HIDDEN (Hide Or Die)

Chapter 47

KYLE'S P.O.V.

"Seriously, Angel, this is insane! How can you both sit here in the dark engrossed in a gruesome crime documentary like it's a comedy?" Andrew was huddled next to me on the couch, eyes as wide as saucers, flicking between the TV and me while clinging to my arm like a scared puppy. God, his big, round green eyes were practically begging me to smother him in hugs and kisses.

"You're not planning to go all Dexter on us, are you?" Andrew joked, though his shaky voice, a mix of fear and curiosity, didn't help the spooky vibe in the room. Meanwhile, Matthew, who usually acted like he wasn't scared of anything, looked like he was about to lose his lunch, his face was turning paler by the second, and Andrew wasn't far behind. The besties were a chorus of "Turn it off, turn it off!"

But Albert and I – mostly Albert – were hooked, munching on popcorn, totally into the twisted plot unfolding on the screen. "Just one more episode," Albert insisted, eyes shining with a weird fascination.

"I need to know what happens next. Aren’t you guys even a little curious about how he got rid of the second body?"

Well, as my mama always said, it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

With the tension rising both on-screen and in our little viewing party, I wondered if we’d make it through the night without someone passing out from fright. As long as that someone wasn't Andrew, I was fine with it.

Just when I thought Albert’s persistence would win, Matthew shot up from the couch like he'd been zapped,

"Enough! I can't take it anymore," he cried. "First, there was the nightmare of you two shaking the house last night, which I desperately want to forget, and now, Albert, you're getting tips on hiding bodies? It’s too much! I feel like I’m on the brink of losing it." Matthew’s sudden outburst caught us all off guard. His voice, trembling with frustration and desperation, sliced through the room. If I were a bit mean, I probably would have laughed.

Note the word "if." Wanting to and actually doing it are two different things.

Taking a deep breath, Matthew looked at each of us. "We need to break free from this creepy mood. Let’s do something, anything, to get away from these dark thoughts and scary memories."

Matthew’s plea hung in the air. Andrew shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Matthew’s eyes, while I found myself fixating on my own hands, suddenly fascinated by the state of my nails.

"I can’t believe he heard us last night,"

I turned to Andrew, realizing he was using his "head voice" – yeah, that’s what I was calling it until I figured it out.

Biting his lip and looking a bit guilty, Albert, ever the peacemaker, got up slowly, turned off the TV, and walked to Matthew. With a gentle gesture, he hugged Matthew, wrapping him in a warm embrace like a cozy blanket. The tension evaporated, replaced by a sense of calm and unity as Matthew’s face lit up like Christmas morning. The boy was so whipped.

His cheeks turned bright red, spreading warmth like an electric heater, softening every line of his face under Albert’s touch. It was such an intimate moment, so intense, and I completely got how he felt.

But then Andrew, my beautiful master of perfect timing, decided to clear his throat with a loud "eh hem!" that shattered the lovebirds' bubble and dragged them back to the fact that we were still there.

"Hi, we're still here!" I said, waving with a big grin. Albert's face turned bright red, and Matthew rolled his eyes and flipped me off.

"Andy, look! Your friend just fingered me," I whined to Andrew with a mischievous grin.