"This is so fun. I get to be a tour guide two years in a row," Viktor said as he, Blaine, Arti, and I wandered down the sidewalks of the Winterview University.

"Try not to sound too excited," I said.

"I can't. I never really thought I'd be friends with you guys when I first got here, but we've stuck together," Viktor said.

"I knew we'd all be best friends. I knew it from the very beginning," Arti said.

"No, you didn't. You and Amanda were too busy carrying torches and pitchforks and rioting in the streets," Blaine said.

Arti frowned. "That doesn't mean I'm not psychic. I just had a feeling that we'd all end up like this."

"I have a feeling that you're lying," Blaine said.

Viktor cleared his throat, cutting off their mini argument. "If you look over there, you'll see Sigma Kappa. That's Drew's sorority. I think she took over the president job after Caroline, uh, passed away."

"She's the president?" Arti asked.

"I think so. She told me that she'll treat the hockey team just as nicely as Caroline used to."

"Yes, bullying, lying, and cheating is very nice," I said, then looked up at Viktor.

"She invited us to every party," Viktor said.

I took a deep breath. "You're way too nice for your own good."

"Sorry," he said.

"Don't ever change." I smiled.

He smiled back at me, then turned back to his tour. "Over there is the library. I don't really know that much about it, though. I still haven't spent much time there."

I rolled my eyes.

Studying wasn't exactly his thing, even though he sure as hell wasn't stupid. He just had his priorities.

"I bet Amanda's nerd ass knows all about it," Arti said with a snicker.

"Amanda's nerd ass does. It's pretty cool, actually. It was redone in 2011, so it has plenty of space for my antisocial ass as well," I said.

"Ha, nerd." Blaine laughed.

"Ha, nerd who only pays a thousand dollars in tuition per semester because of her collection of scholarships," I said.

"It's not a competition, Amanda. And if it was, I'd be winning," Viktor said.

I shook my head. Damn athletes.

"Can we visit Drew?" Arti asked.

"She might not be here yet, but we can try," Viktor replied.

Arti's mouth turned upward into a big grin.

"Aw, she's in love. How adorable," Blaine said.

"I'm not in love, you fucking idiot. Love is for Disney movies, not badass bitches like me," Arti said.

Blaine cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Arti's in love."

"Shut up! What if she hears?" Arti cried.

"This is a big step for you. You're actually trying to be a nice person instead of just stabbing someone in the heart, ripping it out of their ribcage, and then laughing at them," Blaine said.

"Sounds like you have some issues, not me."

I laughed, then looked over at Viktor, who smiled as he listened to the conversation.

At least I was tough enough to definitively say that I was fucked-up in love, and there was nothing that brought me more joy than the fact that he was just as in love with me.

We knocked on the door to the Sigma Kappa house and waited for someone to answer.

"What if she can't hear the door?" Blaine asked.

Arti smacked him on the shoulder. "That's rude. She's literally an angel."

"That doesn't make her hearing magically work."

Arti smacked him again.

"I'm being serious," Blaine said, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm not being mean. It's an issue we have to keep in mind."

"There are, like, ninety million other girls who live here. I'm sure at least one of them will hear," I said.

One of them opened the door. "Hi, can I—"

"Is Drew here?" Arti interrupted.

"Uh, yeah. I'll go get her for you, if you want," the girl replied.

Arti nodded, then waved her hand for the girl to run along.

"Don't be rude to her," Blaine said.

"I'm not being rude." Arti crossed her arms. "I just want to look at that hella fine specimen."

A few moments later, the hella fine specimen came to the front door.

"Arti?" Drew asked, ignoring the presence of everyone else.

Of course, she expected the rest of us to be there. We had all established the fact that we were going to Winterview in the fall back on our vacation.

But Arti was a surprise, and that was exactly the kind of extra she was.

"Hey, cutie," Arti smiled, then hugged Drew.

The height difference was pretty cute, since Drew towered over Arti.

"I didn't know you transferred," Drew said. She probably meant for it to be softer, but it was loud enough for all of us to hear.

Another benefit. Drew would always be able to understand Arti since she was so fucking obnoxious and expressive with her face and hands.

"Damn, I'm good," I mumbled under my breath, hoping at least Blaine would hear.

He must have, because he nodded. "Indeed, you are."

I figured Arti and Drew could use a little bit of privacy, so I decided to keep talking to Blaine.

"You know, I could probably find you someone," I said.

Blaine shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about that. I have plenty of other things that I have to focus on. The last thing I need is a girlfriend."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. I already have a spot reserved for me on the university radio station, and honestly, that's gonna be my top concern for a little while," Blaine said.

