Uh oh. Michael looks away, knowingly. I feign innocence. "Uh, what do you mean?"
"I don't know." He shrugs. "I just thought you kept getting interrupted...?"
I shake my head. "Nothing-" I clear my throat. "Nothing comes to mind."
Michael elbows me. It's a clear message. Lie better.
Axel furrows his brow. "Really? I was gonna ask you earlier, but I wasn't sure if you changed your mind..." He waves it off. "Nevermind. If you're sure it was nothing?"
I smile. "I am."
"Okay." He kisses my cheek and closes the door. Then he does something only Axel would do. He politely opens Suzie's door for her, helping her in.
Even she looks surprised. "Why thank you, Axel." She gets into the back seat.
"You're welcome." He tries to close the door but she coughs.
"Ehem." She gestures towards her seatbelt. "I think you're forgetting something."
He gives her a look. "...You're just too much sometimes, Z." He shuts the door, chuckling to himself.
Suzie talks about pointless things the whole car ride. Any time we try to discuss something of importance, she feigns ignorance.
"They're watching her," Michael mutters after two hours of listening to her discuss her hair care routine.
But then at 7:30 it happens, just half an hour before she's supposed to leave. She drops herself on Michael's gaming chair, getting comfortable. "I have to admit." She smiles. "This took longer than expected."
"You're telling me," I say. "I thought we'd never get the chance to speak."
"Oh not that." She waves me off.
I raise an eyebrow.
She gestures towards me. "I was wondering when you'd finally get me on your guard shift." She laughs. "I was wondering what was taking so long. All the snooping your brother was doing in the library archives." Her eyes shift to Michael. "Or the meet up you had with Dante, perhaps?" Her eyes shift to me.
I don't say anything.
She shrugs. "I guess it doesn't matter now. Who knew all it would take was one night with Aiden."
Michael double takes. I don't know what to say. She's just spilling all my dirt.
She laughs. "Don't be alarmed. I'm not stalking you." She flips her hair over her shoulder. "I just have trust issues and an unhealthy desire to see you fail miserably at everything you do in life."
"Oh, is that all?" I ask.
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