Unknown number: it's cold again today.

Thea: oh, it's you again. why do you keep texting me about the weather? and why didn't you reply back?

Unknown number: just a reminder. don't want to throw a scarf in your face again.

*

Monday came and Sutton's name was being worshipped in the halls.

I knew the news article I came across this morning would spark gossip in school, but it wasn't because of her incredible achievement of passing all of the Sumac League schools while being on the top ten percent of each. It was because of the shocking revelation that she was, indeed, the daughter of Frederick Kirk and Devon Kirk.

Sutton was powerful.

When I entered the staff room after a long day of dragging classes, she was already seated against a bean bag with her laptop on her lap. If I didn't know her better, I wouldn't know that she'd been crying.

"Hey," I greeted softly, dropping my bag on the table. "How long have you been here?"

"I cut class," she answered stiffly, keeping her eyes on the screen. "Crazy, right? That a golden girl can cut class?"

I sighed. "How bad is it?"

"Worse than the normal days."

The normal days meant people looking at her like some kind of goddess. It meant people sucking up to her because she was 'popular' and 'perfect'. It meant guys asking her out insistently. I couldn't imagine how much worse it could be than that now that the whole school knew she was a part of one of the most powerful families in the whole country.

"It's not like I tried to hide myself or anything," she said with a shake of her head, "my last name's out there for everyone to see. They knew I was rich."

"They didn't know you were powerful."

"I'm not powerful," she whispered, looking up at me and shaking her head. Her dark brown irises looked so helpless. "My family is."

I scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her. Sutton immediately leaned into my embrace after setting her laptop aside. "I knew my parents liked to publicize me," she continued, "and honestly, it's a little long overdue, but I thought I would be okay when people here found out. But they didn't even let me breathe."

Not knowing what words could make her feel better, I stayed silent. Sutton seemed satisfied enough to find comfort in a friend's touch.

She exhaled heavily. "It doesn't matter. It'll all die down soon, like everything in this school does."

"Do you see them often?" I asked, pulling back a little to look at her. "Your parents, I mean."

Sutton swallowed hard as she turned her face away. "No. I haven't seen them since I left, and I'm not going back to Ashemark. To Modoc. To Austelle."

"But that's where your family is. What about college? Are you not going to Huxley?"

"That's where my family's power is," she corrected quietly. "If we weren't elites in Ashemark, they'd have fled the place by now."

I pursed my lips. "You talk like there's something wrong in Ashemark that you can't be bothered to go back there."

She stood up. "The memories are what's wrong. Right now, Huxley isn't an option—I'm not brave enough to go back there yet."

Looking like she shared more than she wanted to, Sutton sighed and rubbed her temple. "I'm sorry, Thea. I dumped all of this on you."

"No, don't apologize," I assured her with a smile and a shake of my head, "you're my friend. Of course you're allowed to dump things on me."

"You're allowed to do such to me, too. Your eventful weekend, for example."

I cleared my throat. "It's not as eventful as you think it is..."

Sutton tilted her head. "You didn't have an intense argument with Faust? You didn't stay over at Nico's? You didn't get drunk? You didn't—"

"Okay!" My cheeks flushed. "I regret texting you."

The blonde grinned. "Tell me all about it tonight. For now, I gotta work on some shit to do for the dance."

"Maybe I can help. What can I do?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Don't you have school work?"

"Not really, no."

Sutton thought about it for a second. "Will handling the ticket booth be okay with you? The rest of the student council members are busy with decorations, and I have to put up flyers on every floor."

I nodded. "Just tell me what I need to do."

*

"One ticket please."

With a polite smile on my lips, I tore off a stub with my fingers and handed it to the brunette in exchange for the payment. "See you there!"

My fingers smoothed over the dollars as I placed them in the almost-full bag Sutton had given me earlier. Thanks to the student council's efficient marketing system, most of the student body was going to the dance. The last person in line came into view and asked for two tickets.

