To my surprise, nobody made a fuss about what Embry threw at me yesterday. In fact, it backfired. She ended up not showing up on Thursday, which somehow caused Suri and Quinn to start avoiding me. Lilith, on the other hand, despises me even more, which doesn't surprise me.

As my circle of friends diminishes, I find myself having lunch with Evie for the first time. When school ends, I begin my usual stroll until a black Mercedes coupe pulls up and rolls down its window.

"You're heading home?" Arlen Garret asks.
Nodding, I smile. "Come on, let me give you a ride then." His smile is friendly and inviting, so I readily accept his offer. I hop into the passenger seat. The temperature in the car is refreshing for someone who has been walking in the Las Vegas heat. The car is unmistakably Arlen Garret's—it carries his scent and suits him perfectly as he drives with one hand on the wheel and the other resting against the door.

"You look pretty today. Actually, you always look pretty every day," he awkwardly rephrases, sharing his attention between the road and me.

"Thank you," I bite my lip in response to the compliment.

After that, we both fall into an awkward silence, until I decide to break it. "So, do you guys play any games outside of school or during school?"

"It depends, actually. School has just started again, but homecoming is a week away. I hope you'll come. We'll need your support," he says, curling his lip into a convincing smile.

Lowering my head slightly, using my hair as a shield as usual, I continue to bite my lip, hoping to hide the blush on my cheeks. "Maybe," I mutter.

"Alright, I'll keep reminding you," he says just as he parks outside my house. "And here we are," he adds slowly.

"Thank you for the ride," I smile.

"You're welcome, Ava Lancelot," he returns the smile as I step out of Arlen's sporty car. My eyes catch a glimpse of the blue-tinted Chiron parked in the driveway. "Ava, wait," Arlen calls out as he swiftly gets out of his car and positions himself between the open door and the bare concrete of my house's pavement.

I turn around, facing him as he runs his fingers through his hair. "Did you reschedule our date?" he asks, sounding mildly nervous.

"Date, huh?" I raise my eyebrows, no longer attempting to hide the noticeable blush on my face.

"Yep," he half chuckles.

"If Saturday works for you," I reply.

His eyes dilate slightly, and joy spreads across his face. "Yeah, sure. I'm looking forward to Saturday then," he happily declares, tapping his fingers against his car.

With that, I turn and walk towards the building, hoping Leigh isn't home yet. My dislike for him has only grown after yesterday's incident, discovering that he's involved with Embry and Sofia. Not that I'm judging, but I thought he was better than that. So much for being the obedient child that Lilith claims he is; her brother is nothing more than a bigger flirt.

As soon as I close the entrance door behind me, his repugnant voice fills the air. Honestly, his voice is charming, which makes it even more frustrating. "Are we still avoiding each other? You know I saved you from humiliation in front of the whole school."

Ignoring him, I head for the staircase. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this—"

"Like what, Leigh? Like what?" I cut him off in exasperation.

He sighs heavily. "Why did you ride back with Arlen?"

Taken aback by his audacity, I let out an incredulous laugh. "At this point, I genuinely struggle to comprehend how unbelievably deluded you are." I spit the words out and march towards my room.

"I don't understand why you're behaving worse than before," he follows me.

I abruptly stop in my tracks and turn to face his concerned expression. "Because I want you to leave me alone, stay out of my business, Leigh," I emphasize firmly and loudly enough for him to grasp.

"As far as I'm aware, it's you who's intruding on my business," he smirks.

"I don't have time for you," I utter and walk into my bedroom, slamming the door shut.

I despise him so much. I truly hate him.

***

Friday unfolds like a replay of yesterday. Embry is absent from school, and Arlen Garret drives me home again, his charming smile on display as I wave goodbye to him, while my dear soon-to-be stepbrother stands on the lawn, staring.

"Perfect. You have a garden to fix. I feel sorry for your shirt shopping with Arlen. Trust me, I know it must be so difficult for you to accept that the opportunity is off the table. But everything happens for a reason. Let's try to look at it positively—it's for the best," he curls his lips into an irritating yet strikingly handsome smirk.

I hate him. I hate him so much.

"Just so you know, Leigh, our date is still happening tomorrow," I inform him with a challenging smirk.

His earlier reaction fades for a moment as he stares at me, clearly annoyed. "I wouldn't boast about it if I were you," he says and gets into his car. He revs the engine and speeds out of the driveway.

I'm quite skilled at gardening, so I manage to do almost everything before Lilith returns home.
"You just need to water them, and it's done, good as new," I say to her as she steps out through the patio door, wearing an oversized shirt and her hair in a simple bun.

She looks at me for a moment before picking up the stainless garden kettle from the table and bending over to water the potted plant I just fixed.
"Lilith, I know you probably hate me, but you've misunderstood," I stand behind her, attempting to offer a genuine apology.

"Is it the fact that this isn't your home, or the fact that we're never going to be your siblings? Which one did I misunderstand?" she rudely asks, focusing her attention on the plant. "And what about keeping secrets like Arlen? God knows how many secrets you're keeping from me," she says calmly.

My entire body tenses up. God knows I'm keeping a massive secret from her, and I suddenly feel guilty and embarrassed. "Both. I was just..." I trail off, unable to find the right words.

