𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡
your timing is awful
AS THE SUN'S RAYS filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in a gentle morning glow, Matilda began to squint as she slowly awakened from her slumber. A small noise escaped her lips as she stretched and rolled over, her leg popping in the process from being in the same position for too long. She glanced at the empty space beside her and even put her hand on the cold sheets to fully process that for once she wasn't the first one awake.
She reached for her phone to confirm the time, only to be greeted by a screen filled with notifications from her family and of course Charlie, wishing her a Happy Birthday. A quiet snort escaped her as she read a message from her father, reminding her about lunch and reminiscing on how his little girl was growing up alongside a photo he had clearly taken from one of their photo albums of her covered in chocolate. She could already envision the tears welling up in his eyes as he typed it out. James Shoupe was known to be a chaotic wreck when it came to sentimental moments. And it might sound strange coming from a teenager, but she wasn't embarrassed about her father being that way— in some way it healed the inner child in her that missed out on those moments.
Matilda responded to the messages before finally dragging herself out of bed, noting that it was already after eight. She made her way to the bathroom door, where the sound of the shower permeated through the wooden door. With a light tap of her first she knocked on the door before pushing the door ajar, enough so that the boy could hear her. "Get your hands off your dick, I'm coming in," she playfully taunted, only to be met with a muffled grumble from behind the shower screen.
As she closed the bathroom door, a cloud of steam enveloped the room, causing her to roll her eyes in exasperation. Rafe, as usual, had forgotten to turn on the fan. After doing it for him, she retrieved her makeup bag from the cabinet beneath the sink; one that permanently lived under there, a testament to how often she spent at the Cameron's. While in the midst of washing her face, she had left the water running, much to the annoyance of Rafe who cursed in the confines of the shower from the fluctuating temperature.
Suddenly, Rafe poked his head out from behind the shower screen, clearly irritated. "Are you kidding me right now?" he exclaimed, his gaze fixed on his best friend as she just silently stared back at him. His eyes immediately rolled at the look of amusement that covered her face. "Shower with me?" he proposed, his voice laced with a hint of mischief as attempted to get on her nerves.
"Really, Rafe?" she retorted, her face scrunching up in mild distaste at his words. If it had been anyone else, she would have been flustered and speechless, just as she used to be with Rafe. But over time, she had grown accustomed to his constant flirting and suggestive innuendos, knowing that it never amounted to anything.
"Eyes will remain above board unless you bend over, then you're done for," he added, before closing the door and returning to his shower.
Her mouth fell open in surprise and disgust, but soon a grin spread across her face as she laughed quietly. "Ah, I always knew you were an ass guy," she teased, as he chuckled from inside the shower.
Matilda shook her head at the typical exchange as she continued getting ready for the day, smiling to herself at the occasional disapproving sounds emitted by Rafe when she turned on the faucet. By the time Rafe had completed his own routine, she had already skillfully woven her hair into elegant fishtail braids. As Rafe emerged from the shower, his chiselled physique wrapped in a towel, Matilda swiftly averted her gaze from him, redirecting her attention to her own reflection in the mirror.
Rafe playfully tugged at one of her finished braids as he stood next to her, causing her to emit a small yelp and playfully swat him away. "Stop trying so hard not to check me out."
Matilda responded with a dismissive eye roll and a muttered retort of "you wish," as she applied toothpaste to his toothbrush and handed it to him without uttering a word before doing her own.
Standing behind her petite frame, Rafe gently pressed her against the sink, his free hand resting on the counter to keep her in place. Matilda couldn't help but smile at him in the mirror, her toothbrush still in her mouth. Being close to him always created a sense of comfort for her; this was one of the many things that became a domesticated routine for them. And after the first few times, she had managed to push the thought of Rafe being near naked to the back of her mind— knowing he didn't mean anything by it. As they finished brushing their teeth, their eyes locked in the reflection of the mirror and the matching grins they both wore spoke volumes.
Eventually Matilda had managed to convinced Rafe to let her shower and kicked him out of the bathroom, and now she was comfortably settled in the passenger seat of his truck. Sarah hadn't been downstairs before they left, most likely still asleep after drinking the previous night. Rafe was focused on the road ahead, with Wheezie chatting away in the backseat. The trio was headed to the beach to grab milkshakes from Mal's Shack, a long-standing tradition for Rafe and Matilda. Matilda, who never really had birthday parties, preferred to spend the day with her family and friends.
