"Aletta Castillo. She's going to be a tough one to crack."

"She's getting a drink."

"Then let's bombard her."

We had to walk all the way across the room to the refreshments area, and there were many greeting exchanged with Nicandro and some people while walking there.

"I think you should wait somewhere else while I'll do it." Nicandro said when we were a few meters away from her.

I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"It's something... uncomfortable." He ruffled his hair a little. Oh.

I nodded and walked to a distance where I can still hear their conversation.

"Ms Castillo." Nicandro started the ball rolling.

She's pretty. Early twenties, long blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and wearing a red dress which reveals quite little bit of cleavage.

"I thought we were on a first name basis after our last encounter, Nicandro." What does she mean by that?

"Our last encounter was about two years ago, Ms Castillo."

"I know, you're in school and being the prince of Spain while I was travelling across Europe to promote my clothing line."

"That sounds about right. We've been busy." I could see him tensing up.

"Are you busy now?" She moved closer to him and touched his arm.

"I have a date." He said through his teeth.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Her hand moved up to his collar. Suddenly my stomach felt weird.

"No, but-"

"Then you're not busy."

"I'm-we're not doing this right now. Or ever." He removed her hand from his collar.

"Then why did you come talk to me?" She asked, looking annoyed.

"I wanted to ask you for your recommendation for buyers to get some juice. Figured you're the right person to ask about these kind of things." Finally getting into the important part.

"Is this you trying to find another way to cope with your problems?"

"When we did what we did, it was under a different circumstance. I was grieving."

"So does that mean the next time you're grieving you'll come to me again?" She batted her eyelashes. Wait, have they done something? Of course they have.

"Are you going to help me? Cause if not I'm going to walk away now." There was frustration written all over his face.

"Yeah yeah whatever. I think felon is the best option, he's the king of the drug business anyway." Now I'm paying close attention.

"You've been getting your stuffs from him a long time?"

"About three years now, I'm a royal customer. But I do think he's face is like disfigured or something, he never takes off his damn mask."

"How'd you know that?"

"I've had a thing with one of his people on the top chain, he told me that. Even he doesn't know how he looks like or what's his real name." She shrugged. He doesn't even trust his own men, wow...

"Have you helped him with his deals before?"

"No and never will. I don't mix pleasure with business." Unfortunately it's not her either.

"Oh, well thanks for your recommendation." Nicandro started to walk away.

"You sure you don't want to follow me upstairs?" She walked closer to him.

"I'm sure. Goodbye, Ms Castillo." And he started walking towards the door to the garden.

She sighed and walked in the other direction. I finished my drink and followed him. I saw him sitting on a bench surrounded by bushes, looking at the ground.

"Hi." I said and sat beside him.

"I'm sorry you had to listen and watch that." He said, still not looking at me.

"We got the answers we needed, so-"

"I'm ashamed at myself for getting involved with her." He finally looked at me and I could see deep into his hazel eyes that he was ashamed.

"You don't have to explain anything to me."

"But I want to."

"If you want to... okay then."

"It happened the week of my grandmother's funeral. I was a mess that week, I could barely eat or sleep and she was also there, helping to arrange the funeral as she's one of my grandmother's closest friend's granddaughter. At that time, I was seventeen and she was twenty-one. It sort of just... happened."

"And you haven't talked to her since then."

"We've only been at three or four of the same parties together since then as she was busy travelling. I just completely avoid her."

"So if it weren't to get the information we needed, you would still have avoided her tonight?"

"Honestly, yeah. I was just so ashamed of what I did and scared that she'll pull me right under if I were to talk to her again. But I'm glad I did it tonight, end the tension once and for all."

We sat in silence, looking at the sunset with lots of chattering in the background.

"I didn't have sex with her." He suddenly blurt out.

"Oh." Is all I could say.

"We just made out like... thrice."

"But why were you so ashamed about? Everyone your age makes out with other people. Or are you ashamed that you made out with someone a few years older than you?"

