[Sunday, 27 November 2039]

It was nearing the end of November and I was beginning to feel anxious. After changing our team name, we spent countless of hours climbing the ladder. Even though we got to know each other a lot better, there was still an apparent barrier between us and the trio. It didn't bother Hurtle as much as it bothered me.

On the bright side, my parents were extremely supportive. When I told them about our new team name, the first thing Doublelift commented on was how close CG was to CLG (I threatened to change the name right after). Aphromoo on the other hand loved the name. But even with all that, I still couldn't get rid of this anxious feeling I was having. Then out of nowhere, things started to become a little strange.

One day Hurtle showed up at my front door step with a couple of suitcases.

"… Are you running away from home?" I asked him. "If so, that's awfully a lot to carry," I commented as I eyed the luggage he brought with him.

"Hey Aph!" I looked up to see Uncle Turtle carrying a couple of boxes.

"If I was running away, I wouldn't have brought my dad," Hurtle grinned, motioning me to make room. I took a step to the side and Hurtle brought his suitcases into the house.

"Did Hurtle do something bad?" I asked Uncle Turtle, raising an eyebrow, "Are you kicking him out of the house?"

"Yeah he almost burned down the house," Uncle Turtle joked, "tried to microwave a meal for forty minutes."

"Don't feed her lies!" Hurtle complained, taking the box from Uncle Turtle.

"Yeah, don't joke about that kind of stuff." I turned my head and saw Doublelift walking towards us, "Or else we might just have to change our minds about letting him stay with us," he grinned.

"Hurtle is going to stay with us?" I questioned. "Why wasn't I informed about this?"

"Sorry, it was kind of last minute," Doublelift apologized, helping Hurtle with his belongings. "He'll only be living here for about a week."

"Then why does he have so much stuff?" I asked. Doublelift smirked, "Who knows?" was all he said before he walked out of the door to help unload more boxes.

"Hurtle…" I muttered, looking at my best friend. He shrugged.

"Dad said we're moving to a smaller house since it's just the two of us," Hurtle said, "I didn't even know we would be moving until last night. I didn't have time to tell you since I was busy packing."

I bit my lip. I did think it was a bit strange that Hurtle wasn't gaming with us last night, but he said he had important business to attend to. He could have at least mentioned something.

"If you're moving, wouldn't you bring all of this stuff to your new place and not here?" I asked.

"You ask too many questions, Aph!" Doublelift said as he handed Hurtle another box.

"I just need to get the place set up before Hurtle joins me," Uncle Turtle grinned. "We all know he'll just get in the way and complain about how we don't have internet."

I laughed and Hurtle ignored his father. The adults continued to unload Uncle Turtle's car. I turned to Hurtle, realizing something.

"Does that mean you'll be moving further away?" I frowned. I quite enjoyed being able to walk over to his place whenever I felt like it.

"Don't know, he won't tell me anything," Hurtle handed me one of his suitcases. 'What does he know?' I asked myself. This whole situation was strange. But all my speculations disappeared when Hurtle asked his next question. "So where am I staying?" he grinned. I rolled my eyes before bringing his suitcase to the stairs.

"I guess we'll be roommates for the next week," I smirked.

"It'll be like having a sleepover every day!" he exclaimed as we made our way to my bedroom.

"Yeah! I recently got a new nail polish, we can give each other manicures!" I said happily.

"What did I get myself into?" Hurtle groaned. I giggled at his reaction.

That night I woke up feeling hungry. I left my bed, making sure not to trip over Hurtle who was sleeping on an air mattress and all the unopened boxes that littered my floor. My room was like a maze and one wrong step could lead me to greeting the floor.

Successfully out of my room, I quietly made my way to the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible. I didn't want to wake anyone up.

"Yeah it was nice seeing you again."

I stopped dead in my tracks. 'Someone is awake?'

Some laughter followed and I inched closer. The voice belonged to Doublelift. From the sound of it, he was on the phone with someone. Which wouldn't have been unusual except for the fact that it was almost three in the morning.

"Yeah, we should definitely have dinner again sometime." Well that explained why Doublelift didn't join us for dinner. After helping Hurtle move his stuff into the house, he said he had to go back to work, but he was clearly with someone. It could have been a coworker?

"No they don't know a thing." 'What don't we know?'

"Zaqueri doesn't know about our meeting either," he informed the person. 'Doublelift is hiding this from Aphromoo too?' my eyes widened. I almost turned around to leave until I heard my name.

"I think Stella was starting to get suspicious."

"No, no. Of course not. I think Jasper's appearance helped," he continued on. "He's distracting her…"

'Is Hurtle keeping something from me?' I questioned. However, I didn't have to wonder for long as I was immediately answered.

