THE SKY WAS DARK ORANGE STREAKED WITH LILAC COLORS AS I TURNED INTO PHOENIX'S NEIGHBORHOOD.

I directed the car down the long strip of road, following the GPS directions. My eyes strayed around the neighborhood, observing the large houses and wide backyards. Victorian lamps lit up the bright neighborhood, highlighting the color-changing leaves that spiraled down from the trees.

"Your destination will be on the right" my GPS spoke as I approached a massive house.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head as I took in the lush yard outside. A giant apple tree stood on the far corner of the front yard, turning orange and the bushes were neatly trimmed. The house itself was graceful and modern with styled bricks and pillars standing by the doorway, the lanterns lighting up the beautiful structure.

Scoffing, I pulled out my phone and called Phoenix. Three rings later, his tired voice answered.

"I'm guessing you're here," he said. I rolled my eyes but answered.

"Yeah, I am. Can I park in the driveway?" I asked.

"Yeah. Go ahead. I'll see you shortly" he replied.

I nodded and hung up, pulling my car into the long driveway. I parked the car behind a sleek Mercedes-Benz, pulling out the keys and taking my stuff in the back with me.

Locking the car and adjusting my cardigan, I walked up the cobblestone path to the front door. With a sigh, I grabbed the gold door knocker and ramped it against the door.

A few seconds passed before I heard the click of a lock. The door opened to reveal an older woman with long black hair and a warm smile on her face. She wore a maroon shirt and black jeans, an apron over her clothes.

"You must be Iveline. Come in dear" she welcomed, gesturing me into the house.

I smiled at her, stepping into the house. The smell of meat wafted around the air, my stomach grumbling.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Vanderwal" I replied, nodding my head. "I'm sorry if I am intruding on anything."

She shook her head, waving her hand. "Nonsense. I was just getting dinner ready" she replied.

Her voice sounded like spring, her movements so graceful. "Let me hang your coat and bag for you. Phoenix is in the kitchen if you need him."

I nodded, thanking her again. "Where is the kitchen?" I asked, looking around the house.

"Down the hall to your left dear", she replied as she hung up my cardigan.

I nodded again, walking past the extravagant living room, and turned left. The large kitchen came into view, two silhouettes standing inside. Feeling myself getting nervous, I took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen.

Phoenix immediately turned around, his eyes landing on me. "You made it" he simply said, leaning on the counter.

His voice captured the attention of the older man by the cabinets, picking out several glasses. He turned around, his kind eyes meeting mine. "You must be Iveline. Nice to meet you" he said, outstretching his hand.

"Nice to meet you too" I replied, shaking his hand back. I took a good look at him as he let go of my hand.

He didn't look like Phoenix but he was just as good-looking. His dark hair was streaking with grey and his beard was becoming silver. His eyes were not blue like his son's but rather brown.

"I must say. It's been a while since Phoenix has brought anyone home. Especially a girl" he commented.

Phoenix sighed, shaking his head as he passed a look over to his father. His face was lit red, an annoyed look on his face.

"Expose me why don't you" he replied, making his way over to me. He looked me over, his intense eyes holding my gaze.

"How were tryouts?" he asked.

I shrugged, running my fingers through my hair. "It was alright. Mercedes and Katherine said they'll let us know soon" I said, tucking my fingers in my sweatpants.

He nodded, frowning at the mention of Mercedes. "She didn't give you a hard time did she?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No. Katherine did."

He rolled his eyes, frowning. "Well, she's Katherine. She doesn't exactly have a nice bone in her body but we all learn to deal with her presence."

I laughed, pushing him back. "Be nice" I replied.

"When have you ever known me to be nice?" he questioned, raising his brow at me.

Before I could respond, his mom walked into the kitchen, her voice cutting into our conversation. "Phoenix, try to be nice to your friend. We don't want you scaring her away" she warned, passing me a warm smile.

"She's stayed this long, mom. She's not going anywhere" he responded, passing me a look.

I scowled at him, shaking my head. His mom laughed, walking over to his dad and giving him a kiss on the cheek. " I have the wine chilled" she notified him.

His eyes lit up as he handed the wine glasses to his wife. "And this is why I love you Jacqueline" he replied, pressing a kiss against her cheek.

Phoenix scoffed, sticking his tongue out. "Try not to make out in front of me" he commented, shaking his head.

