Sleeping in? Kota? Victor groaned mentally. Kota only ever slept in if he wasn’t feeling well. He would have called Victor if it was bad enough he had to cancel, so maybe it was allergies. Or perhaps a headache he had already taken medicine for.
Regardless, it didn’t seem like he’d heard Victor come in. Victor smiled to himself and then tiptoed over to the bed. He rarely got a chance to spook Kota, and while he was sympathetic that he may have a headache, a little surprise wouldn’t kill him.
He positioned himself near the bed and bent a little over it.
“Hey Kota!” he said, grinning.
The body in the bed didn’t move. Not a jump or even an annoyed word about being quiet. Odd. Maybe he’d heard him coming. How disappointing that Kota heard everything.
Victor pouted. “Still sleeping? What’s wrong with you?”
Nothing again.
Maybe Kota was ignoring him. Victor positioned himself where he wouldn’t hit Kota in the groin with his knee or land on his stomach. He launched himself up, landing hard on the bed, colliding with the body underneath. He sought out wrists and grabbed them, trapping Kota under the covers.
He paused. Something was wrong. Kota’s wrists felt a little too slim, but still, he kept on top of him, thinking maybe the bulk of blanket was throwing off his senses. “Are you getting up or what?” he cooed. “The world is spinning on without you.” It was a phrase Kota had often told him when they were younger whenever Victor slept in. Kota would jump on him, too. It was about time he took some revenge.
But...why did Kota feel so small? Was his bed broken, making his body sink into the mattress? He grasped the wrists a bit more tightly, finding them too small.
Why wasn’t he moving? He wasn’t trying to even throw him off or even complain.
“Victor.” Kota’s voice spooked him, as it came from behind him, and not underneath.
Victor twisted his head around, spotting Kota across the room, a curious look on his face, and then a concerned one as he glanced down at the bed.
If he was by the door, then who was...
Victor’s heart stopped. A flash of realization shocked him, and his head rocked back. His grip tightened, but then he loosened it quickly, not wanting to harm whoever it was. Was it Jessica, Kota’s little sister? She hadn’t said anything, which wasn’t like her. What was she doing in Kota’s room?
He held his position and then carefully sat back on his heels and yanked away the blanket, expecting the small face of Kota’s sister. He was ready with an apology and hoped he hadn’t hurt her.
Underneath the blanket a wave of dirty blonde hair was draped across Kota’s pillow, and arms went up to cover a face and block out the light, but it wasn’t enough to conceal the tender, pink lips and the delicate angle of her chin.
This wasn’t Jessica. He didn’t know who it was.
Victor froze, embarrassed throughout and unsure what to do, his brain hung up on the shock of finding this girl in Kota’s bed. “Who...” He was trying to complete the question, but words were failing him.
A green eye peeked out at him from behind the arms, studying him the way he studied her. Timid, curious eyes. She had delicate, dark lashes and a tiny, button nose.
He retracted his head slightly, searching desperately for something to say.
“Victor, this is Sang,” Kota’s voice came from behind him, closer now.
Victor blinked again and again at the face, sure that this was a dream. “Uh,” he said. Then, as delicately as he could, he eased off the bed and stood up. She sat up a little more, brushing her hair away from her face. She was pretty, even with her hair messy, but she was lost in the gray shirt she wore. It didn’t give her much shape. It was hard to determine her age, but he guessed fifteen-ish.
Instinct kicked in, and his thoughts turned immediately to the teenaged girl who had jumped the wall that morning. Was this another one? But no, Kota would know right away if someone was trying to get to Victor through him. Besides, she’d clearly slept here and seemed confused; her cheeks were red, clearly embarrassed. The answer was in her eyes: She didn’t know Victor at all.
That was a relief. “What are you doing here?” he asked, and then tried to soften his voice. He didn’t mean to be so demanding. “I mean, in his bed?” His heart started beating a little faster, embarrassment finally taking over from the shock. Kota should have warned him. What would his mother say to this? Did she even know?
“She slept here,” Kota said.
