Four Of A Kind

Chapter 124: [3.26] Scaroused

I settled into my usual corner spot in the cafeteria, savoring the rare moment of peace. After weeks of Valentine sister chaos, I needed a break from the constant barrage of feminine energy. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy their company in the strange way you might enjoy a hurricane—terrifying but oddly exhilarating. Still, a man needs balance.

Felix dropped his tray across from mine with his usual lack of grace, scattering chips across the table.

“Dude,” he said through a mouthful of sandwich, “where have you been hiding? I thought the Valentine sisters had kidnapped you for some weird billionaire ritual sacrifice.”

“Just busy,” I mumbled, biting into my sandwich. Mrs. Tanaka had packed me lunch again—simple but perfect turkey and avocado on sourdough. Much better than the cafeteria offerings that Felix was currently devouring.

Felix studied me with unusual focus, his eyes narrowing. “Something’s different about you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Different how?”

“I don’t know, man. You look…” He waved his hands vaguely. “Better? Like, your clothes fit right. Your hair doesn’t look like you stuck your finger in an electrical socket. And…” He leaned forward and sniffed, which was both unexpected and uncomfortable. “Are you wearing cologne?”

My ears warmed. “It was a gift.”

“A gift,” Felix repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. “From whom, pray tell? Because in three years of friendship, I’ve never known you to care about smelling like anything other than coffee and exhaustion.”

I sighed. “Valentine Cosmetics sent over some samples. Harlow insisted I try them.”

“Ah, so your four girlfriends are responsible for your transformation into a functioning human being.”

“I was functioning before and I’m single.”

“You were surviving. There’s a difference.” Felix grabbed another handful of chips. “It’s working for you, though. The Valentine makeover. You clean up nice. No homo.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the clarification.”

“I’m just saying, if I put in that kind of effort, I could probably look decent too.”

“You could look better than decent,” I said honestly. “You have good bone structure.”

Felix blinked in surprise. “I have what now?”

“Good bone structure. Your face. It’s symmetrical.”

“That might be the weirdest compliment I’ve ever received, but I’ll take it.” Felix puffed out his chest. “So I’m handsome beneath all this?”

“Beneath the crumbs, jelly rolls and the perpetual bedhead? Yeah, probably.”

“Huh.” Felix seemed to consider this for about two seconds before shrugging. “Too much work. I’d rather eat nachos.”

“Your priorities are admirable.”

“Speaking of priorities,” Felix said, suddenly straightening up. “You ready for progress reports next week?”

I nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Man, my dad said if I average a B+ this semester, I can trade in my Range Rover for whatever I want.”

“What’s wrong with your current car?” I asked. The thing was basically a tank with leather seats.

“Nothing. I just want something sportier. Maybe a Porsche.” He grinned. “How’s your little tutoring project going? The angry Valentine still failing math?”

I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “Actually, she’s improving. Significantly.”

“No shit? How’d you manage that?”

“I changed the approach. Made it competitive.”

Felix snorted. “Of course you did. Everything’s a game with you.”

“Games are more fun than work,” I said with a shrug. “And they get results.”

“Fair enough.” Felix polished off his sandwich and wiped his hands on his pants. “So what do you think about this fall festival thing? The whole maid café idea?”

“Could be interesting.” I took a sip of water. “Harlow and Cassidy seem really into it.”

“Into it? Bro, the entire class is hyped! Do you know how many hot girls are in our class? And they’re all gonna be wearing maid outfits!” Felix’s eyes glazed over slightly, lost in whatever fantasy was playing out in his head.

“Halloween-themed maid outfits,” I corrected. “With, like, fake blood and stuff.”

Felix’s expression didn’t change. “Even better.”

“You want blood on your maid?”

“I’ll be scaroused!” Felix announced proudly.

I stared at him. “You’ll be what now?”

“Scaroused.” He held up his hands like he was framing a movie title. “Scared plus aroused. It’s a whole thing.”

“That’s not a thing.”

“It’s definitely a thing! Ask any guy. Sexy but scary? Best combination.”

I shook my head. “Your mind is a fascinating and disturbing place.”

“Thank you.” Felix beamed like I’d paid him the highest compliment. “So what are you gonna wear? For the festival?”

“I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.”

“Dude! You have to dress up! It’s Halloween!”

“I’m not big on costumes.”

Felix looked personally offended. “Everyone’s big on costumes with the right costume. You could be a vampire butler or something. The ladies would eat it up.”

“I’m not trying to get eaten up by ladies.”

“Your loss,” Felix said with a shrug. “Though I feel like you’ve got enough ladies in your life already.”

