Inspirational quote: If you don't sacrifice yourself for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.

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Dr Kozak and Kieran left the place about five minutes later, because they were helplessly talking about something, and as soon as Dr Kozak had opened his door to his laboratory, Esperanza was there sitting on his spinning chair, looking really annoyed at both of them.

She checked the time on her phone in disbelief.

"There you guys are!" She complained, really angry at both of them. "You guys took ages!"

Neither Dr Kozak or Kieran said anything, Dr Kozak just returned something whilst Kieran just stood opposite Esperanza staring at her.

"We didn't take that long," Dr Kozak corrected her, hanging up his light purple sleeveless hoodie on the coat rack and switching it for his white lab coat.

"Yes you did!" Esperanza snapped back. "In fact you guys took-"

Kieran: *folds his arms slowly and bitterly looks at her* How many minutes did we take then?

Esperanza: Seven.

Dr Kozak: We promised ten.

Esperanza: Teen!

Dr Kozak: *feels flustered, turns red* Oh. Oh I guess that is quite a long time. We're really sorry, Esperanza.

Esperanza: What do you and Kieran talk about that I can't know about?

Your birthday.

Kieran: Stuff. And if you could stop being so jealous then maybe this whole situation would be better for all of us.

Dr Kozak just walked behind Esperanza, placing his hands on each of her shoulders.

Dr Kozak: Kieran don't be rude to her. It's her birthday.

Esperanza: Honestly! I feel like I'm the third wheel over here!

Kieran: That's because you are... *he then swears under his breath*

Dr Kozak was fed up. Mainly at Kieran, but then mainly at himself as well but for another reason.

Dr Kozak: *when Kieran isn't looking* Esperanza?

Esperanza: *cholerically screaming at him* What?

Dr Kozak: A quick word in private?

Esperanza: *is more calm now* About what?

Dr Kozak: Just follow me to the back of my laboratory. Make sure Kieran isn't looking in case he asks questions.

Esperanza didn't say anything.

She stood up from where she was, following Dr Kozak, Kieran not noticing them at all because he was busy reading something on his phone.

Dr Kozak then decided to slam the door at the room towards the back of the laboratory, switching on the light.

This was also the place where he hid Valentina's dead body, so it would have been best for him if no one brought up the subject on Valentina at all.

Esperanza: Why on Earth are we here?

Dr Kozak: Sit.

Esperanza sat, blankly staring at him.

Esperanza: What do you want to talk to me about?

Dr Kozak sighed.

Dr Kozak: I know I've been kind of impolite to you lately but I want to make it up to you. Don't feel like the third wheel. Please.

Esperanza just sighed, not saying anything.

Esperanza: But the thing is you and Kieran are always talking about things that you can't really tell me about and it makes me feel-

Dr Kozak: *nonchalantly interrupts* I know how it makes you feel. I'm sorry. Kieran's the one that always wants to talk to me alone, not me.

Esperanza: But I feel like you two are just badmouthing about me behind my back.

Dr Kozak: *shakes his head vigorously* No, not really. Honestly. We would never do that. Esperanza.

Esperanza: But how do I know that you're telling the truth?

Dr Kozak: I don't know. Maybe Kieran's trying to pull all of us apart or something. I wish I knew.

Esperanza sighed again, Dr Kozak just staring at her. He knew she was upset.

He offered her a hug but Esperanza said no although hugged Dr Kozak anyway when he was least expecting it.

Esperanza: But you should know. Because you can read his mind. You can read everyone's mind.

Dr Kozak: Kieran doesn't think stuff much.

Esperanza: Ever realised that you and I hardly talk anymore?

Dr Kozak: Yeah... I guess.

Esperanza: I don't know why but I feel like you prefer Kieran to me.

Dr Kozak: *examines his fingernails deeply then stops and stares at her in the eyes* Kieran felt the same way earlier. I love you guys both equally. I don't have any favourites, I promise.

Esperanza: You haven't even wished me a happy birthday.

Dr Kozak: Yes I have. *brings out his phone, goes on Esperanza's text conversation with him, hides what he saved her as*

Esperanza: See? Not delivered.

Dr Kozak: Oh well I guess there was no service. Happy birthday, Esperanza.

Esperanza smiled but then frowned once she realised something.

Esperanza: I just saw someone mention my name in one of your messages. What's going on? *trying to move Dr Kozak's finger from the top of his phone so she could see why someone was talking to Kozak about her through text, behind her back*

Dr Kozak: *is smiling really* Cannot say.

Esperanza: Why can't you say?

Dr Kozak: Because it's private. And I have nothing else to say anymore, so... Let's go.

It was the group chat for her surprise birthday party that she obviously couldn't have known about, as it would have ruined the entire surprise.

Esperanza didn't say anything.

For some reason Esperanza had completely listened to him, and before she knew it, her and Dr Kozak had left the back of the laboratory into the lightness again.

