WPOV

I couldn't help but sigh when I reached my driveway and saw that it was empty. Mom and Dad were probably working late again, and I didn't think I would have been able to pretend like I just had a usual school day. I mean, the whole school knows about Nico and I being gay now. I was glad nobody really had a problem with it, but I still felt exhausted. Happy - but exhausted. (I guess coming out does that to you)

And I'm also fairly certain that my phone, which was going off in rapid fire mode, would've raised some eyebrows. 

You see, I ended up getting stuck in a group text with Lou and Cecil. That's never a good thing. By the time I had put walked up the stairs and put my bag away, my phone already had six new messages.

Cecil: So r u a top or a bottom?

Lou: YOU CANT JUST ASK SOMEONE THAT 

Lou: You would think you'd be a little more mature about this

Cecil: What? It was a legit question

Lou: Ugh, you've been hanging out with Leo wayyy too much. Please grow up

Cecil: Lol I could make a joke about being a plant rn..... but I'm not going to

I rolled my eyes as I texted them back. Sometimes my friends were idiots. But that's okay, it made them fun.

Me: Good, your jokes are crap anyways

I didn't even have to wait a full minute before I got a reply. 

Cecil: Shut up, I'm funny. I even plan on majoring in 'Memeology' when I go to college

I snorted. Cecil always acts kind of ridiculous. I don't know what goes through his head.

Leaving my phone on the couch, I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of lemonade. I could still hear my phone going off in the other room, more text messages, but I took my time. I sipped the drink slowly, taking a small break from a long day of socialization.

My break would've been longer if I didn't hear the onslaught of text messages be interrupted by an actual call.

I put my drink on the counter and walked into the other room. I grabbed the phone and answered without even checking the contact, assuming it was Lou or Cecil. I was surprised to hear Frank's voice.

"Hey, I'm outside your house. Come answer the door."

"What? Why?" I asked, confused.

"Please?" 

This is weird. 

But I didn't bother asking more questions. Instead, I hung up the phone and opened the front door. 

Frank thanked me as he shuffled inside, and it didn't take long before we were sitting on the couch together. I put my phone on silent so we wouldn't be interrupted. I felt bad for blowing off the conversation with Lou and Cecil, but this was obviously more important.

A rather uneasy silence was thick in the air when I finally spoke. "What's going on?"

"Our parents are stumped on the case they've been working on. Hazel is scared that it will end up getting closed again." I nodded, a gesture for him to continue. I had no idea where he was going with this. "I need to know if you found anything out on your own."

Oh. I bit my lip. I remembered that one night at Nico's house, the night we got together. It was months ago, but I recalled every detail.

I promised Nico and the others I wouldn't say anything about what happened, especially about the truck Luke and Ethan had. Surely it didn't matter to the investigation. I trusted them. They had told the truth. 

Luke and Ethan had drugs in it, that's the only reason why they didn't want it reported to the police. Luke won it gambling from a suspect. Nico was even able to vouch for him! There isn't another connection between them and the case. 

So why was I suddenly doubting everything?

Frank was giving me a strange look by the time I found my voice. "I met these two guys at Nico's house a while ago.... they drove a truck that looked almost exactly like the one from the photos you gave me." He opened his mouth to speak, but I rushed on. "I would've reported it to the police, but they didn't want to get busted for drugs. I promised I wouldn't say anything."

He leaned forward in his seat. "Do you know where they bought it from?"

"Yeah, one of them won it gambling. Nico said he was with him."

"What are their names? I won't tell anyone, I understand you want to protect your friends. I have my own file I want the names for." He said, pulling out a notebook.

I couldn't help but smile. Frank is a good guy. I appreciated that he respected me and my boundaries, and that he was willing to keep this between us. He was taking it very seriously, I could tell he cared about Hazel and her family a lot. "They said their names were Luke and Ethan, I didn't get last names from them."

He wrote it down, handwriting large and sloppy. "Do you think Nico would mind answering a few questions about when his friend won the truck? This is the only lead we have...."

"He'll probably be irritated at first - I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. He already knows the investigation is over a murder and a kidnapping, but not much else. When we tell him more details, I'm positive he won't have a problem helping us solve it. Are you going to tell Hazel about the progress we made in the case?"

"No - I don't want to get her hopes up."

I nodded. "A good time to ask Nico will probably be in the gym tomorrow. I would say in the library, but he really needs that time for tutoring."

Classes have been canceled for a scoliosis thing tomorrow. All the students, except for the ones who got a form signed, are going to spend the day in the gym getting the alignment of their spines checked. 

Afterward everyone is just going to spend the day hanging out outside, expect for the guys with the form (they're going to spend the time watching movies in one of the classrooms). I guess it was just easier to give everyone a free day instead of trying to shorten class time. Not that I'm complaining. 

Frank stood up, "Alright, we'll ask Nico tomorrow, then. Thanks for all your help, Will."

"Sorry I didn't mention what happened with the truck earlier."

"It's fine. We have a lead now, that's what matters."

I nodded as he walked out the door, leaving me alone in an empty house.

I sat in silence before I remembered to check my phone again. And I swore under my breath when I saw I had thirty new messages.

A/N ~ Hi everyone! :)

Does anyone else's school do the scoliosis thingy? Umm..... it's makes me kind of uncomfortable tbh

Sorry about earlier (in case you missed it, my dog bumped into me and I accidentally published a draft of another chapter). I feel a little embarrassed.... but it's fixed now....

Thanks for putting up with me lol