The Spirit of Lust (Ch. 191 - 200)

Chapter 191: Evolution.

It's hard to describe how I felt when I woke up that morning. Tired, for starters, which was weird considering it had been a long while since I woke up feeling any sort of tiredness. But it wasn't that I was physically exhausted, rather it was more akin to that relief after getting out of a stressful situation. My head felt light, not from any sort of dizziness or nausea but from a sensation like I'd just gotten something important done.

I knew I had a dream of some sort, but I couldn't remember it well. I think Alice and Noelle were involved in ways that weren't exactly appropriate, but after that it was even blurrier.

Well, strange dreams weren't exactly uncommon for me these days, so I decided to let it go. I had to get ready and make breakfast, so I hurried to get my morning routine done. I took a piss, showered, brushed my teeth and went back to my room to get dressed.

As I was putting on my boxers, I started laughing from hearing my sister's groans and Cake's loud meowing in the other room. Cake knew it was time for breakfast, and if she had spent the night in Isabelle's room, well, she had to wake her up to get out. Cake was a better alarm clock than a phone because she wouldn't let you snooze for 5 more minutes.

"Alright, alright...!" Isabelle groaned. Thanks to Cake, she was waking up at around the same time as mom and I.

My laughter was replaced by annoyance when I put on my shirt and felt it tight around my back and shoulders. It wasn't the first time I noticed, but it was the moment I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. I needed to buy new shirts and T-shirts. It wasn't extremely drastic, but I was bulking up. My shoulders, my back, my arms and even my legs were getting a little bigger, at least enough that my S sized clothes no longer fit well. Before you start picturing the wrong things, no, I was nowhere close to looking like Thomas or Ben. I was building muscle, but not to that level. Well, if my growth-sprout continued, I would've had to make a wardrobe change anyway, so it couldn't be helped. For now, though, I would have to put up with tight shirts.

When I was walking down the stairs to make breakfast, Cake was already free from Isabelle's room and ran past me, heading directly to the kitchen. I put on a black apron and left my jacket on the backrest of a chair like usual, just in case I got dirty. Changing a shirt was easier than changing my one school jacket.

The screaming cat had to make sure she was served first. There were times when she still tried to jump on the kitchen counter out of pure impatience, but she mostly held the urge back. I served the wet kitten food on her plate and set it down on the floor. Her purring as she ate was as close to a lawnmower as an animal can get, only cuter than a lawnmower.

After five minutes, while I was frying eggs, Isabelle came down and entered the kitchen.

"Good morning..." she greeted with a big yawn.

I turned my head back to her and greeted her as well. "Good morning. Cake didn't scratch you this time?"

"I learned my lesson, okay?" she said. Then, as her eyes were focused on me...

{His shoulders really are broader...}

I almost threw up my own heart, and you would've, too, if you'd just felt what I felt. I was watching Isabelle, okay? I had my eyes on her and I was well awake, yet this still HAD to have been my imagination.

I heard her voice, yet her mouth didn't move. I heard her say my shoulders were broader, but she didn't actually say it. No, saying I heard her is wrong, too. I didn't hear any words. It was... It was like an idea, a thought that I was sure didn't come from me, but from Isabelle, yet I 'heard' it, too.

When we think, we sometimes word our thoughts, right? But we also fill them with ideas that don't need to be explained, because they're only for ourselves and we understand them. But I got a short glimpse of Isabelle's thoughts, and understood them. I understood the feeling of melancholy, longing, and even pride that, if put into words, would be 'his shoulders really are broader'.

"Oliver? Are you okay?" Isabelle asked me. "You look pale."

My hands felt cold, and in trying to hold them to warm them up, I noticed they were shaking.

"I... I don't know," I said. "C-Can you finish the eggs? I need to go to the bathroom."

Without waiting for an answer, I hurried up the stairs with Cake running after me. I walked past mom, ignoring her morning greeting and closing the door behind me. Cake managed to get in.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Yes, I was pale, and with damn good reason. That... That had to have been my imagination, but the sensation wasn't completely foreign. It was like my sixth sense, only... clearer. No longer a vague feeling, but something more concrete.

I'd grown used to it all, and nothing had changed much since that one morning. I had almost forgotten...

"I'm a freak..." I muttered to myself with a humorless chuckle.

Thankfully, this didn't make me hyperventilate or anything. It almost did, and my head did hurt, but... after the initial shock, it wasn't as surprising. Like I said, the feeling was familiar. Was my 'sixth sense' evolving or something? Was it a good or a bad thing?

Cake's meow as she rubbed herself on my legs called my attention. Was she trying to cheer me up? I picked her up and looked her straight in the eyes.

"If I ever start hearing your thoughts, I'm turning myself in to a mental hospital."

Cake meowed, and thank fuck I didn't understand it. If I started hearing animal voices in my head, I don't think I would've been able to handle it.

************

Chapter 192: Morning thoughts.

Just because I wasn't hit by more random mind-reading during breakfast, it didn't mean I was ready to dismiss it as a one time thing. It got to the point where I got a little paranoid and was expecting it all the time. It got me worried looks from Isabelle and mom, but it didn't happen again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" mom asked me. "I can call the school and tell them you're not feeling well today."

A rare and tempting offer. Mom was the type to tell us to never miss school if we could help it. Isabelle and I had only ever skipped when we had undeniably high fever or something like that. As a result...

"No, I'm fine," I told her. "Just... A light headache. It'll wear off soon."

"... Very well."

A part of it was a matter of responsibility, but another was that there was a personal interest in going to school now. There were people I wanted to see.

Once at school, I waited in the classroom for the girls to arrive, headphones on as I sat on my chair. Even since we lost the old music room, there wasn't a point to arriving too early.

Rest well, old friend. I miss you even to this day, years after my graduation. That new lab will never hold a candle to your glory.

Grace was the first to arrive after me. Smiling, she walked to me, took off my headphones and kissed me. It was probably meant to be a quick peck on the lips, but the electric shock we felt made us deepen it.

My tongue probed her lips, she opened her mouth and we made out in the empty classroom. A familiar, sweet kiss... yet spiced up with the danger of being caught.

"You want us to be seen?" Grace asked me, grinning as she pulled away.

"You started it," I told her.

"I'm really starting to miss the old room..." She sighed and sat on my desk with her legs crossed.

"I thought you were supportive of it going away."

"Wrong," she said, booping my nose. "I said you didn't need it as a safety blanket anymore."

{It was nice to have a place to get naughty. Though I wouldn't mind letting him fuck me here, too.}

I blinked. It always comes when you least expect it, doesn't it? It was just like with Isabelle, only less jarring, and it made sense. I'd been getting that feeling that sometimes I understood what the girls were thinking or how they felt about something. It was only occasional and super random, but it had happened before. This was more of the same, only more concrete.

Grace was feeling a little horny, and those feelings seeped into me. We didn't get many chances to indulge, but we both had a thing for public sex. Not exactly exhibitionism, but having the freedom to do what we wanted, wherever we wanted. Of course we couldn't indulge in something like that.

