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twenty-one

KAYDEN ALMOST TRIPPED OVER THE STONE STEPS LEADING UP TO THE LIBRARY, AND HER HEART JOLTED WHEN AIDEN CAUGHT HER IN HIS ARMS, GENTLY HELPING HER UPRIGHT. It had started to rain again, and almost all of the shops on Main Street were closed besides the library, the video store (yes, Slayden was so out of tune with the rest of society that it still had a video store), and the Halloween ice cream shop on the corner. Kayden made a mental note to ask Aiden and the others if they could get ice cream after researching.

"Thanks," Kayden said to Aiden as his hands fell from her waist, a blush rising up her neck.

He nudged her side, a devilish grin lifting the corner of his mouth. "Seems like I'm always catching you when you fall, huh?"

She rolled her eyes and opened the doors to the library for the two of them. "Fuck off, O'Conner."

"Ooh, last names now, huh?" His smirk widened, and Kayden forgot just how fucking flustered he could make her. "I better watch my step shouldn't I, Turner?"

"Shut up," She informed him, and they laughed as they entered the huge library, looking around at the rows and rows of books.

"Aw, look at that cute shit," Reed said to Gen, who was sitting in his lap. She turned to watch Aiden and Kayden walk up to the front desk as Aiden began to ask the lady who sat there a stream of questions that would get them started with their research.

She nestled into Reed, his warmth enveloping her body. "They should just call it a day and fuck already."

Hudson snorted. "Not everyone can be like you all, you know."

"Hey, we've fucked!" Milo said indignantly.

Hudson closed his eyes looking pained and Gen grinned up at Reed, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Bodner, you've got a little problem."

When he looked perplexed, she bit her lip. "Or, maybe not so little."

"Fuck," He muttered, his cheeks going bright red. "See what you do to me, Genevieve?"

She laughed out loud, throwing her head back on his shoulder. Casey, who was sitting with his arm around Holland, wrinkled his nose. "You all are disgusting."

Gen lifted her head back up at him, raising her eyebrows. "Didn't Holland tell me you two showered together last night or-"

"Holland!" Casey shrieked, his mouth falling open. Holland began to giggle nervously, putting her head on top of her arms, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

Milo was laughing, his hand clapped over her mouth, and Casey narrowed his eyes at Gen. "For your information, that is private stuff-"

"Oh yeah, sounds pretty private to me," She shot back. "'Oh, Hol- that's it, right there-'"

Holland collapsed on the ground, choking between peals of laughter. "Holy fuck, that's exactly what he sounded like!"

"Wait, since when were you all a thing?" Hudson asked, his eyes wide as he looked between Casey and Holland.

Reed hit his forehead. "Jesus Christ, Hudson, how oblivious are you?"

"Since last night," Holland said from the floor, her slightly tinted red hair falling over her shoulder. "He asked me to be his girlfriend while we were watching Forensic Files."

"Casey Becker, you dog!" Gen said with an accent that made all of them cringe.

"Don't read too much into it," Casey's entire face was red. "Just for Hol, that's it."