Parity - 4. Maverick

It was handy, being a loner. Particularly one that people were afraid of. Fear is dull, Maverick thought as he packed up his books. What am I supposed to do with that? Veikko isn't scared of me. No, he's a spitfire. Reima's scared, though. How tedious.

"Maverick, can I just have a word with you before you go?" Francine Daivari asked him and sat in the seat next to him. He looked at her in scorn. This woman never wanted to leave him alone. She always wanted to talk. Talk, talk, talk. What's the matter with her? That's what you get for taking so long to leave, he cursed himself. Idiot. You left yourself open.

"G'day. What's goin' on?" Maverick replied nonchalantly, leaning back and putting his shoes on the side of his desk. He liked swinging on his chair that way, especially the adrenaline rush when he approached the point of falling.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't lean on your chair, for a start," she was firm when she spoke. You put up a nice front, but you don't fool me. Regardless, he smirked as he gently and slowly brought his chair back to base. His long blue hair obscured most of his vision, but he could see her eyes. She was scared of him too. Tedious.

"Now, you remember you're on probation for the first school term, don't you?" Francine asked him, and he laughed. Maybe he could have some fun with her after all. She was trying her strict girl approach again.

"Am I? Why is that?"

"You know why."

"I might, but you should remind me anyway."

"You and Genevieve."

"What about us?"

"You know what I mean."

"You mean in the art room?"

"Maverick--"

"You mean how I fucked her in the art room?"

"Enough!" Francine hissed at him, but Maverick didn't flinch. He grinned at her and suggestively licked his lips. I'm winning.

"Is that why you wanted to see me in here alone?" Maverick continued to make her uncomfortable. "You got some ideas over the holidays? You thought about Gen sitting on my dick and decided you wanted a piece?"

"I'm not playing these games with you," Francine cut him off. "You're trying to embarrass me, and I don't appreciate it." Haha. Maybe I'll give her that one. She's on to me. She always has been.

"What is it, then?" He asked, waiting for her to make her move.

"I know you're sharing some classes with Ember this year," Francine was putting up a good fight, Maverick thought. She was trying so hard to control the conversation, but she wasn't convincing. Still, he respected her moxie, he supposed. "I know that can be a difficult experience for some students, to have their younger sibling advance to the same level of study as them."

"My sister's a genius," Maverick blew his fringe from his eye with a gust of breath. "Why would that be difficult for me?"

"Knowing you, Maverick, I have no doubt you'll be just fine," Francine was hiding something in her voice. Anger? Resentment? Fear? He knew it was there, but he wasn't sure exactly which emotion he was dealing with. That made it harder to respond.

"So, I assume you brought it up for a reason, then!" Maverick rushed her along, hoping she'd finally arrive at the point she was trying to make.

"Ember is a brilliant, conscientious young woman," Francine finally just said it. Good girl. "She has a bright future ahead of her. I want to ask if you might be upset or jealous of her for any reason, and to ask you if you intend to obstruct her in any way."

"Mrs Daivari, I'm offended," Maverick teased her. "Do you think so little of me? None of the other teachers, even for the classes I'm sharing with her, have said this kind of shit to me."

"Because they don't know you the way I do!" Francine was finally starting to lose her cool. It was no secret to him why she didn't make it as a real psychologist and settled for teaching and school pep talks instead. She's smart and on the ball, but she's not good at what she does. "You can sweet talk your way through everyone else at this school, but I see you for what you are. I'm not putting up with your rot anymore. So I'm warning you only once. If you do anything to undermine your sister or anyone else at this school, I will do everything in my power to remove you permanently."

"That didn't work for you last time, did it?" Maverick reminded her. "You don't need to worry about me, Mrs Daivari. I'll be on my best behaviour."

"I don't believe you. You've shown me your hand," Francine stood up, and he stood up as well and met her eyes. To mock her, he waved his hand in front of her then kept it still. He pointed at it with his other hand.

"Yeah," Maverick snickered. "And unlike yours, if you care to notice, it's not fuckin' shaking."

Game and set to me. Thanks for playing, Frannie. Come back for a rematch any time. He picked up his school bag and happily strolled out of the room. Fascinating subject, psychology was. The teacher was the main draw, though. He was glad she made the first move. As far as he was concerned, she declared war on him last year when she went to the board of education, claiming he was a danger to the other students. One of us might leave by the end of term, Frannie, but it's not going to be me.

