We all tumbled out of the car, and I noticed a deep tanned figure leaning against a tree. Shaggy blackish hair that needed to be cut. A loose t-shirt over a pair of sweats.

I almost mistake him for Cor, but as he turns around I realize it's just Sage.

My heart sags just a little, but then I remember that I don't exactly need a man in my life. I want Cor in my life, and in a way I probably do need him, but not at the moment. Having him with me, I've realized, is a danger to the both of us.

Best to just wait it out.

I shiver in the cold, knowing that my hoodie isn't helping a single bit.

You know what helps when your cold? Jogging.

I jog in place, just to spread some warmth.

Sage casually strides up to us and wraps his arm around Aria's shoulder, smirking to all of our shocked faces.

"What?" He asks shrugging. "She's my girlfriend. I mean, we kissed and I think that classifies it. Right?."

Aria turns slowly to face him. "What do you mean we kissed? You said you were drunk!" Her deep blonde hair blows slowly with the breeze, cropping her angry face.

Sage's eyes widen like saucers as he whips his head around to face Aria. "I uh—" he scratches the back of his neck, smiling slightly. "I remember?" He offers.

Aria narrows her eyes. "You weren't drunk, were you?!" She yells.

"In my defense I told you, just in Spanish." Sage jumped from Aria and ran to the path, Aria chasing after him.

You gotta give it to Sage, boy can run, but Aria will always be the top dog.

I can't think of a single person who doesn't fear her. Even the guys, Aris, Cor, Leo, the tough ones, are all scared of her.

Sage is no exception.

You hear him yell, but then laughter.

We all face the trail as Aria drags Sage by his ear. "I wouldn't lie to me, it's not smart." She says.

"Owe owe owe, mierda." Sage groans, swatting at Aria's hand. "Hurts more than chanclas!" He says as Aria laughs.

"Didn't you say you didn't speak fluent Spanish?" She asks him.

He shrugs and rubs his ear as Aria lets go. "My mom wanted me to speak two languages so before I was taken, she only spoke Spanish to me. Over the years I've forgotten some, but I mean... I still unintentionally speak it. Or like, I'll forget a word in English and have to use Spanish. Like, chanclas. What the hell is that in English?"

We all look between each other until Li smirks. "Flip flops." He whispers, shaking his dirty-blonde hair.

He pulls out a book, this time it's orange and has a picture of a power plant on the cover. The word HUNGER stands out in big, black, bold letters.

"Really? You brought a book," Aria asks.

Li shrugs. "Yeah, reading is cool."

Aria snorts. "I could show you like, ten different things that are funner."

Li shrugs and sets the book in the front of my car.

"Well! Let's get to hiking!" Minley cuts in, clapping his hands.

I pull out my phone and begin walking forward, still shivering in the cold.

"You look like you could use that jacket," Li says behind me.

I look up and shake my head. "No no, I'm good. It's just chilly." I give him a polite smile and speed walk up to Aria.

"I think I'm going to jog," I say, "Coach'll probably push me hard when we get back to school Tuesday anyways."

She nods and I put my phone in my pocket, playing soft music.

I feel something brush my leg and I almost have a heart attack, but it's just Angel running up next to me.

"Take her, will you Gem?" Minley asks, "She just loves to jog with people."

I shrug, petting Angel's head. "Yeah!" I yell back to Minley.

I run with Angel by my side, listening to the sound of my feet slapping the dirt at a slow pace, and her soft panting as we jog.

And then a pair of feet come from next to me. I look over and Li smiles at me.

I duck my head down and keep running forward.

We run like this for a while until I stop and lean against a tree, breathing hard.

"How long have you ran?" I ask Li, once I've caught my breath. "Like, in school."

Li takes a sip of water and offers me a drink. I shake my head and he sets it on the ground in front of him.

"Since now." He responds.

I widen my eyes. "No, you did it just run that without being experienced."

Li smiles a pretty, white smile. "Kidding. I actually picked up on it in let's see... ninth grade?" He looks back to the group and then faces me. "That's not why I ran with you. Look, Arius—"

"Ah!" I cut him off. "Please, Li, the last thing I want to talk about is boys."

He won't argue with me.

And he doesn't surprise me.

Li sighs, widens his eyes, and shoves his hands in his pockets. "So, how's uh... how've you been?"

I chuckle and shrug. "As good as I can be, I guess. So—"

"Wait—" Li shushes me. "Shh."

"What? Why?." I respond.

He shakes his shoulder, tilting his head at me and giving me a pointed look. "Just, stay right there." He reaches behind me and when he shows me his hand, a flower is inside it. "The sun catches your eyes right here." He puts the white daisy in my hair and steps back. "There you are, a masterpiece."

I smile at him. "Thank you."

"You are most very welcome." He beams at me.

We stand awkwardly for a couple moments until a familiar ding ding of a bike bell zooms by.

I take a step back, and Li takes one the opposite way.

"Hey, watch it!" I yell.

"Gem. Just don't." Li says. "Not worth our time."

The two bikes stop and the unmistakable faces of Taria and Leo backpedal up.

"Wow, jumping from man to man. Typical Gemini. Typical Gem." Taria laughs, staring me down.

"Oh yeah, from man to man. Leo's next and we all know he won't stay loyal, not to you anyways." I smirk, relishing in how her face fell. "Of course, he stayed loyal to Leona."

Leo would never cheat. Leos are loyal, that's like their number one trait. But I'd say anything at this point to tick her off.

