Newt had a headache that monday when he went back to school. He didn't sleep well the entire weekend. The garage was non stop playing the pack Kilee had gotten from the black auction. So far everything seemed quite uneventful. It was hard, like really hard. They'd barely made it through the first boss due to the amount of times they died. On the bright side it did give them so much xp, they were all up almost 3 whole levels which actually is quite a lot. As they went though, Newt got more and more skeptical, there's no way Lizzy could have done this herself. Before she...stopped playing, she barely had hit 75 and they were having troubles getting through it with four almost 160s.
When Newt got to his class, he instantly put his arms on his desk and rested his head on them. He was exhausted and his head was pounding. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to his teacher drone on about things he didn't care about and pretend to listen to what his classmates who he cared even less about had to say. He needed a nap, maybe he'd even pretend to be dead so that he didn't have to get on the game tonight.
"Hey Newt!" Someone sounded from above him.
Newt groaned loudly as he lifted his head, unfortunately recognizing the voice. "What?"
Chuck was standing by his desk with his stupid teir nine shirt on again. How often did he wash that? Probably pretty often by the chipping on the edges of the decal. Oh wait Chuck was saying something.
"Sorry what?" Newt asked, blinking a few times.
"I asked if you wanted to come sit with me and my friends at lunch."
"Uh...why?"
"What do you mean why?" Chuck looked actually confused. "You always sit alone."
"I like sitting alone."
"No one likes sitting alone," Chuck said softly.
"Well I do!" Newt snapped. He was not in the mood for this today.
"Hey Chuck!" Another boy appeared behind him, he had shorter hair freckles all over his face.
"Hey Aris."
The boy looked at Newt who just rolled his eyes but jerked his hand in a wave anyways. "Newt."
The boy's eyes widened. "You're the one in the garage?"
Newt groaned louder and covered his face with his hands. "Chuck you told people?!"
"I wasn't supposed to?" Chuck asked as his cheeks tinged red.
Newt let out a breath. "Can you just leave me alone please?"
"You should totally raid with us some time!" Aris exclaimed excitedly, ignoring Newt totally.
Chuck actually looked a little guilty as he watched Aris barade Newt with questions.
"Can I raid with you guys sometime?!" Aris asked as he clasped his hands together.
"No!" Newt finally snapped. "No! Bloody fuckin hell no! I hate it enough here as it is. I don't want to bring school into the game."
Aris looked a little taken aback at that.
Newt took that as his chance. "If I was bad at the game you wouldn't even be talking to me right now so just please leave me alone." It came out as more of a beg then an order but Aris put his hands up in surrender and sat down at his desk.
"You're kind of a dick Newt," Chuck said as he frowned.
Newt held up his middle finger at him. "Blow me."
Chuck's eyes widened comically at that and he threw himself down into his seat. He almost looked like he was pouting but then again wasn't Newt doing the same?
His teacher finally walked in and started class so Newt let his head fall back down on the table.
God he fucking hated school.
_____
Lunch time finally rolled around and Newt took his normal position outside the school against the wall. He put his headphones in, playing some soft song that wouldn't make his head pound harder than it already was.
As usual he opened his game app.
the garage:
[Sang] 11:34am: afternoon guys...what are you up to?
[Kilee] 11:35am: just took a PHAT nap in class
[Delario] 11:35am: Sang I was looking into some stuff and it seems like whoever is doing this is really into mutilation, as gross as that it is, we can kinda assume it was all by the same guy
[Oben] 11:36am: what a nice thing to start with Del!
[Sang] 11:37am: my head is pounding can we talk about it after school Del?
[Kilee] 11:37am: agreed plus it may not be safe to talk about it on this app
[Delario] 11:38am: shit didn't even think of that, ur smart Ki
[Oben] 11:39am: I don't want to be that guy but I don't think I can play tonight, I'm so tired I can barely stay awake for two seconds
[Sang] 11:40am: I'm gonna have to say that I agree...