Victor finally pulled his eyes away from the girl to him, stunned. Kota clearly had already been up for a few hours, although he looked a little tired with shadows under his eyes. He wore a light blue Polo shirt and jeans, ready for the day.
What perturbed Victor was that he was just so casual about it. His mom was reasonable, but even still, she may have some objection. And what about the girl’s parents? Victor shot out his hands, palms up, eyes widening. He couldn’t believe he’d bring a girlfriend here overnight and pretend like it wasn’t a big deal. The more he thought about it, the crazier it seemed. “Are you kidding me?”
“Don’t get weird,” Kota said. “And don’t tell my mom. I don’t think she’ll understand.”
Oh, great. So Kota knew he could get into trouble but didn’t care. “But why is she...”
“Kota?” Erica, Kota’s mother, called up from below. Victor clamped his mouth shut, staring wildly at Kota as she continued. “Do I hear Victor up there?”
Footsteps. His mother was coming upstairs.
Victor shared a look with Kota, and all he could see was that small bit of panic. Kota needed his help; needed to keep the girl in his bed a secret.
Victor cursed to himself silently. Kota would owe him big time for this. He charged toward the bed, while Kota went to the stairwell to distract his mother.
Victor pushed the girl back down, gently, but quickly. Her green eyes widened, but she was compliant, seeming to understand without having to be told that it was an awkward moment, and they needed to work together.
Victor eased himself onto the bed and sprawled out. She was tiny enough that if he crumpled the blanket and pillow, it might just look like he’d messed up the bed laying on it.
He swallowed, trying not to think about how he was lying on top of a girl in a bed, or how part of his back was brushed up against...
“Yes, we’re up here,” Kota said, throwing Victor one last pleading look, halting Victor’s thoughts.
Victor frowned and then tried to relax his face and not grimace. He wouldn’t give him away, of course, but Kota was sure as hell going to hear about this later.
Kota’s mom popped her head up, surveying the room, catching Victor on the bed. She smiled. Her short, dark hair was a little mussed on one side, but she seemed happy. Victor liked her a lot, much more than his own parents. She was always sweet.
“Hi, Victor,” she said, with a cheery smile.
“Hi,” he said quickly, thinking to wave but then didn’t dare move. He didn’t want to risk shifting and possibly hurting the girl, or giving away her position underneath him.
“I thought you boys could come down for breakfast,” she said. “It’s almost ready.”
“Mom,” Kota said. “Is it okay if I let Sang stay for breakfast, too?’
Victor widened his eyes and was sure he felt the girl below him shake a little. Was Kota mad? What was the point of Victor sitting on top of her if Kota was just going to give away she was there?
“Sure,” Erica said. An eyebrow went up on her oval face. “Who’s Sang?”
“She’s the girl from next door,” Kota said, not missing a beat. “The family that just moved in.”
“Oh...” she said and then scanned the room. She smiled a little, the same coy smile she used when teasing her son. “Where is she?”
Kota’s face started changing color: first, it went pale, and then a blushed a shade of pink. “In the bathroom.”
Victor thought Kota was losing it. It was always har
d for him to lie to his mother. He’d been doing fine until she’d asked a direct question.
“She came in with me,” Victor said. He didn’t like lying to her, either, but if Kota was willing to do so for the girl, there must be something going on.
Kota relaxed, throwing a thank you look to him.
Erica kept her smile and nodded. “Sounds good. Have her come down. I made eggs.”
She walked down the steps and once he heard the door close, Victor hopped up like he was on fire. He pulled the blanket away instantly, looking down at her again as if the answers he wanted would somehow appear on her face. He also wanted to make sure he didn’t bruise or upset her.
He locked eyes with her and couldn’t move, or think of anything to say as she looked back at him with green, haunted eyes.
What an introduction. He jumped on her twice and then couldn’t stop staring. He felt like he’d stepped into a dream. Had he fallen asleep at the wheel?
Finally, he tore his eyes away, looking down her body. It was the first time he noticed the pants she wore: they were blue-striped but too big for her. He was sure they were Kota’s. “Are...you wearing...”
