"So why are you leaving?" Lizzie asked over the sound of their feet crunching gravel. The air was thick, and she could tell it was going to rain soon.

Landon fell into step beside her. "I don't really belong here." He shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I did, you know, back when I was a phoenix - don't ask - and back when I was seventeen and back when I was dating Hope."

"Don't you still have friends back there?" Lizzie scoffed.

Landon shook his head. "I used to have my brother but …"

Lizzie stopped, lips parting. "Your brother …"

The ascendant! How had Lizzie forgotten what she was going to do? Get the ascendant, make sure Rafael was there, astral project Hope so she could say her goodbyes - the plan! It was too late for that now. Hope would never trust her with a prison world and impossible promises. 

"Yeah. He died a while ago … some really messed up magic, actually." Landon sighed and looked off towards the road. "You have any siblings?"

"One, but … she's not really herself at the moment." Lizzie watched as Landon sat on the bench. He looked like he wanted to ask, but Lizzie cut him off. "And I don't talk about her."

"Alright." Landon nodded and patted the spot next to him. "Sit. The bus won't be here for a few more minutes."

Lizzie reluctantly sat, the cold of the bench biting through her pants. A shiver ran up her spine.

"Cold?" Landon was already taking off his jacket before she could look up.

"Oh, no, I -" It was already in her hands. She looked down at it for a moment before she pulled it on. It was warmer than she'd thought and smelled nicer than she cared to admit. 

"I heard …" Landon started quietly. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I heard the stuff Josie was saying about you."

Lizzie took a big breath, ready to snap at him, but his voice came out too soft.

"I don't think it's true."

Lizzie looked over, eyes wide in the dark, almost teary. Her words were barely a whisper. "What if it is?"

Landon shook his head decisively. "It's not. There's never more than half a truth to Josie and her squad's gossip."

Lizzie could only nod along half-heartedly. She hadn't heard the rumors herself, but she was sure there was more than half a truth to them. Josie didn't exactly have to stretch much to make it seem bad.

"That's not why you're leaving ... is it?"

Lizzie pressed her lips into a flat line, looking away. Of course when he said it like that it sounded so stupid. She sounded so stupid.

"No," Landon breathed, like he didn't believe it.

"I just - this was my chance to start over," Lizzie said honestly. She leaned her head back against the glass. "Sucks to have it ruined in a day."

"Your chance isn't ruined. I mean, come on. There are going to be bullies no matter where you go. You can't run away from them."

Lizzie laughed humorlessly. "You really suck at pep talks, you know that?"

"What I mean is, Josie or Penelope or anyone else - they don't get to ruin it for you. You still get to start over."

"Easier said than done."

"I know." Landon sighed and stood up as the bus got closer. "But it sounds to me like you're not running from the school anyways."

"Maybe I'm running from you," Lizzie quipped. 

Landon skipped right over her sarcastic response. "No, you're running from yourself." He smirked with all the confidence of someone who hadn't even graduated high school, much less with a psychology degree.

Lizzie jumped to her feet, crossing her arms. Like he was one to talk. "And you're not?"

"Maybe I am." Landon raised his eyebrows and threw his arms out. It had started to drizzle and the rain hit his bare arms. "So maybe we both go back."

Lizzie shook her head at him, trying not to smile, and gripped his jacket tighter around her. The bus was in sight on the long road.

"Oh, come on. I'll go back if you go back." The rain was plastering his dark curls to his forehead now. Lizzie stood dry under the bus stop's canopy. "You can get on that bus, or you can come back to school with me and we can face the horrors of high school bullies and childhood trauma and magical foes together."

"You're so dramatic." A hint of a smile was popping out as she rolled her eyes. 

"What do you say?" Landon stuck out his hand, illuminated by the bus' headlights, waiting for Lizzie to take it.

"I say, stop being so extra." But Lizzie reached out and took his hand anyway, letting him pull her across the road in front of the bus, her bag bouncing off her legs.

She grinned as Landon broke into a run, still never letting go of her hand. Her shrieks echoed off the trees as their shoes kicked up puddles, but their clothes were already soaked.

"That was fun," Landon said when they reached the front porch, breathless and dripping wet. He shook his head, water flying everywhere.

"I need a hot shower." Lizzie groaned, ignoring his charm and opening the front door.

"Ah! See? They don't have those on a bus." 

Lizzie was halfway down the hall. "You're ridiculous."

"I'll see you tomorrow too!"