--tam song--

If it weren't for my sister, Linh Song, I wouldn't be where I am now.

In two ways. Figuratively, referring to my mental state and the fact I would have died curled up inside a little ball if she wasn't in my life by now. Literally, because if it weren't for Linh, I would've been inside a little cocoon of blankets listening to the loudest music I possibly could.

Linh wanted to go to this one-week sleepover that Fitz and Biana- but from what I heard, mostly Biana- planned, and even though she told me repeatedly she would live without under my gaze for seven days, the thought of Linh talking and laughing with other people who weren't me and slowly being dragged away from my spotlight of protection...

Yeah, it made me get out of my cocoon of blankets to take the longest, most cleansing shower possible.

I wasn't mad at Linh for hanging out with her friends. I couldn't blame her, especially when I caught the looks Linh gave Marella when she smirked, laughed, made a joke...or anything else she did. Pretty sure Marella could wait in the forest for a tree to fall and Linh would still give her the most fascinated, enthralled, wide-eyed stare she could muster- like she was watching the goddess of love rise out of the sea.

And Marella seemed like a good person. Sure, she got on my nerves sometimes, but everyone did.

Especially one...

Keefe and I were friends now, after a lot of pestering and persuading on his side. I gave in, mostly because I wanted him to stop bothering me so much. And because I wanted to see his satisfied smirk when he finally got to me.

Alright, maybe there was more than one reason I was hiking up the trail to Everglen right now.

Linh was in front of me, humming a tune to one of the songs she likes. (What was it called? Nighttime Love? By Girl in Black?) Her silver hair swished side to side as she moved excitedly up the path, light blue suitcase in hand that contrasted my black one, pausing her humming to mutter something about blue eyes and spicy food.

"Aren't you excited?" Linh squealed. I shrugged and she turned around to give me a frown.

"Hey, Tammy, I'm sure you'll have tons of fun. Promise," she said earnestly. By now we had reached the massive amethyst door with platinum handles. Linh knocked in an upbeat melody, drumming her fingers against the door as she started to hum again.

The sound of someone in heels scurrying to get the door drew closer until the door was opened with none other than Biana Amberly Vacker. One of my best friends, and the girl I would probably have a crush on if I didn't think dating girls was a waste of time. Never mind: dating ANYONE is a total waste of time. I don't change what your pronouns are, just stop smirking and winking at me with ice-blue eyes the color of the winter of any non-traumatized teenager's childhood.

What do you know- I spaced out. Again.

"-desperate to please a certain someone, are we, Linh?" Biana teased. Linh blushed a reddish pink the color of a million sunsets.

"Let's just go inside," I sighed. Biana rolled her eyes but opened the door further to let me and Linh inside. Linh mouthed a silent thank you to me as Biana turned her back to us to close the door.

"Who's here already?" I asked. Biana waved to a slightly sad-looking Sophie in the corner, who fortunately perked up a little the moment Biana gestured her over. Sophie bounced over to us, waving at me and Linh hesitantly.

I'm not trying to say I'm an expert at reading the room, but I know a why are they here please go away look when I see one.

"Umm, are we interrupting something?" I asked. Sophie flinched and the faintest of a crimson blush appeared around Biana's ears.

"No, we're fine," Biana assured. Sophie hung her head like a sad puppy, receiving a glance of sympathy from Linh. I decided to not dig the four of us into a deeper hole of awkwardness than I already had.

"So, we're here for some kind of sleepover?"

Biana grinned, eager to change the subject. "You'll see. Dex, Marella, and Keefe are a little la- wait, there they are!"

The trio of elves walked- fashionably late- up to the door. Marella with her trademark inquisitive but casual smile, no teeth shown, waved to my sister with the hand that wasn't dragging two backpacks (one a dark green, the other a bold scarlet) along. She smoothed out her polo shirt and brushed a group of fiery red strands of hair to her side. Linh was practically drooling.

Unlike Marella, Dex was focused on more than one person, but kept sneaking smiles upward to a balcony above the amethyst door. He didn't seem to have planned his outfit at all, which consisted of his work shirt stained with machine grease and scientist goggles perched on his head. He had grease splattered on his cheek, but when the sun reflected onto his burnished copper hair, he looked surprisingly good-looking considering he didn't really try.

And to Dex's left...golden blonde hair, that smirk, frozen blue eyes that were like blocks of ice that sparkled with sunshine but trapped frozen secrets underneath the layers of snow. Keefe Sencen.

You're friends with him now, I told myself as he winked at me. Nothing to be angry at.

The hot, fiery ball of annoyance ignited in my heart anyway, no matter what I did.

Snapping me out of my thoughts, Biana yelped with disgust. Apparently, she wasn't as impressed with Dex's choice of clothing as I, and probably her brother, was.

"Seriously, Dex? I think this is the worst one yet," Biana scoffed. Dex grinned sheepishly.

"I, um, slept in? I didn't get much sleep last night," Dex apologized, pulling the scientist goggles off his head. Biana sighed.

"Alright, when I come back, I have some news for you all," Biana announced to the group, dragging a slightly befuddled Dex by the elbow up the stairs.