Mon,

Wow, that was depressing, you're right. Sounds like you definitely aren't coping without me. God, do I need to come to you? I wish I could, Mon, I wish I could see you. I miss you so damn much, it kills me every day that you're not here.

Please come back. Please come see me.

Come back for me.

Love, Chloe.

William didn't contact me for the rest of the day despite the few texts I'd sent to check up on him. As far as I knew, his family was shipping him off to some boarding school right now. Or the Greene's were suing the Bishops for all they had after their son's attack.

Although, maybe it was all worth it for the fleeting image of Francis cradling his nose that still played in my mind. I snickered as I pulled on the assortment of bangles I had prepared on my dresser. If there was one thing I admired about William Bishop, it was the fact that he'd inflicted pain on such a horrible person. Even if it was an impulsively stupid decision.

But, I'd also be lying if I said that was the only trait I found admirable about William Bishop. There was a swarm of them growing. No, a plague. And that wasn't something I'd managed to premeditate.

According to Maddy's recommendation, I'd done my makeup extra dark and edgy in order to make me look older. I still didn't feel prepared, and the feeling that I was playing into a trap was screaming loudly in my mind. But, in return, the opposing voice which was so desperate for secrets whispered in the background. What's the worst that could happen? Was that worth what I could gain?

Yes.

If my mother had not been whisked away on a not-so-romantic evening with my begging-for-forgiveness father, I'd have been scolded as I waited by my doorway for the car. I was wearing a gorgeous Givenchy dress, tailored to fit the awkward curves and crevices of my body, and heels that would make my height almost look comparable to Maddy's five-foot-eleven frame.

I frowned at my phone, which I'd been holding by my side for most of the afternoon. I was starting to grow worried that maybe William really had been expelled. Or worse. Why else would he ignore my texts? I mean, I'd done it to him once, and that was for a completely justifiable reason. I hadn't done anything wrong.

The black chauffeured car I'd ordered pulled up perfectly on time. I locked up my home behind me and slid into the back seat without a word, my eyes still fixated on the illuminated phone screen in my hand. Maybe my phone provider was failing. I loaded up my Facebook homepage, on the account which I'd created this year. According to Will's chat status, he'd been online only half an hour ago.

So he must be avoiding me.

I hadn't even realized that we'd reached Maddy's house until the door beside me opened and Maddy climbed in, her face shining with both her shimmery highlighter and the flush of alcohol. She'd explained that she was drinking tequila while her makeup artist primped her to perfection.

"I'm so excited for our girl's night," she gushed. "It's going to be so much better without the others, I'm sure you understand. I'm so glad Will met you, Chloe, I don't know what I'd do if I were still left as... you know. The only one not in their tight-knit little group of BFFs."

"I didn't realize they excluded you," I said.

"Oh, they're bitches," she said, her eyes narrowing as her expression emphasized her distaste.

"Why do you hang around them, then?" I asked. Apart from the glitz and glam of level one life, Maddy didn't have a huge hold to level one, unless you counted Francis.

"It's more complicated than you think," she said. "If I just found new friends then I'd make them look bad. And if I did that then they'd destroy me; you have no idea the things they have on me. That's the only way they can let you into our friend group. If they have dirt on you, then they have some form of insurance."

"And they have dirt on me?" I asked, projecting innocence into my voice. I hadn't expected Maddy's comprehensive answer, and I felt like the more inexperienced I seemed, the more she would revel in her superiority and educate me as if I were a naive little girl.

Maddy's expression changed a little at my words. "I think you're in the probationary period for now. Things between you and Will are still new, so you're not settled in yet."

"Should I be worried?" I asked with a laugh, figuring that the more I acted as if I thought she was paranoid the less suspicious my questions would seem.

Maddy laughed with me, and I sensed it was mostly out of fear of being laughed at. "Definitely worried. Hope you don't have any skeletons in that well-configured closet of yours, Little Chlo."

Let's just hope I can bring you all down before I have to worry about that.

The club we were going to was one of Maddy's favorites, which she'd been trying to talk up to me all week. The fact that she was so excited about it was starting to have me nervous, but I humored her with my feigned enthusiasm.

Club Aura screamed expensive clothing and cash-filled purses. The building was ornately decorated and shone in the colored lights which illuminated it, and from the large line of people outside dressed in brands just as flashy as the ones Maddy and I were wearing, I could tell it was popular.

"I have an arrangement with the owners," Maddy explained as she sauntered up to the line titled VIP. "Perks of having a pop star daddy."

I couldn't help but become frozen mute as the security person raised an eyebrow towards Maddy, who slipped her ID into her hands without a word. In that moment, I was sure that I was about to be arrested. Thinking about it now, there was no way I could pass for twenty-one. I was scrawny and reddening by the second.

But, once she was satisfied with Maddy's, she only took a mere glimpse at mine, her eyes darting from the plastic card to my face and then towards the entrance.

I'd obviously never been in a club before. My whole clubbing knowledge was composed of scenes from movies and TV shows that Monica and I used to watch together. Towards the end of last year, she'd started sneaking along to clubs too, but by then it was past the point where we'd confide in each other about everything.

