Author's Note: the amount of TENSION in kellin's eyes during this gif I CAN'T. Also, the legal stuff in this chapter isn't accurate. I looked up the statute of limitations for sexual assault in CA and was shocked and saddened that it was only 3 years! in NY its 10 to 20 years! So I'm writing this as if it was 20 years. Anyways, enjoy! :)

Kellin's POV

My eyes flicked back and forth between Vic and the newcomer standing in front of us. I kept my fingers intertwined with Vic's, rubbing small circles along his palm.

"Would you like to sit down?" Vic asked.

I watched Christofer glance over his shoulders towards the counter. He made eye contact with another barista and nodded in her direction. Reaching over the bar, he grabbed a to-go cup in his hands and placed it onto the table.

"Yeah of course. I can take my break now." He answered, dragging a chair from the next table over to ours.

Christopher plopped down and brushed some of his disheveled hair from his eyes. He was relatively tall, with long moppy blonde hair, dull blue eyes and a lip ring.

He took the cup in both of his hands; my eyes went to the bracelets on his wrists. Dozens and dozens of multi-colored string and beaded bracelets covered his arms.

He was also extremely slender. I couldn't make out any muscles on his arms either. He definitely didn't look very athletic so it was hard for me to believe he played soccer with Vic.

Then again, it was almost four years ago at this point. It was entirely possible that he stopped working out as hard.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry. I didn't even introduce myself, duh. I'm Chris." Chris turned to me and offered his hand.

"Hi, I'm Kellin. It's really nice to meet you." I replied, shaking his hand.

"Kellin is my boyfriend." Vic said, a huge smile breaking out across his face. I felt my heart beat faster in my chest watching as his warm eyes danced across mine.

"Is that so? Vic, I am so incredibly happy to hear that. You two are a dream together." Chris nudged Vic gently and smiled at us both.

My cheeks blushed as I took a sip of my latte.

"I'm the lucky one." Vic mimicked my motions as he brought his cup to his lips. He took a long sip, never taking his eyes off mine.

"I'm really glad to see you're doing well. It's been awhile, but you're definitely not the Vic I last knew. You're practically glowing." Chris added.

Vic brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it softly.

"Without Kellin, I'd still be robotically moving through life, with no knowledge of true happiness." Vic answered.

"Oh shush, you're going to make me blush." I bit my lip, hiding back a smile as I took another sip of my coffee.

"So why're you both here? Visiting family?" Chris asked.

I nodded, "Vic brought me home for Thanksgiving to meet his family."

"Ah so you met at college. Vic, you're still at Michigan State right?"

Vic drummed his fingers on the rim of his mug.

"Yeah I am. Kellin's a freshman there. Are you still at Arizona State?"

Chris shook his head and visibly tensed.

"No um..." He trailed off as he locked eyes with Vic. It was like they were having an entire conversation with their minds. They both glanced over at me and I watched Vic nod.

An uncomfortable silence washed over us. I could tell that Chris was trying to figure out if I knew about their past. It was obvious that the conversation was about to change.

"I dropped out after the first semester of freshman year. I flunked all of my classes and got kicked off the soccer team. I uh...I couldn't stop thinking about...what happened to me. To us." Chris explained.

"I'm really sorry to hear that, Chris. I almost left school too, a couple of times actually." Vic cleared his throat and squeezed my hand.

"Damn. I'm sorry man. Yeah, I was a fucking mess for awhile there. When I got back home I uh, started doing heroin to keep the memories away. It was even worse because I'd see the prick around town. At the grocery store. On the street. At the mall...I couldn't escape him it seemed."

Vic's other hand that was holding his coffee cup tensed, his face turned stoic.

"He came to my soccer game. Twice actually. Except the last time he brought some of his players. His middle school players."

Chris covered his face with his hand.

"The fucking nerve. See that's what helped get me clean, his current players." Chris shoved his hands into the front pockets on his hoodie. His leg started bouncing up and down nervously.

"One day I had to drop something off at one of my mothers' friends house. I had to drive past the Middle School. I had avoided that place for years and I completely forgot where it was." He continued.

"I don't even know what came over me, but before I could stop myself I was turning the steering wheel and pulling into the parking lot for the athletic field. I stopped my car and just sat there."

I looked over at Vic who wasn't even looking at Chris. He was staring at the wall behind my head. His eyes looked so incredibly focused that I didn't even see him blink.

I tried to catch his attention but he wouldn't look in my direction. Instead, he just kept running his thumb up and down my wrist as he held onto me gently.

"Practice must have just ended because the lot was full with cars. There were so many parents there picking up their kids that it was easy for me to blend in without...him...noticing that I was there."