Wheezie had decided to tag along, expressing her need to spend time with Matilda. While Matilda was happy about it, she couldn't help but exchange sceptical glances with Rafe. It wasn't that she doubted Wheezie's intentions; she adored Matilda vice vera. It was more so, her unusually high level of excitement coupled with the constant smile on her face as she stared at her phone since they left raised some suspicion Plus, she was a Cameron by blood. They always had ulterior motives.
"Do you remember Jenny from fifth grade?"
Matilda had no clue who Jenny was or anything that Wheezie was currently talking about. She was no stranger to the girl's need to gossip. She was certain that Lucy would probably be ten times worse when she reached the same age as Wheezie.
"Uh, the one who has a really hot dad?" Matilda guessed as she twisted her body slightly in her seat to face the younger girl who was sat in the back.
Rafe averted his eyes from the road at her words, giving her a look that bordered on concern and unimpressed, before she reached over and pushed his cheek back towards the front of the car, wordlessly telling him to keep his eyes on the road.
"Yes! So she was with Chris Beck, he's like the hottest guy in school–" Wheezie continued, perking up in the backseat as she fulfilled her need to gossip.
"I'm gonna tell Ash," Matilda teased. Asten was Kelce's younger brother, and happened to have a massive crush on Wheezie. It was definitely reciprocated, considering the blush that coated the girl's cheeks every time he was brought into conversation.
"Shut up!" Wheezie grumbled, her cheeks tinted with red, causing the older girl to laugh at her expense. "Anyway! she cheated on him with Alex Sanders. He's like a two at best," she continued her previous story.
Matilda nodded slowly, her face now wearing an expression of concern as she tried to wrap her head around thirteen-year-olds cheating. "Who is Alex?" she murmured in confusion.
"Wait, let me show you his gram," Wheezie replied, quickly unlocking the mobile device that had remained firmly grasped in her hands since their departure.
Matilda glanced over at Rafe, who was focused on driving but clearly eavesdropping on the conversation. A subtle smirk graced his lips, his fingers dancing lightly on her thigh before he squeezed it and left his hand to rest there as he sensed her gaze upon him from his peripheral vision. Her eyes drifted downwards to his hand as she nibbled on her lip, her gaze skimming over the contours of his hand.
For the subsequent five minutes, Wheezie proceeded to showcase a series of photos of Alex, completely oblivious to the older teenagers who were stealing glances at each other.
Matilda absentmindedly played with Rafe's signet ring, attempting to follow along with Wheezie. Her mind remained ensnared in a loop from Rafe to Scooter Grubbs to a random jogger outside the car.
The trio eventually found a spot on a bench overlooking the sandy shore near Mal's. Rafe practically skipped out of the car, eager to escape Wheezie's incessant boy talk.
Matilda sat on the bench, swinging her feet playfully, while Wheezie sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, and Rafe impatiently stood, waiting for the girls to make a decision.
"I want chocolate. And make sure they add whipped cream and mint chocolate sprinkles," Wheezie demanded, looking at her brother.
"What am I? A servant?" Rafe grumbled.
"My kind, wonderful brother," Wheezie sarcastically remarked, completely unfazed by his attitude, causing Matilda to stifle a laugh. She loved how unbothered Wheezie had always been by Rafe's grumpy attitude, which happened more often than not. Plus, it was refreshing to see Rafe actually have a positive relationship with one of his sisters.
Rafe rolled his eyes before redirecting his attention towards Matilda, "Do you have any specific requests, Princess?" he quipped, his tone dripping with sarcasm
"Just banana," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders, trying to make it easier for the brooding boy and the fact he would probably forget anymore requests.
"You normally get chocolate," Rafe stated, perplexed by her choice.
"I'm trying to be different," Matilda grinned, causing Rafe to give her an incredulous look. They both knew that the girl could not handle change.
"Alright, alright," Rafe muttered under his breath, reluctantly making his way back up the hill towards the milkshake truck.
"Are you looking at his butt?"
Matilda closed her eyes in annoyance before tearing her gaze away from Rafe's retreating figure to look at the girl beside her "Yes Wheezie, I am having a good look at it," she sarcastically replied, meeting Wheezie's knowing gaze.