Maddy's eyes were flashing with the strobe lights around us, and the music thudded so loudly that to speak she had to scream into my ear. "Let's get some drinks!"

She led me towards where most of the crowd seemed clustered, and as we got closer I saw the huge, crystal bar stretching out across one side of the room, people in black creating bright colored drinks in tall glasses as if it were an art. It didn't take long for Maddy to be served, she mouthed something to the male bartender who nodded along.

He had just retreated and returned from grabbing two of the elaborate cups when Maddy leaned further to whisper something directly into his ear. I watched the exchange carefully, but as far as I could tell it was just some flirty remark.

The bartender disappeared again with both cups. Maddy turned to me, grabbing both of my hands and swaying them to the beat of the music. "You can finally dance with me!"

There was no way my voice could carry over the speakers, so I just nodded enthusiastically as Maddy twirled beneath my fingers.

Just as the current song ended and another one began, our drinks were placed on the edge of the counter, and Maddy slapped some cash back in return. She handed me the drink on the left while she took the one on the right.

My attention had been distracted by a tall lady walking between us, her hair teased so large that it added an extra foot to her height, which was already toppling over us with her thick blue pumps. She yelled an 'excuse me' before gently pushing through, and by the time she was out of my view again Maddy's expression had changed.

"Wait, I want to try that one," she said quickly, grabbing the drink from my hand and taking a dramatic sip through the straw. "Oh, yeah, yours is way stronger, can I have it instead? You probably won't like it."

I frowned, but took her drink in return, sipping it awkwardly. To me, hers tasted pretty strong itself, but I didn't exactly have the experience to judge.

Maddy linked her pinkie with mine and navigated me through layers of dancers and towards red covered stairs which were shut off with a scarlet rope. She disregarded this, unlinking it and gesturing me through.

Climbing the stairs was difficult with the tall drink in my hands, and some spilt over the lip of the cup and onto my fingers, the sweet and sticky liquid making my grip unsteady. Maddy had already drunk a third of hers, and so she didn't have the same problem as she powered ahead of me.

The top of the staircase revealed another elaborate room, this one a little less busy and slightly more illuminated. It was clear that the selection of people was a little more exclusive, an almost equal mix of girls and guys in pretty cocktail dresses and suits.

Maddy led me towards a velvet couch in the corner of the room where she dramatically threw her arm out for me to join her.

"The night is too young to dance," she explained, gesturing to the polished floor by the DJ in the corner. "So we drink instead."

I nodded, as if I understood. And then I pulled my phone from my purse and checked it. No messages. I took another sip from my drink instead.

"And here," she continued, "Is the prime position to check out the guys. Well, not for you of course, but for me."

"I thought this was a girl's night," I mused.

Maddy laughed. "Exactly, which is why we have to find some entertainment."

I watched as her eyes scanned the crowd, dashing from face to face and up torsos and around shoulders, seemingly unsatisfied with her options. Her eyelids were cloaked in a smoky glitter, her lips a deep red as they curved upwards in thought.

And then, she downed the rest of her drink and straightened. "I need some water. Want some?"

I frowned. Since when was Maddy the type to request water? "Sure."

I sat still as she dived out of view, her actions a little rushed considering what she was doing. It gave me the chance to check my phone again though, and to recheck my Facebook app. He still hadn't been active since I'd last looked.

Two songs later, Maddy returned. I was grateful, having been growing more and more nervous that one of the drunken people lingering around would approach me. She only had one glass of water in her hand, and she took a long drink before handing it to me. "Fuck it, let's dance."

After taking a mouthful I had no time to object before she rose me to my feet by pulling my hands, my half-emptied alcoholic drink forgotten on the table beside the seat. Whatever it had been was enough to have me tipsy, and enough to take the edge off of my nerves when it came to blending in with Maddy.

By now, there were a handful of others using the dance floor. Girls swayed their hips and ran their hands through their hair, laughing together, and guys watched them carefully. Maddy didn't release my hands, instead leaving them connected as she started moving with the rhythm. It was reassuring, I felt less awkward if I was moving with someone else, and I think she sensed that too.

A few songs past and I found myself smiling. It was fun to watch Maddy mock the other people around us with her hilarious moves, and somehow the beat of the music was easy to move to, making me even enjoy the sensation of being on the dance floor. I was becoming warm and breathless when a bright flash temporarily blinded me.

"Mike!" Maddy squealed over the music before my vision could right itself. By the time it came around I could see Maddy hugging the boy behind the camera with enthusiasm.

"I've missed you, Mads," he said, just loud enough for me to hear. "Pity you didn't invite me to your party last weekend."

"Hey, it's not like you gave us a date that you'd be back!" she said, her smile bright. "I didn't realize you got the gig."

"I didn't," he said. "This is my job trial."

Mike had jet black hair and olive skin, his jaw sharp and his eyes dark from what I could manage in the lighting. He didn't seem to notice me, until Maddy pulled me closer to her side. "This is Chloe, Will's new girlfriend."

Mike's attention turned to me, and he raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know dating was his thing."

