Nick sat on the bed. The door was closed, and he gave himself a moment to enjoy the privacy. Nick set a timer for himself and pulled out a book, allowing himself to read for a bit. After all the rest, he needed to have a semblance of normalcy. As normal as he could.

  He spent the day practicing how to walk. He walked around the house, staying on the lower level. He made himself lunch, eating it in his room. He washed his dishes. Took a short walk around the house again. Rolled for another battle. Dodged Evelyn’s worried looks and questions. When he got another eight hundred and sixty experience points, he watched with pounding heart as Grizzizzik’s experience bar filled to 13,460. Five hundred and forty points left. That was it. If they battled one more time today, there was a good chance Grizzizzik would reach level six. And then Grizzizzik would get his sword, Nick would stop needing to do chaotic things, and no one would be the wiser.

  Nick hated it. He couldn’t pretend this last month was a rebellious time. That he needed to get some wiggles out before resuming his good-natured self. Grizzizzik needed to be caught, but his friends would keep them separated. Now that he was in a car crash, there was no way his friends would allow him to attend a session for another couple weeks. From what anyone else could see, another bad car crash changed Nick’s mind and reminded him to make good choices in his life.

  No, eventually they’d have to figure out. Grizzizzik couldn’t keep this a secret. They would know. When they faced Akshi again and Grizzizzik murdered him with the sword, then he’d have to tell them so they wouldn’t keep waiting for Akshi to reappear. Grizzizzik just needed them to not notice until it had already happened.

  But Nick needed them to figure out soon. Then they’d understand why he did what he did. He had no choice.

  Because he had no choice, right?

  Nick placed his hands behind his neck, closing his eyes. Don’t stress. That was another thing the doctor ordered. He could already feel a headache forming.

  There was a knock at the front door. Nick opened his eyes as Walt walked toward it. Nick remained where he was, folding his arms as he heard Walt and Tyler talking.

  Evelyn walked in, holding an ice pack. “Do… you need this?” she asked, offering him the ice pack.

  “Uh, sure,” Nick said, taking it and placing it against his shoulder. He didn’t actually need it, but Evelyn had been shooting him terrified glances throughout the day. Trying to talk, hesitating, and asking a generic question. Nick realized how frayed his relationship with his sister had become. To think it took less than a month to get in this state.

  Tyler was at the doorway of Nick’s room, his eyes lingering on the door.

  “I’ll… be in my room,” Evelyn said.

  She slipped out of the room and Tyler’s eyes rested on Nick. “Hey, can I come in?”

  “Yeah,” Nick said.

  Tyler stepped through the doorway, glancing around the room. There wasn’t much in his room. He’d also cleaned it today, part of his attempt to have some sort of normal day. He didn’t know what Tyler thought of his room, but there wasn’t much to show. He didn’t have a lot. The only person in the group who’d ever been in his room was Evelyn. Not since the crash.

  Or… the first crash.

  Tyler grabbed the chair at his desk and turned it. He sat down, elbows on his knees, hands hanging forward with a dejected look on his face. Nick didn’t know what to say, because he hadn’t seen Tyler look so crushed before.

  “You… doing okay?” Tyler asked.

  “I’m recovering,” Nick said.

  “Good. Good.”

  Silence prickled between them again, and Nick didn’t want to break it. He didn’t have the energy to. Once again, he was forced in front of the conversation he couldn’t have because Chaos kept him from telling the truth.

  “Um…” Tyler scratched his head before staring at Nick. “Why?”

  Nick swallowed, feeling nauseous. He couldn’t do this again. He rested his head against the wall, and Tyler continued.

  “Why did you steal your sister’s car and start driving away from us,” Tyler said, his voice dropping. “Where were you going? What were you doing? Why did you drive out there in the middle of a red light?”

  Nick remained silent, lifting his eyes to the ceiling. He didn’t know if Chaos looked from above or anything. It seemed more like he was everywhere and nowhere. Either way, he shot the ceiling a glare and made sure Chaos knew it was meant for him.

  “You should ask Grizzizzik,” Nick said.

  “You honestly think that’s a good enough answer?” Tyler asked.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Nick didn’t know, because he wasn’t sure if Tyler heard him tell him to ask Grizzizzik. He couldn’t be sure of anything he said. The isolation crept in.

  Tyler groaned, rubbing his head. “I know you’re still recovering. We’ve all got to give you some time. Which is why I came. You… need to stay here. For a few weeks. Possibly even a month.”

  Nick raised his gaze. “It doesn’t need to be a month. It’s just a mild concussion. I’m getting the stitches out next week.” He straightened. “The doctors think I’ll be fine in a week or two.”

  “This isn’t about physically getting better.” Tyler’s shoulders were slouched, a haunted look in his eye. He hadn’t smiled at all when he came into his room, and nothing about his face said he was expecting to smile for the remainder of this conversation. “God, Nick. Think about what this is doing to all of us. Not just the car crash, but everything else this past month. We’re all confused, and you’re not giving us any answers.”

  Nick didn’t say anything, because Chaos would change his words.

  “So I will ask only one more time. Why are you doing what Grizzizzik asks, and not relying on us?” Tyler asked.