"So," Wheezie drawled, resting her chin in her hands and propping her elbows on the wooden bench. "Have you heard from that beach guy from last summer?," Wheezie nonchalantly inquired.
Matilda shot her a look, well aware that she had only confided in Sarah and Charlie about that. It could only mean that Wheezie had been eavesdropping. "You really need to stop listening to people's conversations, Wheez," Matilda scolded, her gaze momentarily drifting back to the milkshake truck where Rafe stood, engrossed in his phone. "Besides I'm with Charlie."
"You and Charlie aren't actually a couple, duh," Wheezie retorted, digging herself into a deeper hole. It was not as if their fake relationship was a well-kept secret; they only put on a show in front of Charlie's parents, who rarely associated with anyone outside of business. Matilda was fairly certain that even if Chuck Hudson had the slightest inkling that their relationship was a charade, he would simply ignore it, as it served his image well. "Have you two had sex?" Wheezie inquired.
Matilda was taken aback by the question and the fact that it came from Wheezie. "What no?" she quickly responded in disbelief.
"What about you and Rafe?"
Matilda was increasingly disturbed by Wheezie's lack of a filter as of recently. Actually, Matilda was often caught off guard by the girl, and despite how much she loved her, like a sister even, she was something you had to have in small doses. "You really don't need to know about your brother's sex life. Don't be weird," she advised.
After a few moments, Wheezie decided to make yet another unfiltered comment. "I am convinced that you are a virgin," she boldly commented.
"If Tilly wants to be a virgin she can be," Rafe playfully taunted, gracefully placing the cups on the bench, clearly having overheard that particular part of the conversation. Matilda shot him a disapproving glance in response to his comment. Mind you, she was not a virgin, but she had no intention of broadcasting that fact.
"Hey." Matilda defended.
"She's old now," Wheeze chimed in.
"There's no age limit, Wheez" Matilda retorted.
"Well, mine is fifteen," Wheezie nonchalantly declared.
"Not happening," both Rafe and Matilda declared in unison, their protective instincts surfacing.
"I'm just saying," Wheezie commented, picking up her milkshake with a smile directed at her brother. "Oh, look! It's Ellie! I'm going to go say hi. See you later!" Wheezie dramatically exclaimed, swiftly making her exit before anyone could respond.
A sound mixed between disbelief and humour escaped her lips as she watched the girl run off down the beach. "She totally just used us for a ride, right?" she said aloud. Matilda was impressed.
"She is a Cameron."
Matilda glanced at Rafe discreetly, only to find him already gazing at her with a suppressed grin while she delicately sipped from the straw, the banana flavour causing her to resist scrunching her face in distaste. She should have just stuck to chocolate. Putting on a facade of an exaggeratedly cheesy smile, she received a disapproving head shake from Rafe, who extended his milkshake towards her and silently reached for hers. Her fingers curled around the paper cup as she peered down, wrinkling her nose at the sight of the brown chocolate liquid— Rafe usually got vanilla.
"Come on," Rafe urged, extending his free hand for her to take, nodding towards the stretch of beach.
Walking along the pristine shoreline, there was an undeniable air of tranquillity that enveloped Matilda. The beach had always held a special place in her heart, a sanctuary of solace and nostalgia. It was a place where cherished memories of her childhood with her father resurfaced, before everything. The image of her father, riding the waves or helping her build sandcastles, lingered in her mind like a cherished relic from a simpler time.
As she strolled beside Rafe, her eyes caught sight of a young girl playing with her dog, a smile tugging at her lips.
Rafe had been gazing down at her for a few minutes, his arm draped around her shoulders as his fingers traced small circles on Matilda's bare arm. "Hey, are you okay?" he whispered softly, prompting a faint hum from Matilda, who finally shifted her attention towards him as they trudged through the warm sand. "You've got that look on your face," he observed.
"I don't have a look," she defended, though deep down, she knew she wore a pensive expression. It was the look that surfaced when her mind delved into complete contemplation. The look where her radiant smile faded and her eyes wandered aimlessly into an abyss of nothing.
"Is this about Topper?"
"Topper?" she responded, her confusion evident in her voice and knitted eyebrows.