"What took you so long?" Ember hissed at him when he made it to the bus stop. "We missed the bus, and we've got to wait another ten minutes because of you!"

"You're fuckin' fourteen," Maverick rolled his eyes at her. "What, you can take VCE classes, but you can't get on the bus by yourself?" Ember pursed her lips and scowled at him. Oh, little Ember. He looked across to their younger brother. "And what's your excuse? Are you a pussy?"

"What?" Rain looked at him, wide-eyed. "No! Ember just said we should wait for you!"

Maverick took a sigh. Does nobody in this family think for themselves? Ember was a genius - at least, that's what everyone said. Maybe she was academically gifted. Maverick could never deny that, especially as she skipped ahead in classes and would likely finish high school by next year at the age of sixteen. She challenged herself. He respected her for it. Despite what that clueless Daivari woman thought, she didn't know him at all. He would never stop his sister from succeeding - as long as she stayed in her own lane. Rain, though, he was a little dumbarse. Maverick looked at his little brother with contempt. Thirteen and still no balls, no brains, no brawn. What exactly is the point of someone like that? He probably discovered his first pube before he had his first original thought.

"You wanna play chess tonight?" Maverick took his eyes off Rain, who looked like he was ready to shrink into the seat, and looked back to Ember, who returned his stare.

"Why? I always win," Ember briefly raised her eyebrows. Maverick loved the cheek in her, spunk that was so missing in Rain and most of their other brothers and sisters. Essence didn't take his shit either, but she was living in Japan and he hadn't seen her for a long time.

"Stay cocky, bitch," Maverick played with his hair, ruffling it with his hand. "It'll make it that much sweeter when I beat you. I will beat you, you know."

"Can I play chess?" Rain asked, apparently feeling left out. Maverick didn't like his tone. He was needy. He was pathetic.

"I don't play chess with retards," Maverick taunted him, and Rain pouted. Ember hit him on the side of the head with the novel she was carrying.

"Mum would kill you for using that word!" Ember lectured him. "And you need to stop being so mean to him!"

"Nah, I don't 'need' to do anything," Maverick grinned and sat down next to Rain, who shrunk away from him. No spine. "I'm sorry, buddy. That was cruel of me. You're not a retard."
Rain looked at him suspiciously. Maverick put on his best smile and moved his hair so Rain could see how sincere he was.

"Thanks," the younger brother said cautiously. "It's okay." Oh, seriously Rain? You little moron. People are going to walk all over you for your entire life, however long that will be.

"See, Em? We're all good!" Maverick invited her with his hand to sit with them, and Ember made a point by walking past and sitting on Rain's other side. Please yourself. He's only ever going to drag you down. A small gathering of other Peatsland students who had missed the last 613 bus for whatever reason had begun to assemble for the next one, but it was far less crowded than the first one after three o'clock. Why Ember and Rain wanted to go home on the earlier bus was a mystery. Maverick didn't enjoy having to cram in like sardines and stand because the seats were taken, inhaling the aroma of summer armpits and having someone's awkward teenager boner squashed up against his butt. This way they were all guaranteed a seat for the fifteen-minute journey.

Hinako Matsuda greeted her big kids as they got off the bus with a big, warm cuddle and kiss that Rain lapped up. Neither Maverick nor Ember enjoyed their mother's affection. Ember rejected her entirely, but Maverick let her molest him with her honeyed words and snuggles. If she was happy and she thought he was happy, she wouldn't harass him. The home was a madhouse. Maverick disliked being there and spent as much time as he could out in the town or on his bike. Tony was the man at home, taking care of the youngest children while both Klaus and Albert were still working. Maverick had no idea who out of Tony, Klaus and Albert was his biological father. Frankly, he didn't care. If he had it his way, he wouldn't share the genes of any of them. He looked like his Japanese mother, and that was enough for him. Ember looked like her too. They all did, with minor differences. Rain, for example, shared a lot of Klaus' features, but everyone denied that Rain came from Klaus' seed. We're all one big family, Hinako would lecture. That's it, and that's all.

Eight-year-old Wolf and four-year-old Trinity were already both home from primary school and kindergarten, respectively. Blossom was only two, so she stayed at home with Tony and Hinako, if their mother wasn't working that day. Maverick threw his bag into his room and used the key he kept on his chain to unlock his cupboard and take his private computer from the top shelf, locking it again behind him. He shared a room with both Rain and Wolf, both of whom loved to get into their big brother's possessions. It was just easier to keep things under lock and key than it was to hide them. Wolfy's got a nose for chocolate like a fuckin' bloodhound; Maverick grinned to himself as he switched his laptop on and sat up in his bed. Now the little runt can't steal from my stash and blame it on prince pussy. Rain would never have the guts to take anything from me, but it's funny to blame him anyway and see him shit himself.