I paused mid-bite. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that you spend an awful lot of time with the Valentine sisters. And now you’re all…” He gestured vaguely at my entire existence. “Like this.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Different. Less…” He furrowed his brow, searching for the right word. “Grumpy?”

“I’m not grumpy.”

“You’re literally grumpy right now.”

I glared at him.

“See? Grumpy.” Felix leaned forward. “But seriously, man. Whatever they’re doing for you, it’s working. You seem less… exhausted.”

I wanted to argue, but he wasn’t wrong. Something had shifted in the past few weeks. Between the decent sleep afforded by shorter commutes and the strange warmth of being around people who actually noticed when I was tired or hungry, I felt more human than I had in years.

“It’s the job,” I said finally. “Regular hours, better pay. Nothing mysterious about it.”

Felix gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me for a second. “If you say so.”

“I do say so.”

“Cool, cool.” Felix drummed his fingers on the table. “So which one of them did you hook up with?”

I choked on my water. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“I didn’t hook up with anyone!” My voice came out louder than intended, causing several nearby tables to glance our way. I lowered my volume. “They’re my employers.”

“Uh-huh.” Felix nodded sagely. “Forbidden romance. I get it.”

“There’s no romance, forbidden or otherwise.”

“So you wouldn’t mind if I asked one of them out? Harlow seems nice.”

My stomach tightened involuntarily. “I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Because you’re already dating her?”

“No! Because their mother would probably have you disappeared if you distracted her daughter from the family business.”

Felix considered this. “Worth it.”

“Your funeral.”

“At least I’d die happy.” Felix sighed dramatically.

I changed the subject to safer territory—the upcoming calculus test, the football team’s chances this season, anything that didn’t involve the Valentine sisters or my complicated feelings about them.

Felix, to his credit, allowed the diversion, though his knowing smirk remained firmly in place.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Felix gathered his trash and stood.

“Just one question before I go,” he said.

I braced myself. “What?”

“If you had to pick one of them—”

“I don’t have to pick any of them.”

“—who would it be? Gun to the back of your head, you have to choose one Valentine sister.”

I stood up, gathering my things. “This conversation is over.”

“Is it Cassidy? It’s Cassidy, isn’t it? She’s got that whole angry-but-hot thing going on.”

“Goodbye, Felix.”

“Or maybe Harlow? She’s like a ray of sunshine. Everyone likes sunshine.”

I started walking toward the exit.

“It’s totally Vivienne,” Felix called after me. “You like the scary ones!”

Several students turned to stare as I quickened my pace, my ears burning.

“Text me about the costume!” Felix shouted across the cafeteria. “Vampire butler! Think about it!”

I escaped into the hallway, exhaling slowly. Felix wasn’t wrong about everything—I had changed in the past few weeks. My clothes fit better because they were tailored rather than thrifted. My hair looked better because Vivienne had forced me to get it properly cut. I smelled better because Harlow had presented me with a small arsenal of Valentine Beauté products “to help you smell like a person and not a coffee machine.”

But that didn’t mean anything was happening between me and any of the sisters. It was all professional. Purely business.

Except for that kiss on the mansion steps. And Sabrina’s hand on my face. And Cassidy’s blush when I complimented her art. And Vivienne’s lingering gaze when she thought I wasn’t looking. And Harlow’s constant hugs that lasted a beat too long.

Okay, so maybe something was happening. But I didn’t have to define it. Or acknowledge it. Or act on it.

I could just keep doing my job, collecting my paycheck, and pretending not to notice the way my heart raced whenever one of them entered a room.

Simple.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Four new messages, all from different Valentine sisters. Vivienne reminding me about the tailor appointment. Cassidy asking if I had more graph paper for tutoring. Harlow sending about fifteen emojis and asking if I liked the cologne. Sabrina with a single line: “The shoebox remains unopened. For now.”

I sighed and tucked my phone away without responding. I’d deal with them later. All of them. Separately. In professionally appropriate contexts.

Felix’s voice echoed in my head: “You keep telling yourself that.”

I walked to my next class, silently rehearsing all the reasons why getting involved with any of the Valentine sisters would be a terrible idea, while simultaneously trying not to remember the feeling of soft lips against mine on the mansion steps three nights ago.

My life had been so much simpler before I’d taken this job.

Simpler, but emptier too.

As I slid into my seat for AP History, I realized I didn’t actually want to go back to my old life—the endless commute, the constant exhaustion, the empty apartment.

Maybe a little Valentine chaos wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Just a little, though. And strictly professional.

I opened my notebook and focused on the lesson, pushing thoughts of purple eyes and wine-red hair firmly to the back of my mind.

For now.