Get up Whenever You Fall

I nod tentatively at what Nico said, and add, "Well, we better go check the guys. I don't know if I can trust them with my living room." Nico gives a full-out laugh, stretching her lips upward in a delighted way. She's very pretty and charismatic, I realize.

Maybe that's why she fits in with the guys.

After our little private talk, Nico and I march nimbly to the living room. I admit, I'm kind of nervous about what the guys might break here. All the money I might have to find a way to get, not that I have anything expensive here, but... broken walls and floors could be kinda pricey and—

"These two are so awkward with each other," Adriel observes. He grabs me and Travis, squeezing all three of us together and Adriel being in the middle.

Then, Adriel pushes me toward Travis, who catches me in his arms as I topple unsteadily. I don't know why, but at the exact moment my head's pressed against Travis' chest, I think of things like: how soft his sweatshirt is, how he smells like peppermint gum, and how his hair is silken even with just the slightest stroke.

"Sorry," Adriel mutters, but I can sense the grin along that apology.

Travis helps me stand straight up as I rove my eyes over the whole room. I feel slightly dizzy and shrug off the haziness. Glimpsing at Nico, I notice her bite back a big smile, and she tries to cover it with small cough.

Finally, I look at Travis, piercing his eyes, and say politely, "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing," Travis murmurs and shoots a look at Adriel. I think by that look, Travis means, 'I'm gonna kill you later'.



Not long after, my sister is irked enough to shoo me, Nico, and the guys off into the streets. Her reason is that she needs a quiet study space, and apparently our behaviours don't conform to her standards.

"So what now?" Francis asks, cocking his head to the side.

"We go to the skate park," Adriel nods in my direction. "In three, two, one.."

Soon, the guys sprint off really quickly, dispersing out of sight. "Wait!" I cry. Even Nico's not here anymore. "Guys? Guys, where are you? Hey, this isn't funny!"

I bump into Travis, who looks as confused as I am. I grip his arm and ask, "Where in the world did they go?"

"I don't know where the hell they went," he pulls his eyebrows together, making a murderous expression, "but when I find them, I swear to god I'll beat them up."

I laugh nervously, now using the hand that is still on his arm to rub his sleeve and try to calm him down. "It's okay. We'll find them."

He looks into my eyes, as if peering through something so deep, and nods slowly as he relaxes his nerves. "We should stay together" —he hesitates— "so no one gets lost."

"Yeah," I agree and finally let go of his arm. As we venture out, I yell as loudly as possible, "Nico! Adriel! Francis! You guys! Where are you?!"