I jumped in my seat, startled from the sudden contact when cold hands encircled my waist from behind. I hastily passed the sophomore his tickets as Faust leaned down to kiss my cheek. "Hey," he murmured.

The sophomore's eyes grew wide at the sight of the basketball player, and I resisted the urge to roll my own as I took the payment from his hands and watched him almost trip over his own feet as he walked away.

I turned to face Faust. His crystal blues twinkled. A bruise blossomed just over his jaw and I wanted to wince at the sight of it. I tried for a smile instead. "Hey. Aren't you supposed to be at practice by now?"

Faust set one palm on the table and cupped my cheek with the other. "Just wanted to see you first."

I knew Faust was still uneasy with guilt from what had happened between us over the weekend, but I also knew he was relieved that I wasn't pushing any of his buttons anymore. It didn't mean I was going to let any of it go—it just meant I didn't trust Faust. Not anymore.

"That's sweet of you."

"How's Sutton?" he asked, reaching down to interlace our fingers. "The news was shocking to everyone."

"About that." I shifted in my seat to face him. "Please tell your teammates to lay off of her. There's no helping the other students but I know you can get your friends to stop. She doesn't need it right now."

Faust nodded. "I'll tell them."

I squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

"Of course."

And before I could think twice, I blurted out, "Do you know where Nico is? He wasn't at lunch and during class today. He's not answering my texts either."

Faust's eyes narrowed slightly as he pulled back. "You have his number?"

"Let's not go there," I muttered, looking up at him with tired eyes. "Please."

Pressing his lips to a thin line, he shook his head and straightened up to readjust his bag on his shoulder. "He'll turn up at practice."

I nodded even though his answer wasn't very reassuring. Wanting to change the subject, I waved the remaining stubs in my hand and shot him a grin. "I think I'm going to help out for the student council's fundraising. What do you think?"

If that wasn't an open invitation, I didn't know what was.

Faust stared at me for a few seconds before pulling out his wallet. "Might be for a good cause. Make that two."

*

Nico showed up at practice.

I took a seat by the front row bleachers and tore open a pack of M&M's as I watched the tired basketball players huddle in a circle around Coach Greenberg after the whistle blew. My brother caught a glimpse of me and waved with a grin. I waved back with a smile of my own.

My gaze stayed trained to them as reasons of why the green-eyed boy hadn't shown up to school today swam in my mind. After his texts this morning, I wanted to know how he'd gotten my number and what the friendly reminders meant. Was it simply concern of wellbeing from one friend to another?

But maybe, despite the texts, he didn't want to be around me after what happened last weekend—I got drunk, slept over in his clothes and overstayed my welcome. Still, Nico had been nothing but the kindest even during breakfast and the drive home the morning after.

But maybe it was because he felt awkward about seeing me face to face. I'd been shameless about the words that slipped out of my mouth after the drinking game.

Whatever the reason was, he was here now. Alive and well.

And staring at me.

My eyes zeroed in on smoldering green ones. Sheen lines of sweat glistened on his golden-flecked skin as he watched me from across the gym, tongue darting out to lick his lips.

I suddenly felt the urge to shrink into my seat and look the other way, but I stayed put and evenly stared back at him.

He held our gazes for a few moments, and in those seconds there was nothing I could read that was written in those eyes. Nico returned his attention back to his coach.

I willed my eyes to stray from Nico's impressive form. While I finished the last of my chocolates, the team wrapped up and hit the showers.

My encounter with Sullivan suddenly flashed into my mind. Remembering his words, a frown found its way onto my face. I didn't understand the reason for his awful relationship with both Faust and Nico and why he'd suddenly went to me for help.

My curiosity was starting to get the best of me.

I pulled out my phone and my fingers hovered over the keyboard to text Sullivan himself. It wasn't smart, but when Faust wasn't willing to talk to me and Nico wasn't an option to ask questions from, it was the only thing I could to get my answers.

I bit my lip as I stared at the screen, but minutes later and the message box stayed empty.

With a sigh, I put my phone away, only to look up and meet eyes identical to mine.

