Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us, but we can't strike them all by ourselves.

- Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate

Roy's Pub was quiet when Leah entered. Jazz music dripped from the speakers, colouring the lounges and old English lights with comfort. The pool tables in the back corner were unoccupied, the dance floor covered with chairs and tables. Leah ordered a coffee and curled into a corner booth.

It was just reaching dusk and she watched as the change sent workers running. Fridges were stocked with cheap alcohol and cruisers, lounge music replaced with loud beats, volume cranked up high. Everyone knew this place allowed under aged drinking but no one cared.

Leah wasn't sure how long she'd sat there, lost in thought, before someone walked up.

"Hey."

Zarah slid into a neighbouring seat, clad in a tight-fitting navy dress, dark eyeliner, and a smirk.

"How long have you been here?" Zarah asked, her gaze wandering over Leah's jeans-and-sweater combo.

"A few hours. I didn't want to stay home. Nothing to do there."

Zarah frowned. "Are you avoiding Brenton again?"

Leah grunted and looked away.

It was a common answer to that question. Leah couldn't count the number of times she'd appeared on Zarah's doorstep late at night with a sleeping bag and a grunt as explanation. Further questions stopped being asked after second grade.

"Well, you could've at least put on a skirt," Zarah said casually, breezing over the awkward topic. "It's like you're trying to make guys look away."

Leah smirked. "Mission accomplished then."

They both glanced around when the front door flew open and a group of teens entered, voices loud. One of them recognised Zarah and called out a greeting, heading over to their table.

Leah stood. "How about I get us some drinks?"

"That would be perfect," Zarah said.

...

Two drinks later the room was packed and Leah was being jostled by grinding bodies while waiting for a turn at the pool table, fist closed protectively around her cup. The strobe lights made the game appear oddly disjointed, but when no balls had been sunk after several hits, Leah scowled at the players, bouncing up and down on the balls her feet.

The inactivity was making her fidgety and she let her gaze wander, watching people ebb and flow around the packed club. She was almost beginning to enjoy herself when her eyes caught on a familiar flash of blonde hair, carving a slow but steady path towards the pool tables.

Leah wasn't sure if Arelie had seen her, or if it was just a coincidence she was heading this way, but she wasn't going to wait and find out. There was still too much anger simmering inside her, the deep and dangerous kind.

Be careful. If you lost control –

Leah banished Alice's warnings from her mind and signaled to Zarah that she was leaving. When Zarah nodded, Leah darted off, dodging bodies until she reached the opposite side of the room, squashed amongst dancers.

Peaking around a grinding couple, she scanned the room for Arelie, hoping her movements had gone unnoticed.

"What are you doing?"

Leah jumped.

The voice was low and directed right into her ear.

She looked up, about to tell the person to mind their own business, but the words faltered. There was a boy towering over her, his eyebrows raised in amusement. He couldn't have been much older than she was, maybe seventeen or eighteen, but she'd never seen him before.

That wasn't what made her stare though. He had the most perfect face she'd ever seen, with hair the colour of dark chocolate and eyes like blue glass. As he looked down, long eyelashes grazed sharp cheekbones.

Leah straightened, taking a step back.

"I'm hiding from someone," she said. "Who are you?"

"Jared," he held out a hand, a smirk curling up his lips. "Jared Caldwell."

She stared, no hand offered in response. From her experience, boys who looked like Jared were overly confident and didn't understand the word "no". It made sense, they heard it less often.

When she didn't make an effort to move Jared dropped his hand back down. "And your name is?"

"Leah."

"Why are you hiding, Leah?"

She cleared her throat and looked away. There was something in the way Jared was watching her that was unsettling.

"Stupid reason, really," she said. "I should probably go."

As she turned, Jared moved to block the way. For a moment, she felt a familiar tug and she studied him once more. Jared's presence was accompanied by a disorienting sense of Deja vu. There was a memory tickling her mind that she couldn't place.

"Why do you need to go?" he asked. "We only just met."

The tinge of disappointment in his voice was alluring, almost hypnotic, and Leah took a step back.

She was quickly realising an overdramatic greeting of someone she barely knew might be the easiest escape, and was preparing to launch herself at a boy from math class when she noticed that a group of girls from the year below were staring at Jared and giggling. One of them caught Leah's eyes and gestured them over.

"You know what?" Leah said, turning to Jared and grabbing his hand, flashing her most charming smile. "You should come meet some of my friends!"

