"Quite the mess you made," Principal Thomas Bailey told Connor.

"I didn't do any of that," Connor rasped.

Not paying attention to him, the principal reached into his right drawer and pulled out a bottle of gin and two glasses.

"Sir?" Connor said as the principal began pouring.

Gin moved about as Thomas wiggled one of the glasses in front of him. Reluctantly, Connor grabbed it.

"Saw the security footage," the principal said, "you're quick on your feet."

"Thanks," Connor held the glass with both his hands on his lap.

"Drink up."

"We're at school, I'm underage, and... it's seven thirty in the morning," Connor said in a bit of panic.

"I say you've earned it."

It stung him with each swallow. It probably wasn't the best idea, as his throat was still healing. "Whoa." Connor coughed as he slammed the glass down on the desk.

"Good," Thomas drank along with him and smiled, "now I'm a busy man. I've rarely got the time. I had a hernia fixed, my son took one of our two vehicles, so my wife has been dropping me off at work, and half the kids' parents want the school to pay for their car repairs. Frankly, I don't have the time. But Connor, how are you doing?"

Surprised, Connor saw how sincere he was. Perhaps the drinking was his way to connect with him? "I'm doing okay."

The principal leaned back in his chair. "It's hard to hear your voice like that. You don't need to speak if you don't want to. I've told your teachers not to call on you in class."

Connor nodded.

"Despite everything you've been through, your grades are great, and you have had one absence this year. You should be proud. I'm proud of you. We're drinking to you."

It wasn't what Connor expected when he got called into the office before class started. He figured he was in trouble for breaking a window, causing mayhem in the parking lot, and who knows what else.

"Thank you, sir," Connor said.

"I'm still bothered, though."

Connor lifted his brows in confusion.

"There's plenty of video of you running around outside the school and even inside the school. But no video evidence of you leaving the school. Just your brother, along with some blood and a bullet hole in a wall."

Connor lifted his shoulders. I don't know.

"It concerns me some."

"I'm sorry, I don't know. Should I get to class now?"

"Not another word until your voice feels fine," Thomas said. "Feel free to have another drink or get going if you'd like. I'm giving you some liberties as any adult should."

Connor put the drink down and nodded to the door.

"Alright then, enjoy the rest of your day."

As Connor left, Thomas pulled out a book from one of the cabinets behind him. He browsed through the pages until he found a photo that stood out. A young black man with a great smile stood out on the page. He looked so different back then, especially since he had hair. He flipped to the front to see him in his wrestling suit with the state championship trophy, now displayed in the hallway. He continued to exercise and began working as the wrestling coach at the school before obtaining the qualifications to become principal. Then he flipped the pages to another photo near the back. Michael Voll, who looked like Connor, was among the last ones in the school yearbook. The pages flipped to the back.

"Friends 'til the end - Michael"

Damn straight.

***

One leg hung off the bed as he stared at the ceiling. Random items cluttered the room, a desk here, a pile of clothes there, textbooks on the floor, and Joules looked out the window amongst the mess.

She sauntered to the door and knocked quietly. "Connor," Stephanie said. "Good job going back to school. There's a plate ready for you." She didn't wait and went downstairs, as he never responded. Teresa had already started twirling her fork in the pasta and took a bite. "Just the two of us again."

Teresa was expecting something much different when she heard Connor was moving in. Scared and elated, it was about the same as before. The once-empty room she walks by to get to hers is now permanently closed. It's been a week since the dance, and he's written no messages or even tried to speak to Teresa since the hospital. After her effort with the kiss, she felt like she took two steps back after taking a step forward.

They paused but were still chewing when they heard footsteps come down the stairs. Connor took a seat without saying a word and began eating.

"Hey," Teresa swallowed, "how's the voice?"

Connor gave an unexcited thumbs up. Once he finished, he cleaned his plate, put it in the dishwasher, harnessed Joules, and took her out.

"Is he really that mad at me?" Teresa said.

"It's not you," Stephanie wiped her plate into the garbage disposal.

"Then what is it?"

"Teresa, his brother, chased him down in his car, and his mom won't speak to him, effectively taking Axel's side. I don't think you're on his mind right now."

Teresa knew she was right and decided to change the subject. "Would you like anything for Christmas?"

"Considering what happened to Connor, maybe it's best to skip it."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Teresa had forgotten she celebrated Christmas with her family before joining Optimal. The Christmas celebrations in the facility were always lackluster but, more vitally, lacked heart.

"Sure, let's skip it. Anyway, I need to get back to it."

"You're not doing a good job working for Optimal," Stephanie said.

"Patience is key. In the meantime, I've got my side project while I figure out the Aeon Switch."

"That's great," Stephanie said.

Teresa smiled, went into the living room, put on her dirty pair of overalls, and went back into the garage. The saucer has taken a better shape, and a glass window went over the recessed middle portion, and little wings got attached, so it wasn't completely round and had a different front. She ordered a custom-made chair that fits perfectly in its front half and a steering wheel—like in an F1 car. She sat in, turned it on, and it levitated in the garage.

Awesome.

***

Drying her hair with a towel as she walked down the stairs, Teresa smelled breakfast as she reached the bottom.

Awesome. Though, she didn't expect to see Connor donning an apron and turning sausages around in a pan. She liked that look on him.

"Whoa," Teresa said, "is this for everyone?"

Connor nodded yes, and she sat. He put together a plate, nothing fancy, with eggs, bacon, sausage, and a glass of milk. He heard Stephanie make her way down and started preparing a dish for her. Stephanie looked surprised and gave a double-raised eyebrow look to Teresa, who lifted her shoulders. Stephanie sat as well, and he set down a plate of food in front of her.

