Chapter 18

Milo pulled up to Ashton's house, shutting off the engine with a sigh. He hadn't heard from Luke in over a day, and Ashton's cryptic response on the phone only made his unease grow. Now, standing in front of the house, an unsettling weight settled in his chest.

He rang the doorbell. No answer. After a moment, he knocked—louder this time. Just as he was about to try again, the door swung open.

Luke stood there, looking worse than Milo had ever seen him. His normally sharp posture was slouched, his clothes wrinkled like he had slept in them, and the dark circles under his eyes spoke volumes.

"Luke?" Milo's voice was cautious. "What's going on?"

Luke exhaled, stepping aside to let him in. "I got kicked out."

Milo blinked, the words hitting him like a slap. "What?"

Luke ran a hand through his unkempt hair, his voice hollow. "My dad… he told me to leave. Gave me two hours to pack. And now I'm here."

Milo stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. The air in the house felt thick, oppressive, like something unspoken lingered in the walls. "Jesus, Luke."

Luke just shrugged, like it didn't matter. Like he hadn't just said something life-altering.

"Where's Ashton?" Milo asked, glancing around.

"In his room, I think."

Milo frowned. This wasn't right. Neither of them were okay, and he could feel it pressing down on him. "Alright, no. We're not doing this. You two are just sitting in this house, brooding in the dark? That's not happening."

Luke gave him a blank look. "Milo—"

"No," Milo interrupted, his voice firmer. "You're not just gonna sit here and drown in whatever this is. We need to do something. Go outside. Get food. Anything."

Luke let out a tired chuckle, but there was no real humor in it. "You can't fix this, Milo."

"I know," Milo admitted. "But sitting in this house like ghosts isn't helping either."

Before Luke could argue, footsteps sounded from the stairs. Ashton appeared, his expression unreadable, but Milo caught the way his fingers twitched at his sides, the exhaustion in his posture.

"What's going on?" Ashton's voice was rough.

Milo crossed his arms. "We're going out."

Ashton scoffed. "No, we're not."

Milo rolled his eyes. "Fine. Then we're ordering food, and you two are going to eat something that isn't leftover misery."

Ashton didn't respond right away. He glanced at Luke, then back at Milo, before finally letting out a long sigh. "Fine. Whatever."

Milo didn't celebrate the small victory. He knew this was only a temporary distraction. But it was something.

He just hoped it was enough to keep them from completely unraveling.

"So," Milo began, settling himself onto the couch beside Luke, "are we gonna sit in silence, or are we actually gonna talk about what's going on?"

Neither Luke nor Ashton answered. A sigh escaped Milo as he pulled out his phone and ordered food. If nothing else, at least they'd eat. Then, shifting gears, he leaned forward, clasping his hands together.

"Let's talk about Emia."

That got a reaction, albeit a minor one. Luke's head tilted slightly, and Ashton exhaled through his nose—half an acknowledgment, half an annoyance.

Milo pressed on. "Rebecca admitted she was blackmailed. Emia isn't just exposing secrets anymore—they're going after people in ways we never expected. If we can figure out why—"

Ashton let out a short, humorless laugh. "You think that's gonna help?"

"It's better than sitting here doing nothing."

Luke shook his head. "There's nothing we can do."

Milo's frustration bubbled up. "So, what? You're just going to wallow in darkness while our two friends are living that darkness every day? For who knows how long?" His voice rose, sharp and unwavering. "Where's the justice for them? Where's the care? Do you not care? How many more people do you want to end up in the hospital before we try and stop this?"

Silence.

Ashton's gaze finally lifted, his expression unreadable. "Are you done?"

Milo's jaw tightened.

"I don't care about anyone else ending up in the hospital," Ashton said flatly. "Because the people I care about are already there. Let Emia do their worst. I have nothing left to lose."

The weight of those words pressed into the space between them. Milo's hands curled into fists in his lap as he looked down. His voice was quieter this time.

"What about me?"

Ashton and Luke both looked at him.

"I'm the only one left."

No one spoke. The silence was different now. Not heavy. Not suffocating. Just… empty.

A sudden chime of the doorbell cut through the stillness. Milo inhaled sharply, rubbing his face before standing. "I'll get it."

Moments later, he returned, carrying a large box filled with pizza, burgers, fries, and milkshakes. He placed it down on the table and sat back, arms crossed. "Eat."

Luke and Ashton hesitated, but they each took something, barely nibbling. However, every time they took too small of a bite, they'd glance up to find Milo staring at them with an expectant look, silently daring them to argue. Begrudgingly, they ate more.

Once the meal was finished, Milo stood abruptly. "I'll be right back."

He walked out the front door, and for a brief moment, Luke and Ashton thought he had left for good. But minutes later, he returned, dragging in a whiteboard and setting it up in front of them.

"I don't care if you don't want to do anything," Milo stated firmly. "But I'll bother you every single day until you cave. So. Let's start."

Luke and Ashton exchanged glances, but Milo was already writing on the board, his determination unwavering.

Now that Rebecca has revealed she was blackmailed, Emia is more ruthless than we thought. What are their true motives?

Is Emia targeting random people for chaos, or is there a pattern?

We need to analyze past posts for connections—predict their next move.

He capped the marker and turned back to them. "You don't have to be ready, and you don't have to care. But I do. And I'm not letting this go."

Luke leaned back, arms still crossed, but his jaw was clenched. Ashton didn't say anything, his fingers tapping idly against the arm of the chair.

Milo sighed and sat down.

It wasn't much, but it was something.