out a huff of air as Devin ate another bite, giving Candice a fake smile and a thumbs-up.

Trechial continued to observe, gently swaying on the swing. Should she call Jared to counter this vicious sight? Would it constitute her using Jared, so she didn't focus on Devin and his Mattel Barbie? Trechial heard the rumble of her mom's car motor, then turned to see her pull into the driveway.

Trechial burned with jealousy as they made their way across the street, Candice pulling Devin by the arm. Candice was a real piece of work, coming to rub what was Trechial's in her face. Devin scratched the side of his neck lazily. Trechial rose to her feet when they made it to the first step, her attention on Candice for fear Devin would recognize the subtle frustration in her.

"Can I help you?" Trechial raised her brows.

"What's wrong with him?" Candice shrieked.

"Besides him dating you?" Trechial folded her arms against her chest. "There's a long list of things."

"I'm not dating her," Devin interjected

"Look at him!"

Trechial smacked her teeth and rolled her eyes from Candice to Devin. Her jaw slowly ground in circles. Devin scratched red blotches of bumpy skin on his neck, wincing.

"Oh my gosh, what the heck happened?" Trechial flew down the steps, and he scratched the side of his face, and a group of red bumps formed.

"What's going on, kids?" her mom said, walking up the sidewalk, a brown paper bag in one hand and her purse hanging on the opposite shoulder.

"This!" Trechial grabbed Devin by the arm and turned him to her mom. Her mom flinched but quickly regained her composure.

"Does your throat feel like its closing up?" she asked, her head tilting from side to side, observing him.

"No ma'am, just itches."

"Get these groceries inside." She handed Trechial the bag and then turned to Devin. "Let's go."

"Ms. Dee, I don't want to go to the hospital," Devin whined. She noticed the skin beneath his hazel eyes was swelling.

"Boy, if you don't get your tail in the car!" She pinned him down with a stern glare.

Trechial deposited the bag by the front door and zoomed back to the car as Candice was sliding into the back seat on the opposite side of Devin. Trechial flung the back door open and got in, shutting the door. She leaned forward. "You can leave now," Trechial said.

Candice whipped her head around, icy slits a pinprick. "He's my boyfriend."

"That you obviously poisoned with that dog food you made him eat."

"I'm not your boyfriend," Devin interjected again.

Candice chest rose and fell. Her mouth pursed like she wanted to snap at somebody but couldn't choose who. "How dare you! My mother made that cake for DJ, you wicked troll!" she yelled at Trechial.

"Pfft! Everybody in Willow Heights knows your mother only raises a finger to—"

"Trechial Winters, if you finish that sentence, I will ground you for a year! Now everyone, sit back, shut up, and enjoy the ride." Diana's eyes shifted back to them in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah," Devin taunted in Trechial's ear.

"Shut up, tomato face."

"Ms. Dee... Trechial called me a tomato face," Devin whined but smiled nonetheless.

"Trechial, are you starting up again?"

Trechial stared at him, mouth wide open. "No!"

She shot daggers into Devin, and he smirked, his face that of red blotches and welts.

She glanced at Candice, who pinned herself to the door, her arms in her lap, eyes moving from Devin's arms up his body, her face construed into disgust when she reached his face. Trechial took a deep breath and exhaled, looking at Devin, who paid no attention to Candice.

His attention was on her and scratching new patches on his face and neck. Trechial's lips drew back into a calculated sneer. "Here, let me help you." She scratched his chin and neck creating more hives.

Devin hummed.

"Eww, what are you doing?" Candice practically merged herself with the door.

"I'm helping him with his chicken pox." Devin lifted his chin like a "good boy" to her, giving her better access to scratch.

Candice's eyes stretched into two quarters. "Oh my gosh, you're making it worse!"

Trechial released a diabolical laugh. "Possibly."

"But it feels nice." Devin chimed in, one side of his lip swollen up.

***

An hour later, Trechial and Candice sat in the car in dead silence, waiting for Devin and Mrs. Dee to emerge from Fast Track emergency care. Trechial sighed, the weight of Candice's earlier actions creating a whirlwind of anger within.