"How'd you get that?"

"Apparently, people think I'm funny, and the media club thinks my humor will work well on radio."

"That doesn't answer my question," I said.

"My Waco siege jokes are much more appreciated here than in Texas. That's all I'll say," Blaine said.

"Well, now I just have more questions. How the hell did you get involved with the media club if this is your first day here?"

He smiled. "My talent is talking and telling stories that don't make sense."

"That's two talents. Plural."

"It's one talent. It's a package deal."

I laughed. "Fine."

"You know, speaking of Texas, I'm gonna miss my roommate from Baylor," Blaine said.

"Were you guys friends?"

"Kind of. He was weird, though. He wants to be a plastic surgeon, and he said that he wants to put little squeaky toys in all of the breast implants."

I covered my mouth, but I burst into laughter anyway. "That's—I don't know what to say."

"Just think about it. Squeak," Blaine said.

"Oh my god, I already get distracted by my own boobs enough. That would make it eight thousand times worse."

Blaine laughed. "Yeah, he was weird. Maybe my new roommate will be at least a little more normal."

"You're not normal, though. You're pretty much the second strangest person I've ever met."

"Who's first?"

"Probably Lukas. That dude was weird. And psychopathic."

Blaine nodded, and Drew finally turned her attention to the rest of us.

"I'm sorry. Please, come in, all of you. I'm in the middle of baking cookies," Drew said.

"What kind?" Blaine asked, his attention now on the food.

"Peanut butter," Drew replied.

Of fucking course.

I smiled anyway. I kind of hid my allergy from her, so there wasn't anyone to blame but me.

The five of us walked inside the house, and the aroma of savory, sweet death filled the air. I brushed my fingers along my throat and decided that the best course of action was to get the hell out of there.

I grabbed onto Viktor's hand, and when he turned to look at me, I said, "I'll be waiting outside, okay? You guys have fun."

"I'll come with you," he said, then turned to Drew. "We'll be outside."

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I'm just allergic and it's bothering me a little. I'll be fine, though."

"Wait, you're allergic?" Drew asked.

"Yeah. I'm also really stupid when it comes to self-preservation," I said.

"What kind do you want, then?" Drew asked.

"You don't have to make me anything." I headed for the door. "Thank you, though."

Drew smiled and waved as Viktor and I walked out onto the front porch, but just before I walked out the door, a small plaque placed on the wall caught my eye. I stopped to read it for a second.

In loving memory of Caroline Sullivan. A true sister.

I certainly wouldn't have called her that, because she frequently left people out to dry and fend for themselves, but she had one good quality. She cared.

Sometimes it was about the wrong things, but she cared.

Viktor and I stood out on the porch, and I let out a sigh.

"What?" he asked.

"It's been a tough year, but we lived. That's what matters," I replied.

He smiled. "We did."

"But I don't just want to live anymore. I want to thrive. It's about time you and I just take this world by storm, and whoever stands in our way gets the shit kicked out of them."

"Let's do that. You and me. October is pretty close, and once we start our hockey games this season, no one will be able to stop us."

I looked at him. "You mean stop you. I don't have anything to do with that."

"No, I mean us. No matter what, it will always be us, because I wouldn't even be here without you."

I smiled. "That's not true."

I knew it was true, but I wanted him to say it again. My ego always liked hearing compliments twice.

"Yes, it is. I would've just quit after I got hurt," he said. "But you're stubborn and never quit."

I took a step closer to him with a small smile on my face. "Neither do you. You just don't give yourself enough credit."

If Viktor wanted something, he got it. He only had to follow me around for three years for me to finally cave. If he wanted to be an NHL'er, all he had to do was be just as persistent.

With a little motivation, he could move mountains. My only job was to remind him of that when he needed it.

"Would it be inappropriate to fuck right here?" I asked.

Viktor laughed. "Yes."

"Shit," I muttered. "Then can we just cuddle?"

"It's a little hot, but I feel like we can make that work," Viktor said. "You're so adorable."

"I know," I said, then the two of us sat on the steps as close as we could possibly get to each other, even though it was August.

He sure as hell warmed the world up for me, and after spending countless days freezing cold, it was a wonderful change.

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I'm back everyone! I'm sorry to just leave you like that, but I didn't have much time for anything the past ten days. But we only have a few more chapters to go, so I'll try to have those up ASAP.

I actually have the wheels turning for what I'll be writing after I'm done with this book (ahhhhhh!!), so if you're interested, keep on the lookout for details on that.

Thank you for reading! You're awesome!