  Nick found himself running his tongue over his teeth, which was a very Grizzizzik thing to do, once he thought about it. He said nothing, wondering if Tyler would consider Nick the victim in all this. They already deduced Grizzizzik had something to do with it.

  “Have you… interrogated Grizzizzik as much as you have me?” Nick asked.

  “Yes,” Tyler said, folding his arms. “None of the group trusts him. The only reason he comes to battles now is because we can’t have him fall behind in leveling. If the apocalypse really is coming closer, we need every hand to kill these monsters, even if we can’t trust them.”

  “Leveling,” Nick said, raising a hand. “Have you asked him about leveling?”

  Tyler blinked, almost surprised, before anger trickled in. “Holy shit, Nick. Why would you say that to me?”

  Nick’s shoulders slumped. Tears appeared in his eyes as they fell down his cheeks, but judging by the way Tyler was still glaring at him, Chaos must be masking his tears. It made more fall as true isolation overcame him.

  Tyler stood up, heading for the door. He almost left when he paused at the doorframe. “I’m doing what I can to convince Evelyn to come with us tomorrow. She needs space from you too.”

  Panic seized Nick. “What about Akshi. What about his threat to me? To all of us? You can’t leave me alone, remember?”

  “Dammit, Nick, I know.” Tyler’s voice was strangled, like he wanted to scream it, but didn’t want to bring Walt’s attention. “You don’t think I’ve been agonizing over that very thing all month? I told you three years ago that you could come back to CCNC as long as you didn’t put yourself in danger again like you did with Anthony and Eddy. I have been more than patient this last month because your life was literally on the line, but I can’t let your stupid choices hurt this group again. Evelyn was a complete mess when she saw your crash. Still is, even though she’s hiding it. Alejandra has already slapped you and is ready to slap you again. Derek and Rafael are trying to help, but you keep pushing them away. I’m… confused. I’m so confused.” Tyler had a hand in his hair, letting out a breath. “For the second time in your life, you walked away from a bad crash that should have left you blind in one eye. How many more times are you willing to tempt fate. We’re here for you, Nick. But if you keep choosing Grizzizzik, we won’t be here much longer.”

  Nick held his breath, hoping that would somehow keep the sob inside. He felt horrible thinking it, but he was back to wondering what would happen if Grizzizzik died. He doubted Chaos’ hold would break, because Grizzizzik was still the only one who could tell, but it was getting impossible to give hints about what had happened.

  Tyler waited for Nick to say something. When Nick refused, he shook his head. “Evelyn has downloaded the tracker app to her phone. She’ll give you her phone before she leaves tomorrow. We’ll at least know where you are if something happens.”

  Nick didn’t react. He just stared at the ground, tears running down his cheeks as Tyler left. Nick covered his eyes, making sure the tears didn’t get on the stitches on his cheeks. He let out a quiet sob that he was pretty sure no one could hear.

  ***

  Evelyn was dreading Sunday evening. Tyler talked to her, asking her to come with them to the session on Sunday. Evelyn flat out refused. She couldn’t leave Nick. Akshi was still out there, hiding. No doubt planning an attack. Nick couldn’t remain behind. Not by himself. The phone wouldn’t be enough. Nick could get kidnapped.

  It was that fear alone that Tyler urged her to come.

  “You can’t let his bad choices dictate your life,” he had said. “It’s like the game, Evie. He made the choice, he needs to suffer the consequence.”

  “I can’t. I can’t leave him. He could get hurt,” she told him.

  Tyler shrugged, almost defeated. “He already did get hurt.”

  In the end, Tyler left it up to her. Evelyn realized Tyler was right. Nick had become a void, and if she wasn’t careful, she’d get sucked in trying to fix it and forget to live her life. She had to make the choice she was terrified of making three years ago. If Nick refused to change, she couldn’t get dragged down with him.

  She still loved her brother. It’s why it hurt. Hurt when she handed him her phone. Hurt when she watched him casually toss it on the side of the bed. Hurt when she asked him to stick it in his pocket and to never take it out, no matter what happened.

  Nick grumbled as he did as she asked. Evelyn almost walked out of the door before she turned right around and hugged him, trying not to cry. There was a desperation in her hug, and she almost imagined the same sort of desperation in his. Her brother was still there. He had to be. Perhaps this was what they needed to make sure he came back.

  She got into the car, wiping away the tears. Mentally preparing herself to meet up with everyone.

  She put the car in park before turning it off, reaching for her phone to make sure she looked okay when she remembered where it was. She wiped another tear before pulling down the sun visor, checking her face. She looked like someone trying and failing to hold it together. She added a bit of make-up to touch up her face before she climbed out of the car and headed toward Derek’s house. She gave herself one last second to place her fingertips against the corner of her eyes, willing herself to calm the heat down before she rang the doorbell. Derek opened the door, took one look at her face, and dropped his smile.

  “Hey,” Evelyn said. “I’m… here.”

  Derek paused, hesitating, before he walked forward and wrapped his arms around her.

  “God, Derek. Let me go or I’ll start crying. I’ll get make-up all over you, and I’ll be a mess all over again,” Evelyn said.

  “You’re human, Evie. You’re allowed to cry,” Derek said.

  Evelyn let out a snort, which broke the dam she built around the sob she was terrified of letting out. It came out anyway, because Derek did not let her go.