"Hey."

I smiled. "Hi. How was training?"

Theo took a seat next to me. "Tiring. How are you and Carter?"

"...we're okay now."

"I still have the urge to beat him up," my brother admitted, hand coming up to smooth out the wet strands of his hair. "But I know you wouldn't want me to so I'm controlling myself."

"Thank you," I muttered, looping my arm around his to lean my head against his shoulder. "You were so livid yesterday. I was kind of worried you'd go crazy."

Theo sighed. "He hurt you. That's not okay with me. That's never going to be okay with me, Thea. This will be the last time I'm letting it go and it's only because you cried."

"I know you're only worried about me and about what he said then, but Faust isn't like that. I promise you."

"And Romero?"

"...what about him?"

"Has he hurt you?"

I looked at my brother. "No. He doesn't mean it when he does."

Theo grasped my hand. "There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you. You know that, right?"

"Yes. There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you, too."

He grinned and flicked my forehead before standing up and grabbing his stuff. "I know, sis. Am I driving you home?"

I shook my head. "I'll go with Faust. Thank you for the offer."

Theo left with a kiss on my forehead.

I rummaged through my bag to take out the cardigan I'd brought with me to school today, but a flash of movement near the gymnasium exit caught my eye.

Nico was leaving.

I grabbed the strap of my bag and jumped up from my seat. Going as fast as my feet could take me, I climbed down the stairs and hurried after him. "Nico!"

He didn't even look back.

Huffing, I blew away the strands of my hair covering my eyes and quickened my pace, my breaths shortening as I tried to catch up with his six foot figure.

Finally, Nico slowed down and turned, annoyance clear in his features.

I gasped for air. "Did you have to run...that fast?"

"I wasn't even running," he said flatly. "What do you need?"

Still a bit breathless, I swallowed hard and stood upright. Nico arched his eyebrow as he waited for my response.

I bit my lip. "I just wanted to talk to you."

He clicked his tongue in impatience. "Then talk."

Hurt flared through my senses. A part of me knew this would happen but a bigger part hoped it wouldn't. I ignored the stinging pain in my chest. "You weren't in school at all...I was worried."

"I don't think I need to explain every little detail of my life to you," he said slowly, cocking his head to the side.

My lips pursed. "Right. I'm sorry."

Nico continued to stare at me with cold, green eyes. "Anything else?"

I cleared my throat. "Um, you're not going to the dance?"

"I don't do dances."

Of course he didn't. "I hear it's a good experience," I tried to say with a smile. "You should try and come."

"Is there a particular point to this conversation or am I wasting my time?"

I was sure I flinched.

I exhaled heavily. "About the texts. How did you get my number?"

"Is that important?"

"It is to me."

Nico clenched his jaw and looked away. "You gave it to me."

I blinked. "After the game. You said you didn't—"

"It doesn't matter," he hissed, already turning in the opposite direction. "Forget about it."

I grabbed his wrist. "Wait!"

Nico yanked it away immediately, seeming burned by my touch. "What?" he snarled, moving closer to crowd me with his frame. It was as if he was trying to intimidate me.

Nico didn't scare me. Not anymore. "Thank you," I whispered, looking up at him. "For last weekend. And I'm sorry for all the wrong things I said. I'll return your clothes as soon as possible."

The green-eyed boy stood frozen in place but kept his gaze trained on me. "Are you really this fucking dense?" he murmured menacingly.

I stepped back, confused. "What?"

"Or are you fucking playing with me?"

"Nico, I don't—I don't understand—"

His eyes flashed with anger. "Don't talk about last weekend if you didn't mean shit. Don't talk to me until you understand that people do shit to you because you just sit there and take it and forgive so fucking easily."

"Didn't mean—what the hell are you talking about?" I demanded. "Are you mad because Faust and I made up? Is that it?"

"You're missing the fucking point—"

"Care to tell me what point that is—"

"Jesus, fuck it," he growled, running both hands through his hair in vexation. "Keep my damn clothes."

