AUTHOR'S NOTE

In celebration of Amazon Prime Video's newest series Panic, I am thrilled to be teaming up with Amazon Prime Video and Wattpad to write this exclusive chapter that puts my characters from this story into the world of Panic!

I hope this chapter intrigues and inspires you to learn more about Panic. Visit the #PanicWritingContest on Wattpad for the chance to put your creative writing chops to the test and learn more about the show!

To find out more about the contest, prizes, and how to enter, check out the #PanicWritingContest here: wattpad.com/AmazonPrimeVideo

Don't forget to watch the series premiere on May 28th, only on Amazon Prime Video, here: http://primevideo.com/

**********

My feet hurt from a full day of waiting on tables. I'd been struggling to find a good time to put in my two weeks to Antonio. He'd given me this job as a favour and quitting so soon had felt like I was throwing his good will right back in his face.

But it hadn't been a good day. Spilt coffee, angry customers, entitled middle-aged men and women yelling at me because we ran out of their favourite croissant. It had been a bad enough day for me to finally walk up to Antonio and tell him I want to quit. Days like this made me wonder why I chose to work in this industry.

My only comfort from that thought these days was in the joy of creation. I'd missed creating cocktails and drinks. And after the initial shock of Mike and Lou's proposal to me had worn off, I realised I was actually happy to have a chance to run my own place. And as weird as it sounds, for my kind of people.

I wasn't a demon.

Neither was I an angel.

And I felt the farthest thing from human these days.

My own kind... humans, other people, coworkers, customers, the nice cashier at the grocery store who gave me discounts now and then- they no longer interested me.

No, I don't want to see your kid.

No, I don't want to see your adorable nephew. Please don't force me to.

Yes, I'm busy after. Can't come out tonight for drinks. Sorry.

Have a good day- not that I care.

Not that I ever cared anymore.

I'd quite recently realised how empty my head feels without emotions clouding it. All I had was my thoughts to keep me company, and work to keep me busy. Sleep was getting harder and harder to come by. I'd been using my free time to research areas and localities with commercial space on sale. It was fun. It was like... apartment shopping. Maybe I'd actually get a new place to stay through it. Then I wouldn't have to answer to the person who owned the carpet I was sprawled out on.

I sighed as I pulled the glass to me for a sip. Man, I want to sleep. But I'm expecting guests.

The air rippled behind me. And moments later, I felt a familiar chill.

"Good evening, Ryleigh. Nice weather out, isn't it?"

Another sigh escaped me before I rolled onto my back to watch Lou walk over to me. "Cold, actually."

"Good weather." He insisted, stopping right by me. His dark eyes moved over my form. "Long day?"

"You could say that."

"Did I mention I like your work uniform?"

"It came up."

"Of course, it did." A second voice cut in. It had a slight echo in it as Mike's vessel formed in my living room. "The demon never fails to compliment you."

Lou turned to face the source of the warm gust. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It's not an endorsement of your characters. Or lack thereof." Sharp blue eyes turned to me on the floor. "Long day?"

"You could say that." I repeated.

Lou's eyes turned back to me, a frown on his face at hearing the same regurgitated words. "Huh."

Mike glanced over his shoulder. "Not sitting at the counter today?"

"No." I turned my back to them as I returned to admiring the night view. "I like sitting here."

"Why don't you use the armchairs literally placed right there?"

"The carpet is better." I patted the spot beside me absently. "Those chairs aren't as comfortable as they look."

Lou sighed loudly beside me. His boots appeared in my periphery before he lowered himself to the floor beside me. "Any place is good for me as long as you're there."

My reply to the direct flirt was almost involuntary. "If we're talking general vicinity, I'm sure the counter is calling your name."

Lou snickered. He leaned in, making me throw him a glare. "Don't be like that, Ryleigh. You like me."

Mike spoke up. "She only tolerates you."

Despite the repeated banter, I laughed to myself. My head turned to look at Mike as he sat down too. The city lights always looked good on him.

"I've been here longer, feathers. She likes me more than you."

"Then why not hear it from the horse's mouth?"

