*you’ll understand the title soon. I had a little too much fun writing this. it’s absolutely serious until the last part…*

——————

.HUNTYR.

——————

I wouldn’t say I’m particularly close to Jaz, but it’s not of my interest to be so far from her.

Attempting to relax, I fiddle with the massage chair remote, only to realize massages will not help.

Consequently, I throw my head back with a groan.

Then I yell.

“Mays, when will the jet land again?”

A glance from my blue-eyed twin tells me enough.

It’ll be a while.

Crews hums and places his AirPods back in his ears. Before clicking on his phone, he adds, “Just take a nap or read.”

As he processes what he just said, a burst of laughter evokes the two of us.

Neither of us has been able to sleep since we left Portland.

And I have no intention to read for as long as I live.

——————

“Jaz is at her orchestra meeting tonight, so we won’t see her until around 8,” Maya announces, throwing her luggage onto the couch to unpack later.

I glance around quickly, watching as Maya and Crews take in the now dead silent house. For some reason, it’s tidier than when we left, with the exclusion of a few pieces of music left on the counter.

My brother and best friend make their way to the island, taking seats on the stools to glance at the notes on the paper.

“Uh, do you think Marigold meant to leave these here?” Crews adds, using his very _clever_ nickname for her.

“Not sure.”

Maya considers this, tracing the notes with her fingers as I stand behind the two. I’m almost shocked with what I see.

Almost.

——————

-CREWS-

——————

The lyrics…

_“Two boys and a best friend, add a violin. Love triangles, now how do you make them end?”_

Is this a love triangle?

Before a fury can burn through my veins, Maya softly suggests, “Hey Crews. Why don’t you take these up to the orchestra meet? I’m sure Jaz would love to see you.”

_Seeing Jaz_? The idea makes me smile so hard, I almost want to throw up. I’m not used to that.

I don’t even manage a response before Huntyr grumbles in protest. “Why not me or you?” He adds, leaning against the counter on the other side of Maya.

A frown sits upon his face, with his eyes flicking dangerously between Maya and I.

“Look, if I go,” she begins, pointing a finger at Huntyr’s chest, “you will find a way to mess with Crews or the other way around.”

“And if I go?”

“You’ll probably make Jazzy cry.”

It almost looks like Huntyr just crumbled to the floor.

Is it a love triangle?

Does Jaz like Huntyr?

She can’t. _Right_?

——————

•JASMINE•

——————

After playing the same six measures over a hundred times, I am officially over this meet. Nothing interesting has happened for over an hour.

I raise my hand sheepishly.

“Mrs. Locks, may I make a request?”

The white-haired woman looks down her glasses at me.

“Continue.”

Suddenly my heart pounds against my chest as everyone’s eyes fall on me. I shift a little in my chair.

“Can we practice the POTC song? Please? Isn’t that the song we have to perform at the musical?” I can’t feel my hands anymore. How am I still able to talk? “As the live accompaniment?”

Mrs. Locks seems to consider this, as a hushed whisper soars through the crowd.

“As you wish, Ms. Felle.”

We practice my favorite song of the seven, and suddenly time passes by smoothly.

Until the secretary pops by, whispering into the director’s ear.

To which… Mrs. Lock’s eyes dart to mine.

My leg starts bouncing.

“Jasmine, you have a visitor in the office. They would like to speak with you.”

_Who in the world could it be?_

__

_The twins? Maya?_

__

No. Their flight isn’t supposed to land until seven.

“Go ahead and put your instrument away, darling. It sounds serious.”

I nod my head slowly, them swiftly, I pack up my violin, gripping the handle of it as I walk out of the concert hall.

As I approach the heavily windowed office, I notice a familiar face, with dancing blue eyes and the fluffiest hair in existence.

Immediately, I drop my violin case, to which it softly lands on the carpeting, and run towards the boy.

“CREWS!” I scream, taking him by surprise as he just barely manages to open his arms for me.

We capture each other in a hug.

It’s been forever since I last saw him, and that’s clear in the way my arms wrap around his neck and my body presses against his. And the way his arms snake around my waist in a protective gesture.

“Crews,” I whisper this time, pressing my cheek against his chest to hear the heartbeat. “Your heart is beating so fast.”

“Because of you, Sunflower,” he mumbles, his hand reaching behind my head to hold me closer. “Because of you.”

Crews kisses my hair and holds me for a second or two, at least until we realize the office has erupted into cheers. Immediately, I jolt from the warmth of the blue-eyed boy.

“Crasmine!! Crasmine!!” They chant.

Are we that famous?

“Uhm…” I mumble, returning my gaze back to Crews. “What do we say?”

“We’re just friends, guys,” Crews shouts, stepping forward to capture me again in his strong arms and covering my ears. Not nearly fast enough I might add.

He must not have wanted me to hear that.

_I_ didn’t want me to hear that.

It hurt.

I’m pretty sure my heart literally sank and is now in a puddle at my feet.

I need to push him away. He doesn’t see me as girlfriend material, it’s not… it’s not… okay for people to see us as a couple when that’s not what Crews wants.

But how come he’s hugging me like this? With our bodies pressed together, with his hands dropped to my hips and resting on them.

“Crews, friends don’t hug like this,” I mumble, even though telling him breaks my heart even more.

He nods as if to consider, before dipping his head to my shoulder. Crews hesitates a second before I feel his warm breath fan against the bare skin between my neck and shoulder. “Maybe I don’t want to be just friends.”

Did I just get struck by lightning?

——————

.HUNTYR.

——————

I shouldn’t have come here.

It was a bad idea.

My eyes glare through the tinted office windows, at the silhouette of a couple.

Are they seriously kissing?

In front of all of those people?

I need to make a way to get Jasmine to pick me instead.

As I try to come up with solutions, only one comes to mind.

You see, the only answer is arson.

You burn what you can’t have, so maybe it’ll become burnt enough for you to be good enough for it.

Jasmine cannot be mine.

But like I said, you must burn what you can’t have.

She will be mine, because arson is not a crime in the mind of a Livingston.

Crews seems to agree.