He didn't plan to stay very long. There were some things he needed to check up on first. He immediately looked up Veikko Carlisle's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube channel, but there had been no updates. Well, that's a shame. And I gave him so much inspiration today, too. Maybe I'm too hasty. A little patience goes a long way. He'll bite. I know he will.

"Hey, little Wolfy!" Maverick greeted his little brother warmly. He was a cute kid. He was like several of the children in the Matsuda family - no discernible features from any of the three potential fathers but looked like Hinako. Wolf. Maverick would laugh at that name had his own been any better. A hippie woman who took psychedelics while pregnant gave all eight of us stupid names. I'm lucky I didn't get something worse.

"G'day Mav!" Wolf was an arrogant kid for someone who was three and a half feet tall and still had most of his baby teeth. "What's shaking?"

"What's shaking?" Maverick smirked as he hovered his mouse over a picture of the Carlisle twins together in the glass igloo during their Christmas trip to Finland. "Shit, that's played out. Not a lot's shaking for me, buddy! What's crackalackin' for you?"

"School is fucked!" Wolf relished saying that naughty word in his brother's presence without Rain or any of the girls reporting it back to their mother or fathers.

"You have such a filthy mouth, Wolfy," Maverick pretended to lecture him. Spit on the rules, baby brother. Don't let them define you. "But that's fine. School is pretty fucked, isn't it? So what are you going to do about it?"

"I dunno!" Wolf rested his chin on Maverick's bed, next to the bigger boy's knees. "What should I do?"

"Shit, I can't make all the choices for you," Maverick clicked out of his browser and shut the computer. He'll have another look later on in the night. "But I've got an idea! You wanna earn a bit of caramel chocolate, Wolfy? I know that shit's like cocaine to you." Maybe I could give him real cocaine? Haha.

"Ok! What do I hafta do?" Wolf beamed, and Maverick snickered. It was too fucking easy. He scooched off his bed and unlocked his cupboard again, neatly putting his laptop up on the top shelf and reaching into a shoebox. Maverick had a hell of a sweet tooth and hoarded a lot of sugary goodness in there. Candies, lollies, chocolates, anything that could cause cavities. He felt around and brought out a whole bar. Salted caramel. It was a favourite of his, and Wolf's as well. There were more where that came from, but he liked to share... for a price. Wolf's eyes lit up and his mouth opened. He had a sweet tooth as well, but he was too young to be able to satisfy it without his brother's help.

"You remember my rules, right?" Maverick asked, grinning at Wolf, who was back up on his feet and nodding excitedly. "You can have the whole thing to yourself if you don't tell anyone. Now, if you want it, you only have to do one thing. I want you to go and hit Rain in the balls as hard as you can."

"Why?" Wolf asked. He was still in his school uniform. How Maverick fucking hated wearing a uniform in primary school. Peatsland's freedom of clothes for students was one of the things he did actually like about it.

"Because if you do..." Maverick waved the bar around in front of Wolf's face. The boy's eyes followed it like a cat or a dog eyeing off a treat. "I'll let you have the whole bar! Remember, this is a secret between us, okay? If you tell anyone why you're beating on Rain, then you don't get anything."

"Ok!" And just like that, the younger kid skipped merrily out of the room with a big smile on his face. Maverick's smile was even more prominent. It didn't take long before he heard Rain crying out in pain and confusion. There was a loud, impotent attempt at discipline from their mother, and then Wolf came running back to the bedroom with a big smile on his face. "I did it!" Wolf laughed, and Maverick patted him happily on the back and kissed him on the top of his head.

"This is all yours, buddy!" Maverick kept his word and handed it over. "Now, you remember where you have to eat chocolate so you don't get caught, don't you?"

"I don't like going in there," Wolf whined. "It's dark, and it smells like piss."

"If you get caught," Maverick walked over and opened up his cupboard door. "Then that's the end of chocolate for both of us. We can't have that, can we?"

"You won't lock me in?" Wolf asked, his eyes searching his brother's face as he gingerly stepped inside. Don't be a sissy. It's not fun.

