Weeks passed and nothing out of the ordinary happened. I spent most of my days in the Crestwood library, reading books and studying or talking to West on the phone. It was always empty. I suppose that was why I liked going there.

Growing up I never liked parties. Or Concerts. There was just something about big crowds that never sat right with me. I always felt out of place. I still did. So when Nyan asked me to go to the school dance with her, in a few weeks, I had no idea how to respond.

        "Come on it'll be fun. I'm really counting on us being friends," she begged her usual cheeriness in place along with a bright smile.

This was the first time Nyan had spoken to me in weeks. She had ignored me, never making eye-contact with me, only waving when I said hi to her in the halls. I guess I just wasn't cool enough to be her friend, or so I thought until now.

         "I ... I don't have anything to wear." It was a lame excuse but I didn't know what else to say. If I said no I would feel extremely guilty and if I said yes I could almost guarantee I would have the worst time of my life.

        "Don't worry about that. I have plenty of things you can wear." She smiled, her eyes filled with hope. She reminded me of a child waiting for their parents to say they can go and get ice cream. How am I supposed to say no to someone like this?

         I didn't really know how to handle her. I didn't know what to expect from her which was unnerving for me. I liked being in control. I liked knowing what I was getting into but with Nyan, I couldn't tell. She and her friends were a riddle. A maze. A mystery. Which made me all the more interested.

       "Okay." I sighed, wondering what the hell I had just done. I had wanted to ask her about her friends. The Devara. But I couldn't find any questions to ask without sounding weird.

"Great!" She unexpectedly wrapped her arms around me in an airtight bear hug. My arms hung loosely at my sides not knowing how to accept her affection. "We're going to have so much fun, Ryn." She pulled away taking a few steps towards the door. "I'll see you after classes and we'll pick a dress for you to wear tomorrow, okay?"

       I smiled. "Okay."

       She walked out of the door.

       I let out the breath I had been holding.

***

      More weeks had passed and nothing bad had happened. I was more comfortable now, the anxiety was at ease and I had formed a shell around myself. People didn't approach me. I think they got the memo that I was more of a lone wolf. Or they just genuinely didn't see me. I was just as invisible here as I was at my old school. I was okay with it, or at least I told myself I was, a part of me wanted people to notice me, but what would even be the point? There's not much to notice about me anyway.

       I was sitting down at lunch picking at my salad. Tandy and Mo sat with me along with a couple of their friends. You know those friends you only acknowledge at school? The ones you laugh with in class and talk meaningless drama with at lunch, but then after school, you cease to exist to one another? That was kind of like them.

        Nyan and her friends walked in then. I never called them The Devara. It felt ... weird. Nobody stopped to watch them anymore as they did on the first day. Most of everyone just ignored them, but not me. My eyes followed them every time they strolled Into the dining hall. I tried not to but I couldn't help myself. They were like a puzzle waiting to be cracked. And I've always loved puzzles. I liked pushing the limits of my brain and I liked it when I finally solved the puzzle, I liked that feeling of pride that boomed through me every time.

        Instead of just walking straight to their table, in the back, one of them stopped. Nyan. And she turned towards me.

Oh my God. I glanced around already seeing everyone's gazes directed at me as Nyan finally reached where I was sitting. What was she doing? She had never done this before.

"Hey, Ryn!" she grinned down at me. Her white-blonde hair was styled half up and half down making her look like a princess.

          "Hey," I muttered, trying hard not to focus on the fact that every single eye in the cafeteria was on me.

Nyan either didn't notice or ignored it altogether, she was most likely used to the attention. She peered at the rest of our table, her grin never faltering. "Do you mind if I steal Ryn away for a second?"

         Oh, God. What was she doing? Nervousness rushed through my insides grabbing at my chest in panic. Everyone was staring. At me.

        "No," Tandy rushed out quickly.

"Yeah, we don't mind at all, go ahead," Mo finished her sentence, her face paling in awe.

        Nyan turned back to me. "Do you want to come sit with me and my friends?"

        I blanked, not realizing what I was saying. "Uh, sure." What is wrong with me? Why would I say that? I can't sit with her friends. At least not now.  I'll make a fool of myself.

        I slowly got up, picking up my tray, and trailing closely behind Nyan, regret sinking into me like a weight on my shoulders. Why do I say stupid things? My heart hammered tremendously in my chest so much I thought it was going to jump out. Why was I so nervous?

       Nyan put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't be afraid," she whispered, her voice smooth.

Warmth spread through my body as my heartbeat all of the sudden began to slow. An overwhelming amount of calmness flowed through me. I felt okay, fine, actually. Almost like I could do anything. Her words somehow actually helped.

       Wait. I shook it off, quickly feeling my stomach swirl once again. Brushing off the weird feeling in my chest I froze as we reached the back table.

They all gazed up at us, well at me.

Kaida's fierce stare caught my attention first. "Nyan, what are you doing?" The girl with amber eyes and a snarl growled at Nyan. Her uniform was red and gold. From what I've heard, The Devara got special treatment, such as choosing their uniform style.

        "I'm inviting my friend to have lunch with me? Is there something wrong with that Kaida?" Nyan stuck her chin out, stubbornly as if telling Kaida to test her.