His mom pulled back, raising a brow at him. "Behave. You have a guest" she warned.

I smiled at their banter, watching as Phoenix smiled at his mom. "Iveline, you are more than welcome to join us for dinner. I made enough for all of us" she offered.

I shook my head, despite my stomach rumbling under my shirt. "I wouldn't want to impose," I said, shaking my head. "I walked in on your dinner time."

"Nonsense. You are our guest. You are more than welcome to join us" his dad joined in.

Phoenix nodded, looking down at me. "Besides, I can hear your stomach grumbling under your shirt. You're obviously starving" he commented.

I hit him again on the arm but nodded at their generosity. "Thank you. I would be honored" I replied back.

His mom smiled at me, clapping her hands. "Great! I'll set a plate for you. Phoenix, go call your sister and tell her dinner is ready."

He nodded and left me to call Jolie, leaving me to follow his parents into the dining room. It was light blue and lit up by a big chandelier, a spread of food displayed on their large table.

"You have a beautiful home" I complimented as I sat down on the dining chair.

"Thank you! You're too kind" his mom responded as she opened the bottle of wine. She poured some into her glass before passing it over to her husband.

A few minutes later, Phoenix and Jolie emerged down the stairs, waltzing into the dining room.

"Iveline! I didn't know you were joining us for dinner" Jolie exclaimed, nodding at me.

I blushed and tucked my hair back. "I just dropped in. I hope you don't mind."

She shook her head, reaching over for the pitcher of water with lemon slices. "Trust me, I don't. The more women in the room, the better" she responded, passing the pitcher over to Phoenix. He took it and sat next to me, pouring water into both our glasses.

"So what's for dinner mom?" Jolie asked.

"I made some pot roast with some fried rice and mixed vegetables," she said, opening the plates in front of us to reveal the meal."Dig in."

For the next five minutes, we passed around our plates as they were piled up with meat, rice, and vegetables. When my plate came back to me, I didn't hold back, grabbing a fork and digging in.

"So, Iveline. Where did you originally live before moving here?" his dad asked, cutting into his meat.

"Vermont. I lived there my entire life" I replied, taking a sip of water. His mom hummed, scooping some rice into his mouth.

She took a sip from her wine. "Vermont. I've never been up there. How is it?"

"A bit quiet but I loved it. I lived in Longroad so we were a bit closer to the city. Burlington really has a lot to offer" I said, reminiscing on the city I knew so well.

"I always heard there was nothing to do in Vermont. It's like that silent killer in horror movies. Nothing going on but deadly once you get too close" Jolie said.

"Jesus Christ, Jolie. Do you ever think before you speak?" Phoenix hissed, passing her a cold stare. She rolled her eyes at him, raising her brow.

"What? You don't want me to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend?" she retorted, a smirk pulling on her face. I could feel my face grow red, ducking my head low.

"Mija, don't be disrespectful" their mom pressed, raising her brow. "You don't always have to assume that a girl and boy are dating because they are together. It is perfectly normal for them to be friends."

Jolie rolled her eyes, stacking her vegetables on her fork.

I laughed, focusing my eyes on the plate in front of me. "It's perfectly fine, Mrs. Vanderwal" I replied.

I turned to Jolie, smiling at her. "Vermont isn't always quiet. I think it depends on where you live but for the most part, I would like to think that it is a very peaceful place. Not necessarily a serial killer but I can see where you get that idea from. Everyone thinks quiet places are the most dangerous."

"Phoenix told us that you have a twin," their dad said, pouring another glass of wine for him and his wife. "That must be quite fun. Living with someone that you practically share DNA with."

I shrugged, sipping on my water. "Evan and I don't exactly look or act alike. I like to think I'm the more level-headed one."

"I like to think that too between Manuel and I" their mom commented, smirking as she took a sip from her wine. Her husband opened his mouth to speak but quickly backed down when he realized that he had no argument.

"I won't even bother arguing with her. I know she's always right" he joked, causing her to roll her eyes.

"I like to think otherwise. You seem like the crazy one in comparison to Evan" Phoenix commented.

I dropped my fork and looked at him, watching as a playful smirk stretched on his face. He turned over to me, raising a brow. "I'm sorry. Did I offend you?" he asked in an innocent voice.

"And to think you and Jolie are related. She's obviously the favorite" I retorted.