“Yes,” Kota said quickly, and then sighed. There was a tense edge to his voice. “I’ll explain later. She needs to hurry and get dressed.”
Victor backed away from the bed. Sang pushed herself up and out of the bed, standing beside it. The pants were almost falling off her hips, and the T-shirt was sliding off a shoulder, revealing a thin bra strap. Her hair was rumpled, all over the place.
In Kota’s too-big clothes, she seemed small and timid. She avoided his eyes, and her cheeks seemed to remain a permanent shade of pink.
Victor swallowed, feeling guilty for treating her so roughly, and wanting to apologize. He simply couldn’t find the appropriate words. What an idiot he was.
But it was Kota’s fault; he should have warned him. What the hell was going on?
Kota went to the bathroom, looking at Sang as she flicked on the lights. “Does your bag have clean clothes?”
She nodded.
Her silence made Victor wonder what her voice sounded like. She hadn’t spoken at all, not even when he’d jumped on her.
“Get dressed and come downstairs when you’re ready,” Kota said, and then crossed the room, grabbing Victor by the arm, tugging him toward the stairs. “Let’s go.”
What about her? Could they leave her alone? She looked terrified. “But...” Victor combed his fingers through his hair. This didn’t seem like a secret girlfriend in his bed. The more the thoughts settled into his brain, the more he was sure there was something deeper going on, and he didn’t like not knowing the details.
Kota yanked at his arm again, and Victor finally followed. He paused once on the steps, looking back at Sang.
She stood still, looking at him with imploring eyes. Don’t give me away, she seemed to say to him. Please.
The way she looked at him did something to his insides that he couldn’t explain. His heart raced. His stomach turned over.
He bit the inside of his lip, went down the steps and followed Kota out.
♥♥♥
When Erica had a day off, she loved to make a huge breakfast. She must have known Victor would be by that morning, too, as there was plenty of food already made. As Victor came down, Erica was finishing up last batches of bacon and toast in the kitchen.
Victor wondered if Nathan, or one of their other friends, would be by at some point and she had made extra, just in case.
Erica beamed at both him and Kota as they appeared. “What a morning!” she said in a happy tone. She stepped away from the stove, coming to Victor to give him a brief hug and kiss on the cheek. “How are you doing?”
She hadn’t greeted him like that earlier. Victor wondered if she suspected something was going on upstairs and was pretending not to notice. Perhaps Kota was too oblivious, but Victor often spotted her clever little looks and smiles when she suspected something was going on.
Good thing she trusted them.
“I...need to go get something out of my car,” Victor said. He elbowed Kota in the side. “Maybe you could come...”
“Don’t leave yet,” Erica said, returning to her frying pan and plating the bacon. When the toast popped up, she quickly tugged the slices out and buttered them while they were still hot. “Not until you’ve had a proper breakfast.” She gave him a knowing eye. “You look hungry. What did they try to feed you this morning?”
Victor really needed to get a handle on what was going on, but she was making it awkward to leave. “Some salmon, I think? Capers? I don’t know. I gave it to one of the guards.”
She nodded and smiled. “I don’t know where you picked up your taste buds, but it wasn’t from your parents. But thank goodness, because I don’t think I could make salmon with capers in the morning.” She nodded toward the bacon plate. “Someone grab that and then get some orange juice. And make an extra setting?”
Victor hid his gritted teeth, shooting looks at Kota for putting him in this awkwardness, grateful Erica didn’t ask any more questions about Sang.
Although he had a feeling those questions would come soon. Erica may trust them, but she could be a relentless tease, in a good-humored way.
Victor knew where things were in the Lee house, so he assisted with creating a place setting for Sang. Kota rolled over an office chair from his mother’s room to the table to make a spot for her.
Victor threw looks at Kota, asking him questions he nonetheless wouldn’t be able to get the full answer to—at least not until they could talk. Was she really a next door neighbor? If so, she had to be from that gray house; the one he’d passed on the way there. Victor didn’t know there’d been a girl living there, although admittedly, it hadn’t really been on his radar. Kota and Nathan would have mentioned if the new neighbors were interesting, or would have warned him if they’d seemed weird.