I shrugged. My eyes turned to stare straight ahead and ignore the two sets of eyes on me. "I don't like being called a horse."

"Ah, my apologies." Mike said. I raised an eyebrow as surprise crossed through me. "Horses are majestic creatures."

It took my brain a few moments to make the connection. In the silence, I heard Lou stifle a snicker as it slowly dawned on me. I frowned. "At the moment, I like Lou more than I like you."

"Told you." Lou snickered. I turned my frown towards him as he placed an arm around my shoulders. "Now, what are we drinking tonight, babe?"

I searched his face. The city lights really brought out his cheekbones. Highlighted that smirk that had landed me in trouble the first day he'd walked into my old bar.

I sighed as I shrugged off his arm. "Here." I held out my glass. "Get your own glasses. There's a jug of this on the counter."

Lou took it from my hand. His fingers deliberately brushed against mine. "Looks good."

"It's kind of off-putting considering it's the same colour as the demon's eyes." Disgust was apparent in Mike's voice.

I chuckled at that as I looked at him sideways. "It's just blackberries. Can you get the glasses and the jug?"

"Sure." There was no hesitation as he raised his hand. Within seconds, one highball glass slammed into his open palm.

I took it from him right as another hit it. "Careful with the jug. Don't spill. It will stain the carpet."

Mike threw me a tired look before he shifted. "Fine." There was a warm gust and he vanished from before my eyes.

"What is this?" Lou asked from behind me. "I like it."

"A frozen blackberry margarita. I had some kept in the freezer for a smoothie but I changed my mind."

The warm gust brushed my ear again as Mike reappeared on my other side. "Here." He held out the jug to me.

I took it from his lowered hands as I grabbed the glasses with the other hand. Lou had taken possession of my glass so I filled up two fresh ones for me and Mike.

"We aren't sitting at the counter or I'd coat the rim with salt. Sorry." I apologized as I handed Mike a glass.

He didn't seem bothered by it. Just threw me a dismissive nod as he stared out at the city. "It is rather comforting to sit here." His voice was low, words hidden behind the glass he had raised to his lips.

I smiled at that. "Yeah. It is." I copied Mike's posture. "I know the air is probably polluted as hell this high, but I wish I had a balcony sometimes."

"Missing fresh air, Ryleigh?"

"Yeah." I replied to Lou. "The small town had that going for it... apart from it being a Hunter retirement home."

Lou chuckled as he reached for the jug. "Every place has it's pros and cons. Besides, you'd have left that place sooner or later."

"Of course." I shrugged. "But I'd rather there not have been a kidnapping, beating, and a bomb blast preceding the departure."

"I can remove the glass." Mike's voice was low. I watched his hand from the corner of my eye as it moved forward.

My eyes widened as I realised he was serious once his fingertips touched the glass. "Mike, n-"

I was cut off by an intense gust of cold air blowing in where the floor to ceiling pane of glass once was. It made me physically recoil. My head turned away as I squeezed my eyes shut. I could smell smoke, and exhaust, and people in the chilling wind.

"Put it back!" My head snapped to the side to see Mike completely unaffected by the assault to the senses. "Are you an idiot?! We're on the twenty-third floor!"

"You wanted fresh air."

"Does that smell fresh to you?!" Lou laughed at my snapped reply. "Put it back! It's freezing out!"

Mike threw me a dirty look. A look I didn't know he was capable of as he raised his hand again. In another moment, the glass was back where it was supposed to be.

I exhaled shakily, trying to get the smell of engine exhaust out of my nose and throat. "Think a little before you react, Mike!"

"Apologies." He mumbled curtly from behind his glass. "I was just trying to be helpful."

"Think before being helpful then, feathers. I understand it's hard, but I know you've got a brain in that vessel "

"Hilarious, demon."

"Of course. I'm funnier than you."

I lowered my head to rub my temple as Mike started to retort. The sudden cold breeze had brought back memories. Memories I'd been struggling to deal with whenever I managed to fall asleep. This day had just gone from bad to worse.

"Talk to us, Ryleigh." Lou's voice was low. I could feel his eyes on me. "I'm sure even you're aware the line between customer and server has vanished."