However... It was still about 15 minutes before other students started arriving. Isabelle was at school, but she was in her classroom.

I stood up and held Grace's hand. "Come with me."

Eyebrows raised in curiosity, Grace did just as I asked.

The school was big, I've told you that much. As such, there are actually four restrooms on each floor: two for men and two for women, each set at opposite ends of each other. For good measure, we went to the restrooms furthest away from Isabelle's classroom. Once there, though, the dumbest thing made me hesitate.

Women or Men's restroom?

Already following my train of thought, Grace pulled me into the women's restroom. "If we happen to get caught, we might at least get caught here."

{Wouldn't it be nice if other girls saw that huge dick?} I heard her think. I pushed that aside for the moment. Thinking that we were actually doing this was occupying most of my brain power.

We went in and locked ourselves inside a stall. The dam broke.

My hands went under her skirt and squeezed her plump butt. Grace wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a deep kiss immediately after. She raised a leg and got it around my waist, too.

The stalls had a very small gap between the floor and the door, but a gap nonetheless. We could be caught if someone came in, but the current time gave us a good safety margin.

"So bold! What got into you?" Grace asked me, grinning and nibbling my lower lip.

"You wanted it."

She licked her lips. "You know me so well."

We kissed again, fiercely, passionately. Grace unbuckled my belt, unzipped my pants and got my cock out while I snuck my hand inside her panties and began fondling her vulva. She let out soft, sexy moans, but...

"You need to be quiet," I whispered.

"I can't..." she gasped. "You make me feel too good."

I sealed her lips with mine, and to her credit, she was trying, too. When my fingers went inside her, Grace took in a deep nasal breath to keep her voice from coming out. Her hand stroked my cock with an uneven rhythm, her mind too busy feeling my fingers pleasure her sweet spots.

"Mmm... Yes...!" She moaned even against my lips.

She was already incredibly wet. It never took much foreplay to get us ready, and while foreplay was all kinds of fun regardless, not needing much was useful at times like these.

"Put it inside, love," Grace whispered. Her lust-filled eyes locked with mine. "Enjoy my pussy, too."

{Fuck me, Oliver! Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me! Give it to me deep! I love you, I love you, I love you!}

It was the first time I could feel her desires and feelings so clearly. It made me feel truly stupid. To think there were times when I doubted she felt for me the same things I felt for her.

I turned her around. She put her hands against the wall and raised her butt towards me. I held her close from behind and took my two fingers, covered in her own juices, to her mouth. Grace happily sucked on them, even as her body tensed from the pleasure of my dick going inside her. She was keeping quiet enough, but I could hear her screaming her pleasure in her mind.

I had to go slowly, too, or risk the sound of my hips meeting her butt echo in the restroom. The restrained back and forth movements made it feel different from usual, but it had its own charm. I could feel Grace's walls gripping me even more, squeezing me, burning me.

The heat gathered on my loins and my dick throbbed harder. I was getting closer to my own climax. The first time of the day always comes sooner.

{Yes! He's coming! Give it to me, love! Give it to me!]

Huh. She could tell. Well, better give the lady what she's asking for.

Coming inside her was more than enough to lift Grace to her own orgasm. She couldn't help it and let out short, cute whimpers as her hips spasmed.

She turned her head around, grabbed me by the back of the neck and pulled me into another kiss. "You..." she gasped, "are the best."

The post-nut clarity began to settle, and I started to realize what we had just done. And you know what? I didn't really regret it.

************

Chapter 193: Burden.

We got away with it, and with absolutely no issues. Grace checked outside the restroom to see if it was safe for me to go out, and even though it was, I decided to be even more careful and went into the men's restroom first, so it wouldn't look like we were coming out of the same place if someone did see us. Maybe too much, but considering we'd just had sex in a school restroom, I think I was justified.

"That was amazing," Grace said, stretching her arms upwards. "Didn't realize I needed it so badly. Seriously, though, what made you do that?" She playfully poked my ribs. "Do I look that great today?"

I smiled. "You always look great. I just... I don't know, it was on a whim and I... thought you'd enjoy it. Is that bad?"

"You were on point, so no." She laughed.

Mila and Sarah were already in the classroom. They stopped whatever they were talking about when we went in, and a single look at us gave us away to them.

"Where?" Sarah asked, grinning.

"The restroom," Grace sang languidly.

"Seriously?" Mila laughed. "You guys are nuts."

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, worried.

"To us, yes," Mila said, then gestured at Grace. "I mean, look at that dumb smile."

"Like you're any different," Grace defended herself, puffing her cheeks.

"Anyway. Changing the topic now that we have a bit of time alone..." Sarah started. "You're going out with Alice this Saturday, huh?"

I flinched, but only out of surprise that they already knew. I was about to tell them myself. "She told you?"

"Of course," Grace said. "You... figured it out already, didn't you? Alice is the girl we told you about, the one we... had to stop seeing."

I nodded. "I figured."

"She told us in a video call last night," Mila said. "Asked us if it was okay."

"And is it?"

"Yep. We have no problem with it," she said. "We encourage it, even!"

"She's embarrassed of liking cars," Sarah said with a sigh. "Her dad and her brother are both car nuts, so she played more with small toy cars than with dolls when we were kids. Other girls made fun of her for it, so she developed a bit of a complex."

"That's..."

"Stupid, right?" Grace finished for me.

"I was gonna say sad."

"At least it didn't make her stop liking cars," Mila said. "I think it's the coolest thing. Alice is such a badass."

The image of Alice in her tight, blue coverall, stained with oil, carrying a ratchet came back to my mind. I had to admit, 'badass' was one of the words that would fit that image.

"I'm glad she invited you to go with her," Sarah told me. "Surprised, but glad."

{Maybe they'll finally grow a little closer}

The thoughts came from Sarah, accompanied by feelings of anticipation, enthusiasm... and lust. I swallowed, both literally and figuratively. I swallowed my fear and asked the question I'd been meaning to ask for a while.

"Do... Do you really not get jealous?"

The girls shared a look, one of those where they seemed to talk without words.

"I don't," Mila said. {It's exciting, actually} she thought.

"Me neither," Grace said. {I want to encourage it more, even} she thought.

Sarah shook her head. {How do we tell you we want to see you with other girls, too?}

When I first heard Isabelle's thoughts, it came as such a shock that I felt sick. Hearing Mila, Grace and Sarah's thoughts was jarring, but oddly familiar. But hearing this? It was another shock. It wasn't just the words. They came with the feelings of affection, care, lust and excitement. They weren't looking for an excuse to get rid of me, but genuinely wanted me to... to...

My head began to hurt. Hurt badly. The first of our classmates arrived, and slowly everyone else did, too. The bell rang to signal the start of homeroom, and we all went to our seats.

Halfway through the first period, my head was killing me. I felt like it was going to split open. It was the teacher who noticed I looked pale, and I had to admit I had a strong headache. I was told to go to the infirmary.

Sarah helped me there, though she looked just as sick from worry alone.

"What happened? Did you sleep well?" she asked me as we walked slowly.

