Erich launched at his long-lost friend like a hawk, and the dog followed suit, probably for the first time in his life really wishing he had arms. Around the living statue that was Nibi jumped the happiest duo she'd ever seen—or heard—and she decided to shut this nonsense down before Erich actually tried licking her boots like his four-legged role model.
Okay, okay… you're happy to see me. I'm glad too, just maybe not that You two got taller, sure, but I was wrong when I said you got smarter. YOU CAME! – shouted the boy, and K. let out a howl to match, singing his joy in wordless dog poetry. Yeah, yeah. I'm Why'd you drag me out? And more importantly—what are we gonna do? – Nibi asked with a businesslike tone. – It's cold out here. Not exactly stroll-friendly weather. What do you mean, why?! We're throwing a party! Right here, right now! Come on, I'll show you the best thing you'll see all day! Considering I spent my entire day buried in textbooks, that's not a very high – She snorted, but agreed to tag along. Truth be told, she was intrigued. There was something disarmingly ridiculous about Erich's boyish excitement.
And just like that, the duo became a trio again.
As they walked, they swapped stories from the past few years. Nibi mostly asked about France and barely touched on Erich's own life, but he didn't mind—he fired back with even weirder questions about her mom.
What's with you and my mom, huh? Why do you care how she's doing? – She finally snapped, stopping to give him a squinty, suspicious look. He answered calmly: Her lectures, mixed with a good ol' helping of trash talk, actually helped me. I realized I didn't wanna be some loser, the way she almost called me, and I started rethinking stuff. Wow, you're that impressionable? One angry monologue from someone you barely know can just reshape your whole worldview? – She teased. But once again, Erich shut her down with brutal honesty: Well, she was right! I know how to listen—and how to If I can't see my own flaws, maybe I need someone else to point 'em out. Not everyone's born with a perfectly working brain and a built- in moral compass, y'know?
Nibi started walking again, soft on the cobblestones, and muttered thoughtfully:
Huh… so you're not just a reckless You've got some sense too. Weird combo…
I'm all contradictions, babe. – He waved it off and launched into a – Look, my dad's from Bolivia, mom's American, and they named me Erich. Erich Rosario. How about that?
But cool! – Nibi admitted, ignoring the very obvious pause in his sentence that was clearly begging her to spill the mystery of her name. Not today, kid.
Erich didn't stay quiet for long—he preferred running his mouth over standing in awkward silence:
Guess what? I'm finally gonna start school
Isn't it a little late for that?
It's never too late to start learning. – The carefree boy hit her with another zinger and went into a short monologue about his experience with homeschooling, wrapping it up with: Anyway, I'm hoping to get into college, then university, and become a badass
Whoa! Didn't see that – Nibi looked genuinely impressed.
What about you? You thought about what you wanna be?
Not an – Short and sweet.
The boy scratched his nose and blurted out what he'd been keeping in:
You're getting more mysterious every time we You're always hiding something from me. From Not just you. – Nibi snapped her armor back on like a crab in battle mode… or, as she preferred to think, like a noble knight.
The conversation drifted to something totally random, but it didn't matter—they'd already reached the building.
The first thing that hit Nibi was how dark and broody the place was.
It was clearly built in the old days—back when people actually knew how to throw together epic structures with sharp buttresses, decorative railings, and doors so pretty they made the whole building look mid. And this place had all that too. Except maybe the classic gargoyle over the door.
She mentioned it, and Erich gave her a look of newfound respect and said with weight:
One day, when I've saved up enough, I'm hiring someone to build one of those bad Or I'll make it myself—book in hand! -Top Ten Ways to DIY Your Own – Nibi announced like a clickbait narrator, and for the first time today, they laughed in sync. M.K. joined in, wagging his tail and enthusiastically sniffing the door like he was about to mark his territory.
While Erich dashed over to the pet station (those handy public dispensers with bags, buckets, and sanitizer), since M.K. had decided to purge his entire being, not just his bladder, Nibi checked her phone. No texts from the parents. Good sign. Meant they hadn't come back from work yet, so the coast was clear.