"It's an overdose," Hanna said grimly, her eyes locked on Zane.

He had been urgently called to the daycare, though the message contained no details.

Now they stood outside the cramped bathroom, where Ilya lay motionless on the cold floor.

Death wasn't new to him. He had seen it countless times in the infirmary, but this felt different.

"I'll take her," Zane volunteered.

He stepped into the bathroom and lifted Ilya, her body covered by a towel.

Zane walked around some of the children, who were staring at him. He knew he couldn't plainly tell them that she had died, but someone would have to eventually.

He assumed Angel or Bailey might say something since Layla wouldn't be able to handle exposing that information.

"Conner's already dug a hole with his power," Xander called, hurrying over. "Ilya... she didn't seem like someone this could happen to."

Zane's shoulders sagged.

"Life is full of surprises," he murmured.

Conner climbed out of the hole, brushing snow from his sleeves.

"People need to understand how dangerous drugs can be," he said.

Zane lowered Ilya gently into the grave. Snow settled across her hair and the towel covering her body.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I don't think any of us said that enough."

Xander began covering her body with snow. "That's another big helper gone," he stated.

They will still be able to look after the children, but not like Ilya did. She was always providing them with the care they needed that she risked her own mental health for them. He wasn't sure if all of this was one big accident or if she had planned it.

"Hanna has a request for us!" Talia called, rushing over while waving an arm. "We have to go to Uden Academy and find out who gave her the drugs."

It'd be chaos if he left, but Hanna wanted them to do it. They needed to know who had supplied the drugs and why they had given them to someone going through withdrawal.

"Okay," Zane said.

They climbed into one of these few. cars that still had a tank full of gas.

Talia kicked back with casual ease, propping her legs on the dashboard as the engine hummed to life, the car cutting through the endless white that blanketed the road.

Xander's voice broke the silence. "Whoever gave her the drugs probably knew exactly what would happen."

"No, idiot," Conner snapped back. "Anyone with a brain you shouldn't take street drugs."

Zane sighed, eyes scanning the foreboding silhouette of Uden Academy. He pushed open the heavy doors; the creak echoed down the empty halls.

Inside, shadows stretched across ruined classrooms, creeping overturned desks and peeling posters.

"Do it again!" A laugh echoed from the hallway.

Zane's stomach tightened. He hadn't expected anything so childish. Two figures, buckets pulled over their heads, collided with a heavy thud, bursting into laughter as they fell to the floor.

He wanted to shake them until they understood that someone had died. But all he could do was stand frozen, his chest heavy, struggling to reconcile their laughter with the tragedy behind it.

"What on earth?" Xander whispered.

A boy pulled the red bucket off his head, staring at him with furrowed eyebrows. Although Zane didn't recognize him, there was something about his actions that was abnormal around here.

"Sup, dude?" he said, wobbling slightly as he pushed himself up.

The girl beside him lifted her bucket, revealing Mia.

"Hey cuties, what do you need?" she asked cheerfully, still wearing the bucket on her head.

"Actually, we need to talk to you. Did you give Ilya drugs recently?" Zane asked.

"Oh, yeah. She wanted something to calm her anxiety," Mia said casually, leaping onto the boy's back. "Someone told me they were anxiety meds. Want some too?"

Zane's voice dropped to a low edge. "She overdosed."

Mia blinked, unfazed. No flicker of worry crossed her face. Had this happened before? He couldn't tell—but her casual tone suggested it might have.

"You aren't supposed to take more than three a day," Mia said casually. "It's not my fault."

"See," Conner said pointedly.

Mia smirked, throwing a thumb over her shoulder. "I know drugs like Eden knows Bible verses," she boasted. "This is Will Conley. Isn't he just the cutest?"

Talia interjected curiously. "What were you even doing?"

"It's our game; actually, Bryce did create it," Mia explained.

She hopped off his back and backed up, setting the bucket that covered her whole face.

"Go!" Will shouted, launching himself forward as they charged again, colliding hard like rugby players.

Both of them started laughing on the floor.

Zane thought back to what Esme said about Uden Academy's top delinquents. They weren't always violent, and they seemed unconcerned with the world around them.

"There's the idiotic crackheads." Zane turned, spotting Bryce.

"Bryce!" they both screeched, sprinting at the boy.

The three friends hugged each other, their faces lighting up with wide, joyful grins.

"The crackhead crew is getting back together," Bryce declared, sticking out his tongue.