"If you're trying to say we're friends..." I sighed, letting my eyes fall shut as I struggled internally for a moment. "You're... right."

"We'll listen quietly if that's what you want." Mike's just so sweet sometimes.

I frowned at those words. I'm not used to talking about myself a lot. Especially with these two. I'm usually either entertaining their banter or stopping a fight.

I guess there's a first for everything.

A tired sigh left me before I began. "I'm... I've been dreaming these days whenever I fall asleep. About old memories from when I was still in the foster system." My lips turned down of their own accord. "Which is not really that big of a deal, but... I keep seeing... I keep seeing Will."

"Will..." I could hear the confusion in Lou's voice. "Your ex?"

"The hunter." Mike corrected.

"Yes. That guy."

"It's going be almost a year since." Mike mused.

"Oh, really?" I mumbled bitterly. "I hadn't noticed."

"Don't be rude. We offered to listen, didn't we?"

"It's not me being rude, Lou." I dropped the hand from my head, looking up once more. "My memories were manipulated to include him. The twins are dead. I shouldn't still be having him ingrained in my head!"

"Just because the psychics are dead doesn't mean what they did to you will vanish too." Mike paused to drink. "Memory manipulation is hard to undo."

"It's irritating." I hissed as I carefully placed the glass in my hand on the carpet so I wouldn't accidentally crack it. "He shouldn't be in my head anymore!"

"What memory is it?" I could hear the curiosity in Lou's voice. "We've never really heard about your childhood."

"Technically teenage-hood. He was apparently an year older than me and I knew him when I was seventeen." I paused. "Almost ten years ago... I can't believe I took part in such stupid games."

"What games?"

"Stupid, life-threatening ones." I replied to Mike's question. "The entire town was in on it but pretended it didn't happen. I think it was called Fear or somethi-No. 'Panic'- It was called Panic."

"Ooh." Lou leaned towards me, dark eyes shining with interest. "Sounds exciting. Where is this?"

"Some small town in the middle of nowhere." I raised my glass. "A girl I knew there once called it the 'Capital of nothing- where nothing changes and nothing happens'."

Mike was frowning as I turned my head to take a long drink. "What was it about?"

"Panicking, I assume."

I swallowed the cold drink. The taste of the blackberries lingered on my tongue as the tequila burnt my throat. "The opposite actually. You panic, and you're done for." I scowled once again. "They gathered money from the townspeople for a year, and then had the graduating final-year students perform dangerous stunts. Judges would decide who moved on to the next rounds and then eventually got the grand prize."

"Sounds like what humans would enjoy." Mike's observed dryly. "Why did you even take part?"

"Because 'Trace', or whoever his face has been glued onto in my memory, was someone who I had a crush on. He dragged me out to the first challenge... with no intention of participating himself."

Lou burst out laughing. I could hear the amusement in his voice as mortification rose through me. "Let me guess, you went through with it anyway because you wanted to impress him."

My jaw tensed in remembrance of my stupidity. "Actually... no." I squeezed my eyes shut as Lou continued laughing. "I... one of his friends challenged me. I was young, dumb and an idiot. I didn't need to take part... but I did because someone said I was scared of heights."

Mike sympathetically patted my back. "Can't change the past. Atleast you're not dead." Debatable.

I pressed a hand to my eyes as I swallowed hard. Images from what seemed like a past life washed over me. "Cliff jumping... Man, I was an idiot."

I stumbled across the rocks, the dry air doing nothing to cool down my sweaty form as I followed after him. "I shouldn't be here, Trace. It's only for graduating seniors."

"Calm down, Ryleigh." He paused to throw me a wide grin. My heart skipped a beat. "Just keep your head down and no one will care."

I'd just heard about Panic from Trace an hour ago when he'd dragged me out. A knock on the door, a quick explanation and then he'd dragged me downstairs and into the car of a friend I wasn't familiar with. They'd done the explaining a lot better, but all that had me feel was regret. I regretted getting in this car. I didn't want to be here. But Trace was here.

"The seniors like you." Trace reassured me as I caught up to him. "It's not going to be a big deal."