"I've never locked you inside before, have I?" Maverick reminded him, showing him the key and putting it down on his bedside table. "I ain't that kind of person."

"You sometimes lock Rain in here," Wolf pointed out as Maverick gently closed the door, but the boy seemed to be happy enough with his prize not to complain any more.

"Rain's a little bitch. You're not Rain; you're my favourite brother. I'm not letting anything happen to you, alright?" Maverick reassured him, closing the door. It clicked shut, but Wolf could easily open it if he needed to. Why with all the claustrophobia? "Come out when you're done, but leave the wrapper in there. I'll work it out later." Oh, little Wolfy. I've always done right by you. You need to trust me more.

"Mav, you want to set the board up?" Ember called out from the doorway. Maverick's mouth twitched. They played chess in his room because Rain and Wolf were a lot more open to leaving them alone than the much younger Trinity and Blossom, with whom she was forced to share with. Still, Ember was the queen of snitches. If she knew Wolf was hiding in the cupboard gorging on chocolate, something forbidden in the house, then she'd tell on them right away and Maverick's stash would be confiscated, along with some very illegal things he had hidden in there. No. Keeping her quiet was something he wasn't sure he'd be able to do. Get rid of her.

"It's a sweet day. Set it up outside," Maverick began undoing his zipper, to her distress. "I'll be out in a minute. I gotta bust a nut."

"You're such a feral, oh my god! I hope you wash your hands before you come out!" She slammed the door shut behind her and Maverick started giggling, doing his fly back up and leaning back happily on his bed. It was a good day. A productive one. He still had unfinished business, but that needed to wait until later. For now, he needed to burn some hours and playing chess with his gifted sister was one of his favourite ways to do it.

"Is it safe?" Wolf asked quietly from inside the cupboard. Oh, right. Wolf.

"Yeah, come on out," Maverick hopped up and Wolf made his way out. He'd been worried that the hot day would mean his brother would get the melted chocolate all over his face, hands and clothes, but they'd done this enough times that the little guy knew how to scoff his treat without leaving evidence.

"Can I have more tomorrow?" Wolf asked, and Maverick shrugged.

"If I have a job for you, then yeah!" He put up his hand, and his number one fan gave him a high five. "You make me proud, little brother. I'm gonna play some chess with Em. Remember, what happened earlier is our little secret. If you can keep secrets, then I might get more treats for ya!"

Ember did set up the board, which was a surprise to him. Maybe she was feeling extra competitive lately because they were in Advanced Maths, English and Physics classes together this year. She was also in a Specialist Maths class, but Maverick was not taking that one. Do what you have to do, little sister, but stay out of my business.

"Did you enjoy your wank?" Ember asked, putting down her novel. Maverick forgot that he lied to make that excuse.

"No, I thought I'd save it for some tail later on tonight," he lied again. If she thought he was going off to rail some chick, she wouldn't ask questions. He was right - she didn't. She was the smartest person he knew, but boy was she was naive.

"At least wear a rubber!" She pleaded with him, choosing to play black and sitting on that side of the board. The sun beat down on them on the wooden veranda. Trinity and Blossom were playing together in the little sandpit with Tony watched. Yeah, I don't think I need a brat of my own, thanks.

"If I do get someone pregnant, I wonder if I should call the kid Lamp or Mountain Dew or something," Maverick joked, and Ember laughed with him.

He exhaled deeply and sat opposite his sister. He had an excellent gift for reading people, and Ember was no different. The problem wasn't that he couldn't see her, it was that she thought eight, ten, fifteen moves ahead. Where he relied on his keen instinct and ability to prey on the vulnerabilities of other players, Ember gave him very little to work with. She was cold, hard logic all the way. She would not fall for bait, nor would she run on tilt if she made a bad move. A thousand plans, each with a thousand backup plans of their own. Try as he might, he could not keep up with her. In the last six chess tournaments the two had entered together, Maverick defeated every opponent except his sister, who was always the one to knock him out of the brackets. I'll get her eventually, he thought as he moved his pawn and slapped the timer. Every time I get a little closer to catching her. If I can beat Ember, I can beat anyone. I will not give up.

"You're too aggressive sometimes," Ember murmured fifteen minutes later when she took one of his pawns with the bishop that had been waiting in the flanks. That was a terrific move. She'd been planning that.

"Shit. Do you think I need to be more conservative?" He asked her, drumming his fingers on the board as he surveyed the new dangers that bishop represented. That piece needs to go. No, wait. That's what she wants me to do. There's a way out. You just need to find it. Outplay her.