"There she is." Zane heard Jason's voice.

Talia narrowed her eyes, suspicion creeping in her tone. "What are you guys doing here?"

A group of them had gathered in the hallway. He realized that probably meant Greyson was already on his way back to town.

"To see Mia," Mark stated.

Mia gasped and raised her fist in triumph.

"I'm so popular, woah," she exclaimed dramatically.

"Wow, you two aren't high for once," Bryce said, raising an eyebrow.

"We're not always high," Mia defended, slapping his arm playfully. "We weren't when we went to Toronto for the first time. Nobody at the school noticed."

"Remember Eden pushing you two into the pool at the hotel? And then you broke the room TV," Bryce teased.

Everyone around stared blankly because this wasn't just abnormal behaviour to begin with. It was criminal behaviour.

"She threw the remote at me 'cause I ate her cupcake," Will snarked with a grin. "Then Eden got pissed off and started screaming at us, per normal."

Mia's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Is that the night we went to Victoria Secret and I said my name was Victoria? Or when we convinced that girl you were a male stripper?"

Zane swallowed hard, the gulf between their carefree chaos and the grim reality of Ilya's death. Was this normal for them? Running wild, reckless, utterly indifferent to consequences?

"And that's when we raced luggage carts through the lobby!" they shouted in unison, smacking high-fives.

Nevaeh approached, smirking. "Honestly, we figured you would have burned down Uden."

"Mia doesn't have the capability to do that," Will shot back with a grin.

"I'm not stupid enough to do that," Mia said, arms looping around Will's neck as he darted around the hallway. "If anyone were to burn the building, it would be Eden."

Bryce gestured toward them. "This is what I mean."

"Mia, what was in those drugs?" Zane demanded.

She shrugged, grinning as if it were a joke. "Something that might kill someone, maybe," she said casually, giving a thumbs-up. "I sell them, not make 'em."

Zane's frowned deepened.

Her flippant tone couldn't hide the fact that she knew the risks. It was like a game to her, but to him, it was a death sentence wrapped in apathy.

"Wait, who died?" James questioned, looking at him.

"Ilya," Zane said. "She overdosed. We came to find out who gave her those drugs."

"Yeah, we've got our fair share of groundbreaking information," Jason groaned.

"And the mutant child is apparently super powerful," Esme remarked as Emma healed her head.

Mia blinked, missing the seriousness. "Someone's having a baby? Whoa, congratulations!"

Will nodded toward the door. "We've gotta head to town," he said. "See what Greyson's telling everyone when he gets back."

"Do you know when he gets back?" Jason asked, clearly not happy.

Zane assumed Jason wouldn't come back, and Emma knew better than all of them that Greyson needed to come back.

"Don't know," Will shrugged.

Mia grinned mischievously, pointing at Jason, "Where's your housewife?"

"Off into the woods alone," Bryce answered before Jason could.

"Eden will probably kidnap her," Will added, laughing.

Zane's stomach twisted. He knew exactly what could happen if they left her alone, yet here they were, laughing as if danger were a game. He felt a sharp edge of panic creep in, reminding him that not everyone here was a joke.

"She did," Bryce said.

Will and Mia collapsed into laughter, oblivious to the tension pressing on Zane.

"We should be going," Zane said firmly.

"Take us to town!" Mia called, waving.

"We'll sit in the trunk or something," Will added, grinning.

Zane exhaled. "Fine. See you in town."

When he got outside, he spotted Mia throwing chunks of snow at Will.

When the trunk unlocked with a beep, both of them dashed over and jumped inside just as Conner shut it quickly behind them.

"Do we have to bring them? They're crazy," Conner spat.

"They're entertaining," Talia said, grinning.

Zane drew a deep breath as they pulled onto the snow-covered highway toward Simcoe. The endless white blurred past, but a knot of unease twisted in his stomach. Whatever awaited them in town could help—or it could change everything.

"I hope Greyson actually figures out what to do. Everything's crazy," Xander sighed.

"Crazy is an understatement," Talia muttered.

"It will be something," Zane said.

This wasn't how Jason thought things would turn out.

Ilya was dead.

Bella had left.

Greyson had returned.

And somehow his brother had come back with a plan that everyone needed.

A plan Jason had never been able to provide.

"Mia and Will are probably already joking around after being stuck at Uden so long," Bryce said with a grin. "If Eden shows up too, we'll have a full crackhead reunion."