I sighed as I rolled my eyes to play off my unease. "I haven't even given money."

Trace rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. There's no entrance fee."

I punched his shoulder in annoyance, hiding a smile as we continued down the rocks. The sound of people partying was getting louder and louder. I could hear someone yelling through a bullhorn. I think we were just in time for Panic to start. I recognised the voice.

"Is that... Diggins?"

"Sounds like it. I didn't know he's hosting. They could have picked a better looking person."

"A girl?" I answered his not-question.

Trace threw me a smirk over his shoulder. "You."

"Yeah, right." I dismissed the obvious flirt as the Pilot's Point came into view.

The water shone in the darkness under the lights that had been placed all around it. People were gathered by the edge of it, drinks in hands and cigarettes between lips. I could see the local drug dealer sitting with the local asshole. The guy who'd been muscling people into handing over their money. I'd perfected the art of avoiding people over the sixteen years I'd been in foster care so I'd never actually paid up.

No point in avoiding him here. He clearly doesn't have his collection cap with him.

We stepped onto the sand, Trace peeling away almost immediately to jog over to a set of friends. I followed him absently as I checked out the familiar faces all around. I caught Natalie's eye, waving at her as she talked to the only other guy she hung out with- Bishop. I didn't spot Heather with her. Maybe she's not arrived yet.

"Yooo, you brought Ryleigh?!" I turned as I heard my name, meeting the eyes of Trace's best friend. He smirked, giving my body a once over. "You shouldn't be here."

"Kiss my ass, Jack." I replied easily, coming to a stop in front of them. They snickered as I looked over the crowd once more. "You guys aren't taking part in... whatever they're doing?"

"Not me." Jack answered, holding out a beer. I grabbed it blindly as he jerked his thumb at Roy. "This idiot is."

Roy rolled his eyes, shoving Jack in annoyance as he stood up. "Not all of us have a chance to get into college." I felt that.

I didn't say anything as Roy threw me a dirty look. My lips were sealed by the cold beer bottle held to my lips. He scowled at me anyway before reaching for the edge of his shirt. I turned away once again to look at the water. There was a flare bobbing its way up the cliff on the opposite side.

I whistled lowly. "Scary."

"Scared of heights, Ryleigh?"

"Not... Not really. But I-" My reply was curt, interrupted by Diggins and his megaphone.

"ANNOUNCE YOURSELF!"

I frowned at that. "Kind of pretentious, isn't it?"

"It's for the judges."

"Who?"

Jack shrugged. "No one knows who the judges are. You're just supposed to impress them."

The guy with the flare on the other side of the lake hooted before launching himself off the steep rock face. My heart stilled for the few moment he was in the air before the loud splash. Jack and Trace's loud hooting drowned out my tense exhale. There was already another bobbing red flare making it's way up the cliff.

"That requires balls." I mumbled to myself, taking a long swig of my beer.

"Trace clearly lacks some." Jack snickered, making me and Trace roll our eyes.

"You're here on the sidelines with us too, Jack." I nodded at Trace's retort, mouth too full of beer to reply.

He shrugged, a knowing smirk on his face. "Haven't you heard? You don't need balls these days to be a man."

Ah, right. I forgot what a piece of shit he really is.

"Just an excuse. I know you're scared of heights. Caitlyn told me you almost passed out just standing at the diving board in the public pool." Alright, that caught my interest.

I turned back to Jack right as the crowd erupted in cheers once more. The annoyed expression on his face indicated some truth to Trace's words.

I smirked in amusement before adding salt to the wound. "Aw, Jack. Is that why you're sitting here with us?" Trace snickered as he tapped his bottle against mine. "Baby about to pass out? Need your blankey?"

Teeth were bared at me in the semblance of a feral animal. "Shut up, Ryleigh." Jack snapped, a nerve clearly hit. "I'm not scared of heights. That jump is nothing."

I raised an eyebrow, purposely exchanging glances with Trace. "Then, go do it." I gestured to the cliffs as the crowd hooted. "Jump."

"Why don't you jump?" His body tensed up, hands closed into fists. "Scared, Ryleigh?