"Last night.." Rafe confirmed, halting their movements as his body pivoted to face her. "He hasn't shut up about it all day in the group chat," he explained.
A small "oh" escaped Matilda's lips, she had almost forgotten. The image of Charlie in a fight, Topper attempting to drown John B, and JJ with his gun flashed through her mind. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of trivial musings, mostly inconsequential, and some of which involved Rafe, although she had no intention of confessing that to him. "I'm pretty sure he kicked me out of that," she responded lightheartedly. She definitely hadn't seen any messages from Topper, not that it had fazed her.
Rafe gazed down at her, suppressing the urge to voice his disapproval of her decision to go, especially without him, or his disdain for the pogues. "Get out here for the day for me, yeah?" he gently nudged her temple, and she nodded slowly, a faint smile gracing her lips as she looked up at him. "That's my girl. You're mine again after lunch, I've already cleared it with your dad."
"You managed to convince my dad to let us skip the birthday movie?" she asked in apprehension. James had spent the last four years creating the tradition, and she couldn't believe that he would just let it be interrupted, especially considering he enjoyed it way more than her.
"Yep, I told him last year was traumatic for me," he joked.
"Sixteen Candles is an iconic film, Rafe! Don't be like that," she playfully defended, lightly pushing his chest. He chuckled in response, seizing the opportunity to take her hand in his by grasping her wrist. "I can't believe you did it. Look at you, a businessman in the making. I'm impressed," she teased.
"Shut up, loser," Rafe grumbled, although his smile betrayed the pride he felt at her compliment.
"Do I get to know what we're doing?"
"No."
"Can I at least have a hint?"
"Water."
"That's the worst hint ever, Cameron."
—————————
"What's the special occasion?" Matilda joked.
"Just some idiot's birthday," Rafe replied with a slight sniff as he scratched his nose, adjusting himself on the sofa that adorned the deck of the boat.
"I've had one of these before you know. For the last seventeen years in fact," she playfully teased.
The duo found themselves aboard The My Druthers, not too far out at sea but just enough to create the illusion of isolation. While the marsh was off-limits due to Agatha, they ventured in the opposite direction along the channel from Figure 8 that crossed over into the vast ocean, which apparently was free reign. Although Rafe seemed uncertain when Matilda had initially questioned him on it.
The first surprise of the night was that Ward Cameron had entrusted Rafe with the boat, something that had clearly taken some persuasion. To Matilda, that explained while Rafe had been on his best behaviour during her birthday lunch, and took the punches as they came.
Matilda emphasised with Rafe's frustration that quickly came apparent after leaving lunch; the foul mood had only recently dissipated. The thing is when you gathered a group of grown men, whose only real connection is their shared wealth, it inevitably turned into a pissing contest. Take Chuck Hudson for instance– his latest triumph over Ward Cameron is that Charlie is headed to Dartmouth on a full ride Business scholarship, while Rafe dropped out of college. And in a world of male ego, that was a big deal. In Kooklandia, it was even more so. Naturally, Ward sought to preserve his reputation by claiming that Rafe was simply taking a brief hiatus from college to assist with a side project at Cameron Development. A lie, but a necessary one to maintain appearances.
The second surprise was from Rafe himself. Matilda wasn't exactly sure what she had expected when Rafe mentioned that he had something planned for the night. But, she didn't really expect this, not from him. Rafe was notoriously selfish, even she was privy to that, and he did things that benefited him most of all, yet she couldn't quite figure out how this night benefited him. He had done an amazing job at making it seemingly selfless.
Dinner on the water surpassed any expectations Matilda could have conjured. It was evident that Rafe had meticulously orchestrated every detail, which was somewhat unlike the boy. What she loved even more was how relaxed Rafe seemed. Somewhere between the car ride and boarding the boat, he had shed his worries, a feat that those who truly knew him would recognize as no small accomplishment. This newfound lightness was evident in the way he laughed about the afternoon rather than linger on Ward Cameron or Chuck Hudson's derogatory remarks towards Matilda. Instead, he picked at the look on Topper's face when he discovered the gift Matilda had received from his father or how Rose tripped up the steps after indulging in one too many sangrias. It reminded her of the Rafe she knew before he went off to college.
