“Ash, you can let me go now,” Robyn said. I returned my focus to Robyn and Alex. “Never,” I said. Alex pushed the empty bottle and started to kick his legs. Alexa did the same. I let go of Robyn and crossed my arms. I looked at the crowd. I had first seen the other Julia, the one that bumped into me. She was looking at me, smiling. Then I saw Malcolm a few feet away from her. He was looking at me, completely pissed off. The look in his eyes was deadly, as if he was going to kill me. “Wink at her,” Robyn muttered to me. “What? Who?” I asked. “Julia,” they said, nodding in the direction of the girl. “Her?! Why her?” I asked. “Just do it,” Robyn said. “Listen to Robyn. They might be onto something,” Brandon said. 

I looked at the girl staring at me and winked. She turned red and the crowd took notice. “Oh my god, Ash winked at me,” some fanboy said, next to Julia. “No, Josh. He winked at someone else,” the boy’s friend said, nudging him. “He winked at…her,” someone said, pointing at Julia. “Look at your dad,” Brandon said. I looked over to Malcolm and saw him looking at Julia with a grin plastered on his face. The thought of what he was possibly thinking had terrified me. “I can read his mind to you if you want,” Brandon said. “No, do not start,” I muttered to Brandon. I placed my watch closer to my face, pretending to talk to someone. I believe that from the looks Malcolm was giving meant he took interest in her. Some girl that was my age was going to my school. It wasn’t pedophilia but the concept was gross. Malcolm, a 34-year-old man and a dad, interested in his son’s schoolmate, about 18-year-old newcomer. I gagged at the thought of it. 

“Robyn, I’m going to go with you. We need to talk,” I said. They nodded and turned to me. “What about the baby?” Robyn asked. “Axton and Axel can protect them. If they fail to, they know what will happen next,” I said. “Okay. I give him Alex, now. If you want we can go now,” Robyn said. “We should. The crowd will hopefully die down soon,” I said. “Okay,” they said. They kissed me briefly before walking off to Axton. I walked over to Axel and patted him on the shoulder. “Keep them safe. If Malcolm tries anything, stop him and call me. But if something happens to either or both of them, I'm gonna be on your asses about it for the rest of y’alls life. Got that?” I said, in a lower tone. I wanted the crowd with me, not against me. 

Malcolm is smart and manipulative but I was better than him at it. Everyone loved me. Axel nodded. “Good. Tell Axton that when you two get home,” I said. Robyn walked over to me and grabbed my hand. “Alright, alright. We get it, Ash is hot. Stop shouting, he’s leaving,” Julia yelled over the crowd. 

We got in their car and they started to laugh. “What?” I asked. “You stood up to Malcolm for the first time. You showed hundreds, maybe thousands, of people that you aren’t a Sitcom. You’re a leader and you are Ash,” Robyn said. “I guess I did. But why did you tell me to wink at that Julia?” I asked. “Because I saw that she liked you the minute she saw you. Besides, she directed Malcolm’s attention to her,” Robyn said, starting up the car. “Huh, quick thinking,” I said. “Not taking psychology for nothing,” they said, shooting me a quick smile. They started to drive home.

Robyn got out of the car and I followed them up to their house. They lived alone with some roommates. Their roommates, however, were barely there. Robyn took me up to their room and pushed me onto their bed. They took the bun out of their hair and sat on my lap. “Is this a lesson on psychology or human sexuality?” I said, smirking. They smiled and kissed me briefly. “Both,” they responded as I grabbed their waist.