"Hey Spence," I called as I entered the cramped shop in the corner of the mall with books covering the walls floor to ceiling. "Nice haircut."

He smiled ruefully as he ran a hand through his hair that was cut short in the back and flopped over his eyes in the front. "It wasn't exactly what I meant when I said I wanted a quick trim."

"How's it going?" I asked as I sank deep into the leather chair and kicked my feet up on the ottoman.

He shrugged, "Nothing to report. I do have another book for you if you want."

"Ooh yeah. I would jump out of this chair in excitement, but I'm too comfortable."

He rolled his eyes and pushed his glasses up his nose as his eyes scanned across the stacks of books before placing each one into its correct spot. "Here," he handed over a book with a bright yellow cover and neon pink writing that said Zodiac. "It's a bit of departure from tradition. It's a nonfiction that details the crimes of the infamous Zodiac killer who terrorized northern California in the 60s and 70s but was never caught by detectives."

I flipped through the pages and must have looked skeptical because he added, "It's incredibly well written, and there are drawings of what the killer may have looked like and copies of the letters he used to taunt the police and inflict massive chaos on all of California."

"They seriously never caught him?"

He shook his head, "They had detectives all of over the state working on the case, but he was very prepared, risk-aversive and efficient with his methods. They only were able to match five victims to him, but he claimed to have killed over 37 people in his threats to the police. Besides, the FBI predicts that there are anywhere from 25-50 active serial killers throughout the US at any given time."

I shuddered. That was disturbing. "Great. Now I'll really be able to sleep at night."

"If it makes you feel any better, you are more likely to die getting out of bed each day than you are to die at the hands of a serial killer."

I couldn't help myself from laughing, and Spencer flashed me a quick but slightly confused smile from where he was putting more books away.

"So, what were your thoughts on the books you got for Christmas?"

"I actually loved The Shining – I really couldn't put it down."

"Did it scare you?" He asked, amusement etched upon his face.

I shrugged. I didn't want him to know that I couldn't read it before bed without watching an episode of Friends. It really freaked me out. "It was a little creepy."

"A little?"

"Okay, it was terrifying. I had to make sure I had lots of room in the freezer before I started." He looked at me blankly. "You know, in case it got too scary. Just put it in the freezer!"

"What?"

"Don't tell me you've never seen that Friends episode," I began. "Joey gets Rachel to read The Shining, but tells her she can't read it unless she has room in the freezer to store it when it gets too scary."

"Sorry," he said with a shrug turning back to the shelves. So uncultured. "Did you know that in the least season of Friends, the cast banded together and requested a pay raise, so they were making one million dollars per episode?"

"The tenth season wasn't even that good," I said with a scowl. "So, what are you doing tonight?"

He shrugged again, "There's a really interesting documentary on Korean films and literature playing at the theater in Creekland Corner at 8:10 tonight if you want to come."

"As appealing as that sounds, I think I might have to take a pass." I'm sure it would be educational, but educational wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my Friday night.

"You really are going to miss out; I heard it's fantastic. Aren't you hanging out with Fang tonight?"

Now it was my turn to shrug. "We don't have spend every waking minute together."

"Max, what's going on?"

"Nothing," I instinctively mumbled, but one skeptical look from Spencer and I quickly rethought my plan to lie. "It's really not a big deal. He's just been a bit off lately. Extra quiet and really distant."

"When?"

"Just the past week and a half. He didn't come to lunch the past two days, ignored my texts, and he didn't even laugh when Iggy realized he had been wearing his shirt inside out for the entire morning. I think something's going on, but Iggy said to give him so space. I don't know what to do Spencer."

He stared at me for a long time – his light brown eyes scanning me, calculating my thoughts, reading through my emotions like a book. Finally he took a deep breath, "I don't know what to tell you Max, but I think that Iggy's right and Fang just needs his space right now. I wouldn't take it too personally though, Max; he's been very distant and aloof with everyone lately, even Angel. I went to drop off a book that I had borrowed last weekend and Angel came to the door because she said Fang wouldn't get out of bed. She was upset because he wouldn't take her skiing for the weekend and I guess he had promised to take her down a blue run this weekend, whatever that means."