Jason kept his gaze fixed out the window, the snow outside blurring into one endless stretch of white. He wasn't even sure what he felt anymore. The chaos around him was one thing, but Bella's silence was worse. She hadn't left him answers—only questions, twisting inside him like the bitter cold.

"Freedom!" Esme's voice cut through his thoughts.

Around him, the group scattered. Yara sprinted toward Zane, while Preston and Tumbles stayed at Uden.

Jason wanted nothing more than to sink into the snow and let it swallow him under. Instead, he forced himself to stay upright.

"Bryce!" Mia shouted, running straight toward him.

Will followed behind, laughing when Mia tripped on a snowbank.

"Yes, Mia, it's snow," Bryce said slyly.

Jason heard footsteps behind him and narrowed his eyes. He didn't recognize The figure approaching.

Then she stopped nearby. Her hair was longer, and she was bundled in winter gear like everyone else, but her eyes were still cold.

"The stupid drug dealer, the idiotic hacker, and the lovesick fool," Eden said with a slow smile. "Nice to see you again."

Mia and Will screamed.

"Jesus freak!"

They pounced on her.

"Looks like the crackheads are back together," Bryce said with a grin as the four of them crashed into a laughing group hug.

"Who would think we'd get back together?" Eden asked slowly.

Jason's mind drifted back to Bella instead of the crackheads. He didn't have the energy to deal with whatever chaos they may bring. If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that they were always capable of causing trouble.

Mia stuck out her tongue.

"Let's all do something! Party in the houses, or better yet, Party Culture."

Eden smirked.

"Let's go party in the dark."

The four of them shouted together, laughing as they bolted toward Party culture.

Jason groaned and rubbed his face.

"Can we just skip his speech?"

Jade adjusted her hood and shot him a wry look.

"Unfortunately, no."

Questions swirled through Jason's mind. One in particular refused to leave him alone.

Who was carrying the mutant baby?

And what powers would it have?

Divina had said the child would inherit the father's power—which meant it would already be a high rank.

"We've got enough space now for people to start choosing sides," Jade said. "I'm guessing that's what Greyson will make clear in his speech."

"Do you think the mutant child can destroy everything?" James asked, brushing snow off his coat.

"I don't know," Jason mumbled.

His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed into the snow. Cold seeped through his coat, but he barely noticed. It was nothing compared to the hollowness gnawing at his chest.

Bella had left.

Ilya was gone.

Even the people who had once looked to him for guidance felt farther away than ever.

He drew a shaky breath. Each loss felt like another weight pressing him deeper into the snow. For a moment, all he could do was stare at the dark sky, wishing the world would let him rest.

"Divina was talking through you again," Esme said.

Emma chewed nervously on her lip.

"I know," Emma whispered.

"Is it some freaky new power?" Esme asked, eyes wide.

Emma's hands wouldn't stop trembling.

"I didn't understand at first."

"Understand what?" James asked.

Emma looked sick.

"How strong it is."

Nobody answered.

"It could kill all of us."

"I hope it has some really cool powers," Esme said, arms stretched like she was flying. "Shooting lasers, or flying."

Emma glanced nervously right and left, as if looking for someone watching them.

"Look on the bright side, Emma," Esme said, giving her a vigorous shake.

"Hard," Emma muttered.

She stared at someone approaching.

It was Scarlett, striding over confidently with an eyebrow arched, looking far better than the rest of them.

"Here to gloat on Greyson's behalf?" Jason asked bluntly.

"I'm not shallow," she said with a sigh. "But we have a problem."

"Greyson wants another war?" Jason asked dryly.

"No. Bigger than that," Scarlett said.

She looked directly at Jason.

"Congratulations. You're going to be an uncle."

It took Jason a moment for the word to sink in.

All of it added up.

Scarlett was carrying the mutant child.

"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you tell Greyson?" Jason asked.

"It's a mutant child," Scarlett said evenly. "I'm sure you already know that."

"What's it say?" Emma asked.

"It says things?" James questioned as Scarlett glanced between the two.

"It wants to know things," Scarlett admitted. "I'm not the only one that hears it. Greyson does too. It's just a faint echo that you can't even tell its gender. I'm guessing you've been itching to discover who's carrying the mutant child."

Jason didn't say anything. It wasn't a problem he wanted to face, but it was everyone's problem now. The child was connected to everything coming next.

"Are you not telling him because it wants to be protected?" Emma asked while chewing her lip.

