Lovebirds

INTO THE FIRE

On Monday, Spencer feels awake. Alive, as if for the first time in a month, her fear of the hacker slowly receding—because she forces it to. She can't be afraid any more. It isn't who she is and it isn't who she wants to be.

Besides, she gets to see Vince again today.

So, on Monday, Spencer feels awake.

Practically skipping down the hall, she finds Vincent with his earbuds in at his locker. Coming up behind him, she wraps her arms around his torso, placing her chin on his shoulder.

"Good morning," she greets cheerfully. Her lips pulled into a giddy grin, he removes an earbud, unable to stop the smile that creeps across his face.

"Morning Spence. What's gotten you so energetic?"

She takes one deep breath, savoring the faint scent of his cologne before pulling away with a shrug.

"Just happy to be alive," she says.

"I see." Vincent leans back against his locker, pulling the second earbud out before storing them in the case. Pocketing them, he looks at her with admiration.

"What?" Falling out of her daze, hands on hips.

"What what?" He counters, letting his smile grow twofold.

She rolls her eyes, "you're doing it again."

"Doing what?" But she can see the joke in his eyes; little glimmer in the corner of his iris.

"Staring at me," she states plainly, if not with a little embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Then with a wink, "I'll be more sly about it next time." He grabs his backpack from the ground and begins to walk down the hall.

Spencer rolls her eyes again, following after.

As she reaches his side, he drapes his arm over her shoulder. She presses her head to his arm as her phone dings.

She can't help the hiccup in her heartbeat at the sound. It's conditioned at this point; a reflex, she reminds herself. But as she pulls her phone from her back pocket, Vincent, too, is shaded in worry.

Vinceandspence posted a new picture.

Spencer breaks away, tucking herself against the wall. Vincent to follow, glancing nervously down the hall, he stands between her and the crowds that stream about them.

"They were at the game," Spencer states. The edge of fear in her determined voice nipping its way back into visibility. She feels Vincent's gaze like a blanket over her being. "Look," she says, turning the phone for him to see.

Vince glances at the picture; nods.

"Hugo and Dion think it's the Yearbook kid; the guy who was standing behind the sidelines at the game."

"What do you think?" 

Her big doe eyes look up at him, and for an instant—a flicker of a moment—he's speechless. "Um—I, um, think it's too easy. I think this hacker is smart enough not to be out in the open like that."

Spencer hums thoughtfully, then looks back at the phone.

"I think I'm going to message the account. Ask more questions, y'know?"

Vincent swallows; looks down the hall in both directions, briefly registering that the clock says class starts in one minute.

"Just," Vincent tries, "just be careful, Spence. I know the note in the woods didn't sound malicious, but that doesn't change the fact that it was still left in the woods."

She smirks at him, eyes filling with the bright light of amusement.

"When have I ever been one to run from danger?"

With a sigh, Vince puts his hands in his pockets—to stop himself from shaking her by the shoulders. "Not everyone runs further into the building when the fire alarm goes off," he admits, recalling last fall's fire drill. And the faculty's panic that followed.

She gives him a goofy grin. "I'll see you later to tell you how it goes."

And with that, she's headed down the hall without him.