"Y-Yes. I... had a similar headache before leaving the house, but it wasn't this bad. Maybe I'm catching a cold?"

"Let's hope that's all this is."

Once in the infirmary, I was put to bed for a while. The infirmary was a good one. Big, with four beds and a capable old nurse. She looked at me, took my temperature and all that stuff. She didn't see anything wrong, so she gave me a couple of painkillers and told me to rest.

Without realizing it, I drifted off to sleep.

***

"Sorry, sorry. My fault." Frey said, floating above me in a dream copy of the same infirmary I was in. "Dammit, I tell you to trust me and the first thing I do is send you to the infirmary. Talk about earning credibility..." She looked regretful.

"What happened?" I asked her, laying in bed.

"I got too trigger happy, in a manner of speaking." She sighed. "See, I can now hear people's thoughts more clearly. It's actual mind reading now, though still limited to short sentences, feelings and emotions. Problem is... Those seem to be a bit overwhelming for the human mind. I let you hear too much, and it hurt you."

"So it wasn't just me not handling it well?"

"Nah, you're doing great, all things considered. Shit, I'm really sorry, kid. I just really needed you to hear what the girls really thought. I'll have to be more careful from now on."

"It's... fine." I sighed, then smiled. "It was nice hearing that the girls really do care about me."

"See? I wasn't lying to you!" Frey seemed satisfied with that, at least. "

"Okay. Rest now. I only dropped by to apologize. I'll be more careful, so don't start relying on mind reading, okay? I'll do it sporadically until you can get used to it. It works best with the girls you already have a sex link with, but I can still read the minds of others to a lesser extent. That's gonna take a huge toll on you, though, so I'll have to do that even less."

"Gotcha..." I felt sleepy, even in a dream.

Frey waved goodbye, and then my sleep was dreamless and restful.

************

Chapter 194: Visits.

I don't know how long I was asleep for, but when I woke up, I heard a familiar voice talking to the nurse.

"So... He's okay?" Thomas asked.

"Yes," the nurse answered. "It's possible this was caused due to stress, as he doesn't seem to be ill. Now go! The boy needs rest, and I certainly don't need people filling my infirmary!"

"Ahaha... Sorry to be a bother, ma'am." Thomas laughed. "We'll be going, then."

Two other voices also apologized, but they did so with low mutters, and with how groggy I was, I couldn't tell who they were. Had an idea, though.

After a minute, I sat up on the bed. My head felt a little heavy, but the pain was gone. Why was I here? Ah, right. I got a headache after... reading minds. God, what's happening to me?

"You're awake, then. How are you feeling?" the old nurse asked me. Well, I call her old, but she must've been close to her 60s, so not THAT old. If she could read minds, she'd probably slap me.

"Better," I said.

She handed me a glass of water. "Drink. There's nothing in it, but drinking water is important when you're feeling headaches."

I wordlessly took the glass and drank. I was thirsty anyway.

"But my, you're a popular one..." The nurse chuckled. "Very rarely does someone get nine visitors for something as mild as a headache."

I almost choked. "N-Nine people came to see me? How long was I asleep for?"

"Oh, barely twenty minutes. As soon as the bell for the first recess rang, three girls came to see you. Then three more. Just now three boys came to check if you were awake." The lady chuckled again. "You're lucky to have friends who worry about you so much."

I pursed my lips as I felt my chest tighten. Just a few months ago, nobody would've come to see me.

"You're free to leave, if you're feeling better. If not, rest some more."

"No, I'm fine now. Thank you very much. Who... Who came to see me? If you remember. I'd like to tell them I'm well now."

The nurse smiled. "The first group were three girls. One of them had silvery white hair." That was Mila, so the other two were likely Grace and Sarah. "The second group was your sister and her friends, a petite redhead and the student council president." Isabelle probably asked if her brother was here, which is how the nurse knew. The other two were Noelle and Alice. "The last ones were three boys. Two of them were very tall, and the other one was a dark skinned boy with big muscles." I had heard Thomas, so the two others were Kevin and Ben.

"Thank you very much."

"Don't move too much, you hear?"

I nodded slowly and left the infirmary. I headed to my own classroom first, as it was the most likely place I'd find my girlfriends. On the way, though, I ran into the other trio of girls the nurse mentioned.

"Oliver!" Noelle called and jogged towards me from the end of the hallway. Isabelle and Alice followed, walking.

"Ah, hello," I greeted awkwardly. "The nurse said you all went to check on me?"

"Yes," Alice said. "We heard you had to be taken to the infirmary, but not why. We were worried. Is it really just a headache?"

I nodded. "It was... strong, but I think I'm fine now."

"Mom told you to stay at home!" Isabelle's tone was half chiding and half worry.

"It's gone now. Really."

"Are you sure?" Noelle asked, her eyes full with concern.

I smiled "Yes, I'm sure. My head feels a little heavy, but I'm fine."

{...}

I almost expected to feel something, to hear their thoughts, but nothing came.

"Maybe you've been inhaling too much cat hair..." Isabelle said, making her friends snicker. "Hey, I'm serious!"

I nodded. "Cake does sleep next to my neck sometimes."

"Awww!" Alice and Noelle giggled.

"A-Anyway. Do you happen to know where Thomas is?" I asked them.

"We saw him, Kevin and Ben going up to the fourth floor," Alice told me.

"Thanks. Well, see you all later."

"Yeah. Take care." Noelle waved at me, and I waved back.

I went up to the fourth floor and checked the guys' classroom. They were inside already, at the back of the room.

"T-Thomas..." I said in a voice too low to be heard. There were other people inside, so talking louder would attract attention. It was... embarrassing, and I did consider leaving and talking to them later, but... Just suck it up, Oliver. "Thomas!"

That got their attention, along with that of every other person in the room.

I took a deep breath. Their gazes put pressure on me, but not nearly as much as it once did. What were they thinking? Was I bothering them? Would they gossip and talk behind my back once I left? The thoughts were still there, but I didn't care as much as I did before. I had more important things to do and worry about.

"Oh, good! You're not dead!" Thomas laughed loudly as he walked towards me at the entrance to his classroom. Ben and Kevin followed.

"Yeah, I missed my chance for some eternal rest," I answered. "Oh well. Next time."

"What? Are you tired of being popular with all the girls?" Kevin teased. "The nurse told us you were getting visits."

"Only two of those visits are suspicious, though," Ben said, grinning. "Damn lady killer."

"Careful, guys," Thomas said. "Your jealousy is showing."

"Damn right!" Kevin said.

"I'm telling Lena," I told him.

"Dude..." his shoulders slumped.

I chuckled.

"So? You okay, man?" Ben asked me. "Feeling better?"

"Yes. Thanks for going to check on me. It was just a headache, though."

"A headache is not an illness, but a symptom. Go for a checkup," Ben told me.

"... If it happens again, I will," I agreed.

Thomas crossed his arms. "I was going to invite you to come with us for burgers tomorrow, but I'm afraid you'll end up passing out on us."

"I'm not made of crystal."