[Kilee] 11:41am: thank god Oben said it before me
[Delario] 11:42am: damn you guys are little bitches, I'll do research tonight
[Sang] 11:42am: we don't deserve you
[Delario] 11:43am: yeah yeah tell me something I don't know
[Kilee] 11:44am: on a happier note wanna know what happened to me today?
[Oben] 11:45am: not really
[Kilee] 11:45am: IM GLAD YOU DO!
[Kilee] 11:46am: I was wrestling my friend in the hallway at school, as people casually do and he threw me over his shoulder and we broke the glass door
Newt laughed at that, feeling a weight lift off his chest. He wanted more than anything to figure out what happened to Lizzy but at the same time he couldn't help his sister if he was barely a functioning human.
Newt held back a groan as he saw Chuck and Aris walking toward him.
[Sang] 11:47am: these two kids at school found out I'm apart of the garage and they won't leave me alone please send help ASAP
[Kilee] 11:48am: you act like I wouldn't act the same way if we met IRL
[Delario] 11:49am: I still don't understand ur obsession with him
[Oben] 11:50am: Idk I'm kinda starting to
Newt felt his cheeks flush and he put his phone down before the two boys came up to him.
"Hi?"
"Can we sit with you?" Chuck asked.
Newt swallowed his rude comment and nodded. "Sure."
They sat against the wall next to him.
Newt awkwardly took out one of his headphones and gave them a weird half smile.
[Sang] 11:51am: I'm gonna kms
[Kilee] 11:52am: they probably think ur cute ;););)
[Sang] 11:53am: they just wanna raid with us
[Delario] 11:54am: NO I can barely put up with three boys, more would kill me
"So you know Delario right?" Aris blurted out.
Newt should have guessed where this was going.
"Uh yeah, why?"
Aris bit his lip before looking between Chuck and Newt. "Is she cute?"
Newt made a face at that. "Dude what the actual bloody hell."
"She's so good and we play the same class. I was thinking that maybe she could teach me some things or..."
Newt glared at Chuck who looked sheepish again.
"I promised he could ask you."
"So you cornered me at lunch?"
"She just seems so cool and I watch all her matches!"
Newt wanted to smash his face against the brick wall.
"I'm pretty sure she hates when guys want her just because she's good at the game."
"It's not just because she plays the game! I actually think she's cool and it'd be fun to play with her sometime."
Newt let out a breath. "If I say I'll ask her, will you go away?"
Aris nodded enthusiastically.
"Fine, I'll ask her."
Aris grinned as he scrambled to stand up. "Thank you so much Newt!"
Newt blinked a few times as he watched them leave. Was this actually his real life right now?
[Sang] 12:10pm: you're never going to guess what they wanted
[Oben] 12:10pm: your number?
[Sang] 12:10pm: close...they wanted Del's number
[Kilee] 12:11pm: HAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAH WHAT
[Delario] 12:12pm: seriously?!?!?!
[Sang] 12:13pm: swear it on my death cure armor
[Oben] 12:13pm: wtf is happening at your school
[Sang] 12:14pm: they said they watch Del's matches
[Delario] 12:15pm: I don't even PVP anymore!!! I haven't done a match in months
[Oben] 12:15pm: you were good at it though
[Kilee] 12:16pm: SO good at it...like maybe you should start selling your gamer girl bath water Del
[Delario] 12:16pm: oh my god PLEASE shut up
[Delario] 12:17pm: this is so weird guys, I barely have any friends in MY school and I have people in Sang's school asking for my number
[Kilee] 12:17pm: holy ballsacks was this a weird morning
[Oben] 12:18pm: it's technically not morning anymore
[Kilee] 12:19pm: Oben shut ur bitch ass up
[Sang] 12:20pm: be nice
[Kilee] 12:21pm: well damn why do I feel like the side piece now?