He smiled, shaking his head. Jolie beamed, shrugging her shoulders. "What can I say? The girl is right" she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Even if mom and dad won't admit it."

Their parents shook their heads, finishing the last bit of food on their plates. "No comment" their mom simply said.

"So Iveline. What prompts you and your family to move all the way down here?" their dad asked. "If Vermont was so swell, why move all the way down to Virginia?"

The question stumped me, my hand tightening around the fork in my hand. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, awaiting my answer. I cleared my throat and took a sip of my water, trying to collect my thoughts.

"A new change" I simply said. "Some things in Vermont started to go bad and we had to move for the better of our family. We also have some family members down here so it was also a smart move to be closer to supportive people."

"Change is always good. What do your parents do for work? I know it can be hard to transfer or find jobs when you move to a new place" their mother asked.

Phoenix sighed, pushing his vegetables around. "Mom, are you trying to interrogate Ivy with all these questions? Ask for her social security number and her blood type while you are at it."

"Sérespetuoso con tumadremijo" their father reprimanded in a cold authoritative voice. He nodded his head over to his son. "We have a guest."

Phoenix sighed but nodded, paying his attention back to the glass of water in front of him. An awkward tension settled between the father and son, my eyes darting in between them.

"My dad is an emergency physician," I said, moving past the awkwardness. "He worked at the University of Vermont Medical Center so it wasn't too hard to transfer him over to the University of Virginia Medical Center. He just started but I think he likes the pace over here a lot more."

"And your mom?" their dad asked.

I sat there, pressing my lips together. Images of my mom's pretty face flashed in my mind, her voice ringing in my head. "She was a psychology professor at Middlebury College," I said, munching on my vegetables.

Phoenix passed me a look, his eyes settling on me. His mother looked up, her brows scrunched in confusion.

"Was?" she questioned.

A few seconds passed before the realization dawned on her. She dropped her fork, her hand reaching out to touch mine.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hit a soft spot" she said, squeezing my hand.

I shook my head, patting her hand. "It's okay. I'm okay" I replied, pulling away.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long has it been since she died?" their mom asked, her face scrunched up in a pain-stricken mask.

Before I could answer, Phoenix dropped his fork, letting it clatter to the plate. "Mom, seriously? That's your follow-up question?"

"Phoenix. Tread carefully" his dad warned.

Phoenix shook his head, pushing his plate away. "No. I won't. It's obvious that Ivy is uncomfortable with this and you guys are making it so much worse. The one time I actually bring a friend over, you manage to turn it into an interrogation and bring up memories she obviously doesn't want to recall."

"Phoenix, you know I never intended that" his mother insisted.

He shook his head, standing up from his chair. "But it happened anyway. This is why I never bring people over. All of you manage to ruin it."

Before anyone could get a word out, Phoenix stomped away from the dining hall and back up the stairs, his steps retreating. A few seconds passed before the slam of a door was heard.

I cleaned my mouth with the napkin in front of me before tossing it on the plate.

"Excuse me for one moment. I'm going to talk to him" I said, getting up.

Phoenix's mom reached out to grab my hand as I stood up, her blue eyes meeting mine. "I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable. I was only making sure you're okay."

I nodded, patting her hand.

"I know you meant well. I'm fine, really. Thank you" I replied before excusing myself.

I went up the stairs and down the long hallway until I stopped in front of a door. It was plain white with nothing indicating that it was Phoenix's room but the movement from the other side told me otherwise. I gently knocked on the door, and a gritty voice greeted me.

"I don't want to talk about it Jolie alright! Just leave me the fuck alone!" he yelled through the door.

My face burned red as I took in his words, knocking on the door once again. "It's not Jolie," I said through the door.

I heard the movements stop followed by a string of curse words before footsteps neared. The door opened and Phoenix's eyes met mine. He held my gaze for a minute before opening the door wider, allowing me to step in.

The smell of cologne hit my nose, and my eyes traveled around his room. It was surprisingly neat and minimalistic. The walls were light blue with band posters and aesthetically pleasing photographs plastered on one section of his wall where his desk was. The other side was a bookcase with numerous shelves filled with different genres of books. Two guitars were strung in the middle of the wall that faced his bad. One seemed to be electric while the other one was acoustic.

"I'm sorry about dinner. My parents can be a bit pushy" he said, running his fingers through his hair.