"Wouldn't it be safer that way?" Scarlett sighed, raising an eyebrow. "Dauntless Leader will be performing his grand speech."

She turned on her heel and walked back toward the church.

"Great," Jade said bleakly.

"If the baby can communicate through Scarlett and Greyson, it wants something," James rambled.

"What does it want, Emma?" Esme asked.

"I'm not the mother or the baby!" Emma panicked, sitting herself down on the snowbank. "That means the child will have telekinesis and deflection. That child will have Divina-and-Ashley-level power."

This whole situation was getting out of control, but this wasn't something he understood. They all knew it was a baby and that, with whatever powers it ends up having, it will be powerful.

"It could break the bubble."

Emma shook her head at Esme's words.

"The baby will only be weeks old in this place," Emma said, staring down at the snow.

"It's a guessing game of power and whatnot for the baby," Jade spat.

James rubbed the back of his head.

"Maybe it's just because they're the parents."

"They aren't capable of having that," Esme implied, throwing a snowball at Emma.

Jason didn't want to think about another Greyson around here. Dealing with someone just as determined and relentless might be the really challenge.

No one here had expected this place would grow in numbers.

At first it had been simple: survive or die.

They burst into Party Culture screaming, hands thrown in the air. Conversations died instantly as people stumbled back while they rushed to the counter and jumped on top of it.

The place was nearly pitch-black, lit only by a few flickering candles on a nearby table.

Mia leapt onto the counter and threw her hands up. "Woohoo! Party time, bitches!"

Bryce followed, flopping down beside her. "If you fall off, it's on you!"

"What were you doing with Bella?" Mia laughed.

"Trying to make her see she's using someone," Eden said with a smirk. "Honestly, she's been an eyesore."

"Jesus exploitation," Bryce snarked.

Will shook his head, deadpan. "You made the housewife leave the soldier."

Bryce hadn't forgotten how chaotic they were together.

Weed had just blurred enough of it that he'd almost convinced himself they'd calmed down.

"How are crackheads one and two doing?" Bryce asked.

Mia burst out laughing.

"Our friends-with-benefits situation is fantastic," she said, wrapping her arms around Will's neck and kissing the side of his lips. "Jealous?"

Bryce snorted. "Oh, no."

"You were always disgusting at parties," Eden muttered.

"When Eden and I left the room, you'd be all over each other," Bryce said.

"Not all the time," Mia replied, sticking out her tongue.

"Yes," Eden and Bryce said simultaneously.

Mia and Will were one of those couples who couldn't keep their hands off each other—even in public.

Mia peeked under the counter. "Okay, fine. Where's the alcohol?"

Will slapped some coolers onto the counter. "Found some!"

Eden grabbed one and sighed. "Didn't realize how much I missed this."

Bryce leaned back on his hands. "We went to a club this dark once. You were so wasted we had to leave in after an hour."

Mia blinked at him, blank.

Will grinned. "We're just chaos."

The back door suddenly creaked open.

Nelson stepped inside and froze, blinking at the four of them like he'd walked into the wrong building.

People often underestimated them.

That usually lasted until they got charged, injured, or banned somewhere.

"Your party people are here!" Mia grinned, flashing a peace sign.

"Do whatever you can to get the place popping," Nelson said.

They didn't need a party.

They were the party.

"Yes!" Mia whooped, jumping to her feet and ripping off her long sleeve.

"This is why we couldn't get you anywhere," Eden deadpanned.

"You take your top off everywhere," Bryce said.

"So? It sets a party mood," Mia said, sticking out her tongue.

People were already drifting closer.

"No, they just like your tank top," Eden replied.

"It's cute," Mia said, taking a long drink. "Right?"

The place was still cold—no hydro, no heat, no music—just flickers of interest and their raw chaos.

"Emergency protocol: deploy party hats!" Will yelled, tossing them like grenades from behind the counter.

"Let's act like it's one of those parties!" Mia said, her eyes gleaming.

It wasn't as simple as dancing to music or jumping into some stranger's pool. Sure, they'd been partying with high schoolers since they were probably eleven, but jumping off roofs into pools or screaming their lungs out had always been their main form of entertainment.

"This isn't the club," Bryce snarked.

"Did you ditch Stick?" someone asked Eden.

"Ditch? No, he's just taking a nap."

Mia and Will laughed, nudging Eden with playful shoves.

Bryce shook his head. He knew Stick wasn't just casually taking a nap at the drug house.