"Clothes?"

I let out a heavy breath and rubbed my forehead. This was just great.

Faust stood by the entrance of the gym with his gaze narrowed. "Nico, you told me you brought Thea back to her place Saturday night, yes?"

Nico didn't say anything—only looked up with the same, cold eyes.

Obviously, they still hadn't made up.

"And you told me to come back the next day to give her space, right?" Faust continued, stepping forward until he stood beside me and in front of Nico. "I think you left out the part where she stayed overnight."

"It doesn't really matter, Faust," Nico replied coolly, straightening his posture as both dark-haired boys stood chest to chest. "Why would it?"

A smile touched Faust's lips, but there was no amusement in it. "Tell me something. How'd you do it? Did you get her drunk?"

I placed my hand on Faust's arm. "Stop it. Nothing happened."

Faust turned to me. The edges of his face were lined with frustration. "And yet you giving his clothes back to him implies that something did."

"He lent me his clothes because I had nothing else to wear," I snapped. "We drank but that's it. I wasn't exactly about to go home to my parents and explain to them how my boyfriend left me in a restaurant alone and was picked up by his best friends who, by the way, took care of me, right? Nico let me sleep in the guest's bedroom and dropped me off the next morning."

Faust looked at his best friend. "Don't plan on pursuing something of mine next time, Nico. I'm not about to lose it to another again."

Nico's eyes flashed. "I believe that property plans on changing its ownership when you left it on the sidewalk."

I stared at Nico. Then at Faust. "Screw you both."

Turning on my heel, I walked away with my hands balled into tight fists. Faust had not only disrespected me as his girlfriend but also as a woman. Nico could care less about hurting my feelings, but I thought Faust knew better than that.

Clearly not. It was disappointing as it was hurtful.

"Thea, wait."

When it was obvious I wasn't planning on stopping, fingers wrapped themselves around my wrist and pulled me back. I yanked my arm away with a force that made me stumble back on my feet. Faust raised his palms, and there was regret written all over his face.

I stared straight into his eyes. "Don't you dare refer to me as your plaything or as your piece of property ever again," I said in a low voice. "You can go home by yourself. I'm walking to the bus stop. Don't you dare follow me."

Nico, standing behind Faust, kept his impassive gaze on me. "Thea. Calm down. I don't think that's safe—"

"I don't care what you think!" I shouted, tears burning around my eyes. "Fucking hell, both of you leave me alone."

Faust hesitantly reached for me, his expression softening, remnants of the cold guy he was minutes ago gone. "Let me at least take you home. Nico's right. It's dark and—"

"That didn't seem to be a problem for you last weekend, Faust."

He threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "I've apologized a million times, Thea, what else do you want me to do?"

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. "Nothing. I don't want you to do anything."

"Thea, please."

"Faust—"

The shrill ring of a cell phone interrupted our conversation. Faust's eyebrows drew together as he took it out of his pocket and read the text, expression growing darker as each second passed.

Even though I was hurt, angry, and exhausted, seeing him worried made me worry as well. "What is it? Is everything okay?"

"I need to go," he said in a rush, eyes switching to Nico. "Now."

"What? What happened?"

Nico clenched his jaw. "Faust. Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" I asked again, more loudly this time as confusion took over me. "What's wrong?"

"You know that I have to," Faust answered his best friend softly. "With or without your help."

Nico stayed silent for a few moments before he gave in with a heavy exhale and a curt nod.

"Take my truck," Faust said to me, taking out his keys and placing them on my palm. "I'm sorry, Thea."

I looked up at him and swallowed hard. "Is this one of your lies?"

"Thea, please, I can't deal with this right now. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't explain your secrets," I whispered, shaking my head. "Sorry doesn't explain why you suddenly need to go."

"Thea," he pleaded, eyes begging mine, "please. Just—understand."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Faust took that as a sign to turn around and jog towards the Honda Civic where Nico was already waiting inside.

The engine roared to life. Nico drove away.