I shrugged, sitting down on his bed. "It's okay. I'm used to people asking that sort of question" I replied, toying with the ends of my hair. "I think you were being a bit harsh on your parents."

"I know. It's just that you're the first friend I've brought over since Caleb and I split apart" he said, sitting down next to me. I looked over at him, watching his eyes move to his hands.

"What about Lycon?" I asked. A smile cracked on his lips as he sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, let me clarify. You're the first girl I've brought over in a while. The last girl that stepped foot in this house was Mercedes."

"You and Mercedes used to date?" I asked.

He nodded, refusing to meet my eyes. "Two and a half years and she broke it off just like that. I should have known something was going on when she started to avoid me for Caleb but I never thought she would cheat."

He huffed, pressing his palms together. "Goes to show that everyone has secrets."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said. "It's not easy going through something like that."

Phoenix huffed, laughing again. He lifted his head up and met my eyes, looking me up and down. I sat still under his gaze, watching as his eyes looked down to my feet and back up to my face.

We sat there for a few minutes, watching each other. I took in his locked jaw and steel eyes while his eyes traced the curve of my face and down to my interlocked fingers. He broke our gaze, reaching for his phone that was in his pocket.

Five minutes passed before he got up, tucking his phone in his pocket. "Lycon is on his way to the police station. We should get going" he said, going into his closet and grabbing a jacket. I nodded, getting up from his bed.

I watched him pull on the jacket and grab his keys, looking back at me.

"You coming?" he asked.

I nodded, joining him as we went down the stairs together. "Is Jolie coming?" I asked.

He shrugged, walking over to retrieve his bag by the door. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out when we go downstairs. Let's go."

We headed out the door together and down the stairs, our footsteps alerting his parents. They were just finishing dinner, Jolie clearing up the table and their mom and dad passing by into the kitchen. His mom turned around when she saw us coming down the stairs, her face falling when her gaze landed on her son.

"Heading out already?" she asked, dishes in her hand. I nodded, running my fingers through my hair.

"Chemistry doesn't do itself and we need to get samples from the lake if we want to get an A on this lab" Phoenix fibbed.

She nodded, looking down at the plate in her hand. Phoenix sighed, grabbing the dishes from her hand and heading over to the kitchen. Wordlessly, we both watched as he washed the dishes, standing by his father as he dried them.

"Is he okay?" his mother asked, looking over at me. I looked at her, noticing just how blue her eyes were. They were vibrant and deep, just like her son's eyes.

"He's okay. He just didn't want me to feel uncomfortable but I told him that I was okay" I reassured her. "I like being here so I don't think you've scared me away just yet."

She laughed, ducking her head back down. She looked back up at her son, sighing.

"Phoenix has been handling Caleb's death in a different way. Though he doesn't like to show it, he's hurting. Caleb and he were very close and it's such a shame that they fell out of their friendship" she whispered, frowning in the direction of her son. "He hasn't had much luck making friends and after he broke up with his last girlfriend, he's really closed himself off. I know he and Lycon are close and I am glad but I want him to have more friends. I want him to feel that supportive love that comes from a well-balanced, grounded group of friends."

She turned around to me, laying her hand on my upper arm. "That's why I am so glad that he met you. I don't know what you did but he seems happier these days. He's opening up a bit more and he's smiling too. I can't remember the last time he genuinely smiled." She smiled at me, her pretty face contorting into a happy mask.

"Please, be there for my son." I smiled, squeezing her hand.

"I'll try" I responded back.

Phoenix finished washing the dishes and walked out of the kitchen where he met me. Jolie trailed into the kitchen with a plateful of dishes, calling out to him.

"I want to go with you guys!" she yelled.

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'm giving you a minute and then I'm leaving!" he screamed back.

He turned back to me. "You got everything?" he asked. I nodded.

He sighed before turning over to his mom. She walked up to him, placing her hands on his arms. "Be safe and don't stay out too late. I want both of you back in one piece."

"I'll try to keep the both of us alive but I can't make any promises" he responded back, causing his mom to roll her eyes.

She hugged him tightly, sighing deeply. "Be careful, mijo" she whispered, pulling back. He nodded, tucking his hands into his pocket. Jolie joined us a minute later, hugging her mom as well.