"Let's go find people!" Mia shouted.

She rubbed her arms against the cold and sprinted toward the door.

Will whooped and jumped off the counter.

Eden narrowed her eyes but followed.

Bryce brought up the rear as they pushed outside into the freezing darkness.

Mia immediately caught her foot on a snowbank and flopped face-first into it.

Nobody moved.

"Ten points," Bryce said.

"Needs work on the landing," Will added.

Groaning, she scrambled upright. "It's freezing... what's that?"

She pointed to River, glowing faintly with a small group gathered around him.

"Let's go say hi!"

As they approached, Mia threw a peace sign like a celebrity returning from rehab.

"Welcome back from your luxury vacation," she said to Greyson.

"It won't work on him," Scarlett said slyly, leaning into Greyson's back.

"We were saying hi to Highlighter," Mia clarified, nodding at River, who averted his gaze.

"And you decided being half-naked was the best response?" Scarlett asked.

"You should be at Uden," Greyson said coldly.

"Everything's fine," Mia waved off.

"The meeting's starting soon. I'm trying to catch up," Greyson said, flashing a smile. "Don't miss my grand return."

"Next," Mia said.

They wandered deeper into the plaza, where more people had gathered—probably drawn by the news of Greyson being back.

"Normally we'd try sneaking into places," Will sighed. "Doesn't work when no adults are around."

"Meeting people is fun," Mia said.

"You mean making out with strangers?" Bryce said flatly.

"Same thing," Mia shrugged, already wobbling her way over to Nevaeh.

"I knew you guys were party people," Nevaeh said.

Nobody truly understands the scope of their power—not like Greyson, Scarlett, and Luke.

But it was there.

They'd been kicked out of clubs.

Banned from pools.

Chased off rooftops.

Somehow they were still allowed in public.

"Partying is fun," Will remarked with a grin.

Bryce watched Mia glance at Will, biting her lip in a deliberate seductive way.

Unlike Emma, who bites her lip because she's stressed or anxious about something.

"Let's go party again!" Mia cheered, running back to Party Culture while Bryce smirked. Pushing the door open, they went into a dark bathroom and shut the door.

"It's gotten worse," Bryce stated. "It's like a cycle. Once their clothes disappear, it's pouncing."

"Truly disgusting, but you were right about cleaning up your act," Eden said.

"I still get the itch," Bryce muttered. "But I can't get the girl if I don't stay clean."

Staying clean was hard.

Believing he deserved Emma was harder.

"You must not," Eden implied. "Have you felt the great gift God has given us?"

Bryce raised an eyebrow."The gift of Bella leaving?"

Eden smirked.

Bryce snorted. "You really don't like her."

"We've all dealt with people we've hated," Eden remarked, arching her eyebrow.

"You mean like Rebecca Tow?" Bryce implied.

Rebecca Tow was one of the girls who happened to be part of the vanishing. The friendship between Eden and Becca always had some type of conflict; the two never saw eye to eye. It mostly stemmed from Becca's set of religious beliefs that Eden didn't like before she used her Jesus act.

"God always forgives me, even if I act the way I do," Eden said with a smile. "I only go after the bad influences because they are idiots."

Bryce had longed stopped trying to understand Eden's crusades.

"She probably won't come back," Eden said, leaning her back on the counter. "If she does, I won't stop nagging her. Maybe she's coming back with that dramatic music."

"You know you can drop that mask. Haven't your objectives been fulfilled?" Bryce snickered.

Eden grinned deviously at him, making him laugh. People always thought reforming could be simple for someone like her. No, all along, those around them have been truly unaware of the lie.

"My objectives are never truly fulfilled," she confessed as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a vape pen, taking a long inhale before exhaling a cloud of vapour. "Quitting a cigarette addiction sucks."

He wasn't the only one trying to overcome an addiction. From the beginning, he knew Eden had switched to vaping to cut down on cigarettes.

They weren't the kind of people who staged interventions. They barely handled their own problems.

The doors to Party Culture opened.

Bryce glanced over.

Emma stood in the doorway, chewing her lip the way she always did when she was unsettled.

Mia, now back on the counter, slammed her nose against the surface with a loud thud.

"I thought there were more people," Mia mumbled, blood starting to trickle from her nose.

"What are you doing, Emma?" Bryce asked, sliding off the counter. "Come to party?"

She seemed startled to see the four of them together, standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Emma, heal my nose!" Mia shouted.

