E U N O I A

a d u s t

Adust — Burned, scorched.

* * *

"So how's college? Everything good?" Conrad asks me and I nod, facing him with a tight smile.

"Yeah, everything's great. Grades are good, life is great. Nothing new." I tell him and he hums.

"What about Logan and Zara? Did you talk to them?" He asked and I smiled faintly, ignoring the burning gaze trained on the side of my face.

Look away damn it!

"I did, they're doing well." 

"Any news on when they might be coming back?" He asked and I shrugged.

"Not any as of yet. I mean, they just got settled there." I said.

"Right, yes. And how are things here? Settling in well with everything?" He gestures to the place around us and I nodded, smiling genuinely.

"It's been alright. Sawyer has been so welcoming, and Bastian has been really nice and helpful as well." I said and Conrad frowned.

"Bastian?" Conrad asked and my eyes widened, locking with Sawyer's who subtly shook his head and then Addy who was looking at me weirdly.

"That would be me." Sebastian grumbled from his place and all heads turned to face him.

"Oh, so you're on nickname base now?" Conrad asked and Sawyer laughed.

"We all have nicknames for each other. She's Har, he's Bastian, and I'm—" He paused, and then frowned, looking at me.

"Hey, I don't have a nickname." He pouted playfully and we all chuckled at him.

"We'll give you one, buddy." I told him.

"Well I'm glad you're settling in well because I was really worried for a bit there." Conrad straightened in his seat.

"Worried? Why?" I asked.

"Well, you hated the man with a passion, Har. I was worried I'd have to bail my sister out of jail on account of murder or something." He laughed, looking between me and Bastian whose face fell.

"Oh, uh— I don't think I hated him that much." I chuckled awkwardly when Sawyer leaned forward with a devious look and Addy nodded.

"You did. Something about him being orphic, you know, beyond ordinary understanding?" She teased and I was sure my face was red as a tomato right now.

"You don't have to—"

"And boy you wouldn't stop about how much you hated him with a passion, I'm surprised he's still alive and standing." He chuckled while I ignored Bastian's unforgiving stare.

Shit.

"Oh? She hated me this much?" Bastian leaned forward with keen interest.

"She did. Wouldn't shut up about you, but hey, no hard feelings, right? I mean, you guys worked it out." He said and Bastian leaned back in his seat, eyes on me with a devious smirk on his face that could not mean anything good.

"Of course. No hard feelings." He said with a slight venomous tone when I gulped, averting my gaze from his intense one.

No hard feelings my ass, he's going to spank my ass red, isn't he?

"Well, we only came here to check up on you." Conrad said and both him and Addy got up and so did we.

"Yeah, thanks for... coming." I said distracted by the possibilities of what could happen later as Conrad came to me and kissed my forehead.