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How did she know? Had she seen Lucas and I?

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I TURNED OVER in bed, staring out into the empty darkness. It was well past midnight and yet I couldn't sleep. I had returned over an hour ago and Daya wasn't back yet.

I didn't want to think too much about where she could have gone. I couldn't take the smile off my face. I kept thinking about where I had been three hours ago.

It wasn't ideal that I should be thinking too much about it, but I had to admit there had to be some sort of reason why Lucas Bowne had invited me to a place he called his 'special place.'

Was it delusional to think like that?

Maybe he just wanted to talk to me about Harvest- but there surely had to be any other place he could have asked me about that and yet he chose that one.

And also, he was concerned about me. How nice.

Gosh, I was drooling.

I rolled over onto my back, a smile still plastered on my face thinking back to every moment, every look- oh I was hopeless.

And what was worse about this whole situation was the mere fact that I should be trying my best to stay away from Lucas because he was also at the center of attention with him being that good-looking, kind as well as strong, and an original five.

Thanks to him, in just one week alone I had managed to establish my presence in front of every member of the original five, all by bad luck.

I sighed my smile disappearing as I stared up at the ceiling, what the heck was I doing?

It didn't matter that he was nice or good-looking. I had to think of the safety of my family and keeping my secret. Parading around with Original Fives should not even be existent on my bucket list.

I had to be careful around him just as much as I had to be careful around Harvest. Well at least one I could get rid of but the other- I rolled my eyes in the darkness.

Speaking of the devil.

I raised my hand looking at the trinket as it shinned against the stray piece of moonlight that was shown at an angle above my bed.

Sighing, I placed it underneath my pillow staring out into the open darkness over Daya's bed that she should have occupied.

I would have to give this to him soon.

I had already removed any hopes of him finally letting me go after I did this, but I hoped he would forget about me even if it was just for a few days.

Heaven knows I needed it.

I could picture Lucas's eyes when he told me to stay away from him.

He was one of the original Five, so that meant he and Harvest had been on Kingsland for the longest time together. Could it be possible that he also knew what Harvest was capable of?

I felt uncomfortable just thinking about the subject, but even if he didn't know, I think it was incredibly obvious and just common sense that Harvest wasn't someone to mess with and Lucas was right.

I should stay away from him. But it's not like I had a choice, all this was happening because of HIM.

I sighed, pulling my covers closer to me.  I just needed a little rest-I could think about this tomorrow.

I exhaled slowly beckoning my body to rest-

Yes. Tomorrow.

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I woke up, yawning, stretching, and feeling the fresh air coming through the window. My eyes blinked open trailing around the room, noticing that Daya's bed looked the same as she had left it yesterday indicating she hadn't come back to our room last night.

My eyebrows creased as I glanced at the window, a fresh gust of wind blowing in.

I could have sworn I had closed it last night.

Sighing, I moved to the window glancing down and spotting students walking freely around not dressed in their uniforms.

I frowned, looking at the time- wow, I had already missed breakfast.

I spun around at the sound of a knock, walked toward the door, and slowly opened it. Claire stood there already ready to go.

She frowned when she looked at me, "aren't you going for breakfast?" she asked.

My eyebrows creased looking at my watch, breakfast was at 6 and this was already 9:10.

"Breakfast on Saturdays starts at 8, and ends at 9:30," Claire informed with a sharp smile before walking into the room.

I was relieved to hear that because frankly I was quite hungry myself, those marshmallows did nothing for me. I turned to my wardrobe taking out a floral printed dress-

"Another mysterious night out huh?" Claire asked.

I froze, staring blankly into my wardrobe for a moment.

How did she know?

Had she seen Lucas and I?

I robotically turned back to Claire who was looking directly at me with folded arms. My mouth hangs open racking my brain for some sort of excuse.

"I saw her last night by the bonfire, she looked like she was going somewhere," she added with a slight huff-

My eyebrows furrowed at this and Claire looked at me quizzically.

"Your roommate? The Queen of Kingsland herself, she didn't sleep here again right?" she asked.