"Clearly," Kevin said. "Your arms and shoulders are bigger. Shit, am I really the lankiest of us four?"

"Want to give the boxing gym another try?" Ben offered.

"No thanks."

"Bummer. What about you, Oliver? Ever thought of giving boxing a shot?"

I nodded. "I have."

"Really?" Ben's eyes brightened.

"Yeah. But then I realized I'd be getting punched. Threw that idea right out."

Ben laughed genially. "Coward."

"Exactly," I admitted.

"Ben, you're the only one insane enough to want to go pro at a sport that'll make you lose teeth at best," Thomas told him.

"Maybe the punches are already getting to him," Kevin said.

Ben simply crossed his arms and scowled at them.

"Anyway. You coming with us tomorrow?" Thomas asked me.

"Ah. Tomorrow's Friday... Yeah, sure."

"Cool. Now go report to the other trio before you get scolded."

"That's... A good idea. See you guys later."

I waved as I left, then made my way towards my own classroom.

Like Thomas predicted, the girls were worried enough that I did get a bit of a scolding for not staying home and resting if I wasn't feeling well. Grace seemed especially concerned, thinking that what we did that morning may have had something to do with it.

But speaking of that morning... I hadn't forgotten the things I'd heard when I read their minds. Not just passing thoughts, but deeply rooted desires they couldn't bring themselves to talk to me about. I didn't think it was a good idea to bring it up... But something inside me was telling me it was necessary.

Lunch was going to be awkward.

************

Chapter 195: Clearing things up (Part 1)

I told the girls we needed to have a serious talk. If it weren't for the fact I was being serious, it would've been a funny thing. Seriously, can you imagine me saying the classic 'We need to talk' to someone? It did get the girls a little on edge, so I suppose it sounded exactly like they portray it in the shows.

During lunch break, Grace told us to wait for her at the door to the rooftop while she took care of something. Mila, Sarah and I waited, and five minutes later Grace arrived, showing us a key.

I raised an eyebrow.

"You said it was serious," Grace said, "so we better not let anyone eavesdrop. I called in a favor with our student president and she let me borrow the keys to the rooftop."

"They let the student council president have the keys?" I asked, a little shocked.

"They let Alice have a copy of the keys," Grace corrected. "I've said it before. Act like a proper student and people are less likely to notice when you break a rule or two. That said, it took some convincing."

"I'd imagine," Mila chuckled. "What did you tell her?"

Grace unlocked the door and giggled. "That we'd forgive her for asking our boyfriend on a date."

Sarah snickered. "Nice."

There it was. Another one of those. Half a joke, but only half of it. They were too comfortable with the idea of...

We went in... Or out, actually. We went out to the rooftop, shivering as a gentle, but cold gust flew past us. Grace locked the door.

The rooftop was enclosed on all sides by a tall chain linked fence, the top of which bent inwards to prevent people from climbing it. Another fence, this one with a door with a padlock, separated us from the ventilation system. Other than that, the rooftop was flat, gray and empty, almost mirroring the gray, cloudy sky.

"So?" Sarah asked, rubbing her arm. Whether she was cold or nervous, it was hard to tell. "What's so important that you got all serious?"

I swallowed. Their expectant eyes on me put a lot of pressure on my shoulders, and it made me doubt my words. Thankfully, I'd spent a lot of time since the first recess thinking of how to approach this.

"I remember... that you girls said once or twice that there were times you had an idea of what I was thinking, or if I was lying."

The girls tensed up and looked at each other. It was Mila who spoke. "Well... Yes. It happens sometimes."

"It's... a big reason we're okay with..." Sarah cleared her throat, "dating you at the same time."

I swallowed again. The lump in my throat was getting bigger, but I had already started. "I don't think I ever told you, but... I get the same feeling sometimes." I don't like it, but I decided to keep the mind-reading to myself. If someone told me they could read my mind, I'd be really uncomfortable.

"Do you?" Grace asked with a small smile. "Can you tell when we're lying?"

"... More like I can tell when you're being honest," I clarified. "I don't think you've ever lied to me."

Grace smiled wryly. "Maybe a small, white lie here and there," she admitted. "Or little things we've kept secret."

"Like Alice's name," Sarah said. "When we told you what happened to her."

"Or talks we've had among ourselves," Mila added shyly.

I nodded. "I don't mind that. I don't want to pry into things you don't want to talk about. However... if it wasn't for this... 'sixth sense' as I've come to call it, I would've had even more trouble talking to you at first. Does that... bother you?"

They all quickly shook their heads.

"It's refreshing," Grace said, chuckling. "A relationship so... open, so full of trust. I love it, Oliver."

"It's strange, for sure," Sarah said. "But so far things are working great for us, don't you think?"

"Yeah."

Mila laughed. "You always try to be as upfront as you can, so it makes us want to do the same."

I smiled. "Thanks. This isn't exactly what I wanted to ask, though."

"Then what?" Mila asked, tilting her head.

"For a while now, you've been... joking and teasing me with something, but... I think I can tell it's not all jokes," I started. The girls seemed to realize what I was talking about and tensed up. "I didn't want to assume things, so I ignored what this sixth sense was telling me, but it's getting to the point I can't really ignore it anymore." The girls looked at me expectantly. "So... When you ask things like... if I find a girl attractive, or say things like you want me to hang out with Noelle and Alice... What exactly do you mean?"

If this was a normal relationship, and if we hadn't made clear that we could feel things even when they were not said out loud, the answer would be obvious.

"We didn't mean anything by it," they could answer. "We just wanted you to make more friends." Even then, that was the best one could hope for.

But the girls understood, knew what I meant. Their conflicted expressions when they looked at each other said that much without me needing mind reading powers.

"It means..." Mila started. "It means that... not only do we not feel jealous."

"But we also find it... exciting," Sarah said, arms crossed and looking down.

"We like the idea of you being with other girls, Oliver," Grace said.

I couldn't ask for anything clearer, could I?

************

Chapter 196: Clearing things up (part 2)

To have these suspicions confirmed was disorienting. Should I be excited or concerned? Happy or worried? I bit my lip to stop my face from twisting due to the conflicting emotions.

"You want it too, don't you?" Grace asked me, stepping forward with arms crossed. "You've thought of being with other girls, right?"

"I..."

"Don't lie," Mila said. "We just made it clear that we can tell when you do."

"It's..." I groaned. "It SOUNDS like something any man would love, and I would too, obviously! But that doesn't mean I would jump at the chance! I'm more than happy with how things are right now. It's already more than I deserve. I'm not gonna risk hurting you for some cheap thrill!"

"You want to talk about not deserving things?" Sarah said firmly. "Oliver, you don't understand what it means..." Her cheeks burned red, and she held onto her arms to stop herself from fidgeting. "You don't understand what it means to be your girlfriend."

"Hah?"

"There's something odd about you, Oliver," Mila said. "And I mean that in the best way possible."

"Since we started dating you," Grace raised her fist to her face and started counting with her fingers, "We've lost weight and look better than ever, we feel physically and mentally better than before, our periods are smoother, we're having restful sleep, and that's all on top of the most fulfilling relationship I've ever had and sex we're not physically capable of matching in any way."

