In the morning, Crystal gives you an affectionate hug before you slip back through the narrow strip of trees and parking lot to your apartment. Thankfully the spare key is under the mat and you are able to get in, get dressed and get ready for school.
Jules is waiting for you at the street as usual.
"Hey, Crystal already headed off, she's got a zero hour thing this morning," he says.
"So, did you hear that wild Coyote last night? Something was howling like crazy."
You blush, "I missed it sorry. Hey, let's talk." You offer your arm. He eagerly takes it and the two of you stroll down the sidewalk.
"Thank you for the suspect board you made, Crystal showed it to me last night. It really helped."
He beams at the compliment.
"Thank you! Have you figured out who did it yet?" He asks.
"Who killed Tom or who killed Matt? We've got two murders now to investigate."
"Don't forget the murder attempt on you with the truck," Jules says.
"You are right!" The two of you walk a few paces lost in thought.
"So you had a question for me?" you ask.
"I do." He takes a deep breath. "Have you gotten your Sadie Hawkins tickets yet?" he asks.
"Is that your question?" you ask with a playful smile. He blushes.
"Not really," he says.
"No, I haven't gotten my tickets." You say.
"Don't forget, you have to pick them up at the student office before Friday, if you want to go to the dance next week," he says. The two of you walk for a moment, before he sucks up the courage.
"Okay, my question is this - am I just permanently stuck as a sidekick? We've known each other forever, and I'm always there for you. Does that count for something? You know I like you, why can't we date? I know you've done stuff with other people. What about me?"
You sigh and give him a little squeeze.
"Lots of stuff to unpack there. First, women are not a magical sex vending machine where you put in kindness coins until sex pops out."
He splutters objections but you press on.
"Second, you are not my sidekick, you are my friend. Someone I care about and trust. That's more valuable to me than getting hot and sweating for a few minutes. It can be a deeper connection, so yes, it counts for quite alot."
He holds up his finger.
"Objection, you have actual superpowers, I think that makes me the sidekick by default."
"Objection overruled, I have traumatic brain visions that leave me weeping in my bed or writhing in the street. That's not a superpower, that's a curse with perks."
"Like Rogue from the X-Men?" He offers.
"Fine. Yes. Like Rogue from the X-Men." You roll your eyes.
"But my last point, Jules, is this." You stop and face him towards you. "Romantic connection is complicated. Even when two people like each other, it often doesn't work out. People have different needs, different speeds, different directions and not everything lines up. I know right now dating and having sex feels really important but once you've cleared that hurdle, there's a wide world of companionship out there and you'll need to navigate it."
He nods, a little glum but understanding.
"I'm not saying we can't date, we still might. But if you only see me as a girl who has 'done some stuff' with other people and not you, then that's a terrible place to start a relationship. It begins with a grievance, on what you are owed, rather than two people connecting with each other because they enjoy each other's company."
You fold him into a deep hug. "And Jules, I enjoy your company."
He rests his head on your shoulder for a moment.
"When did you get so smart all of a sudden?" He murmurs.
"Because some of us don't use Wisdom as a dump stat," you whisper back. He laughs and gives you a squeeze.
"I'll do some thinking about what you said," he said.
"Good, thank you for listening," you say, squeezing his hand and the two of you walk down to the high school, arm in arm.
###
Your first stop is the administrative office in hopes of seeing Detective Morris. When you arrive, Patricia is in the middle of a very animated conversation with a parent, so you duck down low and slip right past the reception towards the back offices. As you creep down the hallway, you hear Simon Pendegrast's soothing voice in Principal Sheffield's office.
"... and the readings were off the chart! I don't think she even knows the full extent of what she can do."
"Good. Very good. I had hoped that this... unfortunate situation could be turned into an opportunity," Sheffield responds. "See if you can get her in the device again, we cannot let someone of that capacity simply pass through our fingers, without the proper guidance."
"Don't worry, I'm keeping her close. Very close." Simon says.
The door to the office begins to move and you scamper backwards, as quickly as you can towards the back closet where Morris' office is. You catch the briefest glimpse of Simon as you slide into Morris' office, safely out of sight.
"Got some overdue library books, love?" Morris quips.
"What?" You say, startled, firmly closing the door behind you.
"Thought I heard that ponce of a librarian out there. Figured that's why you are in here all in a huff," he gives you a sly smile. "Or were you just desperate to see me?"
You give him a saucy grin. "So what if I am desperate to see you, what then?"
He clicks his tongue. "Careful love, wouldn't want to set chins wagging, would we?"
He closes the folder he had open on his desk.
"So, you want to tell me how you knew that there was a dead student with his arm ripped off at the quarry? The coroner tells me that they were killed in the middle of the night, and that someone with your shoe size walked all over that space between then and when we secured the crime scene."
