"Friends who become a part of the family."

"Scar? What the hell are you doing at one o'clock in the morning?", Riven asks me confused after he's taken a look at his phone when I stand in front of his door. He was the first place I could think of. Riven is smart as hell when it comes to taking revenge. 

"Dominic attacked me. He knows what I did to dad and that I'm a.. you know", I mumble quietly taking a look around if anyone could hear us so I whisper, "Blood witch." "What, how?", Riven exclaims whispering as well trying to let Sky sleep. "Come with me", I tell him so we can go to a place where we would be able to talk about it all.

"This one's stronger. I've kept it in a box in case you needed it after this certain night. You stayed strong without any drugs." "Still, I could have needed it", I reply offended by how he would wait until he'd share this with me. I'm always in for a strong cigarette. You can push the girl out of the bad sphere but you cannot push this feeling out of her. Something like that. "How'd Dominic find out? Did Diaspro drug someone?" 

"Alex told him", I state frustratedly. "How'd Alex find out?", Riven repeats confused. "I've told him", I admit sighing heavily, "I know it's so stupid of me. Saul warned me but of course, I didn't listen to him." Why didn't I just listen to him? Saul's always been right. He wouldn't warn me about something wrongly just now. 

"It's not stupid, S. You've trusted him and he made you fall for whatever he's promised you. He's stupid, not you." "Dominic was so angry when he confronted me. It seemed like he was about to kiss me, the next second he threatened me. I felt so disgusted by what did and said." Riven stands up immediately reaching his hand out for me. "Come on, we'll get Sky and prove Dominic wrong. It seems like he doesn't know who he's talking to." 

I smile softly and shake my head as I pat the stone next to me. "I came here to figure out how to defeat Dominic. He was quick and he made me anxious but I won't back off. He's threatened me in my own home. I won't let him get away with this." "We won't, S", Riven emphasizes slowly leading the joint to his lips. "I-"

"I had a feeling I would find you here", I hear Stephen behind me. How'd he find us here? Too many questions for a night. "How would you know if I'm here or not?", I ask him sighing. "I know where I'd find Riven and by parking your car right in front of the school, I knew you would be close." 

"Can we skip this for once?", Riven sighs, "It's not like I kidnapped her." "I actually believe you. Still you have to be asleep to be ready for training tomorrow and the royal ass needs to be where it belongs to, its castle." "Stephen, come on-" "Riven, up to your room. Scar, come on, let's go to your car. I'll drive you back."

"I'm not a dog that ran away", I reply annoyed. "No, you're the crown princess", Stephen states so dryly that I know that he wants to remind me of my duties. Why can't a girl have fun for once? This isn't even fun, it's escaping from the devil.

"Excuse me, I'll accept this call", Stephen informs me as we walk back to school next to each other, "Wait, why is Alex calling me?" "Don't answer him", I ask him quickly realizing that I told him everything that he needs to know. Me not wanting to talk to him when I've just defended him earlier means something bad. "Scar-" 

"I don't want to talk about it." "Scar, you'll tell me what you know or I'll accept this call and tell Alex where to pick you up." "God, you're annoying", I groan frustrated and stand still to look at him while I tell him the story, "Alex told Dominic about dad." "Everyone knows about Andreas. So why-" "Not about dad in general. About me doing.. you know what.. in that cabin that night", I mumble ashamed. 

"How could Alex tell Dominic about it if he-", Stephen interrupts himself giving me a shocked look, "Why would you even tell him, Scar?" "Maybe because I was trying to make this relationship work and be closed to the man I'm supposed to marry!", I exclaim sadly, "I was trying to fall in love with a man who's supposed to marry me now that I'm forced to stay away from whom I wanted to be with. I had no chance, alright? Was I supposed to have an unloving relationship and lie to him forever? Maybe. But I was trying to make the best out of the situation and I was getting closer to him and we were talking about so many topics and I've trusted him. I've trusted him, alright." I didn't realize that I'm crying until Stephen approaches me to dry the skin on my cheeks. 

"Scar-", Stephen begins softly but I shake my head sadly. "No, just tell me how stupid I am. Tell me what a mistake I've made. God you were right from the beginning, Saul was right about it. But whom can I even trust?" "Scar, listen to me", Stephen whispers strictly, "I'm sorry that this happened to you but I won't mock you in such a situation. We'll make sure that Dominic keeps his mouth shut and I'll take care of Alex. I'm here, always." "I.. Stephen-" 

He's so close. So close. I look up into his eyes and back to his mouth. It feels like I haven't kissed him in ages. His hands on my cheeks remind me of when he lowered them to my hips and further. I slowly lean in noticing that Stephen feels the same as he pulls his arms around me strongly. But right when we're about to kiss, Stephen loosens his grip resting his forehead on mine. 

"I'm sorry, Scar. I can't. I love you, always will, but I won't make use of you now. I won't make the same mistake twice", Stephen mutters upset. "No, Steph, you didn't make a mistake with Becca. Dominic told me that he blackmailed Becca to run to you. You-" "I did, Scar. I was the one to accept what she did. A girl that I never cared about. You've got no idea how much I torture myself by backing away from you but I have to. If I gave in now, I'll never let you go back to Eraklyon. So do us both a favor and keep the distance.. as much as I hate it." 

I nod understanding his point. Yet I hate to take a step back as we begin walking back to the school next to each other. "I'm sorry", I mumble regretfully knowing that he's right, "Just don't make me go back, please." "No, not today. We'll figure out a plan first."