"No point in us jumping." Trace shrugged dismissively. "I leave in two days, Ryleigh leaves in seven. She's not even supposed to be here in the first place."

Jack scoffed. "Excuses. You just don't want to because you're scared." Those words were aimed at me.

I actually don't know if I want to. I took a moment to reply to that as I turned to observe the cliff once more. Can I actually make that jump?

I'd ditched school to come here a few times. It was pretty in the morning. But in the dark, the lights by the rocks here don't really illuminate how dangerous that fall is. The rocks below are sharp and extend out from the cliff quite some... It would require a running jump, but it could be done.

I cocked my head. "I've jumped off the high places, but nothing like that." My head moved back to Jack's fading smug look. "It's just a fall. Water can catch you. I can do it." A challenge entered my voice. "Can you?"

Jack scowled. I saw him shift and I took a step back right as he leapt up onto his feet. I could smell the alcohol on his breath as he leaned in. "I can do it."

"Be my guest." I mumbled as I stifled the urge to crinkle my nose in disgust.

"You're going too."

I raised my other eyebrow. "I am?"

"Jack, bro, you can-"

"Shut up, Trace." Jack placed a hand on my shoulder. "You can jump, right? Jump with me then."

I glanced over at Diggins, looking away from those crazed, drunk eyes. "They're allowing duo jumps?"

"Shut up!" He snapped, the volume drowned by the crowd hooting again. "You're jumping with me. I'll show you. Heights mean nothing to me!"

"Why do I have to jump if you want to show me?" I rolled my shoulder to shake off his hand, gesturing to the cliff with my bottle. "Go ahead."

He smirked, leaning in once again. "Scared, Ryleigh?"

"No. You clearly are." I shrugged again. "I didn't come prepared with a bathing suit." Not that I owned one anyway.

I saw Trace's face shift with interest over Jack's shoulder as I said that. But the worry wasn't fading away. He didn't want to see me do this. I don't think I did either.

"Excuses." Jack hissed, spit flew out of his lips. Ew. "You can't jump because you're scared."

I sighed as I threw in another shrug for good measure. "Fine. But it seems like you're only trying to hide how much you don't want to do it by threatening me." I saw some of his anger fade before I crouched to place the beer bottle on the ground. "Lead the way, Jack."

Trace's worry morphed into fear. He reached over Jack to grab my forearm. "Are you an idiot?" He hissed as he leaned in. Green eyes intensely glued to mine. "That's dangerous!"

"Ooh!" Jack's taunting blended in with the crowd's. "Listen to your boyfriend, Ryleigh!"

That annoyed me.

I frowned as I snatched my arm back from Trace. To really cement in my dedication, I reached for the edge of my shirt. It was ripped it off in one go and handed to a now dumbfounded Trace. "I said- Lead. The. Way." I gritted out, eyes now glued to Jack's. He wanted to challenge me? He's going to lose.

I didn't look back as Jack smirked and started heading to an unmanned table. I'm glad I wore a sports bra. It feels weird to be shirtless in front of so many people.

There was a marker kept on the gliding table and a bunch of flares. Jack wrote his name down on a sheet of paper before he replaced the bottle in his hand with a flare. I did the same, except I didn't write down my name. I wasn't supposed to be here anyway.

"You can stop now." Jack threw over his shoulder. "No one will notice."

I hated the look on his face. The glint of his teeth as he smirked at me. "Kind of embarrassing that you're looking to a girl to back out before you do." This would sting- misogynistic prick that he was. "If I back out, will you? Because it sure seems like you want to." My feet are moving because of pure spite. No one tells me what I am and am not scared of.

Jack snickered as he eyed my body. "Ready to walk back dry as a bone?"

"You look like you want to." I jerked my head towards him. "Watch where you're going. You'll miss the detour."

He laughed as if getting lost and ending back up at the parking lot was funny. And then he turned around and started down the path that led to cliffs.

I gingerly placed the flare in between my teeth as I reached up to tie my hair. The path was marked with signs but it wasn't required. It fell, and then rose up out of the trees, giving a clear view of Pilot's Point. Each individual person, the dock, the still, dark waters, and the rocks it camouflaged by the cliff. My heart stilled in my chest as another person leapt off the rise.