She is blazing with anger, like the war god himself.

"Maybe if you shut up for once, a guy would actually keep you around." Taria hisses, eyeing me like a threat bigger than an asteroid hurtling towards earth.

All I can do is roll my eyes. "Do you have a brain inside that thick skull? Cor stuck around, is still sticking around, I dumped him genius."

She raises her perfectly sculpted eyebrows at me. She really did have nice eyebrows. Lucky.

"Do the world a favor, and go jump back into that frozen lake." She glares at me. "And stop messing with other people's lives. Have you stopped to think of Cance? She's heartbroken."

"No she's not." Li perks up. "I just talked to her, she's going with Seas and they're doing pretty good. Cora is with Ancer and Pi... I guess her and Cor have to be together now." Li gives Taria a half smile.

Go Li.

"Gem! You okay?" Aria jogs up to us, catching up finally.

Angel bares her teeth at Taria, looking ready to pounce.

Aria. Taria's only real threat and not just because Aria holds no hesitation in throwing hands, but because Aria can in fact sweep Leo away from her.

Not that she would. Aria doesn't go looking for trouble, it finds her. Plus she has Sage now.

"Is there a problem, Taria?" Aria asks.

Taria shakes her head. "Not. A. Single. One."

"Then leave, because if you're here eventually a problem will spark up." Aria threatens.

Taria wheels away on her bike, not stopping to look back once.

Leo, stays. "I am so sorry, guys. She's insane."

Aria nods. "I won't hold back next time, Leo. She can worry about Gem all she wants but the real problem is me. Me and you, share one quality; We protect our friends."

"Not that I need protecting." I cough into my arm.

When Aria glares at me I plaster on a big smile. "What? Pshh... I didn't even say anything."

Leo gives each of us a nod and rides off on his bike.

Sage meets up with us and glares at Leo's back.

Li sighs out a big breath. "Just one day of the school year, no conflict, please?"

Minley and Aquaria pass through us like nothing happened. And honestly that makes me feel better.

It's no big deal.

"Conflict?" Sage cups his hands over his mouth to call out to Leo, but Aria stops him.

"Woah there, tiger. Gem and Taria, we're fine." Aria says. "Let's just continue on our hike, and have fun. Have some self control, guys."

She takes large steps away from us, whistling.

"Did Aria Inter just tell us to calm down? I still have a black eye from her." Sage laughs.

I point to his face. "You don't have a single—"

"Please, my mom is a world renowned beautician. I can cover a black eye with makeup." Sage follows Aria. "Just don't mention that to anyone else." He mutters.

I face Li and we both crack up laughing, holding our guts as we stumble forward.

"I'm not swooping in on you, I swear... Take a selfie with me kissing your cheek." Li asks, taking out his phone. "I won't post it."

I stare at him like he's crazy. "Sorry, but uh I'm only in the middle of a break, and if Cor saw that photo he would flip. He is a Scorpio." I say.

Li shakes his head. "Sorry, no. Not what I meant. If Taria takes you and Cor's relationship to the Elders, show them this pic and say that we're together and no good Scorpio would let his girl be kissed while they're dating. Everyone in the class will back you up and say you didn't kiss at prom." Li holds his phone out in a selfie position.

When I don't move he gives me a confused look.

"What?" He asks.

"You are a genius!" I slap his shoulder and my eyes glimmer with adoration. For his brain, not for him. "Don't ever become a super villain."

"Why would I— ah never mind, I'll never understand you." Li crouches down next to me and presses his lips against the side of my head. I smile a great big smile as he snaps the photo.

It's all fake though.

The only guy's lips I want on me are Cor's. His possessive kiss, the way he made me feel wanted, needed. I could never feel that with anyone else.

Cor was just different from everyone else. You knew it as soon as you saw him, but getting to know him? It was almost spiritual.

He was so... imperfectly perfect.

Everyone just seemed dull to him.

Li was nice, he would probably be a good boyfriend and I'll definitely want to hang out with him more after this, but Cor would always have me.

No other guy compared him.

"I sent you the picture." Li said.

I smiled and we walked on the dirt path, humming different tunes in our heads.

~~~~~

I love Li! He's so sweet.

I wanna marry a libra now! So cuteee

On to BIGGER NEWS!

Fire Hearts And Law Breakers is up, fun! I think it was a day late and I'm so very very sorry. I got caught up with plans. My friend got lock jaw and it's terrible. Gosh, can't even eat.

I had an amazing dream about GAS and I have the perfect way this book is gunna end.

But I'm not saying, just know that its based on some dream I conjured up— me, a Gemini.

So I'm entering GAS into the Watty's because why not? Never know if you don't try as I always say♥️💕. That means I'll be going through and editing😋. No major things will be changed, it's just tiny details to make the story easier to imagine in your head😌.

Also, I WANT TO CHANGE THE TITLE! 😳🙄. I just don't know what to yet... like, I have no idea. I just don't like the sound of Gemini and Scorpio, it kind of sounds like an info book, lol😂. If you guys have an ideas I'm open for suggestions because my mind is empty for once.

Also, I need to change the Elder's names because I just bought Zodiac and it is 100% the same names. Now I gotta change them... sooooo I will be doing that soon.

Funny because I said no big changes and then I spring that^ up🙄.

OKAY! Hope you all have an amazing day and...

As always, stay happy, stay gold
-Dani_Kail