chapter 40: assholes

Bose POV:

It was still early when I drove over to my mom's place, the sun barely creeping up over the horizon. After last night, things felt quieter, more normal. I needed that. Spending time with Chapa always grounded me. Cookie had been with my mom while Chapa and I were in Italy, and I couldn't wait to see the little guy. Or girl.

As I arrived, the room was filled with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I walked in and called out, "Mom? You here?"

"In the kitchen, honey!" came her familiar voice.

I smiled, following the sound. When I stepped in, she was already waiting by the counter, a soft smile on her face and a mug of coffee in hand. She looked up from whatever she was preparing and walked over to give me a hug.

"Welcome back, sweetheart," she said, pulling me in close.

"Thanks, Mom. It's good to be back," I replied, hugging her tightly. For a moment, everything felt right.

"How was Italy? I saw some of the pictures online—it looked beautiful," she said, pouring me a cup of coffee and handing it over.

"It was," I said, taking a sip and leaning against the counter. "A lot happened, but it was... good. I missed you though."

She smiled warmly, her eyes filled with that familiar motherly concern. "Well, I missed you too. And Cookie missed you even more—he's been a little terror running around the house. He's out back, by the way. I'll grab him for you in a minute."

Just as we started to settle into the calm rhythm of catching up, I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall. My mom's face tightened slightly, and I knew who was coming before I even turned around.

The door creaked open, and in walked the mayor of Swellview—my stepfather. He's been announced mayor a couple years ago, which boosted his self-orientated personality. His face was set in that same stern expression he always wore around me. Even before he opened his mouth, I could feel the tension thickening in the air.

"Bose," he said coldly, his voice laced with disapproval. He didn't even try to hide it. "I saw the video."

Of course. I could feel my stomach knot up. Here we go.

"What about it?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture, but I knew one was coming.

"This is bad, really bad," he said, stepping closer, his face hardening even more. "You're all over the internet, dancing with that girl—Chapa, is it? That old friend of yours. It's a disgrace. Do you have any idea what this does to your and more important, my reputation? People are talking. They're asking why the mayor's stepson is involved in something like this."

I could feel my blood starting to boil, but I kept my cool. Barely. "It's just a video. We were dancing. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal?" His voice rose, frustration clear in his eyes. "You're a public figure whether you like it or not. This isn't the kind of attention we need. People expect more from you, Bose. You're not a child anymore. You should know how to handle yourself."

Before I could even respond, my mom stepped in, her voice calm but firm. "Honey, it was just a dance. He's young, let him live his life. There's no need to blow this out of proportion."

She always tried to protect me from him, but it only seemed to make him angrier. He waved a hand, dismissing her words as if they didn't matter. "This isn't about that. It's about responsibility. He's a reflection of us, and this video... this isn't acceptable."

I stood there, clenching my jaw, trying not to explode. It was always the same with him—everything was about reputation, appearances, politics. I didn't care about any of that. Not like he did.

"I'm not going to apologize for being with the one person who actually understands and likes me," I said flatly, looking him dead in the eye.

He narrowed his eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line. "You need to start thinking about the bigger picture, young man. It's not just about you."

I could feel my patience wearing thin. My mom put a gentle hand on my arm, trying to calm the situation down, but I'd had enough. I wasn't going to stand here and be lectured about something as harmless as a dance.

Without another word, I turned and headed toward the back door. My mom called after me softly, "Bose..."

I paused just for a moment, looking back at her. "I'm taking Cookie with me," I said.

Her face softened, and I could see the relief in her eyes as she nodded. "He's out back, I'll grab him for you."

Mom disappeared out the back door and returned a moment later with Cookie bouncing along happily behind her. The little goat's hooves clacked against the floor as he rushed toward me, bleating excitedly.

"Hey, buddy," I said, crouching down to scoop him up. Cookie bleated again, rubbing his head against my chest. At least someone was happy to see me.

I shot my stepfather one last look, then gave my mom a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for taking care of him."

She smiled, though there was still a trace of sadness in her eyes. "You take care too, sweetheart."