My head spun from the sudden list. That was all news to me, and I didn't know where to begin asking for clarification. "W-Whaat?" was my very eloquent question.

"We're burning fat in all the right places," Sarah started. "It's like... our skin is getting smoother and our figures more defined."

"We're eating more than we normally do. More sweets, too, but we're not gaining weight," Grace added. "And I usually get a cold around this time of year, but I haven't even felt a headache or gotten a runny nose."

"My period always hits me hard, but you wouldn't know that," Mila said. "Drastic mood swings, strong headaches, stuff like that. Yet I barely felt it these last couple months."

"I can't remember the last time I woke up tired," Grace said.

"And this is happening to the three of us," Mila said, then pointed a finger at me. "And it all started after we started going out with you!"

My eye twitched and my jaw half-hung. "Y-You think it's because of me?"

"You're the only thing that's different," Grace said. "Even if we only count the last two months, it still qualifies as enough evidence for a qualitative study. And the symptoms repeat in three different people, which also qualifies as evidence for a quantitative study."

"Okay, don't go there or you're gonna confuse me, too," Mila told her.

Sarah sighed. "The point is that we've spent enough time with you to realize there's something special about you, Oliver. The 'sixth sense' as you call it is just one thing. Come on! What human alive can go at it for hours with three girls AND STILL not be fully satisfied?"

"I...!"

"And it's not just that you last so long," Grace spoke, cutting me off. "Oliver, you don't get it, because you can't get it. You can't be on the receiving end of... well, yourself!"

My confusion only grew.

"It's impossible to put into words. Sex with you is not just good, or excellent, or amazing. It's unreal, out of this world... Transcendental!" Grace groaned and rubbed her face. "Sorry to bring this up, but you already know I had sex with others before you, right? It was sometimes bad, sometimes meh and sometimes really good. But doing it with you? Calling it 'really good' doesn't even begin to describe a five-minute quickie in the restroom, let alone five hours at a hotel!"

Sarah and Mila nodded in fervent agreement.

"And that's what makes us feel inadequate," Sarah said. "No matter what we do, we can't make you feel what we feel. Even with three of us, you still make us feel better than we do you."

"That's...!"

"Don't say that's not important or that it doesn't matter," Mila told me, scowling. Man, I couldn't get a word in. "Or are you gonna tell us you like it when we pay for all the food, hotel bills and movie tickets? We don't mind paying, but you mind when we do. It's the same here. You may say you're satisfied with how things are, but we're not."

"Not because you're not doing enough, but because we feel that WE aren't," Grace said.

...

When... When did they turn this around on me? I was the one who asked a question, hoping to clarify things between us, but now I was getting more than I asked, and they even looked kind of pissed. Pissed at themselves, however. Because they felt I was doing more for them than they were for me.

...

And I knew I couldn't reassure them with simple words. It was like Mila had said. I didn't like when the girls paid for my food or my tickets because I felt it wasn't fair, like I was taking advantage of them. They felt like that when it came to sex?

Well... These same girls did teach me to ask things when I was unsure of something.

"So what can I... What can WE do about it?"

The girls shared a silent look, then Sarah cleared her throat. "T-The way we see it, if we can't match you in quality, then... we match you in quantity."

I swallowed. "Y-You mean..."

"Sleep with more girls," Mila put it bluntly. Girl didn't even blush. Even Sarah looked more bashful.

Grace chuckled, the back of two fingers covering her mouth. "She's trying to put it like we're trying to even things out, but the truth is we like the idea. Sarah even masturbated thinking of you fucking Alice."

My heart skipped a beat and my jaw dropped. Then that morning in the old music room...

"G-G-Grace, you b-bitch! I'm gonna k-k-kill you!" The threat sounded empty from the mouth of the stammering, fidgeting, blushing blonde.

"You like the idea?" I asked. "The idea of me... sleeping with other girls?"

"Still don't believe us?" Mila smiled wryly. "We've thought about it for a long time. We get turned on when we see you doing it with any of us, and the idea that you'd do it with someone else, too... It's even hotter."

I shook my head. "It's not that I don't believe you. I asked because I had a feeling that was the case. I'm just... worried. I don't want to do anything that could ruin this. I don't want to hurt you."

"Answer this, Oliver," Grace said. "Can you tell us, with 100% certainty, that you have no interest in trying this?"

I grimaced. Noelle's face popped into my mind. Alice's did, too. Trying to deny it was useless.

"It's not that I don't want to. It's that I'm worried," I told them.

Mila walked up to me, booped my nose and hugged me tightly. "We can be careful, see how everything plays out. If things don't feel right, we'll talk it over."

I took a deep breath and hugged Mila back. For a long moment, we stayed quiet.

"Okay," I finally answered.

I couldn't fucking believe it.

************

Chapter 197: Thoughts at work.

I could easily pinpoint the day things changed. My body was the most obvious sign. I had noticed the strange things I was capable of since then, but for some reason I didn't treat them with the importance I should've. Something about them had a faint air of normalcy, like it was only natural that I could do these things despite realizing they were strange and even supernatural. I never expected this to affect people around me, though.

What Mila, Grace and Sarah told me during lunch hour still circled my head, and that wasn't good.

"Hey, wake up!" Maria snapped her fingers in front of my face, and I suddenly remembered I had to finish washing the dishes and go back to sweeping the entrance to the coffee shop.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

"Are you feeling well today?" she asked me, hands on her hips. "You don't normally take this long to wash a few dishes."

"I've been having headaches today," I said to excuse myself. "It's been a weird day."

"Don't overwork yourself, okay? You go to the gym right before work, don't you? And you were studying for your midterms not that long ago. It's good to have things to do, but too much can be damaging."

I smiled. "Funnily enough, all that is much simpler and easier than other things I have to deal with." Lifting weights was simple, studying was straightforward, working was fulfilling, but people? People were far more difficult.

Maria grinned. "I suppose a boy in your situation has it hard, huh? Girls giving you trouble?"

"I wouldn't call it trouble. Just... A lot to think about."

"Can't you go to your friend for some advice? Thomas, right? He looks like he's popular with the ladies."

I had to try hard to keep myself from smirking, and instead kept a small smile. "He's single right now," I told her.

"Single? A guy like him? That's a surprise."

"Right? And he always tells me he's glad he's not in my shoes."

Maria laughed. "I bet. Boy, school was such a blast. I miss it. Are you having fun in school, Oliver?"

"Now I am," I told her, putting away the last of the plates. "The first three years weren't nearly as good."

"You'll be going to university?"

I nodded. "If all goes well, yes."

"That's fun, too. A lot of freedom, meeting new people, experiencing new things, broadening your horizons... Aaah, I'm so jealous!"

I chuckled. "If you keep reminiscing about old times I'll have no choice but to really call you Ms. Maria."

"Shut it!" She puffed her cheeks in a pout. It didn't look that out of place on her, despite her age, which I learned was 26. She pointed a finger to the front door. "Now go sweep the front entrance, slacker!"