"You deserve it, 'right?" he told her. "I wanted to do this because-," he paused mid sentence, blue eyes trailing over the soft smile that sat on her lips. "Because you're seventeen," he blurted out, diverting from his original words. "Girls make a big deal out of this one. Remember Simone's big pink dress,"he continued, fixing his stumble with humour.
In response, she threw her head back, her laughter filling the room, causing Rafe's smile to widen even further. "Stop! That dress looked like a sparkly, hot pink marshmallow. Unfortunately, it's permanently stuck in my memory," she exclaimed, leaning back against the plush cushions. "There's no way you still liked her after that," she snorted.
"I never liked her," he commented, his finger tracing around the rim of his glass as if in thought.
Matilda made a noise in the back of her throat that displayed her scepticism, clearly recalling that he continued to date Simone for two months after that. "So, who helped you set this up? I almost feel like saying Sarah but I know you, and Charlie cannot keep a secret to save his life from me." she teased, causing him to chuckle.
"You're not wrong, I would never ask her for help. But I did have help... your dad," he revealed.
"He did?" she whispered, her heart warming at the thought of Rafe turning to her father for help, and her father effortlessly offering his assistance, even for something as trivial as this. It meant more to her than words could express.
"Mhmm, he also cried a week ago when we were talking about it," Rafe remarked, his eyes fixed on her, trying to decipher her reaction.
"Every time I looked at him at lunch he was about to cry. He's an emotional wreck," she murmured breathlessly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, though Rafe noticed. She couldn't help but recall a few hours ago when her father had practically enveloped her in his arms, refusing to let her go, and Rafe had to gently pry her away from him.
"Apple doesn't fall too far," he whispered back.
Matilda opened her mouth to protest his words, but they both knew how right he was. Instead, she moved across the sectional closer to Rafe, almost collapsing into his lap. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his body, and he reciprocated the hug by encircling her waist with a soft chuckle directed towards her dramatics. Matilda lived in a world where everyone's opinions and judgments of Rafe held no sway. In her eyes, she knew that he was a good person, flawed yet undeniably beautiful in his own unique way. And in this moment, he reminded her of that truth.
"Before you get more sappy and crap, I had one more thing," he whispered into her hair, causing the girl to raise her gaze. With a gentle tap on her backside, he prompted her to stand up. She chuckled softly, not so gracefully rolling off of him, and he swiftly caught her by the waist before rising to his feet. "One minute," he instructed her as he made his way into the cabin. Within a few moments, he emerged, holding a cupcake in his hand and carefully placing a single candle in the centre of the frosting. "Hold this," he directed.
Matilda wordlessly complied with his order, a smile gracing her face as she observed the boy rummaging through his pockets. Eventually, he retrieved a lighter and flicked it, igniting the candle's flame. Her eyes briefly shifted to the cupcake, appreciating the sight of the small, chocolate treat adorned with purple frosting, her favourite colour. Her gaze returned to Rafe, who was looking at her expectantly and she blinked back more tears threatening to spill. She truly inherited James' traits, cursing Rafe and his knack for making someone feel special.
"You have to make a wish," he urged, his eyes fixed on the speechless girl, her face illuminated by the candle's glow. Those were the same words he had spoken on each of her past eleven birthdays.
She closed her eyes and blew out the candle, making a single wish— the same one she had made for the past three years, one a whole lot more sentimental than her childhood one of becoming a mermaid.
"What did you wish for?" Rafe whispered, staring down at her intently.
And as with every year, her response remained unchanged, "I can't tell you, or it won't come true."
As the sun gracefully bid farewell to the day, Matilda proposed the idea of swimming, much to Rafe's initial reluctance. He had provided some lame excuses about them not having brought swimwear or that she would complain it was cold within seconds, which were quickly dismissed by her. His reservations swiftly transformed into something else entirely when Matilda effortlessly slipped out of her dress, revealing a matching blue set.
Rafe had been right about the water being cold, but Matilda let that hinder her enjoyment. And after messing around in the water for twenty minutes, her body acclimated to the temperature. There was something about swimming at sunset, the way the water's sun-kissed companion slowly descended behind the horizon, leaving room for the moon to emerge and cast its ethereal glow.
Emerging from beneath the water's surface, Matilda pushed her wet hair off her face before turning her attention to Rafe who chuckled at her. "How cool is this?" she whispered in complete bliss.
