"You look dead," Neil commented as I sat down for Literature, our last class for the day.

"Six hours of School and one surprise math test does that to you," I answered and Neil chuckled.

"We are going to the movie later right?" I asked, we both loved horror and there was a new movie out. 

Avi had a 'family thing' and Ash chickened out at the idea of watching a horror movie, so only Neil and I had planned to go watch it today.

"Ahm about that..." Neil began with a guilty expression.

"Oh no, I know that look, you are ditching me. Aren't you?" I asked, with an accusing look.

"No! No, I'm not, it's just Sam wants to go out tonight and I completely forgot about our movie plan so... I told her yes," he said.

"So...you're ditching me," I deadpanned. 

He let out a heavy sigh and hung his head in defeat. 

"Maybe you could ask her to join us? Oh no, scratch that it'll make me the third wheel again." I sighed.

"Third wheel? C'mon V, Sam loves you. You should come to dinner with us since she is not into horror, and maybe we could reschedule the movie plan?"

"What? No! I'm not coming to dinner with you guys. I have already hung out with you guys thrice on your 'its-not-a date' meetups. And as much as I love you, I won't do it again."

"Alright, then I'll tell her I can't make it today," he said and opened his book.

Okay, now I felt guilty. Though it was not my fault, I felt like some villain here. 

Was he guilt-tripping me on purpose? If yes then it worked well, alright. 

Damn it.

"It's fine, you guys carry on," I said.

"No way. I'm not ditching you. If you want us to go then you'll have to join us."

"No. Honestly if I third wheel so often then we'll end up being one big, happy tricycle!" I shook my head and smiled, despite my disappointment. "Seriously, just go. I don't mind."

"You sure?" 

"Positive. I'm used to sacrificing myself in the name of love." I let out a dramatic sigh and he chuckled. 

"Thanks, V." He punched my arm playfully.

Later, while I was walking out of the campus, my phone buzzed in my pocket and it was my mom's call. 

I quietly thanked my stars that I hadn't kept it on mute again and answered her call. 

"Could you stop by the store to get me some groceries on your way back from school?" She asked.

"Oh, okay sure, text me the stuff you need so I don't miss anything." 

I drove to the nearby store we usually get our groceries and picked up all the stuff my mom asked me to collect. When I was standing in line at the cashier's counter, I looked out the glass doors of the store and my eyes widened as I recognized the person standing across the street. 

Julian was leaning against a car, he had his head down and focused on his phone. He wore a grey t-shirt with jeans and his dark hair was messy. I almost didn't recognize him because he didn't have his glasses. By the time I paid the bill and got out of the store to meet him, he was with two other guys who looked slightly older than him but I couldn't tell much as they weren't facing me. 

Should I go over and talk to him? 

Will that be weird? 

As I was standing across the street and contemplating, one of the other two guys slightly turned towards me and I froze. I instantly recognized the guy. How could I not? He was probably one of the very few people I hated with a burning passion. Max Stone.

A hundred questions went through my mind at once. Were they friends? Brothers? Did Julian know me for real? Was all of it a lie? Is that why he wanted to keep all of his personal details a secret? Was this some sort of a setup for Max to finish what he started last year? Or was I just being paranoid and all of this was a big fat coincidence?

I was still frozen at my spot on the sidewalk when my phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump out of my jumbled thoughts.

I turned on my heels and started walking towards my car while I picked up my phone, without really checking who it was.

"Hey, where are you right now?" It was Avi.

"Huh, umm, I'm here," I mumbled, feeling like my brain was malfunctioning. 

"What?"

"Yeah.,.sorry." I shook my head and slid inside my car. "I mean, I'm at a store. Grocery shopping. What's up?" 

"You and Ash are in charge of food and decorations for this weekend, is that cool?"

 "What decorations? We won't have balloons or some shit, right? It's not a kid's party."

"I don't know, I just threw it in, it's your call."

"Fine. I'll talk to Ash about it." I sighed. "Oh! Listen, we have to order the Chocolate cake from that Irish bakery, across town." 

"I didn't think we were having a cake. It slipped my mind. Is it really necessary?" he asked.

What? Is that even a question? I frowned to myself.

"Of course we are having a cake. A birthday party without a good cake is like....like a funeral without a dead body."

"What the hell?'' He chuckled.

"I don't know why I said that, but you know what I mean."

"I get it. Okay, I gotta go now, I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, see ya!" 

I still had some time before I had to go home, so I decided to go to the bookstore down the street. 

I threw all the grocery bags and my backpack in the back seat before I locked my car and started walking towards the bookstore, trying my best to ignore the guys across the street and all the gazillion questions swarming my brain right now.

I walked into the store and looked around. It was almost empty. Perfect.
I spotted Mrs. Jenson behind her desk typing away on her computer. 

I walked up to her and tapped my knuckles on the computer. "Hey."

"Veronica! It's been so long since I last saw you. How are you dear?" She said while walking out from behind her desk and giving me a warm hug. 

Mrs. Jenson was the sweetest and most cheerful woman ever. Being a profuse reader herself, she always suggested new books to read and kept me updated about what was new in the market. 

"I know! I have just been a little busy. How are you?" I asked, hugging her back.

"I'm fine dear, just the usual."

"Got anything interesting for me? I have an hour to kill."

"You bet!" she said and led me further inside the store. After handing over a few books that she thought might interest me, she left me alone. I sat down in a corner and started going through all the books one by one, and in no time I was sucked into a story.

"That good huh?" Someone's voice startled me out of my trance and I looked up to find Julian standing in front of me, hands in his pocket, smiling down at me.

"Must be, since you didn't notice me standing here until I spoke to you," he said and sat down next to me.

Oh God, what is he doing here? I still didn't know how I felt about him being associated with Max in any way. Should I ask him? Can I trust him?

"What are you thinking so hard about?" He snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Umm nothing," I said, shaking my head. "Yeah, the book is really good."

"What's wrong?"

"I said nothing." My voice was a little too high than I intended it to be.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he shook his head, "You know, I'm not buying that."

"What are you doing here?"

"I know you saw me across the street but you just stalked away and I assumed you felt awkward to say hi since I was with some. . . friends. So when I saw you get out of your car again and head to this store, I decided I'll come and meet you myself." He shrugged.

So he and Max were friends.

I had never been the one to beat around the bush, why start now? So I got straight to the point.

"How do you know Max? Does he play as any factor behind you and me being friends?" I asked staring at him, willing him to tell me the truth.

***

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