"I was almost about to drive away too when I saw one kid stay back. The way he was looking at that boy...god it made me fucking sick. If you didn't know what to look for, you would've easily missed it. But I knew. I saw. That boy was...he was..." Chris trailed off and I saw tears well up in his eyes.

Vic snapped out of his gaze and his eyes flicked over to Chris.

"Hey, it's okay. He can't hurt us anymore." Vic whispered, putting his other hand on Chris's shoulder.

Chris sniffed and blinked his eyes a few times before continuing his story.

"I just knew I had to do something. I didn't know what, but I had to figure out how to help them. The first thing I did was check myself into rehab. I got clean and went back to my parents house, who thankfully, let me live there again."

"I'm really glad that you were able to get some help, man." Vic added.

I leaned forward in my chair and offered a small smile to Chris.

"Me too. You should be really proud of yourself. I can't even imagine what that was like for you. For both of you." I spoke softly.

Chris's face turned into a bright smile as he relaxed in his chair. He took another sip of his coffee

"Thank you. Plus, getting this job helped me have another reason to get up each morning. It allowed me to have actual conversations with other people. I avoided everyone when I was at my worst. Every day is still a mental battle but at least I'm not using anymore." Chris continued.

"Yeah I totally can relate. The pain became too much. It got to the point during college where I just coasted through, completely blocking out every memory I could. Until I barely remembered what happened..." Vic trailed off, moving his gaze to the brown frothy liquid in his cup.

"For awhile, forgetting was the only way to cope. But once I saw those kids; once I realized he was still hurting them, I couldn't stop the memories. So I started going back every single day." Chris said.

My eyes widened, "Did he ever recognize you?"

Chris paused and tensed up. If he was pale before, he was completely white now. He whipped around in his chair and stared at the door to the cafe.

"At first I would just stay in my car. I would even duck down on the seat whenever he would walk by. I was terrified of that prick. Hell, I still am."

"I only met that man once and I wanted to punch him in the nose." I narrowed my eyes and rolled my fingers into a fist.

That apparently earned a laugh from Vic because the next thing I heard was his signature full belly laugh.

"Oh Kells. I appreciate your attempt, but the look on your face right now is just too cute to be intimidating." Vic kept giggling which led to Chris joining in.

I crossed my arms and pouted my lips.

"Hey, I can be intimidating! Sue me for wanting to protect my boyfriend." I continued pouting, trying to hide my smile as Vic continued to giggle.

"Oh come on, give me a little smile. I'm sorry darling. I was just teasing. You're a big and strong man and I am forever grateful that you're mine." Vic cooed.

A smile broke out on my face as I gave in to Vic's puppy dog eyes.

"Fine, fine, I forgive you. But just know, I'd take a bullet for you Fuentes." I replied with a playful huff.

"You two are so in love." Chris grinned.

I tried to hide the blush on my cheeks by turning my attention to Chris. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vic staring at me with this goofy grin on his face and this sparkle in his eyes.

"So anyways, each day I got more and more bold. I stopped hiding when he would walk by. I started standing at the fence. I then went and sat right in the bleachers. He noticed me then."

"Did he try talking to you?" Vic asked.

Chris shook his head, "Not until I tried talking to Connor, he's the team Captain. L-like you were Vic..."

"I met Connor too. He brought him and a bunch of other players to my game a few days ago." Vic spoke through his teeth.

"He's really messed that kid up. I tried to talk to him, just be friendly ya know? I thought maybe I could try to tell him about what happened to me, and see if he could open up about what I think is happening to him." Chris explained.

"Did Connor say anything to you?" I asked, my eyes constantly darting to Vic to make sure he was okay.

"No. I couldn't even introduce myself before Briggs stepped in and dismissed me. I went to the police that night."

"You went to the cops? What did they say?" I sat up in my seat, feeling hopeful for the first time.

"They probably said 'sorry but there's nothing we can do, bye fuck off." Vic mumbled under his breath.

"Vic we don't know that. Sorry Chris, we uh...we recently had a bad experience with the law and Michigan State. With an assault that happened to me..." I explained.

Vic reached forward and grabbed both of my hands in his, squeezing them reassuringly.

"Kellin, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I had no idea." Chris said with concern.

"It's okay. I'm fine." I shook my head dismissively. This wasn't about me right now.

"Um, so actually they didn't give me all bad news. They said that luckily our statute of limitations hasn't run out so we can still press charges."

"Oh my god that's great news!" I exclaimed, looking up at Vic whose eyes went wide with hope.

"One of the problems is we obviously can't have a rape kit done anymore. Those have to be done within 72 hours of an assault for DNA to be found. Therefore, we don't have any actual evidence besides our testimonials. Which aren't enough to make an arrest." Chris shared.

