I knocked a few times on Viktor's door, and Diego opened it up for me.

"Hi," I muttered, then brushed past him to see Viktor.

"Okay, then," Diego said.

Viktor sat on his bed, and I sat down beside him without saying anything.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied, then rested my head on his arm.

Viktor looked at me, his eyebrow just slightly raised, then he took his hand and smoothed down my hair. I found it comforting.

"Now, if you don't mind, I was in the middle of saying something," Diego said.

I blinked. "Proceed, unless it's something stupid."

"It is, but I'm just gonna keep talking anyway."

Diego kept talking, but I was too distracted by nothing to pay attention to his words. After all, he said that they were stupid.

He was a harsh asshole, but I still liked him for whatever reason.

Maybe it was because I heard just enough of myself when he spoke. Maybe it was because there was a little bit of Blaine in his words, too.

"You should talk to a therapist about that," Viktor said.

Diego shrugged. "Nah, I don't need that shit."

I rose my eyebrows. That was debatable, but oddly enough, I wasn't in the mood for a good debate filled with name-calling and personal attacks.

"Anyway, why the hell are you here?" Diego asked, turning his attention to me.

"I just feel like it. I want someone's closeness right now," I said.

Viktor frowned. "What happened?"

I didn't want to talk about it, but I also knew that Viktor would be able to distract me.

"You know, I just found out maybe Caroline had a reason to throw me under the bus, then Blaine dumped me, but it's all good." I smiled. "Life is just so, so good right now."

"Really?" he asked. "Then he's stupid. And so is Caroline."

"He wasn't trying to hurt me. He just thinks that it's better this way, and honestly, he's probably right. It doesn't make it feel any better, though."

"Weren't you just making fun of Jackie about something similar?" Diego asked.

"This is nothing like that. Blaine and I dated for two years and had some damn good times. And I'm just worried now that we threw a friendship away because of it."

"Don't think like that," Viktor said. "You guys can still be friends, even if you aren't—"

"You guys are fucked. Sorry, but it's the truth," Diego interrupted.

"I figured," I muttered under my breath.

"Diego, do you mind?" Viktor asked.

"What? You want me to leave? Dude, I am so good at relationship advice. Girls love what I have to say," Diego replied.

"I doubt that. I just need to talk to her alone for a second, then I can be your therapist again."

"Oh, so you're just going to cheat on me? I see how it is, and frankly, this is a new low for you, Viktor. You can't have two whole clients. There's only enough room for me."

"Only having one client would be a terrible way to run a business," I said.

Diego glared at me. "Shut up."

"She doesn't need your negativity right now, so please just leave us alone for one second. Please," Viktor said.

"I'll turn around and pretend I'm not listening, but that's the best you're going to get. I'm emotionally invested in this drama." Diego turned around.

"I don't even care. He can stay as long as he keeps his commentary to himself. I certainly don't want his relationship advice," I said.

"Smart," Viktor said. "Here, come closer."

"I'm literally leaning against you right now. What more do you want?"

"Let me see your face," he said.

"Why? It's not looking too pretty right now. I didn't sleep, and I've had a long day."

"Just listen to me. It'll make you feel better."

I turned to face him. "There? Are you happy?"

He smiled. "Your face is always pretty, Candy Cane."

"So is yours, I guess."

Diego snickered.

Viktor ignored him.

I knew the game he was playing. It was just like a hockey game. It was a defensive zone turnover by the other team, and Viktor wanted to capitalize on the mistake.

The only thing was that I wasn't a puck.

"Amanda," Viktor whispered.

"What now?" I asked, growing more annoyed by the second.

"He doesn't understand what you're dealing with because he's not here. I am."

"Indeed you are. Good observation."

"Do you want me to say anything in particular?"

I shook my head.

"Do you want some Gatorade?"

"Do you have some?" I asked.

"I already drank part of it." He laughed and scooted over to the nightstand beside his bed. "But you can have the rest if you want."

"How selfless of you," I said as he handed me the bottle.

Of course, it was the blue kind. His favorite still hadn't changed.

Instead of having him scoot back over to me, I crawled over to him, placing my head back on his arm.

I took a sip of the Gatorade. It was some refreshing shit, for sure.

"You feel any better now?" he asked.

"I never didn't feel okay, but maybe there's a slight improvement in my condition."

"I, uh, okay," Viktor replied with a laugh.

I needed a new distraction, and a conversation that Natalie brought to my attention during winter break needed answers.

"Tell me about your childhood," I said.

"Like what?"

"Like your favorite subject in school. Your bedtime. Your sister. Hell, I think you mentioned something about a cat at one point or another,"

"Well, little Meatball is dead now," Viktor said.

I frowned. "I'm sorry. Your cat's name was Meatball?"

He nodded. "She was a good cat. She used to sit on the roof with me during the summer."

"The roof of your house?"