[Delario] 12:22pm: sang and oben together foreverrrrrr <3
[Oben] 12:22pm: children, you guys are CHILDREN
[Sang] 12:23pm: you guys ever picture what each other looks like? The kid kept asking me if Del was cute and like I'd assume so but I realized I don't even know what color hair you have
[Kilee] 12:23pm: OH I GO THIS HOLD UP
[Delario] 12:24pm: god help us
[Kilee] 12:24pm: starting with my man Oben, I picture him kinda short, probably blonde, probably glasses and like barely speaks. Del, my lady, for some reason I see you with light brown hair, probably big tiddy goth gf...or anime henti star. Last but not least Sang I got you imagined as like buff, probably goes to the gym a lot, you're british but we know that but I know you live in america so you probably have loads of suiters begging for you to talk to them in that sexy accent of yours
[Oben] 12:25pm: gotta say Ki you were 100% wrong with me
[Delario] 12:25pm: I don't even know what to say
[Sang] 12:25pm: wrong with me too
[Kilee] 12:26pm: DAMNIT
[Kilee] 12:26pm: everyone tell me one thing so I can adjust my mental pictures
[Oben] 12:27pm: I have dark brown hair and I don't wear glasses
[Delario] 12:27pm: I'm built like a twelve year old boy
[Sang] 12:28pm: I'm tall and really skinny
[Kilee] 12:29pm: well call me bamboozled
[Delario] 12:30pm: you tell us something Ki
[Kilee] 12:30pm: I'm korean
[Sang] 12:31pm: didn't expect that one tbh, I had you pictured as like an annoying little twinky white kid
[Kilee] 12:32pm: ha jokes on you I'm hot
[Oben] 12:32pm: I've had enough, I have to go to class I'm talk to you guys tomorrow
[Kilee] 12:33pm: miss you already honey xx
[Delario] 12:34pm: me too tbh
[Sang] 12:35pm: my lunch is almost over, catch you later guys
Newt closed out of the group chat and stood up to stretch his legs. He was about to put his phone back in his pocket when a private message from Del came in. Newt made a face but opened it.
Delario: I have a problem
Sang: what's up are you okay?
Delario: well yes but also no
Sang: ????
Delario: I think I like Ki
____
When Newt got home after school he dropped his bag at the front door and kicked off his shoes.
"Hi honey!" His mom called from the kitchen. "Hey Eden is upstairs."
Newt made a face. "Uh okay! I'll be down for dinner."
Newt made his way up the stairs, turning to go into his room. He stopped when he saw Lizzy's door open. His heart skipped a beat, but he pushed the door open a little more.
"Eden?" He asked softly.
Newt stopped when he got into the room. Eden was sitting on the floor, a piece of paper in her hand and a pink scrunchie in the other. She was sniffling softly so Newt assumed she was crying.
"Eden are you okay?" Newt asked as he dropped down next to her.
She shook her head and looked up at him with tear stained eyes. "I miss her so much Newt."
Newt put his arm around her, carefully pulling her into him. "I miss her too E."
Eden handed him the paper. "This was the last thing she gave me."
It was a birthday card, when Eden turned 19. Lizzy and Eden were supposed to go to college together, they had a dorm set up and everything. The words were unmistakably Lizzy's. Newt felt his chest tighten as he traced his finger over the words.
"Why'd you bring this here?" Newt asked as he looked at the two items.
Eden wiped her eyes. "Let's go to your room okay?"
Newt nodded as they stood up together. They walked silently to Newt's room. Eden sat on the bed as Newt closed the door softly behind them.
"Remember the pit?" Eden asked as Newt sat on the bed next to her.
"Yeah of course I do."
The pit was this little dip in the forest behind their house, the ground dropped off so you had to slide to go down. It was only about three feet deep but they had gone there constantly as kids, so much that they'd made a little staircase out of the dirt to get up. Everytime Eden was over they went and everytime Newt was sad Lizzy took him there.
