Alba tried to dull his emotions and turn the world quiet. He wished there was music to cover the loud bang from the rifle which he shot into the man’s head. He dreamed that he was in a different place as he choked the woman upstairs to death, and once he made it back to Andri and Eryi, he was in a distant place. He couldn’t remember much of that night, all he knew was that they broke into at least three more homes, and the blood on his hands stained so deeply it was impossible to wash off. The silence he felt grew more intense, that when the morning came and the Spider’s laid in bed, he couldn’t feel the blankets covering him. Also, secretly awake that night, Eryi was laying in his bed and staring at the roof. He glanced over to Andri, who was sleeping soundlessly, and he slowly sat up. Memories of the two male Bugs he killed flashed in his mind, and the love their eyes shed was endless. Eryi crawled over to Andri and looked down at him. In that moment, he could have sworn Andri’s lips were far more rosy than they ever looked before. He leaned down and lightly tapped his lips on Andri’s before swiftly backing away. His heart thumped wildly, unable to calm, and then, as quietly as he could, he put on his shoes and exited out the garage door. Andri’s eyes opened slightly and he put his fingers to his lips, and his face contorted with both confusion and amusement. He then turned to see Alba staring back at him, with a face drowned in terror.

“Woah, what’s wrong with you? Are you possessed or something?”

Alba didn’t answer and Andri grew closer. Alba shivered at the mere presence of Andri, he was no longer the friend he once knew, he was more dangerous than a monster. Andri reached his hand out to pinch Alba’s nose, but Alba flew back in a panic, toppling over Lumi. Lumi awoke with both confusion and annoyance.

“What the hell?!”

Lumi grumbled, but then she was struck silent.

“Alba?”

She looked toward Andri, but Andri stared at her with uncertainty. He shrugged and then turned to ask Alba, “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

Alba couldn’t answer him. He couldn’t think of anything to say. Lumi patted his head and then said, “He’s probably having a night terror. My little sister used to have them all the time.”

“I thought only children had night terrors, he’s a little old, isn’t he?”

“It’s not unheard of.”

Andri sighed and then plopped back down on his bed. He laid on his stomach and looked at the two from there. Lumi looked Alba in the eyes and winked, making Alba’s frown grow deeper. How could he possibly entrust his safety to this woman?

Andri asked, “So, what do we do about it? Do we just leave him be?”

Lumi wondered and then stated, “I have no clue.”

Lumi glanced over, seeing that Eryi’s bed was empty.

“Eryi’s gone!”

Andri said, “Yeah, he left just now.”

“Why?’

Andri rolled to his back and said, “Who knows! The boy’s a mystery.”

Lumi laughed softly then said, “The true mystery is you, Andri.”

Andri paused.

“How so?”

Andri rolled back over to his stomach, and with a more playful tone he asked, “How so?”

Lumi couldn’t help but grin a little, seeing that Andri was showing his playful side.

“I don’t know, really. It’s just, I can’t really tell what you’re thinking. Sometimes I also wonder if I really know you at all, haha! It’s like you’re fake or something.”

Andri didn’t respond and Lumi took a second to realize what she said was extremely rude.

“Ah, I’m sorry!”

Andri flopped his head on the pillow and said muffled, “It’s fine. I understand what you mean.”

Lumi felt her hair raise and she pushed Alba off of her and flopped on top of Andri. She rubbed his hair and cried, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings!”

Andri muttered, “How can you say such embarrassing things out of sincerity?”

“Ah! I hurt your feelings so bad that you now talk like a scholar.”

Andri laughed and then threw Lumi off of him, knocking her over to his side. Lumi looked into Andri’s brown eyes that were barely lit by the moon shining through the frosted window.

“I still really don’t get you, Andri. I can’t tell which side of you is the real one.”

“People have more than one side, that’s just how humans work.”

Lumi continued, “But you’re different somehow. There’s something about you that isn’t like us. Like, for example, I can’t tell if you’re playing with Eryi’s feelings or if you really like him.”

“Like him?”

Lumi scoffed, “Don’t play dumb!”

Andri looked at her with a clueless gaze and she spouted, “What?!”

She was so astonished that she sat up.

“Do you not like him? Do you even know that he likes you, please tell me you know! It’s so obvious it hurts!”

“Well, I put that together forever ago, that he likes me. I guess I never thought that I would have to like him in return.”

Lumi questioned, “Have to like him?”

“Ah! Well, I don’t know,” Andri said, as he scratched his neck. After he hesitated he then said, “I guess I might like him.”

Completely throwing away how weird Andri was being, Lumi squealed.

“You like him?! I knew it! You have to tell him.”

Lumi shoved her face at Andri and demanded, “Tell him,” with a devious tone.

Andri pushed her head away with his palm and said, “Later, calm down.”