The parking lot outside Haley's school was nearly empty by the ti Gael pulled in.
Orange evening light stretched across the asphalt while students drifted out in smaller groups toward cars and buses.
His phone buzzed almost imdiately.
Haley:
Alex's debate thing ended late. We're near the auditorium.
Gael stepped out of the car and headed across campus, hands in his pockets while distant voices echoed through the nearly empty halls.
A few minutes later, he spotted them outside the auditorium entrance.
Haley sat sprawled across a bench, looking bored while Alex stood nearby holding papers and still arguing with another student about sothing political.
"…because your entire economic model ignores long-term infrastructure," Alex said sharply.
The other guy sighed.
"You make everything sound condescending."
"That's because I'm usually right."
Gael hid a smile.
So things truly were universal.
Alex finally noticed him approaching and visibly relaxed a fraction.
Small change.
Still noticeable.
"There's our escape vehicle," Haley announced imdiately while standing.
"Your debate lasted two hours," Gael said.
Alex looked offended.
"Important discussions require ti."
"You called soone a moron three tis."
"He was a moron."
The other student looked exhausted.
"I'm leaving now."
"Correct decision," Haley replied.
The guy walked away muttering sothing about "terrifying siblings."
Alex looked mildly pleased by that.
Honestly, watching Alex in her elent was interesting.
At ho she blended into family chaos naturally.
Here she felt sharper.
More intense.
People actually moved around her confidence instead of talking over it.
"You're staring again," Alex said while organizing papers into her bag.
Haley pointed dramatically between them.
"See? This is what I'm talking about."
Both looked at her.
"You two flirt like nerd students."
Alex physically stopped walking.
"We absolutely do not."
"You argued about tax policy for fun last week."
"That was not flirting."
Gael smirked faintly while opening the passenger door for Haley.
"For the record, I think she just doesn't know what flirting looks like."
Haley gasped.
"Oh my God."
Alex looked suspiciously amused.
The drive back started normally enough:
Haley controlling music,
Alex correcting traffic directions unnecessarily,
Gael trying unsuccessfully to maintain peace.
Then Haley's phone buzzed.
She checked the screen and groaned imdiately.
"What happened?" Gael asked.
"My mom wants ho early tonight."
Alex looked up from the backseat.
"Why?"
Haley read the ssage again.
"She says she and Dad are going to so neighbor charity thing and Luke can't be trusted alone after 'the microwave incident.'"
"That raises several questions," Gael said.
"You don't want answers," Alex replied.
Honestly?
Probably true.
Haley leaned her head against the window dramatically.
"This ruins my entire evening." "And I'm already grieving."
Gael laughed quietly.
Then Alex spoke again from the backseat.
"You can still co over later after they leave."
The car went briefly quiet.
Because Alex said it naturally.
Like Gael being around later at night wasn't unusual anymore.
Haley noticed it.
A tiny shift in her expression.
"You inviting him over now?" Haley asked lightly.
Alex shrugged while looking back at her phone.
"You'd complain less if he was there."
"That's true," Haley admitted.
But sothing about the exchange lingered quietly afterward.
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