She started walking towards the girls, but nearly ripped her arm out of its socket when Jared didn't move with her. Leah turned back, trying to pull him forward, but he stayed still, smirking at her infuriatingly.

"I don't really want to meet your friends," he said, his eyes trailing her face. "You seem much more interesting."

The words sent a breath of mint across her face and Leah pulled her hand out of his, somewhat disturbed by the heat that'd rushed to her cheeks. "Well, unfortunately, I'm quite boring, so if you'll excuse me —"

She tried to move past him, but Jared cut off her exit again. This time Leah didn't try to hide her annoyance.

"Why are you herding me?"

"You're trying to hide from someone, right?" Jared said. "How about you take me on a tour of the town? This club is boring anyway."

"There's nothing to do in town," Leah said quickly.

Jared's lips quirked up and he moved closer, his eyes bright and dropping slowly down her body. "I can think of one thing."

Leah's cheeks flared and she pushed him away, glaring.

"I really think you should take the hint. Go find someone else."

To her surprise he laughed.

"You know, you're even more fiery than I thought you'd be. Which is surprising after what I saw last night."

Leah froze, Jared's words sinking in slow. He was watching her knowingly, confidently, his smile full of sharp edges.

"What?" Leah asked, hoping she'd misheard.

Jared grinned. "You were on the bike with the blonde girl. That was quite a show you two put on. It would be a shame if I had to tell anyone about it."

Shit.

Leah felt her anger deflating, her blood running cold. "You're blackmailing me."

"I'd like to call it persuading."

Leah gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm. Jared had only mentioned seeing her on the bike, he hadn't said anything about the USBs. For an insane moment Leah almost wished he had. People like Jared made her wish she didn't have to pretend.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I'd just like you to come outside with me," Jared said. "I don't like loud music."

There was something in his gaze that sent Leah's heart pounding. It was calculating, predatory, and she was beginning to doubt this was an attempt at a quick hook-up as she'd initially presumed.

"I'm not going to do that."

Jared shrugged, his eyes glinting with a dangerous humor. "I hope you enjoy jail, then."

Leah's temper flared and she stepped closer, lowering her voice threateningly. "I don't know who you think you are, but you've picked the wrong person to –"

"Leah?"

Leah cut off, and they both turned. Zarah stood there, glancing back and forth between them uncertainly.

"What's going on?"

Her voice was quiet, nervous, and Leah looked at Jared. His eyes were narrowed on Zarah and all the easy confidence she'd seen before had been replaced by a dark anger, one that set her hairs on end.

"Nothing," Leah said quickly, stepping in front of him and blocking Zarah from his view. "I was trying to find you."

Zarah kinked up a disbelieving eyebrow, but Leah was already pulling her away. She weaved through the crowd, tugging Zarah behind her until she couldn't feel Jared's gaze on them anymore.

The moment they stopped Zarah pulled her hand free.

"Who was that?" she demanded.

Leah turned to her, gaze guarded. "No one. Just a guy I ran into."

"No one?" Zarah's eyes popped. "He looked like he wanted to kill you. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," Leah said. "I just turned him down and then he got angry. It wasn't my fault."

"Wait. He hit on you?"

Leah hesitated, not liking the term. "Yes."

"And you said no?" Zarah was looking at her in amazement and, if Leah was correct, a bit of anger. "Why?"

Leah frowned. "Because he's a jerk."

"But he's gorgeous!"

Leah rubbed her temples, glancing around to check Jared wasn't lurking somewhere nearby. "That doesn't eliminate the jerk part."

"What did he even do that was so jerky?" Zarah asked, hands finding their way to her hips. "Ask you to dance?"

"No," Leah said, her tone milder than expected. "He told me that he saw me light the fire. I think he's going to tell everyone."

Zarah blinked. "What?"

When Leah didn't reply, Zarah started looking around frantically, searching for him.

"Leah, you have to convince –"

"It won't work," Leah interrupted. "As you said, he looked like he wanted to kill me."

Zarah bit her lip. "Well, what can we do?"

"Nothing," Leah said, expecting eyes on her already. "I should probably go."

Zarah nodded. "I'll come with you."

They left the club quietly and it was only once they were on the street Zarah spoke again.

"So, did you say no before or after you realised he was a jerk?"

Leah grinned, holding back a laugh. "Before."

Zarah's expression was unreadable. "Seriously?"

"Yup."

"Forget last night, that's the craziest thing you've ever done."