Here's a preview of some more middleview 🙏❤️

The sun was setting over the town’s river, casting a warm glow across the water as I slipped out of the car, enjoying the cool breeze brushing my face.

Noah Prestley sat in the back, looking sheepish. I couldn’t get over the fact that an actual college jock was joining us.

His jersey hung loosely on him, reddish-brown hair falling into his eyes, freckles dancing across olive cheeks.

He was a smoke show.

I wasn’t even pretending not to look.

He twisted around, a smirk tugging at his lip. “You’re not going to throw me in, are you?”

Aris killed the engine and leaned back in his seat, pouting like he had the whole ride. “Well, if you want us to—”

“Aris.” I shot him a warning glare.

May jumped out, clutching a picnic basket to her chest. “This is where we hang out!” She helped our newest recruit out of the car and onto the riverbank.

Noah Prestley was quite the enigma. I first noticed it when he demanded our names after we rescued him.

Then he wouldn’t leave us alone, stalking our closet-office until we had no choice but to hear him out on his own case, a food poisoning incident at a nearby elementary school. Granted, he didn’t exactly solve it; he just happened to see and film the culprit sprinkling white powder into the kids’ food.

Noah was desperate to join, and who were we to say no? He had the looks, the desperation, and half the intelligence. He was our perfect Scooby.

Aris slipped out of the car after me, scowling. He thought differently. Aris Caine was convinced the boy was still brainwashed by his “mother.”

He stayed close to my side. “I still don’t understand why he should be allowed to join,” he muttered, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the river. He leaned closer, voice low. “He could be compromised, you know,” he whispered. “That guy spent over three months stuck in that woman’s prison.”  Aris leaned further, almost toppling over, his breath warm against my ear. His voice carried a laugh. 

“Personally, I don’t trust him."

“I can hear you, y’know,” Noah said loudly, a smirk on his lips.

I motioned for May to distract him while I dug in the trunk for his celebratory joining-the-gang-cupcake.

Aris stuck a candle in one, lighting it.

He was still pouting. I playfully hit him, and he made a look of offense, but shrugged, shooting me a grin. Noah, thankfully, had his back to us, which made our jobs a whole lot easier. “You were taken too, you know,” he said loudly, oblivious of us drawing closer to him. I had the rainbow cupcake balanced in one hand, my other ready to shove him into the water. 

“So if I’m compromised," Noah said in a sing-sing. "So are youuuuuuuuuuu.”

He twisted around, just as the three of us were about to shove him in.