"Ew," I replied, wrinkling my nose. "That's gross."
"So is a dead bird in the mail," Archer retorted.
I narrowed my eyes at him, then turned my attention back to Kody. "What's your reasoning?"
"Same as any of the staff, really. Access." His gaze was clear of accusation or maliciousness. He was simply spit-balling ideas, like we were brainstorming for a school project together. I kinda appreciated that level of detachment and latched onto it. "I mean, it's probably not. But I can't see any reason for him to not be on the list of suspects. Can you?"
I rolled my eyes. "By that same reasoning, everyone I've ever met should be on the list. You three included."
"Hmm yeah, I could have planted a hidden camera then deliberately convinced you to fuck me in the kitchen and then sent a dead bird to myself as a threat. I mean, it’s a bit fucking kinky but anything is possible," Kody replied with a grin.
He had a point. And Archer had been watching from the hallway. Didn't totally clear them, but again, I'd have to trust my gut and scratch them from the list of suspects.
"What about the QB?" Steele pondered. "He would have been too young to stalk Deb, but what if it's a copycat stalker?"
I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "That just complicates it even more. If it were a copycat then literally anyone could be responsible. The freaking gardener or my criminology professor or one of the cops or the security company or, fuck, one of those Madison-Kate groupies that Bark told me about. You know his sister was one of them? Colored her hair and everything."
Kody scoffed a laugh. "So creepy."
"Seriously?" Archer snickered, reaching over and flicking Kody in the side of the head. Right on his pink hair.
Kody just looked up at Archer with a smug smile. "Big difference between some random chicks trying to look like MK and me accidentally dying my hair pink because she distracted me with sex while I had color shampoo in." I rolled my eyes and snickered, but Kody just shifted closer and kissed the side of my thigh. "Totally worth it. And now we match like a super cutesy couple, so I think I might keep it."
"Don't," Steele commented, "It takes a rare breed to pull off that color, and you, my friend, aren't it."
"Asshole!" Kody reached up to the couch and grabbed a pillow, then chucked it at his smirking friend. Steel deflected it, but groaned as he brought a protective hand to his injured arm. Meanwhile, the pillow Kody had chosen was one I had wedged slightly behind me, and without it I slipped down the couch and collided with Archer's shoulder.
He shot me a sharp look, and I quickly rearranged myself to not be touching him. But I already knew it was going to take a while for the warmth of his shoulder to fade from mine. Fucking mysterious bad boys were definitely proving to be my kryptonite, based on these three bastards.
"Alright, are we playing this game or not?" Steele asked, indicating to the TV and chomping through a slice of pizza. He didn't even try to hide the eagerness in his voice; we all knew he was dying to do some gaming without the guilt.
I sighed. "I need to go and study. This whole stalker thing is going to see me dropping out of SGU soon, otherwise."
"You'll do fine," Archer commented in a quietly neutral tone.
Kody nodded, finishing his mouthful before speaking. "Also, we're snowed in for another day, so you may as well just relax tonight. I'll help you study tomorrow, if you want."
"Really?" I gaped at him. I didn't even know where I'd left my phone earlier in the day so couldn't check for myself. But Kody passed me his, which showed the official message from SGU administration. "Well, that's lucky. I should probably start tonight, though..." But I didn't want to. I wanted to stay on the cozy couch and play stupid video games with the boys. I wanted a moment of normalcy after such a crappy, fear-filled day.
"Just play the damn game, Princess," Archer growled. "You can't possibly get any worse, but maybe driving into a few walls will chill you out a bit."
I seethed. "I'm not that bad."
But I was. I really was.
"Prove it," Archer replied, turning his challenging gaze on me, "or are you scared?"
Kody snorted a laugh. "Weak effort, bro. It's a video game, not a real race car. MK isn't gonna—"