"Well, it is now!" Maddy said. I hadn't realized how much her voice had slurred over the last half an hour or so. "Hey, take another picture of us while we're actually looking!"

Maddy wrapped an arm around my waist and Mike positioned the huge camera in front of his face, ushering out a quick warning before the flash went off again. I think I smiled, but I couldn't be sure.

Because a millisecond later, Maddy fell to the ground.

With her arm around me, she almost pulled me with her too, but I managed to turn enough that I could half hold her upwards. "Maddy?"

She groaned and held a hand to her head as she tried to stand again, only managing to sway around on the spot. Mike quickly bounced into action, pulling her from under her shoulders and taking her unstable weight as he walked her off of the dancefloor. Around us, people were watching, some showing concern and others amusement.

Maddy slouched against the wall by the stairs as Mike tried to get her attention. "Maddy, Mads, can you hear me?"

There was no response, and he shook her shoulders a little.

"Madeline!"

She groaned and tried to shove him away. "Maddy not Madeline."

Mike sighed, looking to me. "How much has she had to drink?"

"I—I don't know," I said, my mouth dry. "One thing since we got here, but she might have had something before then. She seemed fine – this was so sudden, surely alcohol can't do that?"

He had reverted to pulling Maddy up again as I rambled, and then a burly security guard approached us from the side of the room. "She can't stay in here if she's drunk and disorderly."

"I think she's okay—" I said quickly, but the man cut me off.

"She's out of here. You two as well if you're her friends."

I was about to bring up the fact that her dad was a popstar – which had given us privileges in the first place – but Mike cut in. "We'll get her out as soon as possible."

It was lucky that Mike was strong, because getting Maddy down the stairs was difficult. Half of her weight was spread over my shoulder, which couldn't support very much to begin with, and the other half was taken by his.

After a lot of maneuvering and swear words tumbling out of Maddy's lips, we managed to get her outside, the cold night air hitting me like a slap in the face as we went to the other side of the building to avoid the crowd. "What's wrong with her?"

Mike sighed, slowly lowering her to the paved ground and lifting her chin. She grinned at him loopily, her eyes fluttering shut as if she were struggling to stay awake. "I think someone spiked her drink."

"Are you serious?" I asked. "But, she got her own drinks, she had them the whole—"

But she didn't. She took my drink.

"Oh god," I said instead, crouching and taking Maddy's hand. She had taken my drink for me. The drink she had ordered. It didn't make any sense.

"Can you call a car?"

"Shouldn't we – shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" I asked.

"We can't take her to the hospital, I just have to take her to my house. Her cousin lives with me, he'd much rather look after her than have her face over the papers tomorrow morning," he said.

I looked at him doubtfully, suddenly feeling a surge of protection for Maddy in her vulnerable state. But he was right, a hospital trip may be a last resort option in her case.

"You can trust me, I pretty much grew up with her as a little sister. And honestly, this isn't the first time she's had to ride out a high in our guest room."

I sighed. I couldn't argue with him. "Okay, I'll call the car."

After I'd called the driver, I sank down next to Maddy on the pavement.

"So you're Will's new thing, huh?" he asked.

"I'm hardly a thing," I said, my voice faint and vaguely annoyed.

"Well, obviously." He snorted, as if it were funny. "I was just curious. I've spent more years videoing these guys than I can remember."

"Really?" I asked, hoping he'd elaborate. After all, he had potential to be my weapon.

"Yeah, I literally have a box full of hard drives of their parties. They pay a good wage," he explained with a chuckle.

I looked towards the club. "I thought you were on a job trial."

His expression darkened a little in disappointment, but concern washed over it again when he looked at Maddy, who was still goofily smiling between us. "I've probably lost it. But I wasn't going to get it anyway."

He was trying to catch Maddy's attention to prevent her falling asleep again when the driver pulled up to where we were sitting adjacent to the club. We both straightened before hoisting Maddy to her feet and walking her into the back seat. My first night clubbing and I was going home just after eleven.

Mike fed his address to the driver, and I didn't hesitate to commit it to memory, considering it valuable information. My house was regretfully closer, which meant I'd have to leave Maddy and him to get back to his house by themselves.

As the car pulled up in my driveway after a trip of silence, I bit my lip and looked towards the doped up girl beside me. "Can you get her to text me when she comes around?"

"Of course," he said. "I'll use her phone to let you know if anything goes wrong. Chloe wasn't it?"

I nodded. "Thanks for... you know, taking her. I wouldn't have known what to do."

"It's okay," he said, a dazzling smile on his face. He looked like some kind of exotic prince. "It's not like this is an unusual thing for our Maddy."

Once I was outside of the gate I took a moment to check my phone before fishing my keys from my purse. No text.

But that didn't matter. Because, crouched against the iron gate was a figure, and as soon as he lifted his face I could recognize him instantly beneath the illumination from the street light.

William Bishop was already waiting for me.

A long chapter to make up for my absence. What did you think of the cast?

My question for you this chapter: which character would you have as your best friend or ally at Arlington?

Thanks for reading  -  Ann 💕