"Yes, yes."

I took the broom and went outside, trying hard to hold a laugh.

Work had become a lot easier with time and experience. There was still the unpredictable variable of customers, but at least I was learning to do everything better bit by bit. I was confident I could even prepare coffee quickly enough and without spilling anything, but the thought of actually having to prepare a customer's order still made me a little afraid to tell Maria I could handle it. Things like sweeping, though, and washing dishes and even waiting on tables was much smoother.

Really, with things as complicated as they were getting, I was looking forward to my work days. It was a short escape from it all, a bit of time I didn't have to think about what my lovely girlfriends wanted me to do.

...

Or that was what I hoped would happen.

We were having a slow, slow day. We only had two tables occupied, and Maria was more than capable of taking care of it on her own. That left me with all the menial tasks that left too much time to space out to think about... stuff.

Things were now crystal clear between the girls and I. For a few different reasons, they were not opposed to / wanted me to sleep with other girls. Sleep as in 'have sex with', if it wasn't clear enough.

Let me be honest with you here. While this sounds like every man's dream, with me certainly not being an exception, it wouldn't have been something I would've said yes to if not for a single reason.

Noelle Summers.

The world is full of attractive women, sure, but how often do you feel like you click with someone the moment you have a simple conversation? How often do you feel like you click with someone AND they are ridiculously cute and hot?

Despite what our first encounter might make you believe, I didn't feel a click with Mila, Grace and Sarah the moment we started talking. I spent the first WEEK panicking to my very core, not understanding what the fuck was going on, remember? With Noelle, though... I thought it was going to be awkward, but we ended up having a lot of fun.

...

I had a crush on her, and in that talk with the girls, they practically forced me to accept it. If not for that, I would've buried those feelings deep down until they were forgotten.

I feel like I have to say this, despite it being very obvious to me. My feelings for Mila, Grace and Sarah have not diminished in the slightest. If anything, I love them even more. It's just that... I can't deny that the idea of being with someone new is exciting, more now that I know they encourage it.

So yeah, I said okay to this because I wanted to date Noelle. But you're probably thinking, 'Oliver, what about Alice? You said you liked her!' And yes, I do like Alice. She's smart, competent, a top class beauty, and apparently a huge badass who rebuilt her own car and participates in street races with it. I just hadn't felt that click yet, and that... worried me a bit.

The girls were encouraging me to go after Noelle, yes, but they seemed to be more interested in Alice and I hooking up. I mean, of course they were. She's one of their best friends, so they probably trusted her far more than Noelle.

I didn't want to force anything, though, and that's what worried me. I didn't want to... sleep with one of my girlfriends' best friends just for the sake of it. I felt like it'd be a disappointment for us all. I was going with her to the car meet on Saturday, though, so... I supposed we'd see how that went.

Finally, there was one more issue that concerned me. A very simple, yet important one. See, Mila, Grace and Sarah were okay with me sleeping with other girls. They WANTED to share me. That's cool and all, but... What about these other girls?

Would Alice want to be with me? She knew I was dating her friends already. What about Noelle? She didn't even know I was seeing other girls. She would undoubtedly hate me if I tried to do anything before I even told her I had three girlfriends. And if I told her, she was also likely to not want anything with me.

What a fucking mess.

Well, the girls said to leave that part to them, so... I'll just have to trust them on this. I just hope this doesn't end in any sort of fight.

If there was a supernatural being responsible for all the weird shit happening to us, then I prayed it also helped us make this work.

************

Chapter 198: Intermission - An issue of trust (part 1).

"I've given your proposal some serious thought, Ms. Knight," the principal told her.

"Which one, sir?" Alice asked.

"The one to bring back the talent show."

Alice was called to the principal's office after classes were over. Right now, students were either leaving school grounds or staying for their club activities. The student council itself didn't have a meeting, but Alice was asked to stay to discuss some matters with the principal.

"And what is your opinion, sir?" Alice asked, keeping her expectations and personal interests in check.

"I talked about it with some of the teachers, and even asked the opinion of some friends of mine who work at a TV station. They all seem to agree that the talent show is a good idea, and we might be able to get it broadcast on television. If not live, then at least a long report in the news."

"And the budget, sir?"

The principal sighed. "There's some, but with the new lab expenses..." He shook his head. "If we can manage to make it student-run, however, the budget we do have can go to give them all the materials they need instead of hiring sound technicians or stage crew."

Alice superseded her own sigh. "I'll bring it up to the rest of the council and then to the class presidents in next week's meeting."

"Thank you, Ms. Knight. I do hope this goes well."

"As do I, sir. Was there anything else?"

"No. You may leave. Be safe on your way home."

"Thank you."

With a short bow, Alice left the principal's office. Once far away enough, she let herself let out a sound that was half a sigh, half a groan.

Stingy old fart. Alice had seen the numbers. There was enough money to hire staff to make sure the event went smoothly. The principal was just hoping the students themselves would take care of it so he could claim in interviews that his school was just that good, all the while keeping his money. He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too, basically.

Nevertheless, it was a chance to have something interesting done in this dull school. Something that wasn't a damn spelling contest for once. Alice knew clubs and individual students were eager to show what they could do, and they well damn deserved the chance. Life wasn't all academics. It just wasn't.

She caught herself scowling, but thankfully there was no one in the hallway with her. She let out another sigh, this one to compose herself more than to let out frustrations.

"Now then..." To take care of something that turned her stomach far more than dealing with the old fart. "Please tell me they're not mad..."

Alice walked up the stairs to the rooftop and opened the door. Sarah was leaning against the chain link fence, Mila was looking down into the court where the soccer team was practicing, and Grace was looking at her phone.

Alice's stomach twisted again.

"What's this sudden summon for?" she asked with a weak chuckle. "Am I in trouble?"

That none of them answered with a witty comeback was worrying. Just the other day they had no issues with her inviting their boyfriend to the car meet this Saturday. Now Alice had the feeling they had changed their minds. But...

"We just want to have a serious talk, Alice," Grace said, pocketing her phone. "One we should've had a long time ago."

Grace and Sarah had the same serious expression, while Mila looked more hesitant. It wasn't a surprise. The former two were always more willing to bring out difficult topics if they thought it was necessary.

"Okay." Alice shrugged lightly. "What's this about?"

"When is it enough?" Sarah asked.

"Ah?"

"You made it to student council president already. You have your ticket," Grace said. "How much longer are you playing the part of a serious, earnest student?"

Alice tensed up. "Are you sure you should be asking that, Grace? You of all people?"

Grace shrugged easily. "I play the part for the teachers so they can't say anything when I cut loose every once in a while. I have my fun whenever I can. But you?"

"Alice..." Mila grimaced as she looked at her. "It's clearer now that we're seeing you more often. It's like you've closed yourself off to everyone."

"Fuck the presidency," Sarah said, nearly spat. "We never should've left you alone. We fucked that one up."

Alice's hands began to tremble, so she crossed her arms and held her elbows to hide it. "What are you talking about? I haven't closed myself."