"No he doesn't know either…" 'At least my best friend is innocent.' As innocent as Hurtle could be, anyways.

"I don't know how long I can keep this a secret," Doublelift complained.

"What about on your end? Does he know?" Doublelift asked. I just stood there, hidden in the shadows. I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but my curiosity got the best of me. To be fair, I almost left until I heard my name.

'Is he talking to a woman?' I speculated.

"I see… and he's okay with it?" Doublelift asked the mystery person. It seemed like the other person had a significant other.

"I should probably tell Zaqueri soon," Doublelift told the person, "…but it'll break his heart." I bit my lip to stop myself from gasping out loud.

"Alright, I'll wait a little longer," Doublelift agreed, "Okay, I'll give you a call tomorrow. Night."

As soon as I heard him hang up, I ducked into the living room. I listened for his footsteps and heard him walk past me and up the stairs.

After waiting a few minutes, I walked back to my bedroom. I completely forgot my original reason for going down to the kitchen.

I laid in bed, trying to piece together what I had heard. Doublelift was keeping something from all of us. He had dinner with someone, possibly a woman who had a partner? Except the woman told her partner about the meeting. Yet if Doublelift told Aphromoo about it, then it would break his heart? Was my father cheating on Aphromoo again?

I closed my eyes. People did say 'once a cheater, always a cheater', but I didn't understand. Everything was working out. I forgave my father only months ago and this was happening all over again?

I struggled to fall asleep. I couldn't block out my thoughts.

'Is history going to repeat itself?'

I kept everything I heard that night a secret. I didn't even tell Hurtle when he asked me if I was okay the morning after. He noticed the bags under my eyes, but I just told him that I was so excited about him staying with us that I couldn't sleep. He seemed to accept my answer and continued to unpack some of his things.

Since he was only here for a week, it didn't make sense for him to unpack everything. However, that didn't stop him from unpacking his desktop onto my coffee table.

"Is that really necessary?" I asked Hurtle.

"I can't stop! I need to keep my spot," Hurtle told me.

"But we already got our rewards," I reminded him. I managed to end the season in Diamond alongside Hades. Cyan ended up in Masters, while Hurtle and Adept both ended the season in Challenger.

"And right now it's the pre-season! No time to slack off!" Hurtle lectured me.

Since we've been so focused on climbing the Ranked Teams ladder, I only play enough solo queue to keep myself from decaying. Early next year the ladder will be locked and we have to make sure we qualify for the Spring Qualifiers. That is our only chance of making it into the Spring Challenger Series.

"Fine, fine. But my room, my rules," I glared at my best friend. He stopped setting up his new 'desk' space. "First, all meals are to be eaten downstairs…"

"But Aph!" Hurtle started to complain.

"No buts!" I held my glare.

'But…' the look on his face said.

'What did I just say?' I covered part of my face with my hand.

'But what if I get hungry?!' he gave me a pitiful look.

'Then eat downstairs!' I rolled my eyes as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

'But solo queue!' he tried to refute.

'Can wait until after you've eaten… DOWNSTAIRS,' I sighed.

'But my first place!' he continued to think of different arguments.

'You won't lose it just because you go downstairs to eat for half an hour.' I rose an eyebrow. He wasn't really convincing.

'You don't know that!' Hurtle looked like I was torturing him.

'… Fine. You can eat snacks, but that's it!' I gave him my final offer. He took a moment to think about it before nodding.

"Is this how you guys plan on communicating with the rest of your team?" a voice spoke out. I jumped and turned around to see Aphromoo looking fairly amused.

"Dad! Knock or something!" I complained, as I placed a hand over my furiously beating heart.

"I did, but you guys were into your own world," Aphromoo laughed. I blushed slightly. "I thought I taught you to have better map awareness," he grinned.

"Ugh dad, no League references, please," I begged him.

"You're right!" Hurtle randomly shouted out from behind me. "As our support, she needs to keep up her map awareness!" he nodded his head.

"You're just saying that so you can focus on CSing," I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. Hurtle gave me a sheepish grin.

"Gotta support your carry," Aphromoo agreed, sticking his tongue out at me when I gave him a glare.

"I don't know how I feel about my best friend and my father teaming up on me," I muttered, shaking my head.

"I thought you were the one who was excited about me staying here," Hurtle teased.

"I take it back! I want my room back!" I collapsed on my bed, defeated. "Alright Hurtle, you can sleep in the living room," I ordered, pointing at my door.

"Y-you're kicking me out?" Hurtle whimpered, dropping his empty backpack on the floor. "Y-you're abandoning me like my fath—ow!"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as I flung my pillow at him.