       Kaida smiled but it was forced and filled with bitterness. "Nope, go ahead."

Nyan took a seat next to Octavious and I slowly slid in next to her.

       "Don't be scared, Ryn, we don't bite," Ocatvious said to me with a gentle smile on his face. His golden-brown eyes glowed in the sunlight like honey. I was jealous of how beautiful he was, how beautiful they all were.

Everson seemed amused by his comment. "Speak for yourself, I would gladly bite-"

       Nyan gasped, cutting him off. "You are such a-"

"Charming, handsome, sexy, intelligent man?"

"-perve!"

      Everson looked genuinely offended by her statement, his jaw slacking to the floor. "I am not-"

       "Guys can we not do this? Did you forget we have company?" The girl that was sitting next to Bash embarrassingly asked. Not so discreetly nudging her head towards where I sat.

      I had been refraining from looking at him. Every time I did it was usually difficult for me to stop. My eyes were drawn to him, stupid, I know, considering I've only spoken to him once but I couldn't help it. He was just so ... gorgeous. Ugh. I wanted to hit myself for even thinking about it.

   I observed them as I always did with everyone. I found myself smiling. They were totally normal. Nothing like the kids at this school described them to be. And although they looked intimidating as hell and had the face's of greek gods, They were just goofy kids.

       "She doesn't mind, look, she's smiling," Everson pointed out, making everyone's eyes turn to me once again. I felt heat rise to my cheeks. I swallowed down the anxiety clawing its way up my throat.

      "She's smiling because she's terrified!" the girl growled at Everson then turned to me putting on a bright smile. "Hi, I'm Mara."

I cleared my throat. "I'm Ryn."

       "I know Nyan's been talking about you."

"Oh?" I peered over to Nyan with questioning brows.

A flush spread across her cheeks. "In a totally platonic way! I have a boyfriend!" She seemed to wrap her arm more tightly around Octavious, who still had a playful grin on his face.

      "I'm sure Avaryn would like that, though, considering she admitted to lusting after Mara to me a few weeks ago," Bash spoke finally, grin on his face, looking straight into my eyes. He lounged lazily against the wall as if he couldn't care less about anything or anyone, although I had a feeling he meant to look like that, in reality, he was hyper-aware of everything around him. As if prepared. I could tell from the stiffness in the way he leaned against the wall and the fact his fingers were aimlessly drumming against his thigh. I finally looked back into his gaze.

       His emerald green ones were different than they were before. He was no longer a cocky asshole, there was something much crueler in his eyes, almost as if he were personally trying to embarrass me.

My jaw practically fell to the floor. I ... I can't believe that just happened. My face heated and I quickly looked at Mara. "I ..."

She had a bashful smile on her face as heat rose to her cheeks. "I'm flattered, Ryn, although I am taken."

I felt a sudden wave of anger burn through me. It was as unfamiliar as these people. I wasn't going to just let him embarrass me, was I? "Well, that's sad, isn't it? Considering who your boyfriend is?" I shot back directly at him.

       "Ohhh," Everson said, a pleasing shock embroidered on his face. "She burned you, mate."

       "Burned? What does that even mean? You sound like a twelve-year-old sometimes, Ever," Nyan cut in, rolling her eyes. I had a feeling she and Everson liked to pick on each other. They were siblings so it wasn't that big of a stretch, Finn, and I do it all the time.

       "She cant be here," a deep voice growled all of the sudden. We all turned to Bash, confused, but his sights were only set on me.

"What?" Mara whispered, her brows drawing in.

        "She needs to leave. Now," Bash calmly demanded as if he had authority over them and maybe he did.

Ouch. What the hell did I do? What was his problem?

        "Why because she defended herself against you?" Everson got serious for the first time since I had sat down at this table.

"That's not why and you know it," His voice had lowered in a way as if he didn't expect me to hear him.

        "Don't do this Bash, you promised," Nyan begged him. What did she mean by that? What was even happening? I was so confused. I looked around at all of them as they peered at Bash. So they do listen to him? Why?

They all obey him. It's so weird. Tandy's words rung through my brain. Maybe I hadn't cracked the puzzle. Maybe they weren't just goofy teens. Maybe there really was something deeper. Like a cult?

       "It's fine, I'll go." I started to grab my tray when a fragile hand grabbed mine.

"No. Don't listen to Bash-"

"Let her go Nyan," Kaida growled, glaring at where Nyan's hand was on mine. There was something about her that didn't sit right with me. I felt like she was dangerous. Maybe deadly. I know that's stupid and a childish way to think but she seemed like a bad guy. "She should leave."

        I looked around at all of them. Nyan looked guilty when she nodded her head. Everson appeared angry. Kaida was pleased. Mara looked disappointed. Octavious was quiet. Bash was calm and serious, not giving away his emotions, like a lion about to catch its prey.

       I nodded my head and got up leaving their table feeling the most confused I've ever felt in my life. Who were they? They were so strange but also not at the same time. There was something different about them and it wasn't the fact they were rich and powerful. It was something else. I could feel it. And I was going to find out what.