"Your friends, Isabelle and Noelle," Grace continued. "Why don't they know that you're a mechanic and street racer?"

"That's... You know why."

Grace nodded. "We do."

"You don't trust them, do you?" Mila's pained, sad face hurt far more than Grace's stern tone.

Alice felt her heart twisting.

"Aren't they your closest friends now?" Sarah asked her. "But from what we've seen, you don't act much differently with them than you do with anyone else. Did you tell them you were dating that college guy for a while? Do you tell them stupid jokes? Do you watch horror movies with them and hide under a blanket?"

"I..." Alice's mouth went dry.

"We really screwed up," Grace said, biting her own lip so hard Alice thought she was gonna draw blood. "Why did we ever think staying away was good for you?"

"I'm... I'm trying to fix that, okay?" Alice said, looking away from them. She kept holding her elbows, but now she felt more like she was holding herself. Her lip quivered. "I'm trying to fix..."

Of course they knew. These girls always knew.

Alice used to be a really naive girl. Her mother always told her that, so long as one approached people with honesty and kindness, they would reciprocate. Life taught her her mother was wrong. It taught her people took advantage of honesty and kindness.

When she was younger, she believed the sweet words of someone like that. It led to a terrible two months, which almost became something even worse if her friends hadn't intervened. She still shivered at the memories, sometimes even woke up in a cold sweat from nightmares.

Since then, and without realizing it... Alice had been keeping people at a distance. And then her three closest friends decided to stay away from her, mostly. It was for her sake, she knew. For the sake of something she had to do. For the sake of something she didn't even truly want, but couldn't bring herself to tell them that.

Alice suddenly felt Mila hugging her tightly, as strongly as she could manage.

"M-Mila?"

"You should've just told us!" Mila cried. "You should've just told us you were lonely!"

Alice's lip quivered. She hugged Mila back and let out a humorless chuckle. "I... I wanted to stop relying on you for everything. I wanted to be as strong as you are."

"The presidency," Grace said. "It's because of your dad, isn't it?"

Of course she'd figure it out! Grace was just amazing. Alice still couldn't measure up.

"Yeah." She didn't need to say any more. Tears threatened her eyes, so she closed her eyes, but with them came a sense of relief. "I'm sorry. If I was stronger, if I was... better...!"

She felt a light, painless flick on her forehead. Sarah was there, and her friend then planted a light kiss on the top of her head.

"You're strong. You're the best. You just need to be you."

No. Alice was weak. She tried and played the part, but it was never enough. Still... It was reassuring to hear Sarah say that.

************

Chapter 199: Intermission - An issue of trust (part 2)

They had to take a moment to calm down, breathe and compose themselves. Alice certainly needed it.

"What the hell?" she asked tiredly, rubbing her eyes. "Seriously, why throw this at me all of a sudden?"

"We had to," Grace said with a wry smile. "We couldn't postpone it any longer, and you know I advocate for ripping the band aid in one go."

"You sure do..." Alice sighed. "Look, I... It's not like I enjoy keeping people at a distance. I just can't... be myself around people who aren't you anymore. I can't help it."

"And we don't blame you for it," Mila told her.

"We blame ourselves," Sarah added.

"Don't," Alice insisted. "Like I said, I needed to stop relying on you girls for everything. And hey, it's worked in some ways." She chuckled weakly. "I'm now one of the few in school who can give Grace a run for her money when it comes to test scores."

Mila laughed more heartily. "Oh yeah! You actually beat her in history and science these midterms!"

"In my defense, I had to spend a lot of time tutoring some people in math specifically because they just couldn't get it."

Sarah crossed her arms and turned her gaze away. "What? Blaming Oliver for losing, Grace? Pathetic."

"I'm blaming you, Sarah. Oliver at least finished the exercises I gave him for home study."

Mila laughed even more. "Oliver did beat you in math, Sarah."

"Ugh..."

It came out on its own. Alice held her stomach and began to laugh along with Mila. God, she needed it.

"It's good that you're laughing, but I don't enjoy being the butt of the joke..." Sarah grumbled.

"Sorry, sorry!" Alice said, still giggling.

"Well, in return for letting you laugh at me," Sarah grinned, "I want you to answer one question."

"Hm?"

"You're having a hard time trusting people, which is understandable. But if that's the case, why did you tell Oliver your big secret?"

"Why even invite him to the car meet you have this Saturday?" Mila added.

Alice felt her cheeks and ears warm up. She smiled genuinely and answered. "You three trust someone so much that you date him at the same time. When he saw me at my brother's shop, I felt... relieved. I was like 'Ok, he saw me. What can you do?'" She shrugged. "Then before I knew it, I was blurting out everything, even talking about my car..."

Alice took a hand to her face. That had been so awkward. He showed a minimum of interest and Alice started talking about wankel engines... Just how starved was she for someone to talk to about this stuff?

"Honestly, I don't get it. Remember when I told you I participated in my first race? I was all excited to tell you how much fun it was and you girls nearly killed me."

"Oh yeah." Sarah nodded, fondly reminiscing.

Mila giggled. "We were worried sick. We still worry."

"Still looks dangerous to me," Grace said. "But anyone who can control a car like that has to know what they're doing. Besides, you sometimes can't help your passions."

"Please tell me you still use a helmet," Sarah pleaded.

"And all my racing gear, too. I'm not that stupid." Alice pouted. "The thing is, you know why I can't even tell Isabelle and Noelle I race. It's not just about... trust. They'd freak out for sure." She grimaced.

"But you could tell Oliver?"

Alice sighed. "Like I said, before I knew it, I was spilling everything. More than I should have..."

"You know..." Grace grinned devilishly. "There are plenty of psychology studies that say attractive people are more likely to seem trustworthy."

Alice now felt her cheeks and ears burn. "Grace! I didn't mean it like that!"

"No need to be ashamed, Alice," Sarah teased her, poking her ribs.

"He's really cute, after all," Mila said dreamily. "I'd get a credit card from him if he offered me one in the street."

"You're not going to tell us you think our boyfriend is ugly," Grace said in a fake offended tone. "Are you?"

Alice snorted. "Like I could. It's not like I don't understand why you'd share..." Her voice became meeker as she realized what she was saying.

"He's not just cute, though. His muscles are to drool over!" Mila giggled and shivered. "Want to see a picture of him without a shirt?" Before Alice could answer, Mila was already going through her phone.

"T-That's..." Alice swallowed. "I don't think that's appropriate..."

"Mila, it's not right if we force it," Sarah told her.

"I'm not forcing anything," Mila pouted, looking at her phone screen. "We don't get many chances to brag, is all..."

"Force what?" Alice asked.

Grace rubbed the back of her neck. "I was hoping things would naturally go that direction. I tried, but finding a good segue for it is hard."

"What are you talking about?"

"Alice, what do you think of Oliver?" Grace asked. Alice opened her mouth to answer, but Grace wasn't done. "Do you think he's good looking? Nice? You've technically known him longer than us."