My mouth formed an O, before nodding- taking out the dress from the wardrobe.

That was close.

Claire sat down on the desk, tapping her fingers across the surface with a slight huff as I quickly changed.

"Sorry you had to come back here alone last night," she called over her shoulder.

I glanced over at her momentarily while I zipped up my dress. That wasn't exactly true, I mean Lucas walked me to my door. He was such a gentleman. Last night had been nothing but a dream.

I froze at this thought shaking my head, folding my pj's, and putting them in. I had to stop thinking this way, this stupid crush would only get worse.

"But if it's any consolation, I suffered last night trapped in the middle of David and Lira. Ugh," she shook her head exaggerating a shiver and I chuckled at this reaction, "stuck between two blues is a fate worse than death, believe me. They kept talking about molecular density and stuff like that, and wouldn't allow me to leave either but I guess it was for a good cause. I may have gotten lost in the maze," she shook her head again leaning forward, her tone sounded stressed, "and I must say,  you're way smarter than me and really brave to go through there alone and find your way out, " she added, turning to face me giving me a thumbs up when she saw my dress, " it's pretty," she added, "floral looks good on you."

I smiled at this, looking down at the print. When I looked at Claire she looked back up at me.

"But your hair a mess-" she trailed off, "You haven't taken a shower yet have you?" she asked, folding her arms.

Well, I was going to after breakfast. I was just so hungry and if we didn't get it quickly we would miss breakfast.

She sighed, "Just do a quick bun so WE can get some buns for breakfast, and then you can take a shower," she huffed.

I smiled at the wordplay quickly doing my hair before walking out of the room with Claire.

-----------------------------

I hummed softly to myself as I did a final rinse. Coming out of the shower I wrapped a towel around me frowning at the tiny size, looking down at my exposed legs for one trifling moment before deciding there was nothing I could do about it, opting to walk out feeling fresh.

It was always the most frustrating thing about taking a shower, wearing this handkerchief of a towel.

Ugh, stupid towel, I missed my own back home. Even an ekusi wrapper would do.

Nearing the hallway to my room, repeatedly tugging at the towel, whilst holding it up with one hand just in case it would fall, I ignored the stares of girls who scoffed as I walked past.

It was a natural occurrence.

Every time I walked out of the shower, someone was always scoffing at the way I handled myself, but I tried not to care as much keeping my brain focused on one thing.

Not dropping the freaking towel in public.

Turning another corner, I spotted Daya down the end of the hallway standing outside our room door seemingly conversing with someone. I kept walking drawing closer to her eyebrows creasing trying to see who she was with, and then I suddenly froze when I spotted a dark coat, the person raising his head looking right up at me, keeping our eyes locked.

I froze like a deer in headlights, my sponge still swinging from my hand as I stared up at him. My other hand was firmly around my towel to stop it from dropping.

His gaze was haunting yet stagnant, watching me like I was some sort of felon.

Daya seemed to notice this, momentarily glancing over her shoulder at me, still in the dress she had worn last, rolling her eyes before looking back at Harvest whose gaze had returned to her allowing me to breathe once again.

I thought I had trained myself to withstand his gaze but nope.

I felt overwhelmed standing awkwardly there a safe distance away from the two of them feeling so very exposed especially in this tiny towel I so-SO VERY MUCH despised.

Where were my morals? Oh, Zali would kill me if she had ever known I showed myself in front of a guy like this. Water was still dripping down my skin as well as the tips of my undone hair.

I didn't want to move, standing there with my fists clenched.

Harvest nodded at something Daya said before looking my way down the hallway and starting his walk toward me. My heartbeat roughly within me with every step, his hands in his coat, eyes straight ahead drawing nearer and nearer, and then- casually walked past me like he hadn't seen me at all, Daya watching him leave with a smile.

My heart had been beating wildly as he approached but now some of its bewilderment was dying down slowly as I turned back to look at Daya who proceeded to enter the room.

I breathed out, shoulders relaxing, when an abrupt force took hold of my body for a second, his voice a sturdy command in my head, a shadowy mix that spread goosebumps on my skin.

"Get me my pendant."

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