"Not necessarily," Ember instructed him. He looked at her while she spoke. She commanded his undivided attention. Her words were important. Her insight was valuable. "You play the best aggressive game I've ever seen, Mav. You nearly always have me on the back foot! You just get overzealous trying to put pressure on me when you can do it better with something more subtle. If you moved your knight instead of the queen, I would've been nearly out of options."

You're too aggressive. Move your knight instead of your queen. You might better apply pressure with a more subtle move.

"Alright, cheers," Maverick considered what she'd said. She's giving me the tools I need to beat her. That's not a surprise. Ember wanted the best game she could get out of him. The more competitive our matches, the better we're both going to get. I will win eventually. Mark my words.

Maverick did not win. He thought he would. He had her teetering on the cliff, but as victory looked certain, Ember made a single play with a rook that took her brother by surprise and, knowing that checkmate was imminent and not wanting to waste their time, he forfeited and politely shook her hand.

"You clever bitch," he grinned, and she laughed with a twinkle in her small eyes, getting to her feet. "You were scared. Admit it."

"I was!" Ember exhaled, and the two grinned at each other. "Well, the loser cleans up. Have fun with that." She waved and disappeared back into the house. It was twenty minutes to seven in the evening. They'd been playing for a little over three hours. When the two got deep into their game, time just stopped meaning anything. It was a handy way to push through hours he needed to kill.

Maverick packed up their board and came into the house. All three dads were home now. He said his hellos and received his hugs, then vanished out the front door while nobody was looking and hopped on his bicycle. He never bothered with his helmet. If he was stupid enough to have an accident, he deserved to have his head split open. Besides, it fucked with his hair, getting strands caught in it and shit. Who has the time? It was a pleasant ride down the side streets - the main roads would likely have some copper who would take umbrage with his not wearing a helmet. The wind was lovely and the sun, still up, was still quite warm. People were out and about, socialising, having fun, kids playing. He was decidedly indifferent about that. His favourite part of the ride was always to speed down the flights of stairs by the library. Too fast and I'll break my head on the concrete, he grinned to himself. It's a shame I'm too fucking good. He locked his bike to one of the bike racks on his way into the small arcade.

Grill'd was one of his favourite restaurants. The burgers were terrific, notably the Caesar's Palace - his favourite. There was one closer to home in the other direction, but he needed to come to this one tonight. Once in line, he scanned the wait staff and kitchen staff until his eyes caught Dominic Faye working as one of the chefs. Good. Now he just needed to get his attention. Dom never looked up from what he was doing, and man, he looked miserable. He has every fuckin' reason to be, Maverick thought angrily. The pretty girl asked him for his order when he arrived at the front of the line. She was cute enough that he thought perhaps he might not have been lying to Ember when he said he was out to get some. He could imagine how her pretty red lips might feel.

"Gimme the Caesar's Palace, please. And don't forget your number the receipt," he flashed her a cocky smile, and she made a face. Well, it was worth a shot. She could have been fun, but someone much more fun hung in the back of his mind. A boy, every bit as cute as this bitch here. "Oh, and can you tell Dominic I'm here? The name's Maverick."

"Oh, Dom from the kitchen?" The girl asked, taking his twenty dollar note and rummaging for the change. "We're pretty busy."

"I know that sweetheart, but he's bound to have a break sooner or later," Maverick flashed a suggestive grin at her. "So are you. I might stick around."

"I'll let him know," she responded, not interested in his advances. Oh well.

"Cheers, babe," he took his change and put it back in his wallet before taking a seat at his table. He laughed when the waiter brought him his burger with a small note by it. '7:15 break.' That guy. Always so considerate. What he gets out of that fling with Veikko Carlisle I'll never know. The burger was terrific, and shortly after Maverick finished the lot, big guy Dom showed up at his table.

"What are you doing here?" Dom asked nervously, and Maverick stood up.

"Can we talk outside? I won't be here long," he answered, and Dom nodded, leading Maverick out the front door and a small way around the corner where the pedestrian traffic was much more thinned out. He didn't want to speak to Dom about such a tender subject at his place of work.

"So, you want to tell me what in the fuck you were doing?" Maverick hissed at him, standing toe to toe. Dom towered over him, but that didn't matter. He wasn't scared of Dom. He wasn't afraid of anyone.