With Cookie in my arms, I walked out of the house, letting the tension of the moment fall away. The fresh air hit my face as I closed the door behind me, and for the first time in the morning, I felt like I could breathe.

I wasn't going to let my stepfather ruin my day. I had Cookie, and I had more important things to focus on.

Chapa POV:

It was Friday evening, and I had spent the day back at the academy. It felt a little weird being there after everything that happened in Italy, but after classes ended, Bose and I headed straight to his penthouse.

As soon as we stepped into the apartment, I spotted Cookie darting around the living room. My face immediately lit up, and I rushed over to scoop him into my arms.

"Hey, Cookie! Did you miss me?" I laughed, hugging the little goat close as he wriggled excitedly. He was even cuter than I remembered.

Bose chuckled, watching us with a soft smile as he tossed his keys on the counter. "I think he missed you more than he missed me."

I grinned and gave Cookie one last squeeze before setting him back down. "It's been a long week. I missed him too."

Bose walked over and wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting lightly on my shoulder. "Missed you more, though," he said quietly.

I smiled, leaning back into him, taking in the calm of the moment. It had been a crazy day—going back to the academy and catching up with everything—but now it was just us again.

"How was your day?" he asked after a moment.

"Pretty normal," I said, turning in his arms to face him. "It felt weird being back at the academy after everything. Everyone was still talking about that video of us dancing in Italy.

Bose sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I've heard enough about that video to last me a lifetime."

I raised an eyebrow, noticing the slight tension in his voice. "Is everything okay?"

He hesitated for a second, then ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the kitchen counter. "It's my stepfather," he finally said, his tone dropping a little. "He saw the video, and of course, he wasn't happy about it."

My heart sank. I knew his stepfather wasn't the most supportive guy, but I didn't think something like a dance would upset him that much. "What did he say?"

Bose let out a frustrated breath. "He basically said it was bad for his reputation. That I'm supposed to 'represent the family' and that dancing like that with you is inappropriate."

I frowned, my stomach twisting a little. "Inappropriate? It was just a dance."

"That's what I told him," Bose said, his voice sharper now. "But he doesn't care. To him, it's all about public image and what people think. It's exhausting."

I walked over and placed a hand on his arm, trying to ease some of his frustration. "Your stepfather is and has always been a total asshole. And if it wasn't for his title I would've already taught him his lesson."

Bose shook his head, his expression softening as he looked at me. "Let's just ignore him for now."

I could still see the stress in Bose's eyes. "Yeah but he shouldn't think it's okay to talk to you like that."

Bose nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. Well you know him."

For a few moments, neither of us said anything. We just stood there, letting the quiet fill the space between us. Then I broke the silence, leaning against him a little.

"You're not going to let him get in your head, are you?" I asked, glancing up at him.

He gave me a small smile, shaking his head. "No. I'm not."

"Good." I reached up and gently pulled him down into a hug. He held me tightly, and I could feel some of the tension melt away.

Cookie bleated from the other side of the room, and we both laughed, breaking the seriousness of the moment.

"Well, at least someone's keeping things light around here," Bose said with a smile, looking over at the little goat trotting across the living room.

"Yeah," I replied.

We spent the rest of the evening just hanging out, talking about lighter things—work, the academy, the upcoming festival, and our plans for the weekend. As the sun set and the city outside the windows grew darker, everything felt more peaceful, like we could put all the drama behind us for a little while.

Andrew POV:

It was Thursday, and a full week had passed since we all got back from Italy. We'd spent the entire week preparing for the big festival coming up on Saturday—organizing, rehearsing, and making sure everything was perfect. The excitement of the festival was starting to build, but my mind kept wandering to something—or rather, someone—else.

Mika.

I hadn't seen her all week, which was weird, considering how often we used to bump into each other, especially with all the work going on. Every time I walked through the halls, I half-expected her to show up, maybe with some sarcastic comment or her usual sharp critique of whatever project we were working on. But there was nothing. No random encounters, no snarky remarks, no Mika.

And honestly? It bothered me.

