At the back of the empty classroom, Lucy took a seat, dumping her bag on the floor and folding her arms. School had ended and she was the only one present. There was a hope that she would get away without punishment, but, ultimately, it wasn't a surprise when her fifth period teacher had informed her that she was on afternoon detention. She didn't need a second guess as to why.

Darren.

It seemed unfair that the consequence for talking back to a manipulative asshole was to have her time wasted, but this was still preferable to letting him interfere with Torsten's life.

It made her think, though.

What does he want, anyway?

She was thinking over what had happened, silent at the back of the classroom, when another student entered. He walked up to the supervising teacher, Mrs Reiner, and handed her a piece of paper. There was a very soft question, too low for Lucy to hear, and the teacher hesitated a moment, then nodded primly in agreement before going back to her grading.

To her surprise, it was Theo.

What is golden boy doing here?

He sat down next to her, a wry shrug of the shoulders as a greeting, depositing his bag on the floor next to the desk.

"How did you end up in detention?" Her question was just above a whisper, beneath the notice of Mrs Reiner.

Theo's response was the same strength of volume, the conversational pitch established. "Wrong equipment and an angry substitute." He shrugged, apathetic. "Can't win them all."

"What, you couldn't charm your way out of it? You're good at that."

"No." He shook his head. "Being charming isn't the answer to everything. Sometimes it's a bad idea. Not everyone likes the friendly approach."

"I don't mind it." Lucy gave a flippant shrug of her own. "But ... if you try that sort of thing on me, I'll slap the suggestion right out of your head." She blinked, doe-eyed. "Just so you understand."

He glanced back to the teacher, making sure she wasn't disturbed by their low-key conversation, and then back, smiling at Lucy sidelong. "Oh, I would never dare, my lady. I already know you aren't the sort to be pushed around."

Mmmhmm. Maybe I'm not being pushed around, but he's still doing a damn good job of convincing me. She definitely approved of the view. This boy is HOT. Wait, though. If Theo doesn't think he can mess with me, does he think he can mess with ... ?

"Yeah, sure," she parried the statement, "but what do you want with him?"

You'd better not pretend like you don't know what I mean.

He didn't.

"I'm glad you're here, because that's what I wanted to ask about." He leaned in, his voice dropping much lower, and she did the same so she could hear him. At the same time, there was a change to his expression; the charisma and confidence seeming to fade a little. Instead, there was a sense of bewilderment that seemed very out of place for Theo, a curiosity, and also ... vulnerability. "Torsten entrances me. I can't say what it is or why, but he has been on my mind since the first moment I saw him, and still," Theo's whisper halted, and he seemed confounded, unsure, "for all the ways I am drawn to him, I cannot tell what he thinks. I had to talk to him that first day in the store. I like him, Lucy. Will you help me find out if he might feel the same?"

Oh. My. God.

She kept herself composed, not showing emotion.

Okay. Alright. Play it cool. Reeeeeal cool.

"Are you serious?" She jabbed him with an index finger, hard enough to bump his shoulder back a few inches. "Because if this is some fucked up game and I find out you aren't, I will cut your balls off and feed them to you. Slowly."

"Yes." A pleading frown at the jab, then a soft assurance to back it up. "I am. It does matter to me. I want to ... know him, and I don't want to upset his best friend."

Is he truthful?

Her eyes narrowed, death-stare on full blast. Her instincts were working overtime, searching for a dishonest sentiment, if there was one to be found, or any illusion.

I think he ... is.

She didn't feel like t