"What?" Dom asked, screwing up his handsome face.

"That overdose? You used my gear to try to kill yourself?" Maverick was still so angry. "Do you know what would have happened if they traced that back to me? I would have been so deep in the shit!"

"I'm sorry," Dom didn't look very sorry, in Maverick's opinion. If you're not sorry, don't tell me you are. Do not lie to me, mate.

"Did you tell anyone where you got the H?" Maverick pressed him. "Anyone at all?"

"No, of course not," Dom snapped at him. "I wouldn't do that to you. I never said who sold it to me, okay? So you can stop worrying and never show up during my shift again."

"Did you tell Veikko?" Maverick wanted to know. He needed to know. "You're boyfriends, aren't you? Don't you tell him everything?"

"We're not boyfriends," Dom answered gruffly. "And no, I don't. Are you happy now?"

You're too aggressive. Move your knight instead of your queen. You might better apply pressure with a more subtle move.

"Yeah, man," Maverick said softly, taking a half step backwards and exhaling. "Sorry. You freaked me out, Faye. I thought I'd sold you death instead of a good time or some shit and I was scared. Scared for you too. I'm glad you're alright."

"Keep this between us," Dom folded his arms and bit his lip. "I don't want any trouble, okay? I just want to keep my head down."

"Believe me, man. I'm not about to say shit to anyone," Maverick was so pleased that his sister's advice came to fruition. He didn't have to resort to threats to buy Dom's silence. If Veikko knew Maverick was the one who sold his friend the heroin in the first place, then the cutie would never forgive him. That would not do, no way. "Thanks for talking to me, cuz. You ever need a favour, you only gotta ask. I'm here for you, alright?"

"Mate, you're full of shit," Dom scoffed, rolling his eyes. "If you're just here to make sure your arse is covered, then you can rest easy, but don't pretend you care. I have to head back. Don't show up at my job again, please. Send me a text like normal people do." Wow, that sudden hostility. He has some sore spots where support is concerned. Trouble in paradise with Veikko? Not getting the attention he wants, maybe?

"See you around, squire!" Maverick gave him a wave and a wink, and Dom walked back on his monstrously large legs. He's bloody massive. It's not a surprise he pinned me so easily while his cute little boyfriend made out with me. Maverick grinned as he felt his body tingle with that memory. Speaking of Veikko, it was time to look for updates. It was getting towards dusk and the cycle home was even better now that people were starting to disappear. Maybe I'll go for a ride at midnight when nobody's here. Perhaps I can convince Carlisle to meet up with me for some fun. Klaus was the one to notice Maverick's reappearance in the house. Of the four adults, he was the only one who seemed to notice or care when the eldest boy came and went.

"You missed dinner!" Klaus welcomed him home and beckoned him into a hug. The sound of Hinako's favourite music blared through the house. He liked it, but she played it so loud, and he wanted some quiet.

"I had a date," Maverick replied bluntly, avoiding his father's affection. "I didn't think anyone would miss me."

"I always miss you, kiddo!" Klaus seemed offended by his words and action. "A girl, hey? Did you at least use protection?"

"How can I?" Maverick grinned. "You won't buy me a pocket knife."

"Did you have a good day at school? How's the probation going?" Klaus asked before Maverick could turn away and return to his room. "What about your sister?"

Of course! They wanted to know about how Ember was. Not him. It was all about the smart girl. Always. Why are they so worried about her?

"Ember's fine," he made a point of not talking about himself, but he doubted his father would notice. "She'll be graduating in no time." Klaus accepted this, as Maverick knew he would, and the boy slipped away back to his bedroom. Wolf and Rain were both in the living room, he supposed, because they weren't in their space. He made sure to close the door.

He retrieved his laptop and went for another look at Carlisle's social media pages. Yes! Updates. If there was something he loved, it was attention. A topless selfie he "randomly took," on his Instagram, two inspirational quotes about not giving a shit what people think on his Facebook, nothing on his Youtube channel and Twitter. He expected more and he was uncharacteristically disappointed. He was a little confused with himself. He'd never bothered with any emotional attachment, but he found himself wanting that boy to like him back. It takes time, he remembered Mrs Daivari telling him once. Emotional connections take time. Perhaps that stupid bitch does know a thing or two. The chase just wasn't fun unless the boy liked him back. I thought I got into his head today. That's alright; there's always tomorrow. I'm gonna win your heart, Carlisle.

I like you, and I intend to have you.