"Oh my goodness. Doublelift turned you into a drama queen," I complained, burying my face in my blanket. I felt something heavy land on my bed and felt an arm around me.

"Awh Aph!" Hurtle said from beside me. "You know you love me!"

Aphromoo cleared his throat and we both turned our attention over to him.

"As much as I love having you stay with us," Aphromoo gave us a forced grin, "Please realize that she's my daughter," his voice sounded a little strained. "I know you guys have been friends ever since you guys were little, but please be aware that you two are growing up."

I rose an eyebrow at my father. Then I realized both Hurtle and I were on my bed with Hurtle's arm around me.

"But Dad! It's cold," I frowned, "and Hurtle's so warm!" I snuggled closer to my best friend. Hurtle's eyes widened as he switched his attention from my father to me and then back to my father.

"Aph! Don't tease your father," Hurtle hissed at me, "I don't want to die!" I rolled my eyes. There was nothing wrong with the position we were in. We were both lying on our stomachs, across my bed. The only thing that made it "strange" was Hurtle giving me a one arm hug. Which was nothing out of the usual.

"Oh you're here!" Aphromoo turned around and was greeted by Doublelift. "I was wondering why the house was so quiet," he continued, loosening his necktie. "What are you guys up to?" he asked before finally turning his attention to me and Hurtle. He just stared at us without saying anything. It was quiet in the room for a few moments before I decided I had enough.

"It's nothing dad," I groaned, removing myself from Hurtle and getting off my bed.

"But—" Doublelift started.

"We weren't doing anything inappropriate! You know Hurtle is like family," I sighed, walking towards my desk and turning on my desktop.

"Really Peter, it was nothing," Aphromoo backed me up even though he too got a little worked up earlier.

"Yeah Uncle Lift Lift," Hurtle said as he too left my bed. "It's the other two guys you have to worry about," he grinned.

"What do you mean?!" Doublelift and Aphromoo said at the same exact time.

I groaned, this was going to be a long day.

[Friday, 2 December 2039]

"Alright Aph, what's wrong?" Hurtle asked me after our game. Tonight was the last night Hurtle was supposed to be staying with us. Uncle Turtle called us earlier to let us know that the new house was set up for the both of them.

"Noth—" I began.

"And don't say nothing. There's obviously something bothering you. You've been acting strange all week!" Hurtle rose from his position and walked over to my bed.

"Alright, fine. Let's say bye first," I said, not looking at him. I told the trio that Hurtle and I were going to take a break. After some teasing from Cyan, I closed my client.

"My laning was terrible," I told him when I finally turned around.

"Aph…"

"What! It really was," I said earnestly.

"Well you're not wrong…"

"HURTLE!"

"What! You said it yourself!" he defended.

"I know," I stuck my tongue out at him and he threw Hunter at me. I caught my Poro and hugged him tightly. After a few minutes, I turned my attention back to my best friend who was waiting patiently – at least as patient as Hurtle could be. I could tell he was trying really hard.

"I think Doublelift is cheating on Aphromoo again," I finally told him.

He rose an eyebrow and looked confused until he realized that I wasn't joking.

"How do you know?" he asked me. I bit my lip, wondering how much I should tell him.

"I know he's having late night conversations with someone…"

"Maybe it's a relative in the States?" Hurtle suggested.

"He had dinner with that person the day you arrived!" I informed him.

"Maybe it was a coworker?" He looked doubtful. I didn't understand why he was trying to defend my father.

"He said that Aphromoo didn't know about the meeting and then he said something along the lines of 'it would break Aphromoo's heart'!"

"Aph, you're hurting Hunter," Hurtle told me. I widened my eyes as I realized I was squeezing my Poro.

"Sorry Hunter," I looked down at my Poro and placed him on my desk where I couldn't harm him any longer. I was feeling a bit tense.

"Did you talk to your dad about it?" Hurtle asked me.

"What am I supposed to say?" I asked him, feeling a bit helpless.

"Tell him you overheard his conversation," Hurtle shrugged.

"But…"

"Aph, I'll tell you this. You were a lot happier once you started to get along with Doublelift again," Hurtle told me his observation. Although I didn't show it, it was times like this I was glad Hurtle was my best friend. He was right, I was happier, but lately I've been feeling so anxious about everything.

"And I don't want to see you go back to hating him."

"Hating who?" my door swung open and both Doublelift and Aphromoo were standing there.

"What did I say about knocking?!" I complained, ignoring the question. I didn't want our parents to know we were talking about them. They didn't seem to notice.

"I told you Peter," Aphromoo sighed, "You get too excited about these things."

"Excited about what?" I asked.

"We're kicking you out!" Doublelift said happily. I just stared at him.

'What?'

2/6/15