I watched Vic's shoulder's fall as he rubbed his hand across his face. He exhaled slowly and pressed his lips together into a tight line.

"So what can we do?" Vic asked, tapping his fingers on the tabletop.

Chris shrugged, "Well for our assaults we need to find evidence. For the boy's on his team right now, they'd need to give their statements and consent to a rape kit."

"It's a touchy subject. Obviously we can't just go to these kids' house and tell their parents we suspect they're being sexually assaulted..." I chimed in.

"Yeah and we can't go near that field. Briggs threatened mine and my family's life." Chris blurted out.

"What?!" Vic and I both exclaimed in unison.

"Yup. After I went to the police station that bastard jumped me in an alley. He held a huge knife to my neck and said he'd slit my family's throat in front of me if I either showed up at the field or went through with my testimony." Chris's eyes held more anger than I had ever seen from him.

"Briggs threatened me and Kellin too."

"The man is a psychopath. He eluded to me that he still has tabs on all of us. That he knows where each and every one of us are at all times. All across the country. He's known where we've all been no matter how many times someone has moved."

I felt chills run up my spine as I looked into Vic's eyes with worry.

"I bought a gun."

"Jesus Christ."

"He's everywhere. That man was suffocating me for weeks. Ducking around corners whenever I'd notice him. Calling my phone a hundred times and hanging up when I'd finally answer. I had to lay low for a while. Let him think I had given up."

I noticed Vic grow quiet. He was staring at the wall behind my head again. But this time I could see in his eyes that he was working something out in his head. A memory.

"The office." He finally whispered.

"What? What office?" I asked.

"Briggs' office. In the locker room." Chris repeated.

"It's where he...where he assaulted us all." Vic finished and grimaced, like it physically pained him to say the words.

"If there was any evidence of what happened to us, it would be in there. I'm sure of it. I can remember...I can remember something. But...it's like there's a blur over my memory. I can't picture what I'm trying to remember but I can feel it in my chest. There's something there."

"Vic, this is incredible. This whole reconnecting was fate!" Chris grabbed his phone and started scrolling through it.

Vic and I shrugged at each other and turned our attention back to Chris. He clicked around his screen until landing on the page he was looking for. He turned his phone towards us and pointed at the email.

"The entire school is closed this weekend, starting tomorrow for Thanksgiving. It says right here that no students, teachers, or admins will be allowed back on the premises until Monday morning." Chris pointed excitedly at the phone.

"So Briggs won't be back for days? Leaving his office behind for us to break into and find some evidence? What an excellent coincidence." Vic grinned.

"Tomorrow? After dinner?" I offered.

"Tomorrow." Chris nodded.

"No. Kellin. You're not coming with us. I can't risk anything happening to you. This is Chris and mine's past to handle." Vic interjected.

"Vic. I promised you, that you wouldn't have to go through anything alone ever again. You can't get rid of me. It's you and me now. Us. I said I'd take a bullet for you." I interrupted, leaning over the table and pressing my lips quickly against his.

When we pulled apart Vic was smiling again. I won. I knew he'd give in. He couldn't resist a kiss.

"Fine. You can come. But you're never taking a bullet for me. I'll be the one taking the bullets for you."

I rolled my eyes playfully, "Can't you just let me be the knight in shining armor for once? I'm not entirely useless when it comes to a fight. I can at least swing a bat."

"Plus, he's got a gun. We'll be fine." I pointed towards Chris and whispered "gun."

"I do have a gun." Chris shrugged.

"Do you even know how to use that thing? Anyways, Chris, you'll text me the time tomorrow?" Vic asked.

We all got up, pushing our chairs back as we left the cafe.

"You got it. I have a good feeling about this. We're going to take down that sick fuck. For good."

Vic and I said our goodbyes to Chris and turned the corner, heading home. He wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked in a comfortable silence.

"So that was...enlightening. Maybe we'll be able to end this. You'll finally get your justice and all those boys -" I started.

"Can we paint?" Vic asked, stopping me from finishing my sentence.

I blinked, searching his face for a moment before my mind registered with what he was asking. I remembered the paint I had bought earlier. Earlier, when this was still a fun trip, a new adventure. When the looming gloom of reality, of the memories this town held, were still just a memory in Vic's mind, and a horrible story in mine.

"Of course, babe. I think you'll be impressed with the variety of colors I bought." I answered, letting my thoughts and questions about our conversation with Chris pause. At least until tomorrow.

"Is that so? You might be giving me a run for my money. Pretty soon my dad is going to replace me with you as his right hand painter." Vic teased, tapping my gently on the nose.

"Oh please, you've seen me paint before. The best I can do is a stick figure person and a mediocre flower."