"It's not that. It's because that was also my first kiss." He hasn't kissed anyone until he was seventeen...

"I did not expect that at all."

"I wanted my first kiss and my first time to be with someone special to me. I don't want to be like one of those guys who just fools around, the physical things are important to me."

I don't believe it. He's a virgin. Here I thought I was the last person around my age that's still a virgin. Even back in school when I was thirteen and fourteen, some people have already lost their virginity and Zari lost it when she was sixteen.

"You can't change what happened. And I'm sure that your first kiss with that special someone will have a whole lot more meaning to it."

"I hope so too. Now let's nail down the last person on the list." He stood up and held out his hand for me.

"Let's do it." I took his hand and we walked hand in hand back into the mansion.

"I can't see him anywhere." I said. We've been searching for him for ten minutes to no avail.

"Me neither."

"Oh wait, I see him." I tapped on his shoulder.

"Where?"

"At the front door, looks like he just arrived."

Azul Reyes. Goes to the same school as Nicandro, studying in the finance course and a year older than him. Light brown eyes, black hair, very tall, athletic. I could practically see his muscles through his suit. But surprisingly I don't see any girls checking him out.

"Stop doing that." Nicandro cleared his throat.

"Doing what?"

"Checking him out."

"I wasn't-"

"He's gay." No wonder the ladies aren't checking him out, he must have publicly came out that he's gay.

"I said I wasn't checking him out." I crossed my arms.

"Whatever, let's go talk to him." Nicandro rolled his eyes and walked towards Azul.

"Hey Nicandro, what's sup?" It didn't take long for Azul to spot Nicandro.

"Azul, I'm great. How are you?"

"My party mode got activated now I'm here. What's with the gloomy face of yours?"

Nicandro just shrugged in response. I decided I'm going have a little fun.

"Because I said you're better looking than him." I joined the conversation.

"Is that so? Thank you, what's your name?"

"Tiana." I held out my hand.

"Azul." He said and we shook hands.

"Well Tiana, I like you already."

"Likewise."

Nicandro groaned, "Are you guys ganging up on me right now?"

"Yes." We both said in unison.

"My date just ditched me for a gay man, lucky me." He said it under his breath but we both heard it.

"Okay this is an accomplishment, I just stole his royal highness's date. That should be one of the mentions on my grave." I laughed out loud at that.

"Are you guys done?" Nicandro rolled his eyes.

"Come on man, let me have my moment here."

"Your moment has passed many moments ago." Nicandro said with an emotionless face.

Azul pouted, "You're seriously no fun."

"If you want to have fun, go have some juice. I heard Marco is dealing upstairs." That was smooth on how he changed the topic without being discreet. Also, someone is selling drugs upstairs?

"That's a nice offer, but I don't juice."

"Really?" Nicandro raised his eyebrows. Even I was a little taken aback.

"Yeah, I like to have full control of my brain at all times."

"So you don't consume alcohol as well?" I questioned.

"Only on special occasions, but two glasses at tops." He shrugged.

"That was very unexpected." Nicandro said while he looked like he was analysing him.

"Cause the way I talk sounds like I'm on drugs all the time, I aware of that." The three of us laughed at that comment.

"Anyway, Tiana I'm going to ditch you now cause I've to go find my boyfriend. And Nicandro, you can have your date back."

"Good to know."

"I'm glad I was your date for even a few minutes." I chuckled.

"See ya, bye." And he walked away from us.

"It's him." I said once he's out of sight.

"I don't think so..."

I sighed, "I know he's your friend, but his answers were suspicious."

"I can tell when someone is lying, I've been practicing it my whole life. And I'm sure that he did not lie." I looked into his hazel eyes and could see that he believed that Azul is not the person.

"I don't want him to be the one either. But we've talked to all four suspects and he's the one who acts the most suspicious."

"Or maybe you've narrowed down the wrong suspects." He shoved his hands into his pockets and I could see the frustration spreading over his face.