"You don't ski?" I asked completely losing the pretense of the conversation.

"Do I look like I ski?" He asked with a smirk. The kid had a point. "But, is that really all you took from that?"

"Sorry, I was distracted," I muttered sheepishly. "But that sounds pretty bad, Spence. You really think it's better to give him space? That he doesn't need someone right now? I never would've pictured Fang refusing to ski, especially with Angel. She has that boy wrapped around her finger."

He nodded sadly, "I know. But I also know that Fang has things to think about; he's really overwhelmed, and I would guess confused and unsure of himself."

"How do you know all of this?" How was it that he knew everything about everyone ever without even talking to them? "Can you please just tell me what's going on. Iggy was being weird too – talking about how Fang wanted to be alone and that he was probably just thinking."

"Not to be all mysterious and 'weird like Iggy', but this is something that you shouldn't hear from me. You deserve to know Max, but I wasn't there and Fang's clearly not ready to tell you."

"So, what? Am I supposed to just deal with Fang being cold and distant until he decides he's ready to tell me?" I asked my frustration starting boil over.

"That's not what I'm saying," he said simply. "But I wasn't there, and it's only fair that you should hear it from someone who was. I would talk to Iggy."

"Fine," I said with a sigh.

"Just remember that Fang loves you. He would never intentionally hurt you, and don't say this isn't hurting you," he added with a stern look before I could protest.

I nodded and must have looked so overwhelmed and confused that he wrapped his arms around me and I pressed my face into the crook of his shoulder.

"Thanks," I murmured as I pulled away.

"You got it," his smile was soft.

I opened my mouth to say something else, but a family of four had just walked in looking entirely lost, so Spencer hurried over to greet them.

I called out a good-bye to Spencer before heading back into the open mall with Zodiac tucked under one arm. With no desire to shop, as per usual, I headed outside and began the short walk home breathing in the air laced with the scent of spring flowers. I smirked to myself thinking about how much I was convinced I would hate snow and winter and all of Colorado – I never had envisioned myself sad to think of the snow melting and summer on its way.

I hadn't been paying attention to where I was walking but realized with a start that Gazzy was playing basketball outside a very familiar-looking red brick house.

"Max!" his bright voice called, and he waved enthusiastically.

"Hey kiddo," I called crossing the street.

"Kiddo?"

I laughed, "Sorry, Gaz."

"Could a kiddo do this?" He turned around, so his back was to the basketball hoop and tossed the ball in a perfect arc behind him and it sailed through the netting perfectly.

"Very impressive," I called.

He tossed the ball at me and made me imitate his movement. Much to my dismay and Gazzy's delight, the ball sailed over the backboard b bounced down the sidewalk. Laughing like a maniac, he chased after the ball with his blonde spiked hair bristling in the breeze.

"Who's the kiddo now, huh?" He asked stilling grinning manically.

I chuckled and bumped his fist. "Is Iggy here?" He nodded as he returned to shooting hoops facing the basket this time as I headed to the door.

"Hi Max," Iggy greeted me brightly opened the door wide and I followed him in. "What brings you over here?"

I shrugged, "I was walking home from the mall and accidentally took a detour and then just got roasted by your little brother."

He nodded solemnly, "He tends to do that."

"Anyway, do you wanna hang out?" I asked reclining in his leather chair.

"Well, I'm very confused as to what we're doing right now…" He said with a straight face and I just rolled my eyes. He laughed, but his voice turned serious again. "Fang still giving you a hard time?"

I shrugged, "He's just been distant. It's really no big deal."

Iggy smirked, "I know you just talked to Spencer and he told you to talk to me." I didn't respond – how did everyone know everything? It was incredibly frustrating. "Good grief, Max. He texted me. You think everyone knows everything and is talking about it behind your back. None of that's going on, I promise."

"Okay," I said in a small voice.

"Why don't you stay for dinner? I'll even teach you how to cook as long as you don't light my eyebrows on fire."

"I'll do my best, but there's no promises."

He flashed me a grin, and raced upstairs with me following in his wake.