I grinned easily, welcoming, as Van as he came down the stairs to meet me in the front foyer. He grinned back, waving a hand in greeting, but there was a smoothness to his moves, a look in his eye that had me wary. 

I could feel it instantly, the tingle of awareness at the back of my neck. Maybe it was the way his eyes looked me up and down slowly, as if he was searching for something. Maybe it was the way his gaze lingered for too long on the phone in my hand, as if he wanted to know what was on it. It was definitely the way his brows twitched for a moment, as if he wanted to frown or purse his lips in thought, before the smile returned, almost as if he was reminding himself. I didn't like the forced cheer. 

My gut twisted, but I made sure to keep my breathing even. I forcefully relaxed my body further, lowering my shoulders before they could rise defensively. 

Van was up to something. I didn't know what, exactly. But the attention was weird and I knew I was probably being paranoid, but I trusted my instincts. Even logically speaking, it wouldn't be weird for him to be cautious around me. 

Whatever game Van wanted to play, I wasn't going to let him win. 

Van was definitely up to something. His eyes raked me up and down, and the thoughtful, searching look he gave me when I pretended to be distracted by Mr. Reaper's goodbye greetings made me acutely aware of him. If I could have, I would have let out a long sigh, my hackles falling. This was going to be annoying.

He was watching me far too closely. I knew Van was the type to go all-in when he was focused, and I was his object of focus. From the corner of my eye, I saw his head repeatedly turning towards me every time I moved to scratch my arm or change my posture, as if he was trying to keep tabs on my every little gesture. It was clear he was analyzing my every move, from the smile on my face as I thanked Mr. Reaper for dinner and shook his hand, to the way I perfunctorily waved Axel bye. 

Van's attention had me on edge, but I knew it wasn't as dangerous as I feared. Van wasn't a part of a drug ring. He wasn't in a gang, he didn't have a reason to attack me. It was probably just his curiosity driving him toward me. 

But the longer he watched me, the more I became aware of the flashing warning lights in my head. 

If this was a movie, I'd be the criminal hiding in the cast, the imposter, and he was the rookie detective that would catch me in the end. 

This wasn't my end. 

The school year was just starting. Whatever he may want or have against me, I wouldn't let that interfere with my life. I didn't even know what he wanted—I didn't know what Axel wanted with me either, for that matter, but at least Axel was so straightforward I couldn't even be scared. 

"Oliver, make sure to come again soon," Mr. Reaper dismissed me with a nod, and I nodded back with a smile, stepping away. He turned to Van instantly, speaking in a low tone I couldn't overhear. 

I idly wondered what was going on, but Mr. Reaper's involvement told me it wasn't anything I had to worry about. Maybe a family member died? I was glad I wasn't involved. 

As Van spoke to Mr. Reaper, I pretended to scroll on my phone, keeping him in my peripherals. He finished with Mr. Reaper quickly and soon moved over to Axel, and then I started paying more attention. 

Van leaned into Axel's space again, his hand on Axel's shoulder, whispering something under his breath. They sure were close. Their eyes both flashed towards me, and I busied myself by mindlessly liking whatever photos of half-naked girls appeared on my feed.

They looked away, and I noticed Van take out his phone, tap around for a couple of seconds, glancing at me cautiously before putting it back. The way he carefully adjusted it so his phone sticking half out of his pocket made me frown to myself momentarily. That was abnormal—and peering closer, I realized he had a hand on it to keep it out that way. 

Why would he want his expensive-ass phone to be hanging so loosely out of his pocket? 

It took me half a second to connect the pieces, and my theory was confirmed when I saw him try to subtly glance at me, ensure I was distracted, as he fingered his pocket, checking it once more. 

I didn't even need to see the open microphone app on his phone screen to realize it. He was probably going to record our entire trip in the car. 

Knowing that Van was intelligent, I could guess what he was going to do—he was probably going to try to get me to say something he could use against me. Make me speak shit about someone, get me to say something controversial, or perhaps a confession to stir drama—whatever it was, he wanted to get dirt on me, it seemed.

I continued to pretend to be distracted by my phone as I mused what Van's motives may be. 

Van was the reason Axel could get away with whatever he wanted. Axel was well-known, but Van was well-feared.  

But what did Van want dirt on me for? 

Was he really so smart that he figured me out? 

No, I argued with myself. There wasn't much of anything he could use against me—my act didn't have any flaws. 

I made sure to slip enough to be human, and not much more. There was nothing more suspicious and alienating than a perfect person. 

And I'd never had any problems with anybody, so there was no one to talk badly about me.

Sure, I wasn't the kindest to Axel. But that could be explained away a hundred times over—it wasn't like Axel was the most innocent person out there. I could easily spin a hundred tails about how Axel hurt certain girl friends of mine, or stole a girlfriend, or stole a girlfriend from a guy friend. Anyone would be sympathetic if I pulled out the bitter, pained, 'my unrequited love was stolen by a fuckboy who hurt her' card. 

And besides, did Van mind it that much? Even Axel didn't seem to despise me for being standoffish—in fact, his behaviour said the opposite—but was there any other real reason to doubt me to the extent of recording me? 

Van definitely was up to something, I pondered. I was a little concerned since I'd been slacking in my social circles recently, and didn't have full confidence on what the current gossip was.

Was there a rumour about me going around now? Had somebody said something about me? Somebody from my past? Or was he simply being overprotective of Axel?

It didn't matter. He could try and come at me, I'd take it with grace and leave him hanging.

"Hey Oliver, sorry about the wait," Van finally left Axel and approached me, one hand swinging Axel's lanyard, the other in his pocket gripping his phone. 

Oh, was the show was starting? 

Great, I'd been waiting for the lead actor.