I hadn't realized how much I'd been thinking about her until a couple of days ago. Ever since we'd gone to Italy, more specifically, Milan together for the fashion show, something shifted. We had clicked in a way I didn't expect. The way we whispered our opinions into each other's ears, finishing each other's thoughts without even noticing—it was like we were on the same wavelength the entire time. Even the ridiculous outfits had made us laugh together. That had stuck with me.

And now, I couldn't stop thinking about her.

It was driving me crazy, not seeing her. I tried to brush it off, tell myself I was just busy with festival stuff and that it was no big deal. But I couldn't deny it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I missed her.

I had never really felt this way about anyone before—at least, not like this. It wasn't just that she was smart and stylish or that she had great taste. There was something about Mika that drew me in. I found myself wondering where she was, what she was up to, and why she hadn't been around. It was strange to feel this...distracted.

I tried focusing on the festival. That's what was important right now. Everything needed to be perfect. But even as I went through schedules, coordinated with the crew, and double-checked the lineup, I kept thinking about her. My mind would drift back to Milan, to the way she laughed at my dumb joke, to the way she looked when she was completely engrossed in the show.

Where the hell was she?

The thoughts were getting in the way, and I hated it. I'd always been able to focus when I needed to, but now it felt like my mind was split between two things—this festival and Mika.

And the festival should've been all-consuming by now. It usually was. But even in the middle of all the chaos, I found myself pulling out my phone every now and then, scrolling through the contact list to her name, debating if I should text her.

What was I supposed to say? "Hey, I haven't seen you around. Can we meet up?"

That felt too...forward. Too obvious.

I sighed, putting the phone down. Maybe it was just one of those things. Maybe she'd been busy, caught up with her own stuff. I mean, she doesn't even work here. It's not like I should expect seeing her around here.

But still, the thought lingered.

I'd see her soon enough, probably at the festival. If she even would go. I tried convincing myself that was enough. Just a few more days, and everything would be back to normal. Right? But deep down, I knew things wouldn't feel normal until I saw her again.

And that realization? It kind of freaked me out.

—

After a long day of preparing for the festival, I was finally on my way home. My mind was still buzzing with a million thoughts—festival logistics, setlists, and, of course, Mika. But tonight, I had a little break from all of that. My mom and Lily were coming over for dinner, and I hadn't seen them in a while, so I was looking forward to it.

By the time I got home and started prepping for dinner, they were already knocking at the door. I opened it to see my mom with her usual warm smile and Lily bouncing around with excitement.

"Andy!" Lily shouted as she practically jumped into my arms.

I ruffled her hair. "Hey, Lil! How's it going?"

"Good! Mom said we're having spaghetti!" she grinned, and I couldn't help but laugh. She was obsessed with spaghetti.

We settled into dinner, and it was nice—just a typical family dinner, something I hadn't had in a while. My mom was talking about her latest projects, Lily was rambling about school, I arranged her a new teacher, since her old one, well, was my ex...

For a moment, I felt like things were normal, like I could forget about the stress, even if just for an hour.

After dinner, while Lily was busy drawing something at the table, my mom pulled me aside into the kitchen. I knew that look. She had something to say.

"So... I wanted to ask you something," she began, lowering her voice.

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what's up?"

"Well, I have a date at my house on Saturday..." she trailed off, waiting for my reaction.

I groaned immediately. "Mom, seriously? I don't need to hear about your dating life."

She rolled her eyes, clearly unfazed by my disgust. "Andrew, come on. I'm just telling you because I wanted to ask if Lily could sleep over at your place that night."

"Ugh," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "I've got the festival on Saturday, remember? I can't be babysitting all night."

My mom's smile faded, and she crossed her arms, looking a little annoyed. "So what am I supposed to do? Cancel my plans?"

I sighed. The last thing I wanted was to make her cancel her date, but I really didn't have time to look after Lily with the festival going on. That's when an idea popped into my head.

"Wait, hold on. Maybe she could stay at Mika's?" I suggested.

My mom raised an eyebrow. "Mika? Who?"

"She's my friend. She's good with Lily, and they've hung out before. I'm sure Mika wouldn't mind."

My mom seemed to consider it for a moment, tapping her fingers against the countertop. "That could work. But are you sure she'll be okay with it? I mean, I don't want to impose."