After gathering everything we needed, the three of us left the house and into the cold night. Phoenix unlocked his car from afar, twirling the keys in his hand. I went into my bag for my keys as well but he stopped me, grabbing hold of my wrist. "My car has enough space for all of us. Don't drive" he suggested, letting go of my wrist. I frowned at him but nodded, pulling my hand away from him.

"Shotgun" I yelled as I approached the car.

"No fair. He's my brother" Jolie whined as I got in the front.

I smiled as I closed the door. Phoenix settled right next to me and started the car, the engine roaring to life and backing out of the driveway. We drove out of his neighborhood and navigated our way through town. It was dark now, the light lightening up the local scene. People were still outside enjoying their time. Couples were holding hands and kids were running outside enjoying sweets.

We neared the downtown area where decorations for the Autumn Festival were hanging from lanterns and shops. Red and orange leaves swirled around the area, and pumpkins were placed around every corner. We turned a sharp corner into a quiet strip of the downtown area, the bright lights from before dimming into a dark haze. The headlights from the car splashed white lights down the street, illuminating the shadows that lurked.

The police department came into view, a black jeep parked outside. A man with silver hair waited outside, his head down. Phoenix parked next to his car, ushering all of us to get out. The man near the black jeep looked up, revealing himself to be Lycon. He smiled and waved at us, straightening up as we got out of the car.

"Took you guys long enough," he said, patting Phoenix on the back.

"Blame my parents" he replied, huffing. He looked up at the police station, frowning. "How are we going to get in?"

Lycon beckoned them to walk with him, their footsteps crunching against the gravel of the sidewalk. "We are going to take the back entrance. The cameras there don't work and I know the passcode" he informed us.

We continued to walk, turning a sharp corner to the back of the police department. A keypad with the security code was lit up, awaiting someone to type it in or break in to trigger the alarm. Lycon typed in the password with ease and the keypad turned green. The turn of a lock could be heard, and the alarms were disabled. Lycon pushed into the door, holding it open for us to walk in.

The darkness welcomed us, our footsteps scuffing the floors as we navigated through the dark hallway. Lycon took a sharp turn and stopped at a door, pulling out a key from his pocket.

"I managed to sneak the keys from my dad. Hopefully, he doesn't notice" he whispered, pushing the key into the lock. The door creaked open and the lights automatically turned on, revealing a small office with too many papers stacked on the desk.

The door clicked shut, sealing us in. "Jesus Christ, Lycon. Is your dad a hoarder ?" Jolie asked, looking around the office. "It looks like a tornado blew through here."

Lycon smiled, shaking his head. "The life of a local police officer" he responded back.

"So where do we start?" I asked, looking around the office.

Lycon shrugged, looking around the room. "Phoenix and I will search through the computer. You and Jolie can sort through the files" he instructed.

I nodded and we broke off. Jolie and I went to the drawers that were filled with files, splitting them halfway alphabetically.

I tackled the later letters in the alphabet, taking out as much as I could. I situated myself on the ground, grabbed the first folder I saw, and shuffled through the stacks of papers inside.

Jolie tackled the other half, swiftly shifting through the files and papers, humming to herself as she did so. Lycon situated himself on the computer, typing in keywords that could erupt any evidence to the surface, and Phoenix was going through his desk, reading over papers.

The four of us sat in the tiny office for what seemed like hours, the silence deafening. Nothing but keyboards and papers sounded through the air, cutting any little tension with a thick knife. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty minutes passed with no evidence. My arms were growing tired and I could feel fatigue crawling up my shoulders, shaking me to surrender.

Phoenix grunted, slamming one of the desk drawers close. "We've been at this for almost half an hour and still nothing. Maybe this was a stupid idea" he said, frowning. "I mean, what are the odds that Lycon's dad is the one who has the case file? It could be anyone."

"You're giving up?" Jolie said, looking up from her stack of papers. "That's a first. You never give up" she grumbled, shaking her head. "Just keep looking. There has to be something around here."

I sighed, packing the files away. I pulled myself from the floor and looked around the office, resting my hands on my hips.

My eyes went around the room, examining the old walls and aging wood of the desk. I directed my gaze over to the metal drawers near me, examining the stuff that was piled on top of them. Before I could take a step closer, Jolie jumped up, waving a folder in her hand.

"I found it! This is the case file" she said, erupting from the floor.

A huge smile was on her face. "Thank God," Phoenix said, walking over to his sister's side.

