"What?"

But all I get from him is silence and pursed lips.

"Aden, no-"

I'm stopped by Aden shaking me off his body and standing up to leave without another word.

"Aden!" I call after him. "Stop. Don't act like I didn't tell you what I don't want beforehand."

"You've been sending mixed messages ever since I met you."

"No, I sent one message, then I made a very clear transition into another opinion." I say, following him out of the shrine.

"Your warning was correct all along. Your sweetness is but another elusive reward. You're always going to be a mixed bag."

"You mean have free-will? I'll gladly hold on to that. It's always good to distinguish oneself from blow-up dolls."

"Same kind of tease."

"Hold the fuck on." I grab his arm and stay him. "I want you to analyse what you're saying to me. If you truly believe you're in the right, then remain angry. Go on." I urge him.

He fumes for a few seconds before simmering down.

"I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I wanted those moments to be so beautiful that I wouldn't need to remind you to respect my boundaries."

"Hey," he caresses my face. "Too much blood in the small head; too little blood in the big head." His kisses on my temples are welcome despite it all. "It won't happen again."

To be fair, I did lead him on, so maybe I can stand to be a little more lenient with him now. And after all, he is apologizing. I kiss his cheek and place my hand on his chest, so we can walk back in a settled silence to the carnival in each other's arms. I don't think anyone with eyes would blame me for forgiving him anyway.

We get back to the tree we were sitting under last night, exhausted. He takes a seat and tells me to lie back on him. I nestle my head on his neck and drift off to sleep with the feel of his hand smoothing back and forth from my forehead onto the small side-braids.

When I come to, it's bright around us. I'm cuddled up to Aden and his sleeping face is fallen onto his shoulder. I yawn and look around. There's nothing happening. I hear noise behind us, but it's positively mute compared to last night. I scratch at Aden's barely-there stubble and he wakes, directing his eyes straight to me.

"Hi," I say sweetly, widening my eyes prettily.

"Morning."

He kisses the tip of my nose, prompting me to scrunch it up. His gestures are so adorable. But just as I'm about to tease him, Danatha appears.

"Hey, I shook you twice, but you were refusing to wake. We've been waiting for you guys." she says, crouching down to lend me a hand.

I get up with the help of her arm and Aden's support on my back before he stands too.

"Shit, you know how I am; you should have tried harder."

Danatha shrugs, watching Aden walk towards the others before speaking.

"Honestly, I didn't want you to wake up. The more you slept, the more I got to spend time with him."

I don't even have to turn to know who she's staring at.

"Danny?" I call softly.

Her eyes come back to me.

"Is this really what you want to be doing?"

"What?"

"Falling in love with-"

"Don't be ridiculous; it's not like that. We're enjoying each other's company. It's like with you and Zeke."

I can tell that she knows that she's lying, but I don't want to call her out on it. I nod, shelving the discussion for later when I can really grill her.

I go to hold onto Aden, but when I see Yves, I remember last night and blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

"What did you say about me; you know, to your friends?"

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday, Callisto said-"

"Nothing, I was rambling on about you; that's all."

"But-"

"I'm telling you, it's nothing."

"If it was really nothing, they wouldn't have laughed like that."

"They were laughing like that because they knew I would be embarrassed about the way I was gushing about you." he says after a while, staring the pebbles he's rolling beneath his boot.

"Oh," I say, not sure if I believe him; but, ultimately choosing to anyway.

Once we're back to the mansion, Jake is already rallying Danatha and I, saying he needs to go back to Cleveland ASAP.

After asking for time to say our goodbyes, I go with Aden to embrace him behind a tree next to the parking lot.

I see Danatha leaning on the hood of Jake's Sudan. Jude fills the space next to her. Danatha seems odd. She's laughing candidly and there's a spark in her eye. The anxiety for her relationship returns.

While I have never been a big fan of JD, I still support their relationship. He treats her well and is faithful. Danatha should be doing the same. And while I haven't seen Danatha kiss anyone, the energy around her and Jude sure does feel like cheating.

She places her head in the crook of Jude's neck. He says something and she giggles, holding on to his shirt. I can't believe what I'm fucking seeing. The genuine connection between Aden and I is pure - unadulterated.

For Jude and Danatha, whatever they're sharing feels sullied. And yet, what if Danatha had never met JD? Would this be the guy for her? And if he is, then is Aden the guy for me?

I haven't really allowed myself to consider seeing Aden after today. I know I want to; just looking at him right now, makes my throat close. How can I leave him behind?

It's not the beauty of his emerald eyes, or the tempting shapeliness of his lips. It's not even the feel of his body against mine.

It's the way his face shone when his eyes found moons and stars in mine. It's the way he played with my hands in the quiet darkness. It's the way his gaze followed my face to see if I thought his joke was funny.

I can't let it end like this; not for him but for myself. I deserve to at the very least have little bits of him in my life. But how am I supposed to do that? Just as I'm about to cede and ask for his number, he surprises me.

"You might say no to your own liking, but can I get your number?"

"Sure. Not that you'll ever use it." I frown.

There's no good reason I can think of, for him to want to talk to me again. He's Aden Arrington. Girls like me, to him, are a dime a dozen.
But I save my number on his phone and send myself a message from it anyway.

"I'll call. I promise."

"Thanks. I won't hold my breath though." I smile wryly. We both know he won't call.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"Do I have to?" I roll my eyes as I'm walking away.

"I'm not joking."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Jake's already in the car when I head over. Danatha's standing on the other side laughing with Jude. She sees me, and she says something. Jude's expression turns serious and he says something back. I get in the car and Danatha follows me in.

The car starts, and we head out. Jude waves us goodbye as I spot Aden in the downstairs window of the hallway to the TV room. I look on as if he's only a ghost; as if there's nothing there - because truly: there's nothing there.

After a while, I turn to Danatha next to me, who's looking out the window too, grinning goofily. I should shake her; remind her that it's all an illusion. We need to remember the reality that is our life back in Cleveland - away from the charms of the two most prominent members of Lune Quartz.

"I promised Jude I would kiss him if I ever saw him again."

Her eyes are dark shiny orbs when she glances my way, then lowers her gaze again.

"Danatha!" I laugh, shaking my head. "You have JD though."

"I have Jude too." She slaps her hand to her mouth, shutting in the giggles.

"You want Jude now?"

"It's not like I can have him."

"But you could."

She grins.

"Danny, you already have a redhead boyfriend and his name is not Jude Llanelli. Got it? His name is John-Dale Ray Thorpe a.k.a.-"

"First of all, he only dyed the top of his drop fade."

"So did Jude. See? He's just another dye-job junkie. Surely one is enough."

"Whatever! I'm just saying. The point is: I hope I never see him again in my life."