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Well, that marks all of the reviews! Again, thank you so much for pushing us past these recent milestones, you all are the absolute best. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, if you did, a follow or a favorite is greatly appreciated!
If you have a question, comment, or criticism you want me to answer in the next chapter, make sure to drop a review. I go through and at least make sure to read each and every one I get.
That's all for now, I'll see you guys in the next chapter as we creep closer and closer to the finale of this story arc! Rock on guys!
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February 14th, 2013
Four Months Later
You know, Vin hadn't really ever taken the time to look at himself in a mirror. Sure, he'd look at his face while brushing his teeth, or shaving his disgusting pre-teen peach fuzz of his face, or whenever he'd stumble into his bathroom on a night where he didn't get enough sleep just so he could see the deep bags forming under his eyes, but he'd never gotten a good look at anything else in a long time. Not since his operation last year, at least.
So imagine Vin's surprise as he stared at his shirtless-self in the mirror, and saw a body that he wasn't quite sure belonged to him.
Turns out, being worked to the bone everyday for several months actually would do you some good. He'd definitely filled out a little more over the months, his usually smooth, lean-belly now subtly hardened with tough abs just under a layer of thin fat, his arms, which he distinctly recalled being noodles, were now tight and sturdy, noticeably bulkier than they ever were before. His shoulders broadened out too, over all, he'd certainly gotten stockier, gaining more weight than he ever had in his life before. He was still relatively lean, of course, but his body type definitely wasn't what it once was.
Vin gazed down at his torso, the thin, faint line of surgical star going across his upper pelvis, and up the middle of his torso, ending just shy of a third-way up his ribs. As stealthy as it was, it was still unsightly. Vin tightened his gaze as his chest throbbed dully with phantom pains of memories past.
Sighing, Vin turned on his bathroom faucet, and splashed some water on his face. Looking up and meeting his own gaze in the mirror, Vin inspected his face with surgical precision.
Now, why was he going through such a rigorous self-inspection, you may ask? Well, the answer was simple.
Check the date.
Valentines day. Barely a holiday by any stretch of the imagination. It didn't constitute any day off for people from school or work, it didn't cause any parades, it was just a stupid day for egotists to flaunt their respective partners to the common denominator of poor, single bastards in some sick show of superiority.
...Okay, maybe Vin was a little jealous, but still! He was an attractive guy, right? He could get a girlfriend if he wanted to…
Vin closed his eyes and sighed, preparing himself for the worst day of the year. A part of him called longingly, simply wanting him to lock himself in his own bathroom for the entire day, but unfortunately, that wasn't a viable option. Succumbing to the obligations of appeasing his appetite and attending his classes, Vin threw his shirt back over his body, fixed his ponytail, and walked out into the disgustingly loved-filled world.
Classes were boring as always, that much would never change no matter how many times Vin attended them. The teacher failed to capture his attention with a single lesson, and for once, Vin desperately wished that he did, because at least it would distract him from seeing several of his classmates making some stupid fucking looks at each other.
By the time the lunch bell rang, Vin had peered outside the class window, where he could see a view of the garden where he and his friends usually ate, and… yep, filled with couples making out, right on school grounds.
Sheesh, have some common fuckin' decency people.
Vin collapsed back in his chair, head buried in his arms, as he groaned.
"Vinny, what's the problem?" Irina asked, poking him lightly on the head, as Vin looked up at her with weary eyes.
"It's the day of reckoning, Irina," Vin despaired, "...February 14th…"
"What's it called over here? Valentine's Day, right?"
Vin weakly shook his head, "Yeah, it's disgusting... People just throw themselves at each other, not showing a hint of remorse in the face of all of us poor single people."
"Dummy, why not just ask someone out? Then you won't be single."
"Irina," Vin got serious for a moment, looking around at the sparse group of people still in the classroom, most pretty much left with their significant others, "We don't lead a life where we can easily get into a relationship with someone."
Irina smirked in such a way that Vin could've sworn for a second that it was Vanessa in disguise, "You know, there's always one person you can ask out~"
Vin turned his head away from Irina, a faint dusting of pink in his darker complexion, "I have no clue who you're talking about."
"Oh c'mon! Ask Xenovia out already! It's so obvious that you like her, so just go for it!" Irina pouted, her cheeks puffing out adorably.
Vin fixed her with a sharp glare, "How the hell did you know that?"
Irina shot Vin a close-eyed smile, "I didn't, you just confirmed it."
"Ugh, I hate you…" Vin groaned.
"Sure, sure," Irina patted Vin's head, "But for real, you've got it bad for her, and that's completely apparent to anyone with eyes or a brain."
"Really, huh?"
Irina nodded, "You spend more time with Xenovia than anyone I know, including myself; and I'm pretty sure I'm one of the only people she considers a friend."
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