"I think Lizzy might have left something there but I was too scared to go alone."
Newt felt his heartbeat pick up at that. "What do you mean?"
Eden carefully pulled another paper out of her pocket. It was the same code that Newt had. Eden flipped it over and handed it to Newt.
Printed on the back were three letters. P I T.
"At first I didn't think anything of it, it's like I tried to block out all my memories of Liz, but I think she may have been trying to leave a trail or something."
Newt hopped off his bed and started pulling his boots on.
"It's her handwriting right?" Eden asked as she zipped up her coat. "That's why I had the card because it was her."
"Yes it was her E." Newt grabbed his coat out of his closet and tugged it on. "We have to go before someone finds whatever she was leaving."
Eran nodded and took Newt's hand and they hurried down the stairs.
"Going to the pit mom!" Newt shouted as he pulled Eden out the front door. Newt broke into a run once they hit the driveway, running back to the yard and to the edge of the woods.
They skidded to a halt when they reached the trees.
"I haven't been here since she died," Newt said softly.
"Me either."
Eden offered him a soft smile and took his hand again.
Newt squeezed her hand before they started along the path they made that long ago when they were kids.
Newt let out a breath as he dunked under a branch.
"Careful."
Eden nodded and did the same.
"How far back was is?" Newt asked as he stepped forward carefully.
Eden stopped for a moment, standing on her tiptoes. "There!"
She let go of Newt's hand and took off to the right, stopping briefly to jump down.
Newt felt himself smiling, Lizzy used to have to help him down because he was so small. Last year he surpassed her quite quickly, growing up six inches that year.
Newt slid down the slope, huffing when he got to the bottom.
"How the hell are we gonna get back up?" Newt asked himself under his breath as he looked at the mud staircase that was just no longer there.
"We can figure that out later, just help me look," Eden said as she dropped to her hands and knees. She was feeling the ground like something was there.
Newt dropped down next to her and started pushing some of the loose fallen leaves aside.
"Whatever was here definitely blew away or got ruined in the ra..."
"Ha!" Eden exclaimed as she grinned. "Got it."
"Got what?!"
Eden was digging a hole with her hands, Newt sat back on his heels to watch.
Eden wrapped her hands around something, grunting softly before she yanked something up.
"What the bloody hell is that?"
"It was Lizzy and I's safe, we didn't tell you about it because we used to shove shirtless pictures of Zac Effron in here. Liz didn't want her little brother to know she liked half naked Zac Effron."
"But I also like half naked Zac Effron."
Newt scooted closer to look. It wasn't exactly a safe, it was a little lockbox with disney princesses on it. The paint was chipped and mud was shoved in all the cracks but Newt vaguely remembered Lizzy getting the box for her birthday years ago.
"One sec," Eden said before getting up and going to a tree on the far end. She grabbed the low branch and hoisted herself up.
"Eden what are you doing?" Newt picked up the box and was cradling it softly to his chest. It was gross but it had things Lizzy left in it, things she left when she was alive.
"Got it!" Eden grinned as she held up a little object.
"I can't see it from here!"
Eden hopped down and hurried back over to him. "The key, we hid it up in that tree because we knew you couldn't climb that one."
"This just seems like an anti-newt box."
Eden shrugged. "Something like that."
After a lot of struggling they got back up the pit and to the house.
Newt convinced Eden to distract his mom while he sprinted upstairs with the box.
After about five minutes Eden came up, tearing her coat off and throwing it on the floor.
Newt was on the bed, messing with the lock.
"It sticks, give it here."
Eden jumped up next to him and took the lock from his hands. She pulled it to the side before shoving the bent key in and twisting it hard. The box popped open and Eden yanked it open eagerly.
The box was full of stuff. On top was a journal, there were letters underneath in white envelopes and even a flash drive.
Newt and Eden slowly looked at each other.
"Newt?"
"Yeah."
"Can I sleepover?"