Connor cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say thank you."

Stephanie looked up at him with a curious look.

"And I'm sorry for being a downer lately," Connor said slowly as he sat with his plate. "I'm going to be a good roommate, I promise."

"You're off to a great start," Stephanie said, and she rubbed his back. "This food is amazing. And unexpected."

"Again, thank you," he rasped to Stephanie, and she smiled at the spoken effort.

Jealousy set in for Teresa as Connor spoke to Stephanie. But she had an idea. "Want to walk to school together?"

Connor looked at her for a moment and nodded. It remained quiet as they ate, and once Connor finished his meal, he went upstairs to get ready.

"He seems better, I think," Teresa whispered.

"I crushed up a sleeping pill and put it in his food last night," Stephanie said.

"Oh, you sneaky devil."

"You need to be if you want to change anything," Stephanie finished her last bite.

***

"You don't want anyone thinking we're living with the teacher." Teresa took a few photos of the snow-covered foothills.

Connor gave off a yeah, whatever look to her instead of speaking. She knew he didn't seem concerned.

"Still saving the voice," Teresa tapped her neck, "that's fine. There's plenty of things we can do that don't involve talking." She gave a suggestive look.

Connor moaned, pulled out his phone, and texted, "Not interested."

Then a snowball hit him.

"Not that you perv!" Teresa readied another snowball. Joules on the leash was bouncing about as if she knew a projectile was coming. The dog caught it in midair. But not the third that Connor barely dodged.

He wished he had worn gloves as he readied a snowball and threw it. She was surprisingly quick. Even with her book bag, she managed a short dodge that transitioned into a throw that hit him. She now has a two-to-zero advantage. This time instead of throwing the new snowball he had made, he dropped the leash and chased after her.

"Ah!" she yelped as he stuffed the snow into the back of her coat. "That's against the rules!" She tried to get some more snow.

"Rules?" Connor said, picking her up by the waist and spinning her around on his shoulder.

She continued her high-pitched scream as he spun her around. With the snow packed into her gloves, she lifted his coat and reached into his shirt. Connor squealed like a girl, and they tumbled into the snow. Joules pranced around the couple as they rolled in panic and hysterics.

Teresa pushed herself off of him, said, "Winner biotch," and flailed her arms out.

Connor was rubbing his backside to get the snow out. "You cheated," he managed to say.

"Rules?" Teresa said.

Connor laughed a scratchy laugh and held out a hand. "Some help." Teresa looked skeptical, expecting him to pull her down, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him up with no shenanigans. Then he put some snow down the back of her shirt.

She started yelping and hopping around to get the snow out. He readied more. "You win! You win!" Teresa surrendered with her hands up.

"That's what I thought," Connor chuckled, "is there a prize?"

"Turn around," she said.

"Alright," his voice raspier this time.

Teresa jumped up and wrapped her arms around his shoulder and her legs around his waist. "You get to carry me."

He nearly stumbled. She was pressed up mostly against his bookbag, but still, it surprised—excited—him. "Some prize."

"I didn't make the rules," she said. "Now mush. And your voice, stop talking. It still needs to heal."

He began walking, a leash in one hand and a girl on the back. Thank God you're light.

As she got her face closer to him, to the back of his head, she began to feel terrible. "Stephanie showed me the security footage of you getting chased by your brother. It was terrifying, and I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I said that and wasn't there for you. It should have been me and not Stephanie that saved you."

"I understand."

"What?"

"It's me. No one wants to be around me. It's me. My friends, Olivya, my family, and you. I get it."

"I'll talk to them," she said.

"And say what?"

"The video of you and Axel and Joules, and the security footage at the school. That should convince them."

"You don't get it," Connor whispered.

"What do you mean?"

He propped her legs under one arm, pulled out his phone, and began writing to save his voice.

She took the opportunity to hold his hand, which contained his phone, and read his message. "When you're with your friends, jokes and conversation come naturally. Inside jokes. I'm an inside joke to them. They've grown as friends at my expense. It'll become unnatural for them to change if I was with them in a room together. Their minds and behavior are made up." He hoisted her up.

"You've put a lot of thought into this."

He typed some more, "Not worth the hassle at this point. Besides, just a semester left."

She wished she hadn't brought up the topic. His demeanor changed, and the extra pep in his step was gone. They reached another block near the outlets by the school, and Teresa hopped off of him. "Coffee," she said. "I'm treating you. You still get it iced even now in the cold, right?"

Connor nodded. He switched to iced coffee after Stephanie nursed him with hers.

"Great." She hurried in, leaving him to wait with Joules, and a moment later, she came out with two cups and handed one to him. "The true prize."

"Thank you," he said. They walked closer to the field, and he unleashed Joules at the usual spot, and she trotted across and into the woods.

They began walking towards the school together. "Last day before winter break, any plans?"

"No, not really," he said.

"Did you want anything for Christmas?"

Connor's nod was sudden and angry.

Guess Stephanie was right.

It seemed like Connor was warming back up to her with the snowball fight and coffee. And her mind went wild with ideas about what she could do for him during the break. They went into the school and walked the halls together, and Teresa caught his gaze as she sat across from him at the workstation where they first met.

As Connor placed his drink down, he noticed a message written in marker on the cup, "It's good to hear your voice again."

Whatever.

She hoped her message would calm his frayed mental state. If only she could engineer some piece of technology to see the future—she's thought about it and determined it was impossible—then she'd see a war coming.