"You jumping from there?" I asked, pointing at the place the girl had just jumped from with my flare.

Jack watched me from the corner of his eye. "There? Nah. Too low. I want more points."

"Thought you didn't need to participate?"

"I don't, but if I get a good payday out of it, it's only to my ad-advantage." I heard his voice shake.

A smug look formed on my face. "There's still time to back off, Jack!" I sing-songed.

His foot paused on the next step. Hesitation crossed his figure before he shook his head. "I can do it."

It sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me. My smugness started to dissipate as genuine worry started to fill me. Maybe I'd pushed too much. He was a little tipsy.

We overshot the point the previous person had jumped off of. I looked over the edge and threw out an impressed whistle. "Damn."

"S-scared?" Really? He's asking me that with a shaky voice?

"Nope. But it's higher than I thought." I cracked my flare open. It hissed as I pulled it away from my face, bathing Jack's back in red light. "Almost forgot."

"OOH, SOMEONE'S GOING FOR THE EXTRA POINTS!"

Jack raised his hand, joining in with the hoots as I watched blankly. I'd seen his steps slow just before Diggins announcement, but it seemed like the crowd's vigour was pushing him higher.

He suddenly stopped, making me take a step back as he moved to the cliff's edge to look down. In the red light cast by our flares, I saw him go slightly pale. I wasn't going to tell him to back off anymore. He'd dragged me up here, he'd better swim his ass through cold water back to solid land.

"Here."

He would have sounded decisive if his voice hadn't sound like a squeak right now. I shrugged, taking a few steps back. "Okay. Jump." He started it. It's not my responsibility if he jumps or not.

He nodded, but I could see his eyes had glazed over. The alcohol was not giving him enough courage.

"SAY YOUR NAME!"

Jack jumped at the loud sound. He took a step back, swallowing loudly in the silence up here before raising his head. "JACK GARDNER!"

The crowd hooted. Jack raised his first in reply but didn't hoot back. His hand was shaking.

I cocked my head as I watched the sweat roll down the back of his neck. "Jump." I called out in the silence.

He flinched at the sound of my voice. He turned to look at me like he'd forgotten I was there. "I... I will."

I placed my arms across my chest. My flare sputtered. "If you're not jumping, I will."

"S-sure. Jump." He stepped back, relief crossing his face.

"COME ON, GUYS! THERE'S A LINE!" Annoying.

"G-go ahead." He looked relieved. Too relieved.

I shook my head. He'd cornered himself. There had been plenty of chances to back out before we got here. "This is your spot." My wide, cheery smile was fake as I jerked my thumb to the side. "I'll head up. Have fun."

His face went slack with surprise as I turned. My flip flops slipped on the rocks as I went up higher. The crowd went wild. I couldn't hear them over the sound of rushing blood in my ears. What was I doing? I shouldn't be here. I could d-

"SOMEONE'S ATTEMPTING THE DEVIL'S DROP! NOW THAT GUARANTEES EXTRA POINTS!"

Devil's Drop, huh? Am I the devil here if I drop? I might as well be. I'm enjoying giving Jack a heart attack back there. Joke's on them, anyway. I'm out of here in a week. These points are a waste.

I didn't hear a splash as I got closer to the top. Looks like Jack still hadn't jumped.

The thought made me snicker as I came to a stop. There was an overhang I hadn't noticed from the ground. The little reach and the height from here should give me some guarantee of hitting the water. Somehow, that thought didn't seem to reassure me very much.

The wind here was much faster than the one on the ground. It was still as dry though. And now I was sweating more than I was earlier. Ugh.

The edge taunted me to walk over. And I did. My stomach seemed to curl up into a ball as I leaned over the drop. The water was far, far away below my feet. It looks like black, shiny tarmac. The lights reflecting off of it broke the illusion but this far from the beach, there was no reflection. Just darkness. Wow. This is scary.

"S... SAY YOUR NAME!"

Diggins sounds worried. I guess he has a right to be. He is the host. My throat felt dry. I need a beer. Should have brought my drink up with me.