"If Devin is someone special to you, then why did you treat him like he had some uncurable disease earlier?" Trechial said.

Silence.

"Stop treating him like a money bag, Candice. If you're going to be with him, don't half-ass it."

"Or what?"

Trechial met her cocky gaze, the streetlamp providing enough light to reveal just how pissed Candice was. "I'll break up with Jared." The threat drifted across the car to Candice.

Candice faked yawned. "You're a novelty, Trechial. Just another girl he wants to bone?"

"Are you confident enough to put that notion to the test? Candice, you're about as temporary as a hiccup, so novelty or not, I'm still more permanent a fixture in Devin's life than you."

Silence. Again.

"I know you baked that cake," Trechial muttered. She pinned her back against the door to glare at Candice. "And like the wicked snake straight out of the garden, you lied on your mother to save your tail."

Candice spared her a glance, looking away. "I'm not Betty-Jemima like you, okay?"

Trechial squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to comprehend what Candice said. Did she just call me Aunt Jemima and Betty Crocker together?  "What did you say?"

Candice racked her nails through her ponytail. "All I'm saying is that I did my best. It was a make-up cake."

" if Devin is smart. It was break-up cake."

"He's not—he'll forgive me, so stay out of it and mind your own business."

Trechial clutched the jean fabric covering her legs, knowing Candice was right. Devin always forgave her, and this time would be no different. It wasn't like she intentionally poisoned him. It was an allergic reaction.

"What if his throat would have closed up, and he went into some sort of shock because of you?"

"You act as if I deliberately caused this. How was I supposed to know he was allergic to dragon fruit?"

"It's not the first time he's gotten sick eating your gruesome cooking. Remember the tuna pasta? He had the runs for two days! Oh, and what about the Curry? He had to go to the hospital. He wouldn't tell me what happened, but he mentioned he ate at your house that day."

"Maybe he has a sensitive stomach." Candice crossed her arms.

"Sensitive to your ghastly cooking. Your food should come with a warning label," Trechial muttered.

"Whatever."

"Do you even know what Devin likes? Or is your head so far up your butt that you can't see past your own greedy needs? I'll give you a hint...it's not cake, and he hates tuna and mayo as a combination. And as for Curry... No!"

"Stop talking as if you know my boyfriend."

"Stop talking until you do."

Trechial spotted her mom rolling Devin out of the double sliding doors in a wheelchair and got out of the car to help. So did Candice. They all worked together to get Devin into the backseat. He was a lot heavier than his trim physique led on. Trechial resumed her seat next to him. His head bobbed side to side, his eyes drifting open and close. He no longer looked like a tomato; his creamy skin color was returning, the blotches slowly fading. The car started, and they headed home. She rested her elbow on the door and stared out the window. What did Devin love about Candice? She was shallow, stuck-up, and mean. She was pretty, sure, but no one's looks could cover that amount of ugliness on the inside.

Devin shifted in his seat, looping his arm around Trechial's, and rested his head on her shoulder. "My favorite pillow," he hummed.

Trechial's eyes widened. She cleared her throat. "Your girlfriend is on the other side of the car, Jisoo."

He un-looped his arm and wrapped both around her waist. He was snuggling her.

"Love you, Mini."

Her heart stilled. "Momma, what did they give this kid?" she stammered, her cheeks burning.

Her mom ignored her question, meeting her wide eyes in the rearview and then going back to the road. "A cocktail."

"Yeah, well, I don't like it," Trechial lied.

"Mm-hmm. Hey kid, stop using your loopy-ness as an excuse to get frisky with my daughter," Diana said.

Devin sighed. "I'm not. I love Trechial. And she loves me."

Trechial was sure her heart exploded in her chest.

She looked at Candice, the whites in her eyes glossy in the dark. But not to be outdone, she yanked Devin by the arm over to her, though it took two times because he had a firm grip on Trechial. Devin got comfortable on Candice and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Trechial, why don't you love me?" he mumbled in a child-like tone.

Trechial side-eyed the high boy. "Because you're an idiot, that's why."