Victor knew that Mondai’s words should have brought a wave of relief, that her reassurance of McGit’s kiss being ‘awful’ and her plans on avoiding him should have him dancing around the room. But, for some reason, he felt no such relief. No, no matter how much Mondai insisted on the awfulness of the kiss, and even if she truly believed it, the fact remained - they had kissed. Robert MacGhilleseatheanaich III had kissed his— friend, and she hadn’t even had the decency to punch him in the face for him.

“I’m merely curious,” the boy said in his defense when Mondai accused him of being ‘vicious and cruel’, though the words had really no effect on him.

When the girl asked why he had kissed her, a slight flash of the old Victor seemed to make an appearance in the boy’s surprised gaze. He hadn’t expected her to ask that question ever again. He had hoped she wouldn’t ask that question ever again. And though he had brought this upon himself, it still irritated him that she would bring it up. Especially after he had made it so clear to her over the weekend, that this question was to be dropped and forgotten.

Why did you kiss me? Why? the question echoed in his head for a moment as he merely stared at her, taking in the anger in her own features. She looked just like that emoji, and if she was trying to come off as brave and intimidating, she was failing miserably. “Because…” You looked beautiful. “I was bored.” The words came out before he could think about it twice, and as soon as they cut through the air, he knew he would never be able to take them back.

But that inner cruel and vicious side of him seemed to feed on the possible consequences of his actions, and encouraged him to go on, to break the helpless girl in front of him into as many tiny pieces as he could. “You’ve known me long enough, Mondai. You know the routine. Hall hosts a party, I meet a girl, we leave the party together…” He smiled again, that cold, emotionless half-smirk had returned. “I’m certain I don’t need to explain the rest.”