"LISTEN... IT'S OKAY TO BACK OFF FROM THERE! IT'S DANGEROUS! WE UNDERSTAND!"

I don't think you even happen to understand how pointless this event is. But I'm here anyway. I guess I'm the fool too.

My flare sputtered once more. I shook it as I took a few steps back. I had to clear my throat before I could yell. "RYLEIGH!" I heard a slight echo.

"R-RYLEIGH! SURNAME, PLEASE!"

"DON'T HAVE ONE!" Man, it's quiet up here. I raised a hand to wipe my brow. Hot. My hand's shaking too. Atleast Jack isn't here to see it.

"WAIT... YOU'RE THAT JUNIOR- YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE!"

Wow. Newsflash. I know I shouldn't be here, but what do you know about it? And how far back do you mean? My birth? The foster system? This shitty town? The cliff?

"GET BACK DOWN HERE!"

Oh, he definitely means the cliff.

I started walking backwards. Running jump. Running jump. That's all it is. My feet feel so heavy. How do you jump again?

My eyes rose from the ground to the lights at the beach. That seemed to nice. So safe, so comfortable. I should have laughed off Trace taunting Jack. I should have laughed off Jack taunting me. I think Jack was actually still standing there.

But he hadn't laughed it off. I was here out of spite. And spite was the only thing keeping me from turning around and walking back. I leave in a week, right? Might as well leave something to remember behind too.

My sweaty palms tightened on the flare. Come down, right? "YOU GOT IT, DIGGINS!"

My body tensed. One foot moved behind and pushed me forward before I could even comprehend that action.

"NO... NOT THAT WAY!"

Too late. I was already running.

My heart was in my throat. My flip-flops squeaked on the rocks. I couldn't hear anything. The edge was getting closer. When do I jump?

Now? Too far.

Now? Too close.

Now? Oh, wait. I've jumped.

There was a short moment where I was weightless, almost flying. The delusion didn't last as gravity got a hold of me.

My hand tightened on the flare as gravity got a hold of me. It finally sputtered out, right as my body started falling towards the sheet of moving black glass below me.

I shuddered as I interrupted my own retelling. Looking back... man, was I stupid, or was I stupid.

"What next?" Mike asked.

I turned to look at him. We'd long finished blueberry margarita. But I'd somehow not noticed him move on to the tequila. "Next?" I raised an eyebrow. "The water. What do you mean next?"

"That can't be it." Lou drew my attention. He also had a bottle of whiskey. "What happened after you jumped? Did Jack go back to the beach? Did the so-called judges rain so-called retribution on you?"

I... I need more margarita.

I sighed, placing my chin in my palm as I continued... without a drink unfortunately enough. "I got my shit together in mid air. Barely managed to remember how to dive. It wasn't a perfect dive though. The water knocked the air out of me. I couldn't take a full breath in for a few weeks." I still remembered the pain vividly. The water slamming into my body like a truck, water filling my nostrils, the air in my lungs escaping due to the impact...

"Then you swam to the beach?"

I blinked as Mike's voice forced me out of my flashback. "Y... Yeah." I nodded to Mike. "The adrenaline hid the pain for a few hours fater. There was this guy named Ray waiting for me at the beach, Diggin's muscle. Tra-" I cut myself off. "Whoever that friend was, tugged me out of the water and we both ran for our lives. I... think we almost kissed that night."

"Sounds hot." Lou sounded distracted. "You, wet, dripping, coming out of a really hot stunt, breaking rules... all badass like that. I'd do more than just kiss you."

I grimaced at that as Mike spoke up. "We know, demon. You don't need to get so explicit."

"You're not the one I want to get explicit with." Lou leaned in, his lips brushed my ear as he whispered. "It's you."

I stifled the shiver that went down my spine at the seductive tone, pulling away a moment later. "Not happening."

"Today, maybe."

"Today." Mike repeated. "Or tomorrow. Or tomorrow night. Or ever."

Lou scowled, he leaned back to meet Mike's eyes. "You got something to say to me, feathers?"

"Not particularly. I enjoy ignoring your existence."

