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SEVENTEEN

THEO

NEWS

Day 470

It’s been almost a week since the shed break-in and a few days since we started keeping an eye on Trevor. Even though he’s been acting suspicious, we haven’t caught him doing anything outright incriminating yet. Still, I’m on edge—and so is everyone else. The thought of outsiders sneaking in, stealing supplies, and leaving us exposed doesn’t sit right with me. We don’t have solid answers yet, so we’ll keep watching Trevor. There’s something about him that feels… off. Maybe it’s intuition, or maybe it’s because I’ve had to rely on reading people in other ways for most of my life, but I can feel it. He’s hiding something.

Even though Farron’s little surprise for me didn’t go as planned, I’m still excited about the possibility of a greenhouse. Since coming here, I’ve managed to grow a decent collection of seeds. In times like this, at the end of the world, there are things you never think about until they’re staring you in the face. The basics come to mind like food, water, shelter, and weapons. But what about the long-term essentials? How do you ensure a future with food, shelter, and an environment that can actually sustain you?

I’m grateful for my background and excited about what spring might bring. Building a greenhouse from scratch won’t be easy, but it’s essential for survival in the long run. This place was built to last, but it’s up to us to fill in the gaps and secure what we need to make that happen.

The stress of keeping everyone safe is wearing on Farron. I see it in the way her shoulders tense when she wakes up and how they slump when she finally crawls into bed. It’s always on her mind. She’s been doubling down on perimeter checks, brainstorming with Jasper and Peter about higher fences, setting more traps, and upgrading our weapons. She’s relentless, and while I admire her drive, it’s clear the weight of all this is pressing down hard on her.

Today, though, Kenji, Adrian, and I have a plan. We’re going to find Farron and convince her to take a break. Even if it’s just for a day—or a few hours—she needs it. She deserves to breathe for a moment.

“T, I’ve been dying to tell you something!” Adrian says, practically bouncing on his feet, his grin stretching ear to ear. Kenji nudges him lightly with his good arm as we walk toward the Abel farm, looking a bit impatient.

“Well, spill it already, ” I say with a laugh, curious about what’s got him so excited.

“It’s the best thing ever, but you can’t tell Farron. They want to tell her themselves. They said we could tell you, though, so don’t ruin it.” His hands are moving quickly in his excitement.

“Get on with it already,” Kenji lets out in his usual no-nonsense way, rolling his eyes at Adrian.

Adrian finally grins wider—if that’s even possible. “Todd and Jay are together. Like together together,” Adrian announces, his eyes bulging as if he’s afraid I won’t understand the implication. “I totally caught them going at it the other day, and let me tell you, it was hot. Even Kenji thought so.”

I glance at Kenji, who’s rolling his eyes, my confusion evident. “You guys watched them?” I ask, incredulous. “I know you’re close, but…” My eyes linger on Kenji, mostly because I’m surprised by him.

Kenji lets out a heavy sigh, clearly exasperated. “Don’t be an idiot,” he snaps . “We were keeping an eye on Trevor and stumbled upon the two of them. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say we stumbled as we tried to get away, only to draw their attention. Adrian’s just being an idiot.”

“I don’t know who was more embarrassed,” Adrian admits, crossing his arms and ignoring Kenji’s last comment. “Kenji and I for looking like a pair of peeping toms, or Todd and Jay at having their moment interrupted by us.”

“They had no reason to be embarrassed. Please tell me you didn’t make it awkward for them, A?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Adrian responds, his hands moving in a dramatic fashion. “Of course I didn’t. Not intentionally. I think they were more worried about us accepting them if I’m being honest.”

“Of course we’d be accepting,” I sign, my brows pinched together. “Why wouldn’t we be? It’s not like the chemistry between the two of them wasn’t obvious. They deserve to be happy.”

“Speaking of the lovebirds,” Adrian says with a dramatic eyebrow wiggle, motioning toward the barn. Todd, Jay, and Farron are stepping out, and the moment Farron spots us, the tension melts from her face. A radiant smile spreads across her lips as she quickens her pace. Before I know it, she’s in my arms.

I breathe her in, savoring the moment, feeling just how much I need her—how much I need this . Leaning down, I press a quick kiss to her lips, her cheeks flushing the softest shade of pink as we pull apart.

“Hi,” she says brightly to us all, greeting them with a warm smile before slipping her hand into mine. For a moment, everything else fades.

“Do you have time to come with us?” I ask, feeling hopeful. I can see Adrian in my peripheral speaking, probably helping interpret. “We were thinking of starting a fire—just the four of us.”

Her face lights up, her smile growing wider as she nods. “Sounds perfect.”

I glance toward Todd and Jay, catching Todd mouthing, “Yeah, you guys should go. We’ve got stuff to do.”

“You two have been busy lately, huh?” Adrian pipes up, not-so-subtly raising his eyebrows as his hands move along for me. Farron’s gaze darts between Todd and Jay, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

Jay shifts uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah, about that…” he starts awkwardly, clearly stalling. Kenji steps in to translate his hesitant words. “We told them already, and we weren’t leaving you out or anything, but…well…” Jay's rambling trails off as we all watch him flounder.

“Jay and I are together,” he blurts out, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Farron freezes for a split second, her expression unreadable. Todd and Jay exchange nervous glances, clearly bracing for her reaction. Then, suddenly, she grins. “Finally! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this to happen?”

Jay blinks at her, confused. “Wait, what do you mean ‘waiting for this’?”

My eyes toggle between Kenji and everyone else as I take in his hands and everyone’s expressions. Farron’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “Jay, I hate to break it to you, but you and Todd were inevitable.”

Todd blushes, looking down, but the slight curve of his lips betrays his happiness. Jay chuckles, still shaking his head. “It’s still really new, though,” he says. “We’re not telling anyone else yet. Please keep it between us.”

Farron mimes zipping her lips and tossing the imaginary key. “You’ve got nothing to worry about,” she assures them with a laugh.

As we say our goodbyes, Farron watches them walk off, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. Her hands move along hesitantly with her words, but she’s trying for me. “Well, that was interesting. I’ve been waiting for those two to figure it out since we were kids.”

Adrian raises his hands dramatically. “Sunshine, you have no idea how spicy it gets. So, I was minding my business, and?—”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Kenji cuts in, already over Adrian’s antics.

Farron bumps her shoulder against mine and narrows her eyes at me suspiciously. “How old are they? Are we really stuck with them forever?”

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to,” I chuckle, shaking my head, even as the idea of forever sparks something in my chest. “Let’s go start that fire. I found a bag of marshmallows.”