"Yep. We'd sit up there on cool summer evenings, and I'd speak in Swedish to her, but she never understood. I figured she probably spoke English or something, so I'd translate the best I could."

"Did she speak English?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

"No. She only spoke cat."

I smiled. "God, you're just the cutest person I know."

He smiled back at me. "Little Meatball and I would talk about aliens, school, hockey, and food all the time. It seems weird now, but sometimes animals are a lot more understanding than people."

"I agree completely. Matt and I were never allowed to get a pet, so it's odd to know that there's a tarantula running around in the house right now."

At least the triplets had the decency to keep Tara locked up when I was home.

"It probably sleeps in your bed at home, and you don't even know about it," Viktor said. "Wait, do spiders sleep?"

"Why wouldn't they? Of course, they do."

"Do ants sleep?"

I shrugged. "Do I look like fucking Steve Irwin to you?"

"Do you sleep enough?"

"Definitely not."

He smiled. "I didn't think so. Matt told me to tell you to go to sleep at a decent time tonight."

"I doubt that'll happen, dude. I tend to sleep poorly when I'm in a state of distress."

"Then stay with me. I promise I won't do anything."

I smiled. "You're the last person I'd expect to do anything to me, but that's not a good idea right now. It's just—you know?"

"Then I can sleep on the floor. I just don't want you to go back to your hallway," Viktor said.

"Jackie won't make me sleep in the hall again."

"Then stay anyway, because you deserve a moment to yourself."

"Yes, a moment to myself, plus you, plus Diego."

"Glad to hear you haven't forgotten about me, Amanda," Diego said.

"How could I? You're standing right there, pretending to ignore us," I said.

"Well, if you guys are interested in my input, and I'm sure you are, I think you two are an adorable couple, but anyone with any self-respect would run fast and far away from this bullshit right now."

Viktor frowned. "You just said two completely different things in one sentence."

"I said what I said."

"And what you said was not only wrong, but incredibly stupid too. I don't want anything to do with him, or at least nothing more than we already have. Both of you suck for trying this bullshit," I said.

"I'm not sure what the problem is," Diego said.

"The problem is that you're trying to force something that can't be forced. I've said this a million times, I love Viktor more than anyone else, but I can only stand so much closeness."

"Don't be afraid of it, Candy Cane," Viktor said.

"I can't believe you." I laughed and rolled my eyes annoyedly. "I came here because I'm upset about Blaine, and you're using that against me now. I just want the problem to be fixed. I don't need another problem added to it."

"That's what I'm trying to do." He shifted to face me. "If you want him off your mind, I'll happily help you with that. Take a chance on me. You say that I waste my time, but I can't get you off my mind."

"Was—was that an ABBA reference?"

He smiled. "Maybe."

"Oh my god," I mumbled.

Diego cleared his throat. "So let me get this straight. You guys have had this conversation before."

Viktor nodded. "At least four other times."

"And you're just okay with being her Plan B?" Diego asked.

Viktor glanced at him for a moment, then turned his attention back to me. "I don't think I'm her Plan B. If anything, I was the Plan A she was too careful to take."

I help up my hand. "Hold up. What?"

"Think about it like this: a couple years ago, you told me you were obsessed with me, then shortly after, you ran straight into Blaine's arms. But I don't think about this," Viktor gestured vaguely at the air in my general direction, "as you running to me. I think of it more like you walking with your hair in a messed-up ponytail and a frown. And you look up at me and say, 'I lost.'

"How could I just leave you now? Anytime I suffered a loss, you picked me up, made sure I was okay, then told me, 'That was tough, but we learned a few things, and we'll come back stronger than ever.' And that's all I want to do for you, be that 'stronger than ever.'"

I stared at him for a moment. There was no way I could say anything better than that.

Unsure of what else I could do, I took his face in my hands and kissed him.

And again.

And again.

Everything about him matched his personality. He tasted sweet, he felt warm, and his entire face was softer than I could ever dream of having. He was purely him through and through, the untainted, perfect version of himself that I hated to love and loved to hate.

His hands slid up my thighs, and poor Amanda's obsession was reignited deep within her soul.

"Damn," I heard Diego mumble, but Viktor and I both ignored him.

Viktor and I had chemistry, no doubt, but my chemical equation looked something like:

P(s) + KPB(l) --> PKPB(s)

P was not phosphorus, but rather problem (a solid one, too), and KPB was kiss pretty boy. And what was the product? My mega fucked-up new problem, the fact that I had just kissed a pretty boy, and I had no idea what to do.

Who the puck did I think I was?

Whichever one of my three personalities was responsible for this mess would have hell to pay when I found out.

-----------------------------------------------

Early update! You all can thank the lovely HerCrystalHart for talking me into it. And if you all don't, I will. Thanks, angel!

Just in case you're interested, I had a freaking meltdown over this. I'm pretty much on the verge of throwing up right now. Is that bad?

How much of this is real for Amanda and Viktor? Do you hope it lasts?

Thank you for reading!!!!