"Well, I bet it gets easier when I put you out of your misery."

"You're my misery, demon. And if that's an offer to kill yourself, be my guest."

"Keep that up and I'll make you feel real misery, feathers."

"Don't get too excited. You can't lay a hand on me."

"You're right. I barely even need to use a finger."

I raised my head to the ceiling letting it carry me all the way over till my back hit the carpet. Now they had an unobstructed view to throw their threats at each other. Music to my ears.

I'd never heard anything about that place once I left. I'd barely even remembered this incident. Everything after I jumped off a cliff that night seemed like a blur. Or a version of events that happened to someone who wasn't me. Every memory felt like that these days.

It was feelings related to them. The feelings that felt more and more distant by the day.

The fear, the panic, the exhilaration as I ran from Ray. The anticipation as whoever that friend was leaned in to kiss me... followed by the frustration as we were interrupted by my foster parents at the time knocking on my door to check what the noise was.

Disgust rose in me at the thought of kissing Will. The way he'd died wasn't something that I'd wanted, but it was one way to get him out of my life. Same with Cloud killing those Hunters, and the bomb blast that had me in a coma for a week. Not the ideal ways to get out of the trouble I seemed to keep landing in, but it was... something.

I laughed softly to myself at the thought. Maybe I'd never actually escaped Panic. Maybe the trouble I'd been in up till now we're just more challenges with rising difficulties and stakes. And it would either end in a big payday for me. Or death.

But been there, done that. I'd died twice, and there was a payday sitting in my account. I'd won.

The smile on my face widened as I stared up at the ceiling. I was distracted a short moment later as a chill crawled up my leg and sweat started forming on the back of my neck.

These two...

"Hey." I called out, trying to interrupt their intensifying fight.

"I'm going to rip out every bead of holiness from your body and revel in your screams!"

"Your essence will be obliterated before you can even look in my direction!"

"Hey, guys."

"You can't even touch me, feathers! Don't get too cocky!"

"Demons can't even stand in the face of the High Council! You're nothing!"

"Guys, do y-"

"I WILL TEAR YOUR HALO OUT OF YOUR A-

"YOUR KIND SHALL NOT-

"I swear to g-"

"YOU SHALL BLEED GOLD-"

"THE ANGELS SHALL-"

"GUYS!" I snapped, my voice higher than the two as I sat up straight.

The full brunt of their roiling essences hit my body. The heat covering my left as the cold crawled over my right.

I scowled in irritation as I met Lou's deformed face and Mike's glowing eyes. "SHUT IT, YOU TWO! STOP INTERRUPTING ME! CALM THE FUCK DOWN OR GET OUT!"

My eyes started to burn, their essences affecting my own body. My vision shifted as I continued to glare at the two. "Calm down if you two wish to continue drinking here."

I saw their essences calm as they stated at me. I made no attempt to reel colour back into my greying vision.

Lou scoffed after a short silence. "Like you can do anything."

"I still have the papers the Hunters gave me. I could lock you two out."

Mike frowned, his white essence shifted uneasily. "This is news to us."

"It will become fact if you two keep this up." I snapped.

"I-"

"Shut up, Mike. I'm serious." I pointed at him. "This might not be a bar, but the peace has to be maintained. Get it?"

"Ryleigh, y-"

"This applies to you too, Lou." My finger moved to him. "Calm it."

His anger downgraded to a pouty frown. "... fine."

"Good." I closed my eyes for a moment as I reached up to rub my forehead. The shift was starting to hurt. "Now... who wants another margarita?"

*************

AUTHOR'S NOTE
(the not sell-out version)

Hello!

Hope you liked this 'little' (6.5K) words fanfiction from the world of Panic!

It was fun getting back into writing Ryleigh, Lou and Mike! I missed them!

Also, vacations are addicting so uh, sorry about the Classified Files delay! It's been harder getting into the headspace of these characters again buuuut I'm actually almost done! Just one more chapter left!

As to the new book- needs a lil revamp and a cover but it's coming! I'll update it's details soon on my Wall!

Till then- vote and comment! Hope you enjoyed it!

I did :D