She wrapped her arms around the folder, grinning wildly. "I'll keep it with me. I don't want to stay here and read this. This place creeps me out."

Phoenix nodded, letting her keep the folder. "Fair enough" he replied back.

I tuned out of their conversation, my eyes narrowing at a small metal box with a combination lock sitting on top of the metal dresser. My eyes narrowed as I walked towards it, my fingers wrapping around the box. It was surprisingly heavy as I set it on the floor, pulling it close to my lap as I sat down as well.

"Lycon, what is this box?" I asked, turning it around in my hand.

He momentarily looked up from the computer, furrowing his brows at the strange object. "I'm not sure. I'm barely here half the time" he replied back.

I frowned, fiddling with the combination lock. I tried whatever possible random assortment of numbers popped into my mind but the lock wouldn't budge.

"You think there is something worth our time in there?" Phoenix asked.

I shrugged, turning it around in my hands. "I don't know. It seems like it but I guess I'll never know" I muttered, turning it around to the back. I turned the box over, my fingers skimming past the labeling resting on the underside.

"Confidential evidence. Will remain enclosed until further notice" I read out loud. A frown pulled on my lips, turning the box back around.

"Do you think your dad will notice if I take this?" I asked Lycon.

He looked over at the box, shaking his head. "Help yourself. He barely notices when I sneak out of the house at night" he said. I nodded, gnawing on my lips as I stuffed the box into my bag. It weighed it down, pushing on my shoulders as I pulled it on my shoulders.

"Did you find anything else?" I asked everyone else. Phoenix shook his head, frowning. "Not on my end," he said, looking around the office. Jolie proudly raised the folder in the air, shaking it slightly. "I will go over this tonight and tomorrow. I'll definitely take some notes and alert you on what I found" she said. She briefly flipped through the folder.

"I think I found something," Lycon said, clicking through the computer. We all crowded around, him stooping down to his level as he pulled up a file. It was dated only a few days ago and was a long document with detailed accounts and pictures. I squinted my eyes as I read the very few words that came to me.

"This is a detailed account of Caleb's autopsy" I whispered, my breath catching in my throat as I continued reading. "I didn't know his autopsy was performed already."

Lycon shook his head, his eyes wide as he continued to scroll through the file. "Neither did I. I assumed the results would be publicized since this is the most interesting case this dry town has received in a while."

"It's possible the family wanted to keep it a secret for themselves," Phoenix said.

I shrugged, reading ahead of the autopsy. "Six of his ribs were cracked and there were lacerations around his chest and abdomen that were infected with bacteria when his body was found" I continued to read on. "It says that he died from the gunshot to the head but that he may have already been neurologically dead when his killer slit his throat."

Lycon shuddered, scrolling through the autopsy. My gaze went up to Phoenix whose face was twisted in a hard gaze. His cheeks were red and his lips were twisted into a frown. His hard blue eyes were brimmed with what looked like tears and he turned away, running his fingers through his inky locks.

"Maybe you can print this out and read it later" I whispered to Lycon. He turned over to me and I gave him a stern look, hoping he would catch my drift. Luckily for me, he did. His eyes briefly went over to his friend who had turned away and was gathering his stuff to leave.

"Of course," he said, clicking the print icon before getting up from the computer. He shut off the laptop and grabbed the printed papers before placing them in his bag. He turned back towards us, nodding his head. "Let's go before anything detrimental happens" he instructed.

We all nodded and headed back to where we came from. Lycon locked the door carefully behind him and we snuck out through the back. The cold air of the night hit our skin, the hair on my arm standing up at the slightest touch of the cold wind. Lycon headed towards his car, throwing his stuff in the back of the car.

"I'll read through this. I'll text you guys" he said as he opened the driver's seat and jumped in. Phoenix nodded, patting his back as the car roared to life.

"I'll see you later man," he said, watching as his friend safely pulled away and drove off, his car disappearing into the night. We headed towards the car, slipping into the comforting space in silence.

The car ride back to Phoenix's house was eerily silent and uncomfortable. I could feel the tension building, his eyes swimming with a wave of emotions every time I passed a glance over to him.

Anger. Sadness. Loneliness. Any other feeling that left a hollow and aching feeling in the pits of one's stomach. They all swam underneath his eyes, leaving a stone-cold neutral expression on his face.