"Are you done playing mermaids?" he teased, his large hand gently grasping her wrist and drawing her closer.
"Mm, I might be," she hummed, allowing him to guide her body towards his with the effortless grace of the water. "Hi," she whispered as his hands settled on her hips, her legs entwining around his waist, and her hands finding his broad shoulders for support.
"Hi," he replied in a matching tone, his hands eventually moving to the backs of her thighs beneath the surface of the water.
"You know you've been home for two months," she casually remarked. The thought had been lingering in her mind for the past hour. Ever since he returned from college, they'd been more attached at the hip than ever, as if making up for the time they'd missed out on.
Rafe seemed lost in his own thoughts at her words, his gaze drifting off into the distance. His blue eyes shimmered under the moonlight as they eventually met her gaze again. A bittersweet smile formed on his lips as he muttered, "College fucking sucked."
"Oh, it definitely sucked when you were calling me wasted at 3 in the morning every second night," she playfully responded.
Rafe contemplated his next words, realising that she wasnt grasping the true meaning behind his statement. "The worst part was not having you there," he began, his eyes averting behind her once again in avoidance of her intense stare. "I dunno, I felt lost. In some fucked up way, you're the only person I can rely on, not even my own family."
Matilda remained silent, her grip around his neck tightening, causing gentle ripples to dance around their submerged bodies as her body shifted. Rafe was not one to pour his heart out for the sake of it, and although they had shared deep conversations about anything and everything, he had never explicitly expressed just how much he needed her. It was something she simply knew, or assumed until now. The word "lost" resonated with her because she had felt it too in his absence. Despite constant messaging, there was a void that couldn't be filled for two people who had spent almost every day together since they met.
Her silence prompted Rafe to involuntarily tighten his hold on her as his own thoughts ran wild at the distant expression on her face. The gesture spurred her to break her silence. "Do you want to know what I wish for?" she murmured softly, her gaze fixed on the space between them. Even though she couldn't see him, she sensed his silent nod encouragement."I- I wished for this. To always have it... You can be an outright asshole, Rafe.."
"Gee thanks," he laughed breathlessly.
"But I don't know what I would do without you," she confessed, meeting his eyes. They were both stepping out of their comfort zones, expressing sentiments they both didn't know they needed to hear.
Rafe's gaze searched her face, his actions deliberate and uncharacteristically hesitant. Leaning in, he pressed his forehead against hers, their noses barely grazing each other, causing her eyes to flutter shut involuntarily.
Matilda's grip on his shoulders tightened as she tried to control the slight shake of her hands. She reopened her eyes to meet his twinkling azure gaze illuminated by the moonlight, releasing a breath of air as she swallowed slightly at the intensity of his gaze, something she had only witnessed once before. "Do you remember that party last February?" she whispered.
The words seemed to have an opposite effect on Rafe than intended, pulling him back into a cold, hard reality. He was quick to detach from her with a scoff in disbelief. "Don't. Don't do that again," he countered, his voice tinged with frustration.
Rejection was a bitter pill, capable of changing a person, especially when the threat of encountering it once more loomed. At the slightest hint of it, his sight blurred, rendering whatever she had to say irrelevant– even if it was the complete opposite of what he thought.
Her pleas and calls of his name were left unheard as he was quick abandoned the water's embrace, and her. The fuse had already been ignited, and no force on earth could extinguish the inferno that now consumed him from her harsh reminder.
Strangely, the water that enveloped her now seemed frigid against her exposed flesh, despite the scorching turmoil that that engulfed her. Perhaps there was truth in the superstition that wishes spoken aloud were doomed to never come true. It might not have completely broken in this very minute, but maybe it was destined to crumble in the near future.
&&. note
Short story is that I have had a really bad writer's block. I think you can kinda see where I came out of it in this chapter. This chapter went in a different direction than I originally had planned but I kinda just went with it.
Obviously, Rafe is Rafe so their friendship hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows for 12 years, and I'm excited to show that. But let's just let Rafe live his best life on a pedestal for now.
I will be hiding from the army of Jilly shippers until JJ comes back real soon. I actually miss him, and Charlie. I'm working on a little something for Charlie right now (;
Any suggestions or thoughts about what people want to see next chapter or in the future?
I already have a flashback of that February Tilly brought up. One of my favourite characters is introduced in it, take a guess.