[TAC] THREE'S A CROWD

Chapter 08

"Friends?" New asks, his eyes studying Off's every movement. Off has no idea what the question means, and he's sure New didn't intend to make it so open to possibility and interpretation.

His mind is genuinely pondering upon the possibility that maybe he's an ant, and someone is shining a magnifying glass on him, burning his insides to shreds and leaving him exposed. The pressure is more than he can handle at the moment.

Ciize points at Off, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Look at his face! He's all flustered. This is so fun to watch."

New lets out a sigh as Off gives his sister a stern look, implicitly telling her to shut up, but as usual, she doesn't budge even one bit. Sometimes he yearns to be the more intimidating type.

"We're best friends," Off finally says, the words unusually bitter in his mouth. "I don't charge best friends for anything."

There's a short beat before New wraps an arm around Off's shoulder and pulls him in, nuzzling him obnoxiously. "Aw, look at him! He said I'm his best friend. How cute."

"Very cute," Ciize replies, nodding while her chin rests in her arms.

Off's going to explode with a frustration he can't even pinpoint. The knowing way his sister keeps looking at them, increased every time Off has fumbled over his words or looked down at his lap when New has held his gaze too long, is driving him nuts. He hasn't always been fond of how intuitive Ciize has always been. She's usually one to pick out Off's emotions before he even feels them himself.

Off playfully shoves New away from him with some difficulty, before reaching over for an actual textbook, just to give a proper excuse.

"Okay, Ciize, we have to do some actual work, so I would appreciate it if you would occupy yourself in some other area of the house," Off says properly, offering her a kind grin at the end.

Ciize remains in the exact same position, unmoving. "Watching you guys interact is way too much fun."

"We're not entertainment for you," Off replies, still keeping his tone nice and easy.

There's a long pause after Off speaks, both New and Off not knowing what for as Ciize's eyes start to gradually widen.

"Wait," Ciize says slowly, her eyes narrowing just a bit as she exchanges glances between the two of them. Off can already feel something really shitty coming on. He doesn't know what it is, but he knows his sister's just realized something no one else has realized yet.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, he figures.

"If you don't get out, I guarantee you I'll tell mom all about the festive study group weekend you had---"

Ciize is already on her feet, flashing dangerous, warning eyes at Off. "Don't you dare," she hisses, her voice threatening. She shrugs her shoulders and lets out a defeated sigh, leaving Off more than content. "Fine, I'll leave."

With that, she finally leaves Off alone with New, the way the universe intended, and Off is left with a grin on his face and the sight of New in front of him, laughing lightly to himself.

"I love her," New says, picking lint off of the socks on his feet. "I'd trade Alice for her."

"Can I get that in writing?" Off asks, pushing himself off the bed so he can set his textbook on his desk. He wasn't really going to start tutoring; he just needed Ciize and her prying eyes out of the room.

"So, are we gonna---"

Off's already shaking his head as he makes his way back over to New, sitting down on the bed next to him, just a little closer than before. New's face sinks and Off hates that, but he really can't get high with New anymore. Tay didn't explicitly ask him to stop, but he made it clear that he's not at all in favor of it, and Off is more than tired of giving Tay more reasons to hate him.