We come out here for a presentation thing while they did something to the classrooms and now almost all the high school was betting on something. I don't even know what. People were taking out what money they have right now and signing papers. There were four papers that different students were signing while Roman and I watched from the sidelines.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" I screamed. Remy poked his head out from the crowd and started commanding people to let him through.

"You called?" He approached me with his hands behind his back and strutting like he did when he was trying out new outfits at the mall.

"What the hell is going on? What are these papers and why is everyone bringing money?" I questioned. Roman moved to stand by me, with a respectable amount of space.

"You didn't get any of what I just said? Oh well guess I have to explain it. Since both of you signed up for the competition thing I decided that you'll do it as partners. Now people are betting on who backs out or if you guys back out. Whichever team wins the bet will get all the money. Of course the readers are taking part in this too but instead of money they'll be getting whatever the hell the author can come up with."

"Oh god not you too" I heard Roman mutter. "I still don't understand what we get out of this."

"Well..." Remy paused for a second.

"Whoever backs out has to do whatever punishment the other can think of." Willow cut in. "Sorry, I just overheard your conversation and that seemed to be what this one said before the crowd started forming."

"Punishment?" I looked at Roman. "What if neither of us back out? Or both?" Remy opened his mouth to answer but immediately closed it to think.

"Wish I could help but I have to meet up with Olive... Tell Dee I said bye" She went up to one of the helpers and said something before walking out to the parking lot. Remy looked back to the crowd and immediately went to stand up on the table.

"Yo! I need ideas for what happens if these two back out! Or neither of them back out I honestly don't care!" He shouted. Students started murdering to each other before a few raised their hands. Who knew Remy can control a whole damn school so well to actually shut the hell up and respect someone. Even if that someone is only seventeen years old. "You" Remy pointed at one of the people that raised their hand.

"If both of them quit we could pick the punishment!" A voice I recognized as Talyn from my art class shouted. Remy pointed to another person.

"If neither of them back out they can dunk you in water" Someone laughed. Maybe this wont be so bad. A few other people came up with ideas before Remy got tired and sat down on the table.

He mumbled something about readers before getting up and walking back to the table people were signing the papers at.

{time skip brought by you're not coming to my tea party?}

It was lunch now. The principal let us back into the school a little while after whatever that was happened so we went on with our regular classes. I was sitting under the tree I've been sitting at since Remy made me socialize with those people. I was currently humming the song that I now remembered the name of and honestly, I was strangely at peace with myself.

But then god decided to pull a 180 on my ass.

"Hey Virgey" I opened my eyes and saw Remus approaching me.

"Whaddya need weirdo?"

"Well besides more lyrics for the song the elmo cult is making and air to breathe...nothing much."

"Then what're you doing here? You never approach me"

"Damn Virgil. Just wanna get to know you. You are my brothers soulmate and all so I just wanna get to know you." They're brothers? How the hell did I not notice this before? Or did i just forget? I suddenly got an idea.

"This about me or Demetrius? Cause I heard you and Roman had a little meeting thing with him at a cafe. When he brought Willow to meet up with Olive" I smirked. Time to set up the guy that dare take my right to sleepy-time gummy snacks and make me take those disgusting pills with sir screams a lot.

"Whaaaaaaaaaat? I just wanna see if you're right for my brother" he nervously chuckled. "You ever been beheaded? Or beheaded a doll?" What the fue?

"N-no? What the hell"

"Specifically an Elmo doll. Then set it on fire. And threw it off a cliff. Then ate poptarts in celebration."

"Who in their right mind would do that?"

"I never said we were in our right minds. Anyway your turn to ask a question"

"Pass."

"Fine. I gotta go bother Roman anyway. Good luck with him at the competition!" He skipped away leaving me with my thoughts. I leaned back and closed my eyes and started humming again. But the lords shall never let me have a break.

"Hey babes! Whatcha doin?" I heard footsteps coming closer before stopping. I didn't bother opening my eyes this time but did stop humming.

"You okay Virge?" Dee's voice asked.

"Just tired. Specifically of humans." I answered.

"He seems stressed, should we just leav-" another voice started before Remy cut them off.

"He's just like that, and besides I'm his brother and it's basically my job to annoy him." He laughed. I opened my eyes and saw the boy from Roman's table. He had strawberry blonde hair, pale blue eyes, light pink glasses, and a light brown cardigan.

"Who's this?" I asked.

"Emile Picani, do you how do?" I looked at Remy and smirked. He started blushing before Dee cut in.

"Stop being mean to your brother...in public." Emile looked at us, confused, and brushed it off. "So Emile, did you bet on Roman and Virgil?"

"Actually yes. I bet 6 dollars on neither of them backing out. I don't usually bet on stuff but I believe in these guys." He smiled. This guys is way too cheery for this world. Kinda reminds me of that barista at that cafe that made the pun.

"Speaking of the bets," Remy started, "you should see the lists of people that signed up. People really think one of you is gonna back out" He dug in a bag before pulling out the four papers, each now full of signatures and different amounts of money. The papers each had titles Roman backs out, Virgil backs out, Both back out, Neither back out. Damn. Theres a lot more than what Roman told me he saw. Maybe if I stop talking to him again people will see this bet as something stupid that seems like some stupid thing to help the plot in a book.

"I dont remembers thing you said earlier about what this is, so please, explain again." I handed him back the papers and crossed my arms.

"I don't wanna explain this shit...Emile can you pwease explain to my idiot baby brother what these signatures are for" He leaned his head against Emiles and made puppy eyes. I'm definitely planning their wedding. Emile sighed and playfully pushed Remy making him fall against the grass. "I'm not even mad. Just gonna take a nap right here."

"Well," Emile started, "the people that heard you and Roman arguing, or whatever that was you guys were doing, thought that you guys challenged each other. But someone interpreted that as you guys teaming up. This led to everyone making bets on if one of you would back out and who. Everyone started betting money and whichever 'team' wins the bet, they'll get the money."

"Yea that's usually how bets are" I mumbled. "So people think Roman and I are teaming up on that singing competition? I never agreed to this."

"Whoever backs out gets to suffer a punishment from the other." Dee added.

"Oh I'm definitely winning this shit"

{time skip brought by pepsi bottle and a coca-cola glass}

"Yo! Bitch-ass muthafucker! Roman!" I called as school got out. He stopped and turned around. Remus turned to look at me before smiling and walking to Dee.

"Yes creepy cookie?" He smiled. Oh god he might as well be the sun. Way too bright and hard to look at.

"We're doing that singing thing together."

"What? I thought you would think it's stupid and still go by yourself."

"Whoever backs out first has to suffer a punishment. I'm not backing out." He thought for a moment before smiling even wider.

"I have a better idea than punishments. If you back out, you have to go on a date with me. If I back out, I'll leave you alone for however long you want." I thought about this for a moment. Deciding a punishment by myself would be better but I can't decide things for the life of me. And Roman leaving me alone will let me do my own thing without the troubles of soulmates...

"Deal."

Word Count: 1540
My school shut down for six weeks because c o r o n a . Online classes already suck but here's this
Bye for now guys, gals, and non-binary pals