The ten-minute drive felt like a three-hour drive even as we pulled into the curve of his neighborhood. The silhouette of his house came into view, the porch lights still on but only the living room light illuminating through the window. He gently pulled into the wide driveway, parking next to my car.

We all got out, slamming the door shut. Jolie turned over to me, passing a hard look towards her brother. "I'll let you know if I find anything" she whispered to me, nodding her head.

She looked down at the file in her hand, pressing it close to her chest. "Let me know if you need any help. I am pretty good at this kind of stuff" I offered.

"You are good at reading through the autopsy of a dead classmate?" she insinuated, raising her brows

. I opened my mouth to protest but nothing came out. My cheeks burned red as I ducked my head low, shaking my head. Jolie's laughter rang in my ear, her hand smacking my shoulder playfully. "I'm only teasing. I'll let you know though" she said.

I nodded, passing a look over to Phoenix who was texting someone on his phone. His fingers flew across his phone in fury, his face twisted into a hard mask. I turned back to Jolie who shrugged, frowning as she stared at her brother.

She turned back to me, shaking her head. "Be patient with Phoenix. He deals with grief in a different way" she whispered.

I nodded, running my fingers through my hair. "I know. I just don't want him to go on and start blaming himself. Even though he doesn't want to tell me, I can tell that he blames himself for Caleb's death. At least a little bit."

Jolie nodded, sighing. "Sometimes he does but he'll come around," she told me.

She stepped in and hugged me, squeezing my shoulders tight. "And don't tell him that I told you this but he's really glad you guys are friends. With you, he feels like everything will be okay and he appreciates you helping him even though it is none of your business."

The kind words stirred a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach, a smile pulling on my face.

I nodded as I pulled away from her, smiling.

"Good night." I walked away from Jolie and headed over to my car, unlocking it and placing my bag on the passenger seat.

I walked over to the driver's seat, placed the keys in the ignition, and let the car roar to life. As I closed the door, I turned over to Phoenix who was still waiting by his car.

Despite my better judgment, I walked over to him, standing directly in front of his face. His steel-blue eyes looked down at me, the frown on his face remaining. We waited there for what seemed like hours, my hands tucked into my pocket and my face turning red with each passing second.

After what seemed like forever, he sighed, his arms falling to his side. "Thank you" he simply said in a flat tone. "I appreciate it."

Even though I was unsure of what he was thanking me for, I nodded my head, pressing my lips together.

"Of course. No need to thank me" I replied. I stood there for another second, directing my gaze down to the floor.

Phoenix took a step closer to me, his movements small yet cautious. My brows furrowed in confusion as he outstretched his arms and wrapped them around my shoulders. Gently, he pulled me into his arms, enveloping me in a hug. His arms went around my waist, holding me in place.

I felt my heart jump through my chest and warmth rush through my body as I wrapped my arms around him. I breathed in his cologne, smiling at the scent of the heavy musk he wore. A smile pulled on my lips as I hugged him tightly, letting my head rest on his shoulder.

We pulled apart shortly, his eyes meeting mine. He held my gaze for a couple more seconds before looking away. "Get home safe and tell me what you find," he said, stepping away from me.

I nodded, smiling brightly. "Of course. I'll see you tomorrow" I said.

I made my way over to my car and slipped into the seat, buckling my seatbelt across my chest. I slowly drove out of the driveway, waving to Phoenix one last time before setting on my journey home. It was only when I exited his neighborhood and was on the long strip of the road back home did I find myself able to breathe again.

My head was in a frenzy from everything that had happened in the past few hours. I could feel my fingers and body shaking, my head still running with ideas and overwhelming feelings flooding through my body.

And through it all, a little part of my brain buzzed from Phoenix's surprising gestures.

Him standing up for me in front of his parents.

Making sure I was alright afterward.

Hugging me.

I could still feel his embrace around me and smell the heaviness of his cologne. I tried to tell myself not to think too much about it.

He was just being friendly. He's in a vulnerable state right now and he needs someone to talk to. Someone new that can offer a new perspective. Nothing to worry about.

It's nothing but adrenaline and oxytocin.

So why didn't I believe that?

Let me be sad

Even for a little while

Just a chance to catch my breath

Let me be sad

Even for a little while

'Cause it's all that I have left

~ Let me be sad by I Prevail