Lilith straightens up and faces me with a quizzical expression, which softens into a small smile. "When my mom died, I was five. She suffered for a long time, but I can't tell you what she was like because I didn't have enough time with her. Leigh is the one who has a few memories of her. He says we share the same smile and bravery, and that she easily welcomed people she felt comfortable around." She looks up at me, her earth-green eyes glistening with pain, and my heart aches at the sight.

"Lilith, I had no idea," I murmur, swallowing my own pain.

Shaking her head, she smiles - the kind of smile we all recognize as fake, one that fails to hide the pain. "When we moved here, Dad wanted it to be just the three of us, as did Leigh. But I wanted something different. I wanted a mother, a family. And then your mom came along. Dad hasn't been this happy since my own mother - I'm sure of it. He's so full of life. Your mom brought him back and helped him rediscover his love for golf and football, his favorite sports. She's so kind, even though sometimes I can't help but be rude and annoyed for no reason. Your mom was always there. She never failed to check on me every night, just as she did with you, even when we were asleep. It felt like I had a mother again, someone who could tolerate my teenage behavior and love me despite it." She paused, smiling while wiping away a tear.

"And then you showed up. I had been waiting for you too because Vegas never felt like home until this year. Actually, I never really had a home, but I started feeling warmth when your mom joined us, and you completed it this September - a sister? Who would have thought? I've been motherless, living with two men for years." She chuckled softly. "But now it's all falling apart before it even starts."

Staring at Lilith with a heartache pulsing behind my ribcage, I step closer to her. "I'm sorry, Lilith. I never meant to hurt you with my words. I was just angry at the time, and anger can make us say things we don't mean. Like when I cursed Vegas itself for not providing my favorite tea to match my mood. But honestly, I've never felt more free and like myself than in this country, in Vegas, in my home," I assure her. "I wish I could take back what I said because I don't want to lose my only reliable friend and my protective older sister. Although I fear I may have ruined it since you've been avoiding me lately, which I deserve. But I'm begging you to take me back because I'll need your help. I feel so alone."

She stares at me for a few seconds before opening her arms, and I pathetically melt into her embrace. If I'm being honest with myself, I've been lonely for a long time. Having Lilith forgive me brings immense relief, as if a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"You're still telling me about the situation with Arlen Garret," she whispers in my ear, and I chuckle.

***

Lying in bed, I gaze at the two white napkins on my nightstand - the ones I haven't smelled in days, the ones I'm afraid to inhale because they carry Leigh Boyce's unique scent. I force myself to ignore the longing for those special gifts I've ever received and shift my gaze to the alarm clock. It's already eight-thirty in the morning, and all I want to do is burrow into my comforter for the entire day.

But fate always seems to intervene between my bed and me on Saturdays. Once again, Mom appears at my door, dressed in jeans, a blouse, and makeup. She's holding a cup of my tea, I presume.

She steps closer and sits on the edge of my bed. The mattress sinks under her weight. "Here," she smiles, running her fingers through my hair.

"Mom, please tell me we're not going anywhere today," I immediately ask, not even bothering to take the cup she's politely offering.

"We are, and it's a family outing. It's a surprise, so I'm not going to spoil it," she grins wider.

Not again. I have a date with Arlen.

"Oh, no," I whine, closing my eyes.

Mom places my tea on the nightstand and leaves. I'm left with no choice but to take a shower and dress in a simple yellow knee-length dress. I apply a little makeup and let my hair fall freely over my shoulders today, without tying it up.

Without tasting my tea, I grab my phone and send an apologetic message to Arlen, informing him about the unexpected family outing arranged by my mother and Christian.

As I leave my bedroom, Leigh steps out of his room at the same time. He's wearing skinny ripped jeans, a plain black short-sleeved t-shirt, black boots, and his usual camera chain around his neck. His hair looks perfectly messy, and his captivating scent has already intoxicated my senses. I stand frozen by my door, staring at the most attractive person I've ever seen.

Clearing his throat, I snap back to reality and find my infuriating neighbor smirking at my predicament. "How's the shirt shopping going?"

He continues to smirk at me. At this moment, I'm at a loss for words, so I hurriedly scurry away from his intense gaze and alluring scent. But I've barely taken three steps when he grabs my waist and turns me towards him. The sudden proximity sends my palms against his chest, and I can't ignore the sensation of his well-defined muscles beneath the fabric of his shirt. His eyes lock with mine, and my lips involuntarily part, struggling to breathe. My body freezes in his arms, my heart and brain fighting to provide strength to my wobbling knees. I'm certain I would fall if Leigh were to let go of me. I can't even pull away from him, even if I wanted to, because I find his warmth, comfort, and dependability irresistible.

He leans in, our lips almost touching. My heart races harder than ever before, and I find it difficult to catch my breath. I can barely remember my own name or who I am. All I can see is Leigh, while everything else blurs in my vision. I feel utterly suffocated, yet I can't scream or push him away. However, his intentions are not the same as mine; he tilts his head until our cheeks touch, whispering in my ear. "Stop resisting. You're obsessed with me, Ava Lancelot."

He pulls away and heads downstairs, just as Lilith's doorknob begins to turn. I'm left standing in the hallway, feeling like a lifeless zombie, struggling to regain control of my body.

"Are you okay?" Lilith observes my bewildered state. I can only nod as she approaches and wraps her hand around my shoulder, guiding me down the staircase.

God knows how much I needed her.

"Another eventful weekend, don't you think?" Lilith asks me.

I couldn't agree with her more.

Because I hate Leigh Boyce, and I want to scream it in his face.