Good Things Fall Apart

Contrition

Talking with Mia after everything that's transpired feels strange. While he would love to be able to spend more time with her in person, Benji's absence from Brasstown means Victor's picked up extra hours. A lot of them. He's worked more double shifts than should be legal (when he thinks about it, he wonders if it is legal; he's only sixteen, after all. But knowing for sure wouldn't make the situation better or worse, so he's decided not to do any research).

So they're relegated to FaceTime, for the most part, because texting is inefficient and phone calls with most people make Victor's palms sweat.

It's odd, the way they're getting to know each other all over again. It reminds Victor of his relationship with Benji, the way almost an entire summer has gone by and suddenly some kind of reset button has been smashed so hard that the plastic pieces are strewn about the floor. Their edges are uneven and if Victor steps on one it will surely puncture his sole, but that's just the price of such a hard reset.

For the first few days after Mia's party, their conversations are shorter, more focused on their days, what they've been up to. Mia tells Victor about Andrew, which still makes him squirm, but the more information she divulges, the more Victor wonders if his initial impression had just been way off.

"So, today, when Andrew picked me up to take me to karaoke," Mia starts one day (at which Victor snorts, because the idea of Andrew doing karaoke is absurd), "he came up to my door with a bouquet and a little necklace in a box."

"Sounds a little cheesy."

Mia rolls her eyes and her picture goes dark as she goes to check another notification on her phone. "That means nothing coming from you, Vic," she says, Victor's screen is still dark, so he allows himself to smile. "Anyway, the necklace wasn't anything crazy, but it has a little microphone charm on it. See?" she says, suddenly back. Mia pinches her necklace between her fingers and brings the charm closer to the camera.

Sure enough, it's a little metallic microphone. "He got you that just to commemorate a date?"

"Well, it was our three months," she says. "Personally, I'm not getting him shit until at least half a year, but what am I supposed to do? Turn down a cute necklace?"

"No, I guess not," Victor says with a laugh. "So he's a big softie, is what you're telling me?"

She scoffs, faux indignation on her face. "Again, that is really bold coming from Mister Romance Twenty-Twenty. He's just sweet, Victor. And he likes to treat me to things."

Victor nods. Is that idea really so crazy? No, but the idea of Andrew being such a sap is still throwing him for a loop.

"Honestly, I think you've rubbed off on him a bit," she says after a silence.

Victor sits up in bed and scrunches his features together. "What? We don't even talk, not since the semester ended."

"No, I know. But I...I've talked about you. He's sort of been in on all of the stuff that was happening while we were trying to get you and Benji back together, too, so he's heard Benji talk about you, which...Well, I don't know how Benji talks to you, but hearing him talk about you is something different."

He clears his throat and blinks, the heat in his face stinging his eyes. "Interesting," he manages.

"Yeah. Anyway, my point is, the way he's acting is—well, honestly, it reminds me of how you treated me when we were together."

Oh. So we're at the point where we can talk about that.

"Minus that stuff at the end, I hope," Victor wagers, hoping the joke lands.