I nodded, thinking back to how Mika had promised Lily she could come over anytime. "I'll talk to her. I'm sure she won't mind."

My mom smiled, clearly relieved. "Thanks, Andrew. I appreciate it. And I'm sure Lily will be happy too."

I glanced over at Lily, who was still completely engrossed in her drawing, oblivious to our conversation. "Yeah, no problem," I said, though my mind was already racing with how I was going to ask Mika this favor. I mean, it's not like I'd even seen her all week.

But then again, maybe this would be a good excuse to finally see her again.

I walked my mom and Lily to the door, promising to let them know what Mika said, and then flopped down on the couch once they were gone.

Now all I had to do was figure out how to ask Mika without making it seem like I was dumping my little sister on her for the night. This was going to be interesting.

Mika POV:

It was 10 p.m., and after a long, exhausting day of work, I was finally able to relax. I sat on my couch, wrapped up in a blanket with a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream in my hand, watching The Hunger Games. Katniss was just about to volunteer for Prim when my phone started buzzing on the coffee table.

I groaned, glancing at the screen. The name Asshole Andrew flashed across it. Of course. I rolled my eyes. What could he possibly want at this hour? Probably something about the festival, no doubt.

Sighing, I paused the movie and picked up the phone. "What?" I said, keeping my voice short.

"Well, hello to you too, Mika," Andrew replied, his tone playful.

"What do you want, Andrew? And make it quick, I want to continue my movie night." I said, not in the mood for small talk. It had been a long day, and I just wanted to finish my movie.

There was a pause, and then he asked, "What are you watching?"

I sighed, reluctantly answering, "The Hunger Games."

"Oh, nice. Classic," he said, sounding like he was settling into conversation mode. "Team Peeta or Team Gale?"

I blinked. "What?"

"You know, Peeta or Gale? It's a thing."

I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

"Of course. It's important," he replied with a laugh.

I shook my head, knowing he was just trying to annoy me. "Peeta, obviously. He's way more genuine. Gale was too obsessed with war and revenge."

Andrew made a noise of disagreement. "Gale was more practical. Peeta's whole thing was romantic and unrealistic."

I couldn't help but get drawn into the argument, even though I didn't want to. "You're missing the point! Peeta cared about people, he had heart. Gale... Gale was just angry all the time."

"Because he had reason to be! The Capitol destroyed everything he cared about," Andrew countered.

I took a deep breath, trying to remain patient. "It's not just about that. It's about what kind of world you want after the war. Peeta was thinking long-term. Gale was just focused on the fight."

There was a beat of silence on the other end before Andrew chuckled. "You know, I didn't expect to get into a whole Hunger Games debate tonight."

"Yeah, well, you brought it up," I said, taking another spoonful of ice cream.

"True. Anyway... I actually called for a reason," Andrew said, his voice suddenly sounding a little more serious.

I braced myself. "Okay, what is it?"

"So, uh, my mom's got a date on Saturday, and she asked me if Lily could sleep over at my place. But I've got the festival, and I really can't keep an eye on her all night. I was wondering... do you think Lily could stay at your place?"

I hesitated for a moment, processing the request. "Wait, you want me to babysit Lily?"

"I mean, only if you're free," Andrew added quickly. "I know it's short notice, but you're literally the only person who could be free on Saturday and whom I trust with her."

I considered it for a second, then shrugged, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, it's fine. I'm not going to the festival anyway."

"Really? You're not coming?" Andrew sounded genuinely surprised.

"Nope." I said, not feeling the need to elaborate. I wasn't really in the mood for crowds and noise after this week.

"Well, thanks, Mika. I owe you one."

"You owe me more than one," I muttered.

Andrew laughed. "Yeah, probably. Anyway, I'll drop Lily off around 6 on Saturday, if that's cool?"

"Fine," I replied, my tone still flat.

"Great. Thanks, Mika. You're the best."

"Yeah, yeah. Now let me get back to my movie."

"Peeta forever, huh?" he teased.

I couldn't help but smirk. "Goodnight, Andrew."

"Goodnight."

