Third Person's POV.
Penelope felt a cold, weary rage settling in as she drove to campus that evening. This wasn't just the usual breakup where one person cheated or one person is not caring enough; this was about two people who are obviously crazy about each deciding to end things because of fear and pride, and she was stuck delivering theevidence of their love.
She found Gemini in his dorm room, looking exactly as she expected—hollow-eyed, slumped over his desk, surrounded by sketches that he clearly hadn't touched. Ohio was there too, sitting on the edge of the bed, silent and protective.
No words were needed. The atmosphere was thick with misery. Penelope dropped the mountain of items—the box containing his clothes, his gadgets, the box of snacks, the designer shoes, the vinyl record—onto Gemini's bed with a frustrated sigh.
"Percy sent these back, Gemini." Penelope stated, her voice clipped and serious, hiding the deep frustration she felt. Gemini flinched violently at the sound of his name.
"He said you can't erase him by returning the things he got you," Penelope continued, delivering the message flatly. "If you want things to be over, you have to keep the evidence. He's not going to contact you again."
Gemini stared at the pile, his eyes welling up again.
Penelope didn't wait for a reply. She looked from Gemini's devastated face to Ohio's angry one.
"Look, I'm not staying to watch this pity party. You two are exhausting. You are both stubborn and too proud to admit you miss and want each other back. You're scared of my mother, and he's scared of losing you, so you both chose the most painful path. I'm done with this. I hope you two figure things out before it's too late."
With that, she turned and walked out, leaving the door slightly ajar.
Ohio watched Penelope go, then sighed heavily. "She's not wrong, you know."
Gemini just shook his head miserably. "Just... please don't, Ohio. I can't talk about him right now."
For the sake of her best friend, Ohio decided to bury the topic altogether. She gathered the returned items and shoved them into his closet. Gemini needed a distraction, not a reminder.
Gemini tried to focus on his studies, but the silence of the room was heavy with Percy's absence. He also knew he couldn't afford to hide from the world, not after the talk with Mrs. Moore.
He needs to look for another job asap.
He spent two days locked in his room, avoiding contact, until the necessity of earning money—and the threat of his scholarship—forced him to get up. He was scheduled to work his shift at Crestwood Greens, the exclusive golf course owned by Percy's Uncle Phillip. He couldn't bring himself to go. The thought of being in a place tied so directly to the Moore family felt like walking into a trap.
He was hiding in his room when a loud knock rattled his door.
It wasn't Ohio. It was Bear, the security chief for the Crestwood Greens and Uncle Phillip's right-hand man—a large, cheerful guy who usually handled logistics. Bear looked supremely uncomfortable standing in front of the student dorm room.
"Hey, kiddo!" Bear boomed, stepping inside. "The boss sent me. He says you haven't been in for two days."
"I... I called him yesterday. I quit." Gemini mumbled.
Bear crossed his arms, his expression serious. "Yeah, well, Mr. Sinclair literally sent me to hunt you down and bring you back to work. He said, and I quote: 'They can fight all they want and make a dramatic mess of their personal lives, but I am not going to lose my favorite employee over a messy breakup.'"
Gemini stared, bewildered. "He said that?"
"He did," Bear confirmed. "He's not taking no for an answer. Apparently, the Pro Shop inventory is a mess, and no one organizes those display cases like you do. He says your job isn't tied to Percy, and he means it."
Bear placed a temporary work schedule on the desk. "You're clocking in tomorrow, kid. You can avoid Percy all you want, but you can't avoid your job. Mr. Phillip needs you."
The unexpected intervention from Percy's uncle—the sheer, unyielding demand for his professional presence—was the push Gemini needed. He could hide from the heartbreak, but he couldn't hide from his obligation. He was employed by the very family that had just broken his heart, but he was valuable here. And that, terrifyingly, meant he was still firmly planted in Percy's orbit.