"Darling you know you're a rose."

We got to Vic's house quickly and made our way around to the backyard. The second we turned the corner and came face to face with the collage of paintings, Vic stopped talking.

He started taking out the mini paint cans and brushes, and set them on the patio table. Not knowing what to say or do at this moment, I started trying to take the lids off.

Vic already had a brush in hand and was prying the white paint can open.

He dipped the brush in the white paint and flung it at the painting of young Vic in his soccer uniform. I watched as he took a step back, analyzing the picture. Dozens of little flecks of white were scattered across the portrait.

It was going to take a lot of coats to cover it up.

I held my breath as Vic grabbed the paint can aggressively and sloshed the entire thing at the wall. He whipped it back and forth until the can was completely empty, and the wall was dripping with a thick coating of white paint.

He stood with his back to me, staring at the wall. I could tell by the way his shoulders were trembling that he was about to cry.

I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He was extremely tense. I could feel his heart beating so rapidly I thought it was going to break out of his chest.

I kissed the back of his neck softly. Putting my hand over his that was holding the paint can, I pried it gently from his grasp. I let it fall to the grass and replaced it with a brush.

By holding his hand with the brush, I guided him to start moving the paint around. I helped him move the brush back and forth, up and down, watching as the painting of young Vic started to disappear.

We didn't mutter a single word to each other until it was completely covered.

Vic caught me by surprise when he spun around suddenly.

His back was just pressed up against me so when he turned to face me, our noses were touching. I could feel his warm breath against my lips.

His calloused fingertips on my waist, gripping onto my skin gently. His warm brown eyes staring into mine.

He blinked away the tears that had formed around his eyes, letting one small teardrop escape. It dropped slowly down his cheek, leaving behind a tear tract on his cheek.

I caught it with my thumb as he tilted my chin back so our eyes met.

"I love you, Kellin." Vic murmured against my lips.

I felt my breath stop in my throat as my heart filled with butterflies.

"I love you, Vic."

Vic closed whatever was left of the gap between us by catching my lips in his. I kissed him back feverishly, running my fingers through his hair to keep him pressed up against me.

He pulled back for a moment.

"I am so inexplicably in love with you. I have wanted to tell you for so long but I was terrified of what you'd say."

I pressed my forehead against his as he moved a piece of my hair from my eyes.

"Vic, I've loved you from the second I first saw you."

He scooped me up in his arms and sat me down on the patio table. I kept my arms wrapped around his neck and he kept his on my waist.

"Would you think I was lying if I told you the same thing?" He smiled, a blush crept across his cheeks and nose.

"Never. I mean, you broke your leg because you were staring at me." I teased.

Vic shook his head and buried his face in my neck.

"You'll never let that one go will you?" He whispered, the vibrations of his words sent goosebumps across my throat.

"Not a chance, Victor. It was probably the cutest thing ever to happen to me." I breathed out heavily.

Vic heard the change in my tone and pulled back, grinning at me.

"I've broken bones for you darling. Also, don't call me Victor." He picked me up wedding style, trying to hide the blush that was filling his cheeks.

"Uh wait a second. Does me calling you that turn you on?"

"What? No way. No. Sh. Wouldn't you rather me carry you to my room, bring you an ice cream sundae, cuddle, and finally show you Fast Times At Ridgemont High?" Vic said, trying to change the subject.

"Fine you win this time, Victor. Make mine chocolate please?" I asked cheekily.

Vic shook his head and smiled at me as he carried me through his house.

"God, I love you."

Author's Note

Hi fam, I'm back! Sorry this chapter took so long and kinda sucked but I hoped you enjoyed it! I made it a little longer than my usual chapters because this had so much dialogue. I'm sorry for that too but I couldn't figure out a way to tell Chris's story without a lot of dialouge.

Anyways, I hope everyone has been doing okay and had a lovely holiday if you celebrate anything! Reminder that I'm always here if anyone is having a hard time and needs to talk.

Also, I'm officially covid free! My boyfriend and I got our tests back today and we are both negative woohoo! We had to quarantine for Christmas so that kind of sucks but I'm glad we are both healthy.

In other news, I've started really planning out my new small business and I'm super excited. This business, like my stories, is a total passion project and something I've wanted to do for so long. I've decided to switch to making bath and body products and everything will be music and alt inspired :)

It's going to be called The Emo Apothecary and I'm already planning my first 4 signature scents. Lil sneak peak, one of the scents is going to be King For A Day inspired obviously :) I haven't started posting on IG yet but the account is @emoapothecary if anyone wants to follow.

Thanks again fam for all your continued support. Honestly this community has inspired me in so many ways and I can't thank y'all enough for your support and kind comments.

-Cassidy :)