The more Victor thought about the situation, the more strain he felt inside his heart. He wanted answers. He didn’t have enough clues to figure out the puzzle on his own. What could have driven Kota to invite her in? Wouldn’t her parents wonder where she was? Had something happened? If she was the girl from the other house, the father...the person he’d passed on the road that morning. Was he distracted because he was looking for her? Where was he going? There weren’t police around looking for a missing girl.
Did they even know she was gone?
♥♥♥
When everyone sat down to breakfast, Sang still hadn’t come downstairs.
The longer she took, the more nervous Victor got, for her and Kota. Erica kept her amused smile. She’d pulled her hair back into a bun and cheerily served Kota and Victor eggs and toast.
Jessica, Kota’s little sister, came out of her room. She cleaned her glasses with her shirt and sat at the table, looking with mild interest to Victor, and then at the other empty chair between Victor and Kota. She didn’t ask anything, and Victor thought she assumed Nathan or one of their other friends would be along at any moment.
He focused on his plate, too nervous to eat. What would Sang say if she came downstairs? What would he say? He shot looks at Kota, filled with questions and unable to ask any. Kota avoided his eyes, which told Victor he was feeling guilty.
They were all sitting looking at their plates and putting jam on toast or sipping at some juice when Erica’s head popped up, her smile widening, as she looked over the top of Victor’s and Kota’s heads. “Hello!” she said, standing up and coming around the table with her hand out.
Victor instantly twisted his head around, as Kota did the same.
Dark blonde hair, gray skirt...green eyes.
They were the same green eyes, but she looked different otherwise: her hair was brushed and the clothes she wore fit her better. She was pretty.
Then he noticed the bandage on her arm. What happened there? She tried to hide it, tucking an arm behind herself, but she couldn’t completely.
Victor hid a small frown. Somehow he missed this, or he’d been so confused that the bandage didn’t grab his attention. Had she been in trouble? Had someone hurt her? If so, it made sense for Kota to have kept her there overnight.
She stood by shyly as Erica approached her and held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said. “I’m Erica.”
Sang smiled as her cheeks went a shade of pink again, and Victor hated to think so, but it suited her appearance. The natural blush gave her pale skin some color and vibrancy.
Sang slowly put her hand in Erica’s. Her lips pressed together.
Won’t she say hello? Oh god, she’s mute. Or deaf. Or something. Victor shot eyes to Kota in question, but Kota was totally focused on her.
So focused. So...wow. Victor had never seen him so concerned over a girl. Did he like her?
Erica shook Sang’s hand. “I haven’t met your parents yet.”
“We’re still kind of settling in,” Sang said, in the softest voice Victor had ever heard. There was a slight rasp to it, Victor assumed from lack of use, but he suspected once she warmed up her vocal cords, she would have a more sing-song voice, delicate and beautiful.
At least she wasn’t mute. Just incredibly shy. Victor looked down at his plate for a minute, embarrassed and wishing he’d done things differently when he’d arrived. If he’d only known... She must think he was some brute jerk to jump on her like he’d done.
“This is my daughter, and Dakota’s sister, Jessica,” Erica continued. She pointed to Jessica, who nodded and adjusted her pink glasses.
“Hi.” Sang closed her lips promptly, looking quickly once at Jessica, and then trained her eyes on the floor.
Victor’s heart started beating loudly in his ears.
She was pretty. Very pretty. And the shyness was charming in a way. He wasn’t sure why.
And within the deepest part of him, he found that he was hoping that Kota didn’t have an interest in her. Maybe it was selfish, but he hoped maybe it was all a misunderstanding.
Is that likely? Kota could have easily called a hundred people through his Academy contacts to come help her out. Kota didn’t have to risk letting her sleep in his bed. At the very least, if she needed a place to stay that was safe, Kota could have called Nathan; he was right next door and had a whole house to himself.