I hung up the phone, shaking my head. Only Andrew could turn a simple babysitting request into a Hunger Games debate. With a sigh, I resumed my movie, but I couldn't help thinking about how much things had changed since Italy.

Still, at least now I had plans for Saturday. Sort of.

Chapa POV:

It was Friday, about a week since we got back from Italy. The week had been a whirlwind—between working for George on Tuesday and the academy the rest of the days. We had to prepare a lot for tomorrow's festival, which is why I barely saw Bose this week. Or barely had time to catch my breath. I even made time to visit Sage and my parents, trying to keep everything as normal as possible, but that was impossible now.

Everywhere I went at the academy, people stared. I got used to it earlier in the week—since everyone found out I was with Bose, it's like I had a spotlight on me. Even Ms. Ambrose, who normally couldn't resist making snarky comments, had been unusually silent. Today, though, the glances felt different. There was something in the air.

When I walked into class, Mia and Sam immediately came up to me, their faces lit up with excitement. "You're literally the luckiest person on the planet," Mia said, practically bouncing on her feet.

I frowned. "What? Why?"

"You haven't seen it yet?" Sam chimed in, pulling out her phone. "It's all over the internet. Vogue just dropped their newest photoshoot with Bose and Andrew."

I blinked. "Vogue?"

Mia showed me the pictures on her phone, and there it was—Bose and Andrew, looking ridiculously good in high-fashion outfits, their poses fierce, like they'd been doing this their whole lives. Andrew was, of course, in his element, but Bose... He looked incredible, and seeing him like that, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of something in my chest.

"Yep, and now that everyone knows Bose is taken," Mia added with a playful smirk, "I guess I'll have to go after Andrew instead. I mean, seriously, Chapa, you're so lucky. Everyone's obsessing over them."

I tried to keep my face neutral, but jealousy crept in. I didn't want to feel this way, but seeing Bose in Vogue, with everyone around me practically drooling over him, didn't sit well.

The rest of the class passed in a blur, with everyone gossiping and showing each other the photos. It was like Bose and Andrew had become even more untouchable than they already were.

When lunch rolled around, I spotted Bose sitting with Andrew, laughing together. The sight of him, looking so at ease, while I had this pit of jealousy in my stomach, made me snap. I marched over, ignoring the glances from everyone around me, and grabbed his arm.

"Hey, come with me," I muttered, pulling him toward a quiet corner, away from everyone else. He followed, looking confused but not resisting.

"What's going on, Sparky?" he asked, tilting his head as he leaned against the wall. "You okay?"

I crossed my arms, feeling ridiculous for even bringing it up. "I just... what's with the whole Vogue thing?"

Bose raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"Everyone's talking about it," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "You're all over the internet, and now people are obsessing over you. It's kind of... a lot."

He looked at me for a second, then smirked. "Are you... jealous?"

I scoffed, but my cheeks flushed. "No. Why would I be jealous?" I said firmly.

He stepped closer, a playful glint in his eyes. "Because everyone's talking about me?"

"It's not that," I said quickly, though I wasn't even sure if that was true. "It's just... you're suddenly this big deal, and I'm... me."

Bose laughed softly and reached for my hand, giving it a squeeze. "Chapa, come on. You know none of that stuff matters. Vogue, the attention, whatever. None of it changes how I feel about you."

I tried to stay mad, but the way he looked at me made it impossible. "It's just weird," I muttered, feeling a little silly now.

Bose grinned. "Yeah, it is weird. But it's just a photoshoot. Don't let it get to you."

Before I could respond, Andrew suddenly appeared around the corner, grinning like an idiot. "Ohhh, is this where the jealousy drama is happening?"

I glared at him. "Go away, Andrew."

Andrew laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "Hey, don't worry. I'll take care of all your jealous fans. Bose is all yours."

Bose shook his head, chuckling as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Ignore him. He's just mad that I'm the better model."

Andrew scoffed. "In your dreams, man."

I let out a small laugh, but inside, I was still a little unsettled. "Assholes." I said and rolled my eyes.

I wasn't going to push it right now, but I'd come back to this later—when Andrew wasn't around to make it into a joke. For now, though, I just let it go. But I wasn't done with this conversation, not by a long shot.