Zeyon's house was quiet that morning. Like the kind of quiet that felt... suspicious.
Elisse peeked through the kitchen blinds. "Okay, why do I feel like this peace is fake? Like, something's gonna explode."
"Maybe it's just the aftermath of Sylas's dramatic entrance yesterday," Jethro muttered, head halfway inside the fridge. "Like, who even shows up wearing all black at 7AM?" He pulled out a cold pancake and took a bite. "Serial killers. That's who."
Allison walked in, hair slightly damp from a shower, towel on her head. "He's not that bad. He didn’t even say much. Just... stared like he could read everyone's soul."
"That's exactly the problem!" Elisse pointed a spoon at her. "People who don’t talk but look like they know your whole tax record? Nah." She turned to Zeyon. "And YOU, mister, just stood there like some statue."
Zeyon raised his eyebrows from the couch. "Sorry, I was busy thinking how to punch him nicely."
They all laughed.
Until the doorbell rang.
"Oh no," Elisse whispered. "It begins."
Zeyon walked slowly to the door, hands in pockets. He opened it.
A girl stood there.
Short. Wide eyes. Hair tied in two loose braids, wearing a denim jumper over a bright orange hoodie.
"Hi!" she chirped.
Everyone behind Zeyon peeked over his shoulder.
"Uhh... can we help you?" Zeyon asked slowly.
The girl beamed. "I’m Velina. I’m looking for Allison."
Allison blinked. "Me?"
Velina pushed past everyone and marched straight inside like she lived there.
"I come with important news. Like, drama-level news. Like, life-is-an-anime episode news."
Elisse whispered to Jethro, "Why does she sound like my inner chaos?"
Velina sat down cross-legged on the floor. "Okay. So. I’m your cousin. Surprise!"
Allison choked on her own air. "WHAT."
Velina nodded, pulling out a folded piece of paper. "I found this. My mom left it in an old photo album. Your name was there. My dad confirmed it. We're cousins. Like, blood-related cousins!"
Jessa, who had just walked in with a bag of groceries, dropped a tomato.
Zeyon just sat back down, grabbed a pillow, and hugged it tightly. "Why is every day like this."
Allison grabbed the letter, eyes scanning. Her hands were shaking. It was true.
"I never even knew... I had another cousin."
Velina grinned. "Plot twist, huh? I do that."
Elisse gasped. "Wait. Hold up. Are you the same Velina who once shut down a whole arcade because she won too many tickets and broke the machine?"
"That was ONE TIME!" Velina cried. "And they didn’t put a limit! That’s not my fault!"
They all burst into laughter.
---
Later that afternoon, the gang sat in the backyard. Velina had somehow convinced them to do a mini picnic. Just in the yard. With paper plates. And juice boxes.
Zeyon looked at Velina. "So... why now? Why come find Allison?"
Velina’s face turned a bit more serious. "Because there’s something bigger happening. My dad’s not just my dad. He used to work with your dad, Allison. In... like, secret stuff."
"Secret? Like spies? Agents?"
"Something like that. He’s worried. Said people might be looking for you again."
Everyone tensed.
"Oh no, not again," Jessa mumbled. "Didn’t we just handle Sylas yesterday?"
Velina nodded. "Sylas? He’s not the last. There are more. And this time, they’re not just watching."
Allison stared at her juice box. It suddenly tasted like danger.
Elisse stood up. "Okay. We need a plan. A really, really dumb but good plan."
Jethro raised a hand. "What if we fake Allison’s disappearance. Like—make people think she left town."
"Too risky," Zeyon said. "What if someone actually takes her while we’re pretending?"
"That’s a good point," Velina nodded.
"Okay then," Elisse said, smirking. "Let’s go full detective. If they’re coming for us, we start hunting first."
"You sound too excited," Zeyon muttered.
"I AM," Elisse grinned. "I’ve been waiting for a main character moment."
---
That night, they were all hanging out in the living room, watching an old movie. But tension was crawling on everyone’s skin. Even Velina, who had earlier tried to balance four juice boxes on her head.
Allison sat beside Zeyon. She nudged him. "You okay?"
He nodded. "Just... processing. Every time things calm down, something else explodes."
"You’re not alone in this."
He looked at her, the light from the screen dancing on his face. "You think I’m scared of all those people? No. But you... I’m scared of losing you. That fear is worse."
She blinked. "Zeyon..."
"I should’ve told you about Jessa being my cousin. I didn’t know how. I thought if I hid it, things would be simple. But I was wrong."
She smiled softly. "And I should’ve told you about the guy who was asking about me. The pale one. I didn’t want to scare you."
"We’re both idiots, huh?" he chuckled.
"Big ones."
From the kitchen, Jessa shouted, "Hey! Stop flirting and help me get these cookies out!"
"Y’all flirting again?" Elisse yelled. "GROSS! Let us single people cry in peace!"
Velina added, "Honestly, I ship it but also I’m jealous. I need emotional damage too."
Laughter filled the house again.
But outside... someone was watching from the shadows.
And they weren’t smiling.