What? Were they really worried that Alice was trying to take him away from them? No, if anything, their questions and teasing were more along the lines of...

"He's... changed," Alice answered. She looked down at the floor. "He used to actively ignore people. I never believed it was out of malice, but it made him difficult to approach. Even so, he was always kind and reliable. I guess that's one more reason I didn't mind telling him I'm a street racer. Now, though... The whole air around him has changed. He seems... bigger."

Sarah nodded. "He said he grew a few centimeters, and you can tell his shoulders and arms are thicker, too." She smiled. "He can lift over a hundred kilos, you know?"

"Not what I meant." But... Yeah, Alice had noticed that, too, despite herself.

She had to ignore the rising temperature of her face. "The way he looks at people and his willingness to speak more are probably the biggest changes. You know, other than..." Her eyes unconsciously glided over to Mila's phone. She caught the picture she was looking at.

Oliver, sitting on a large bed in an overly fancy room, wearing nothing but his boxers. He looked like he hadn't noticed he was getting a picture taken. His abs were marked, and his chest...

"Do you like him?" Sarah asked bluntly.

"W-What?" Alice asked, startled.

"We'd like it if you did," Mila said innocently.

Okay, what? Was... this really what Alice thought it was?

"Like him? I... don't know." Alice bit her lip. Did she like him? If it was the Oliver from before, then the answer was no. Alice always thought he could be more than he was, but this certainly wasn't what she had in mind.

She pursed her lips as his face popped into her mind, and had to consciously keep herself from stealing another look at Mila's phone.

Looks aside, she knew from what Isabelle and the girls told her that he was doing quite a lot. He was diligently hitting the gym, he had a job as a waiter, he was keeping up with his studies, and all that on top of making her friends happier than she'd ever seen them. It was... admirable.

Alice had been trying to grow, to become as strong and reliable as Mila, Sarah and Grace. She wanted to be someone people could count on. Oliver... seemed to be the same, but the difference was he was making visible progress. It was enviable, even.

She dated a college guy for a short while. She thought he'd be someone mature, someone she could learn from. He wasn't. If anything, Oliver was closer to what she was looking for in a partner.

"Why are you asking?" Alice asked them.

Grace took a deep breath. "Because, if you wanted to try something with him... We would support it."

Okay, this conversation was going to take longer.

************

Chapter 200: A job.

Thinking back, it's wild how easily I accepted Alice's invitation. I mean, she didn't invite me to dinner, or to see a movie, or to walk around the park. No, she invited me to a gathering of people who are into cars (some of whom race said cars) and to be a passenger in her tuned sports car as she drove the mountain pass.

There was so much in there that should've made me say no, yet I accepted with little issue. A gathering full of strangers who shared a passion I barely had superficial knowledge of was bound to be awkward. Surprisingly, though, that part worried me more than being in Alice's car. Call me crazy, but despite her being a street racer, I had the strong suspicion she was no amateur. When she spoke of racing, she did so with the familiarity I would talk about music and playing guitar.

It was only just starting to get dark outside, and I was ready to head out that Saturday evening. That said, I had the very same outfit on that I'd used when I went out with Noelle. That is to say, the same clothes the girls helped me pick up. The V-neck black sweater, blue jeans and a gray peacoat. I've never been one to put much importance in clothes, but if this was the only decent outfit I had for going out, then I'd need another trip to the store soon. It looked good, but I couldn't be using the same clothes over and over, right?

"Cake, no! I'm busy!" I heard my sister chiding. "Hey! Get down! Cake! Not there! Olivier! Help me!" she pleaded with exasperation.

I took off my coat just to avoid getting cat hair all over it and went to Isabelle's room.

"What is it?" I asked as I opened the door.

"She's not letting me work!"

I blinked. My sister was at her desk, and Cake was practically on top of Isabelle's laptop, pressing keys just by being there.

"Even when I set her down, she climbs back up," she told me.

"See what happens when you spoil her and don't set boundaries?" I lightly snapped my fingers and called Cake's name. She immediately jumped off Isabelle's desk and started rubbing against my legs, tail raised high as she purred.

"You're a magician..." Isabelle sighed, her shoulders dropping.

I took the chance to look at her laptop screen, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. She had video editing software on, and truly did look like she was working on something.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "You haven't edited video since... When was it? Four years ago for mom's birthday?"

Isabelle pursed her lips. "... I got a job."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Shut up. It's not that surprising, is it? It's not exactly a job, just a one time thing. It doesn't even pay well, but I'm hoping to build a portfolio with little jobs like this." She groaned. "I was looking for a job until I saw a post online saying that someone needed to have a video edited for their channel. I said I could do it and sent the video I made in senior year of middle school for music class."

"The video of Nirvana clips with The Man Who Sold the World as background music?" I remembered that one. It was good and Isabelle got a perfect score on it. The only perfect score she ever got in music class, by the way.

Isabelle nodded. "It was the only decent one I had. It was either that or the video I made for mom, but that'd mean a stranger would have pictures of us as babies."

I shuddered at the thought.

"It took a little too long, but they got back to me and said I had the job. Now I'm finishing the video. I spent too long relearning how this software works." She groaned. "They've updated it too much and things aren't where I remember. Anyway, if things go well, they'll probably pick me to edit their next video, too."

"What do you need money for?"

"... Nothing specific." Isabelle bit her lip. "I just... felt like I was lagging behind, is all."

Right. I remembered she said something like that before.

"I hope it lasts," I told her. She was good at starting things and dropping them. Which sucked, because Isabelle could be really good at anything if she stuck with it for more than a couple months.

My sister let out a soft groan, clearly bothered by my comment, but knowing she couldn't exactly refute me. Instead, she looked at me up and down and raised an eyebrow. "Are you going out?"

I tensed up. I had promised Alice I would keep her little hobby a secret even from Isabelle. I couldn't tell her I was going out with her.

"Y-Yeah. I have plans."

"With who?"

"... Friends."

"Hmmm." That hum was full of suspicion. "Well, not my business, I suppose. Good luck."

I picked Cake up and carried her out of Isabelle's room, closing the door behind me. I went back to my room, put on my coat and left the house after telling mom.

I would meet Alice a few blocks away from my house, just so Isabelle wouldn't ask about the very eye-catching car. As I walked, though, I pondered over something that was bothering me.

Alice was keeping this a secret, and I could understand why. At the same time, Noelle was keeping secret the fact she was a streamer and V-Tuber. Somehow I ended up finding out both secrets before them, despite the fact these two girls knew each other for longer than I knew them. It felt wrong. Not that I knew, but that they were keeping these secrets from each other.

For a moment, as I waited for Alice to arrive, I wondered if telling them the other's secret would somehow help them. I threw away the idea immediately. All that would do was make both of them hate my guts. The best I could do was try to convince them to open up, and even then I would probably be overstepping my boundaries.

Ugh. People, man. I don't get it.

Some five minutes later, I saw that yellow RX-7 approaching. The sight made me realize I was going out with Alice. It made me remember that conversation on the rooftop with my girlfriends.

My nerves instantly doubled.