#holden

“i-i wanted cove to… help me pick out an outfit… for… a friend's birthday party!”

cove might be a bad liar, but you couldn't really say that you were any better than him. still, an attempt was made. you glanced over at cove, both of you wondering if his parents bought that lie.

“oh, was it one of those two girls we've seen around?” cliff smiled, seemingly buying into your lie. “i didn't know their birthday was coming up! maybe i should take cove shopping then to get a present, right, son?”

“r-right–!” cove blurted out quickly, smiling relieved.

“well, if that's all, then we got worried for nothing!” kyra now chirps in, with a little smile. “for a moment, we thought you two might've been doing… something else in there.”

cove and you freeze, shooting glances towards each other, as your faces turn red. but kyra just continues, as if she didn't even notice.

“we'll leave you two to it then, right, cliff?”

“right!”

as soon as cliff and kyra leave the living room, cove and you relax and sink into the couch. you turn towards each other, both smiling relieved – until you notice something and your face turns red once more.

“c-cove…!” you stutter and point at his neck. as cove struggles to look down, unable to see what you're pointing at, you reveal what you just spotted. “you… you've got a hickey there…”

silence fills the living room for another moment, before your face sinks into your hands, realizing what had just happened.

“they knew all along.” you sighed, a chuckle escaping your lips. “they were just messing with us, but they knew all along…”