The Switch {EarthMix}

26.

Mix was about to say something more, to protest and beg the older... arguing that he had this weird feeling in his stomach. That this thing, whatever it was, seemed to be bigger than Vee thought... that there was something going on. It was just a mere feeling, like when you got a gut feeling about a situation or a person... nothing Mix would have been able to logically explain and argue based on.

His chance got stolen though when the doorbell rang again, Vee smiling apologetical at him before heading to the front door... and it was not even a minute later that he could hear Dew's voice coming closer.

"Aow... what happened?" The older carefully took his brother's hands in his', looking at the scratched-up skin of his palms and the knees that showed similar injuries. " Did they..."

" It's nothing, just me being clumsy. "

Even before finishing the sentence Mix knew the older would not believe him this... half-hearted lie, but then again: he had not even tried lying properly. In contrary to Dew, Mix was aware of how easily he was seen through by his brother... so instead of spending a lot of time on crafting constructs of bullet-proof distortions of the reality, he just used whatever came to his mind in the moment.

And it was not even completely a lie in this case. Theoretically, it was because he was being clumsy and not paying too much attention about landing down there on the ground. He could have taken different ways out of the house, but instead had chosen the most direct route, to make sure he could arrive at Vee's place first and take a shower... And even though the last part of his plan had failed, Mix surely had arrived first and gotten the chance to press their best friend a little on the matter. Not as successful as he had wished it to be, but he had made one thing sure: Something was going on that Vee was aware of and Dew having asked him to keep it a secret. Even from him. Surely, it could have been to not worry Mix, maybe it was just another time that their parents had decided on things - maybe sending him to a boarding school so they would not have to see their youngest soon anymore... or just something else. In any case... no matter how long he had tried thinking of possibilities, there was not a lot of results coming out of it. Basically none.

" How about you take a shower first and join us then to prepare dinner? What do you think?"

It took a moment for Mix to react, slowly nodding his head and placing Dew's backpack in the elder's arms, before walking upstairs. Vee's offer surely had been a two-edged sword: While he was able to flee out of the conversation and being interrogated like this, his disappearance surely would give the others a chance to discuss the secret matter, something Mix really wanted to eavesdrop... and he would have, if it was not for Dew trying to raise him with 'perfect' morals. Respecting other people's privacy and boundaries, only lying when there was a good reason - just to name a couple of them.

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" Woah... "

Dew and Vee stared at the TV blankly, their lips wide apart due to the surprise and shock of the revelations. Sure, they had been obvious to the fact that Torri was only framed as the murderer, some of the circumstantial evidence just looking a little... too god to be true. The clues leading a little too directly to her, without even leaving single doubt that it would be someone else... someone that might have orchestrated it all along, placing favourable evidence while completely stealing themselves out of the spotlight.

" I so did not see that coming, " Vee spurted out, leaning back in the couch. With his hand he turned off the monitor before moving a little closer to his best friends. But as soon as he laid eyes upon Mix' almost bored facial expression, he couldn't help but furrowed his brows. " Why are you looking like that?"