"No," Emma said quietly, eyes flickering to Mia and back to Bryce.

He stepped toward her with a smirk. "Fully over your river yet?"

"Um..."

"Did you think I'd be blackout drunk, acting like her?" he asked, jerking his thumb toward Mia.

"I'm not even drunk!" Mia announced, sitting seductively on the counter.

"Greyson's speech is starting soon," Emma mumbled.

Bryce noticed Emma fidgeting, twisting her thumbs nervously. Something about her presence still made his chest tighten, even amid the chaos.

A few days ago, Greyson's name would have sent her spiralling. Now she was here, hesitant, but not entirely broken.

Bryce leaned slightly closer. "Or were you making sure I wasn't doing something reckless?"

"Bryce wouldn't get super-duper drunk," Mia slurred. "He's always had his... soberness."

"Is soberness even a word?" Will laughed.

Eden leaned forward. "We could crash that speech. It's really easy for us."

Emma blinked, chewing her lip. Bryce pinched her nose gently, making her flinch.

"Stop! I wasn't doing anything," she panicked, waving her arms.

"You're so cute," Bryce said. "I'm not like Mia."

"I'm not topless all the time!" Mia protested. "It's a tank top!"

"Half our adventures with you involved nudity," Eden said flatly.

Mia pointed an accusing finger at Bryce.

"You were topless too!"

It was true that he was the one often topless over Will. He was probably the sanest out of all of them, but sometimes not wearing a shirt could get you some free snacks.

"Because I'm cuter," Bryce grinned. "We wouldn't have gotten half the things done if I didn't."

Mia dropped her jaw. "I'm plenty cute!"

Eden grabbed an empty cup and lobbed it at Mia's forehead.

"You're such an idiot," Eden said. "Do you want me to get mad again?"

"I'll bring the idiots out soon," Bryce smirked. "One of us is bound to cause a scene."

Emma nodded and left, still fidgeting with her sleeve.

Bryce raised an eyebrow at Mia. "See," he said, tongue out.

"You're not even dating her," Mia said, hands on her hips.

"No. I'm helping her through her problems."

"You're like the romantic version of Eden."

"It's called the opposite, moron," Eden said. "Bryce actually cares about shit."

People in Party Culture were finally learning what they were really like. There were his own feelings for Emma, Mia and Will sharing one brain cell, or Eden not caring about anything she did to Stick and Bella.

"I'm smooth," Bryce said, smirking. "Unlike you."

"I have smooth skin," Mia commented.

"Really? Looks dry."

"Wait, who was the guy that openly admitted his feelings while drunk?" Will interjected mockingly, setting a finger on his lips.

"I love a girl I can't have, because she'd never believe me if I told her the truth," Mia said.

They were at one of the hotels in Toronto that had a water park. They had snuck into a nightclub where he got drunk for his birthday, where he admitted the truth that he could never tell.

"It's not possible, because she wouldn't bat an eyelash at me unless it was classwork," Eden said with a smirk.

"We're delinquents, so how could this happen? We don't worry about anything but, ugh," Will said dramatically.

Back then, he'd tried everything to bury how he felt. He tried to smoke or party it away, but nothing worked. It was especially hard when he knew she was being used.

Will grinned. "Remember that video? Classic Bryce meltdown."

Bryce narrowed his eyes but shrugged. Some things you can't control—like who you fall for, even when it's messy.

Mia snorted. "Honestly, I think we've all memorized that scene by now."

They'd replayed the video so many times it had stopped being funny. It became evidence that Bryce had finally admitted what'd he spent months hiding.

Eden told him he holds on to Emma because he knows she's going to be hurt. He knew it—but he wasn't some prince charming. Looks didn't change that.

He was the delinquent.

She was the girl who apologized too often. She needed someone to love her, help her, and protect her. She didn't need someone who didn't care if they shoplifted or smoked pot.

Now, it wasn't that way. He could hold her until she stopped crying, even if it seemed like hours. However, underneath, he was still that delinquent who might jump at an opportunity that was reckless.

"I have an idea," Eden started. "We're going to do what we do best. I'm sorry, God, but I have to take a small break."

"You mean you're bored?" Will said with his tongue out. "Jesus freak finally done?"

The three of them stared at Eden, who nodded with a smirk. Mia and Will cheered, throwing their arms in the air. Bryce knew the top delinquents of Uden Academy's were about to start causing havoc once again.

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-Lexi