As soon as they had arrived there, a sort of knocking sound went off in the background.

Kieran: Seems like someone is knocking on the door.

Esperanza: *to Dr Kozak* Want me to go check who it is?

Dr Kozak: Sure.

After Dr K had said that, Esperanza was about to open the door, but then Dr Kozak beat her to it once he realised what she was doing.

Dr Kozak: *gasps in horror* Esperanza!

Esperanza: *looks back at him* What?

Dr Kozak: Are you crazy? Don't open the door! What if it's a murderer?

Kieran: Well how else is she supposed to check who it is?

Dr Kozak didn't reply. At least not physically anyway. Instead he headed off in front of his computer, operating the CCTV camera located in front of the door.

He left to do something, so he didn't really have time to check who it was, Esperanza doing it for him in the meantime.

Esperanza then squealed once she was staring at the person in front of the door, or in other words, on the CCTV camera.

"Oh my gosh they're so cute! I can't tell if they're a boy or a girl though."

Kieran: *under his breath, is whispering so that Dr Kozak doesn't hear* Let me guess, the love of your life Martinez? *as he says love of your life, he rolls his eyes rudely*

Esperanza: *sighs* No. I wish. *stares at CCTV camera* Although they seem way younger than Martinez.

Kieran: Let me guess again, Maria Grace?

Esperanza: She seems way younger than Maria Grace too.

As soon as Dr Kozak had heard Maria Grace's name, that was when he took over the CCTV cameras.

Esperanza: Dr Kozak do you know this person?

Dr Kozak: *is currently texting someone (Ezekiel) then stops and looks up when she says that* Oh. Oh yes I do! *smiles* That's my niece Christabelle. She's five years old. She's like Agnes from Despicable Me. She looks like her too. In other words, she's really cute. Please let her in.

Esperanza: Sure thing. *presses something* Christabelle you're allowed inside!

Hearing that, Dr Kozak's niece had then headed inside, struggling to open the door.

Dr Kozak: *smirks at her* Need help? *casually opens the door for her*

Christabelle then headed inside the room for real, and the first person she saw staring at her was Dr Kozak.

Christabelle: *gasps then smiles* Dr Kozak!

She attempted to hug him but it turned out weirdly due to their massive height difference, so Dr Kozak found himself on her knees just so his niece could hug her.

Dr Kozak: *carries her then stands up again* What are you doing out of bed, Christabelle?

Christabelle: It's seven o'clock in the morning. That's the time I wake up.

Doctor Kozak didn't say anything major then...

Christabelle: Wait. Where am I?

Dr Kozak: You're in one of my laboratories that's existed for seventeen years.

Dr Kozak then sat down in his blue spinning chair, carrying his niece still, although carrying her then became her sitting gracefully on his lap.

Christabelle: Dr Kozak.... *points to Kieran and Esperanza, both of them just kind of blankly staring back at her* Who are they? You've never introduced me to them before.

Dr Kozak: Oh. That's Kieran and Esperanza. They work for me.

Christabelle: Esperanza's pretty.

Esperanza: Aw thanks.

Dr Kozak: What about Kieran?

Christabelle: Kieran's alright.

Kieran: What's that supposed to mean?

Christabelle: I wanted to say you were pretty too, which you are, but I thought that that would be weird coming from me because of our different genders and stuff.

Kieran: Oh. Okay. *turns to Dr Kozak* So where are her parents?

Dr Kozak: Oh they went on holiday at the start of the half term. They wanted me to look after her.

Esperanza: Where did they go?

Dr Kozak: *examines his fingernails deeply, Christabelle still sitting on his lap* Can't remember actually. San Francisco I think.

Kieran: When are they coming back?

Dr Kozak: July.

Kieran and Esperanza: July?!

Dr Kozak: Yeah... July. Why?

Esperanza: Who would leave their child alone for four months?

Dr Kozak: Beats me.

Christabelle: My parents are crazy.

Dr Kozak: Yeah. Her parents are real crazy.

Silence.

Kieran: So were mine.

Christabelle just blinked at him, not saying anything for a long time.

Christabelle: Honey, the adults are talking.

Esperanza burst out laughing when she heard that, Kieran just staring at Christabelle and then frowning.

Dr Kozak: Sorry about that. She can get real sassy sometimes.

Kieran: *annoyed, scowls at her, Christabelle scowls back* So I noticed.

Dr Kozak: *turns to Christabelle* But why are you really here, Christabelle?

Christabelle didn't say anything. She just got off of Dr Kozak lap, claiming that she would be right back.

Dr Kozak: Don't look at me. She said she was going to get me a present. Goodness knows what it is.

Esperanza was watching Christabelle run, and couldn't help but smile.

Esperanza: She's so cute though!

She really was.

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Moral of chapter: At any point in time, if you ever feel like the third wheel in your friendship group or somewhere else (for example your family), you should really tell someone how you feel.