He won’t. Like, zero boobs. Just being honest.

I entered the apartment. Well, not really. I didn’t have a key yet. I knocked on the apartment and Kate was the one to let me in.

I did feel bad seeing her. She smiled sweetly at me, completely unaware that I watched her in an intimate moment with her lover. I wasn’t going to tell her, obviously, but I still felt bad.

“We need to get you a key, huh? We should have an extra. I don’t know what we did with Vanessa’s….” Her face saddened after mentioning Vanessa. “Oh, you may not know her. Vanessa was… she used to live in your room. She was… nice. She didn’t talk very much. I… do you know what happened with her?”

“Yeah, we talked.” Wait. Fuck. Michael? Hello? Why did we say that?

Kate raised a brow, but didn’t seem suspicious, just confused. “Um… I don’t think so. She… passed away. Did you know her when she was alive? I had no idea.”

Fuck. The fucking truth serum. It wasn’t gone yet. Hana had mentioned that it would last a bit longer.

“No, I didn’t know her when she was alive.” It was weird. I had tried to say ‘I misspoke, sorry! I meant to say I had heard of her!’, but I wasn’t able to. The truth **** itself out of me.

“Oh… okay.” Kate walked away. I don’t thank she was upset with me, but something had her in a mood after that conversation. Kate seemed nice; maybe she was sympathetic for Vanessa. From my understanding, Vanessa and Kate were both quiet, timid people (when Vanessa was alive, anyway; in **** she’d clearly changed). Kate also seemed like the empathetic type, so maybe she just felt bad.

Fuck. I also just realized she knows I’ve seen her lover’s tits. That’s also a point of contention. Maybe she was mad at me. Tough.

I went inside, trying to not think too hard about Kenzie’s awesome breasts, and-

No. No way. No fucking way.

Sara smiled at me from the couch. “Hey, Michael! I forgot to tell you, it’s movie night! We’re watching Mallrats! We’re going a Kevin Smith marathon, I hope you’ve seen Clerks.”

The girls had gathered. Kate had settled into Kenzie’s hold on the couch, Sara sitting on the other side. Ava was on the floor, resting her back against the couch, a blanket covering her and Hana.

Yes. I said Hana.

Hana smiled at me, like it was nothing. Like she hadn’t just **** me with a concoction of shit. Like she hadn’t made it apparent on multiple occasions that she would rather see me dead. Like she belonged here.

Ava looked at Hana. She pointed at me with her thumb. “Oh, hey, this is the new guy I mentioned. He’s Michael.” Ava looked back to me. “Michael, this is Hana. She’s a neighbor, she hangs out sometimes.”

I didn’t answer.

Everyone but Hana looked at me with confused expressions; Hana just smiled on.

Sara spoke up. “Michael? Do you know Hana or something?”

“Yes. From work.” I answered. I didn’t have a choice, I should add. My body gave the answer while my mind raced.

Hana didn’t scare me. Not now, anyway. I could compartmentalize the insane coincidence that Hana - also known as the one who put a bomb in me - was my neighbor and friends with my new roommates.

What scared me was the fact that I couldn’t lie. If someone asked the wrong question… I’d be killed.

Kenzie said, “Oh yeah, you intern at Vocx too, don’t you, Hana?”

Hana nodded. “Different departments, but I’ve seen Michael around.”

Sara seemed concerned. “Are you okay, Michael?…”

“I’m doing pretty well physically despite many recent injuries but my mental health has been drastically declining but at least my sexual health has gone up astronomically.”

I hated this serum shit.

Kenzie burst out laughing. Kate’s face was red. Sara looked even more concerned. Ava looked annoyed. Hana smiled, but I could see something new in her eyes. She knew that there was a risk here.

“Hey, is it alright if we start the movie? I don't want to be up too late, I have a test tomorrow.” Hana asked, seeming like any normal college girl.

Sara responded, “Oh, um… yeah.” She met my eyes with concern. “It’s okay if you need to go lie down if you don’t feel well, Michael.”

All eyes were on me. I looked at Hana. Did she want me to stay? Would it be suspicious if I left? Hana didn’t do anything. She just sat there. If anything, she seemed bored. Like I really was just some guy acting weird while she was trying to hang out with her friends.

“I’ll watch.” I said tentatively. Hana still didn’t react. Kenzie pulled Kate deeper into their lap and patted the seat in the middle of the couch for me to sit in.

I sat. We all watched Mallrats. This is pretty unimportant to note but it was very funny. I liked the bit about the ship the big guy couldn’t see.

Back to the important shit: I couldn’t explain it, but I felt the effects of the truth serum wearing off. I felt more… in control? I guess I couldn’t test it until I was asked a question, but I felt confident that I was over it. I kept peaking at Hana on the floor as we watched. She never once gave me so much as a passing glance. She just watched the movie, laughing at the funny parts. Even her laugh sounded different than the dry one I’d heard earlier. This was a normal, cute, bubbly laugh. I knew who she was, but even I found it hard to see through the guise of normality she wore.

Eventually the movie ended. Hana stood up as the credits rolled and stretched her back. “I think I preferred Clerks, but that was still good. Chasing Amy next week?”

Ava confirmed, and Hana left with a wave. “Nice to meet you properly, Michael. See you at work, huh?” She added as she walked out the door.

I quickly excused myself to my room. I needed to think.

I can’t really explain why I’d stayed. Maybe to keep an eye on Hana? It wasn’t like I could do anything. She’s the one in control of my life.

Maybe I just wanted to see the movie? Am I that dumb?

My mind raced with thoughts of similar connotations as I paced in my room.

“Everything okay?”

-

Hey, author’s note. Very short. I’m not here to celebrate passing 4k views, I’m here to make a half-assed apology.

I apologize because I recently received a comment on chapter a couple chapters back concerned with the character Kenzie. Kenzie’s character’s gender confusion, to be specific.

At first, the reader seemed to be correcting a mistake I’d made, which I greatly appreciated! I’m writing this all alone, with no editors, so mistakes are likely to happen. I welcome all corrections! Well, all that are warranted.

You see, I did not make a mistake. The reader used a completely readable line to attack the character (and me).

I told them that they were wrong, and they reacted with hostility. I reacted in kind.

What I find hilarious is they acted as though Kenzie has been given they/them pronouns as at attempt at me virtue signaling. I find this comedic for many reasons. One, Michael literally has no idea how to deal with it. Wouldn’t I just treat the situation with neutrality if that was my intention? Secondly, I’m pretty sure I had a slur or two in here somewhere! I don’t know any writers, but I have to assume a PC one usually refrains from saying shit like “retarded” in their stories!

Not to peel back the curtain too much, but most everything I emphasize in this story will have some sort of importance later on. There’s a reason I chose that for Kenzie. You’ll see! Or, if you’re like a certain commenter, you won’t!

Again, I apologize to anyone who had to see my rudeness to that commenter. However, I just want to say that I wouldn’t be rude if they hadn’t been first. If you see me fuck up, or even think I made the wrong choice story-telling-wise, feel free to tell me! Just be civil. :)