PUZZLER (mystery fic)

004. admitting.

CHAPTER FOUR.

jade's pov.
??? , SOUTH DAKOTA.
. . . the aftermath 🍒.

"YOU DEFINITELY think he's at least hot." Dani deadpans, and I shake my head again.

Innocent until proven guilty.

"I definitely do not. He's clingy and annoying." I defend myself, and they all give me a look.

After our puzzle earlier today, everyone hung out for a little while before we went back to our rooms to relax, much to Sebastian's enjoyment.

"Yeah? then why do you spend all your time with him?" Lizzy interrogates, and I roll my eyes.

"More like he spends his time with me. I don't choose to be around him." I tell them, and alora sighs loudly.

"Use his attention to your advantage. Obviously he sees something in you. That's how you get things from people." She informs as she fixes her hair in her small desktop mirror.

I raise an eyebrow at her. "I may enjoy messing with him, but I'm not gonna use him. That's just mean."

She shrugs. "Could be useful."

"Useful for what?" I ask, and she sends me a look as if I'm stupid.

"If he's the puzzler. He might trust you with that information if he is." Alora says snarkily, and I narrow my eyes at her.

"I don't think he has the capacity to be the puzzler. He's too... Everest." I mumble, and before anyone has time to acknowledge my statement, there's a knock on our door.

Since nobody gets up, I go to open it. It's Everest. Of course it's fucking Ev.

"Hi." He says softly, and I sigh.

"Hello, Everest... what do you need?" I mumble, and he seems slightly confused by my tone, but he doesn't object.

"Are you busy?" He asks, and I open my mouth to say that I am, but Selina beats me to it.

"Nope she's not busy!" Selina shouts, and Everest smiles at me.

"Alright," he nods, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room.

"Ev, I—" I start, but he doesn't give me the time of day as he pulls me to the empty kitchen.

"I'm bored and you're not busy." He acknowledges as he gets out a rather large pot.

"What's your favorite food?" He asks me, and I shrug.

"I don't know. Why?" I mutter, and he turns to look at me.

"Because I'm gonna make food, Rivera. What do you want." He has his back turned to me now as he puts something in the pot.

"Well... what are you having?" I ask curiously.

"Pasta. You want that?"

I nod, then remember he can't see me. "Yeah, if that's alright."