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"I found the tracker!" Marie shouts as we all roam around outside looking for Emma and Sam, stopping at this giant indent in the ground.

"Thank God." I groan quietly to myself.

"You didn't even do anything." Jordan mutters as they pass me.

I narrow my eyes at the back of their head. I take back anything I thought about them earlier, that was the alcohol talking, fuck them.

"There's blood on it." Marie whispers.

She turns around and Andre is right next to her, grabbing it to take a look.

"Maybe this is good." He says. "She... she got out of the hellhole."

"It looks like a meteor crashed here." Marie looks around freaked out.

"Maybe Sam can jump like Maeve does?" Andre suggests turning to me.

I hold my hands up. "Don't look at me. He never did anything like this when we were kids."

"He landed here with Emma and then jumped again." He continues his guess. Sounds promising.

"What were you thinking?" Marie asks defeatedly.

"We had to do something." Andre tells her.

"Yeah, but... you didn't do anything." She shoots back. Uh-uh. "And of all people you went to Emma?"

"Oh, hell no." I step forward. "The fuck have you done this week other than soak up the lap luxury of becoming everyone's new favorite pet." I snap, my brain at it's boiling point. "My brother was trapped in there, being fucking tortured, so excuse us for wanting to do something that your friend entirely agreed to do." I finish, crossing my arms.

Marie looks up at me, stunned as she gulps, wisely not saying anything else.

My phone buzzes against my body as everyone else's chimes or vibrates as well. Ugh, what now?!

"What is it?" Marie asks softly.

"New rankings are out." Jordan answers, having practically dived to grab their phone out of their pocket. "Iliana's number one, Andre's number number two, you're three." They scroll. "And I'm still five." Jordan's tone full of salt and spite. They turn to me. "Wow. Congrats, princess."

I roll my eyes.

Andre looks up at them. "Rankings? Really?" He steps closer. "We got bigger fucking problems."

"Says number two." Jordan strolls down to him.

I let out a chuckle. "Yeah, well, maybe if you'd focus your big dick energy on yourself rather than me you'd actually be number one. Or maybe even two." I smirk at them, watching their tough-act demeanor crumble in a matter of seconds behind their eyes as they stare at me, my words hitting them like bullets.

It was satisfying to watch.

It was nice to finally give Jordan fucking Li a taste of the harassment they've shoved up my ass all week.

They clear their throat, ripping their gaze away from me back to Andre. "You're right, we do have bigger problems. Turns out the school has a fucking Mengele Health Clinic." They snap. "We don't know who's in on it. If... if Brink was," OF COURSE HE WAS?! "Maybe other professors, maybe Dean Shetty. But you guys are gonna get a green van and a talking dog and fucking solve it?"

They laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. I would too. It's either laugh or cry... really not much else to fucking do anymore.

"You're just gonna end up like that fucking cricket." They finish.

"Awww, don't tell me you actually care what happens to any of us." I sneer towards them, stepping back around them to Magnet.

"Emma." Marie snaps. "The lost girl who's in deep shit?" She points to me. "Who thought you were just so fucking cool?" The fuck did I do? "Her name is Emma." She corrects.

"Jordan's right." Cate speaks up. Jesus- I actually forgot she was here for a moment, not getting on to me, and Andre, for our dumb decisions.

I sigh, turning to her.

"Fucking thank you." Jordan rushes out, glancing at me one last time they shake their head before walking off. I grind my teeth together.

Cate walks down into the hole to follow them. "Wherever Emma is, it's not here." No shit.

"Cate, come on." Andre says causing her to spin around.

"I told you two not to do anything stupid." She looks between us. "Why don't you even fuckin' listen to..." Andre sighs and I look down to the ground as she trails off, taking a second to regroup. "This girl could be dead, Andre, Illie. We are in over our heads."

I throw my head back with a loud groan.

"Come on." Andre wraps his arm around my shoulder and I lean into him, not having much energy to walk anymore. We leave Marie in the hole and drag ourselves back to campus as my head spins.

Sam made it out... He made it out.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Andre asks.

I nod slowly. "Yeah." I bite the inside of my cheek. "I'll be okay."

His face softens. "I can stay with you, or you can come to mine." He offers. I don't wanna be alone....

"Will you?" I take a deep breath.

"Of course." He looks serious as ever. I limply hand him my keys and he lets us in. "You don't have to do everything on your own now, Goldie." He says after we step inside and I kick off my uncomfortable heels. "I'm not going anywhere."

I bite my lip hard, not wanting to end the night in tears.

"I know." My voice comes out hoarse. I just want this night to be over.

"Good." He nods. "I wanted you to hear it." He takes off his suit jacket. "Wanna smoke this after I shower?" He holds up a blunt as he turns back to me.

"Hell yeah." My eyes shine, glossing over the relief.

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Later that night, I toss and turn like a mad woman. I'm gonna lose my fucking mind. Usually, being stoned sends me to sleep quicker, but not tonight.

No. Tonight all I can seem to think about is a certain bigender Asian spitting their words at me for still being number one.

I don't want it. God, I don't want it.

They use to not be like this, this ranking obsessed annoying thorn in my side, and brain, that won't seem to go away....

But you don't know them anymore, Iliana, I have to remind myself as I begin to drift off to sleep. They are not the same Jordan Li you left behind Sophomore year.

They're not your Jordan anymore.. And it's all my fault, my doing.

And that's what hurts the most....

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𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽 sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

Heyyyy <3

I know it's only been almost 2 weeks, but I missed this book & Iliana sm already lmao. SO y'all know I had to update for the special occasion today, which is....

HAPPY MF BIRTHDAY TO DEREK LUH <3333 Aka one half of our Jordan Li!!! My man, my man, my man, mhmmm. Although it is pretty ironic that this scene of the show was London as Jordan and not Derek, but we're just gonna ignore that... hahaha.

Anywayssss, hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!! Iliana's thoughts about Jordan as she falls sleep will in fact keep me up at night :(

Like ugh, just kiss and make up already... (I say as if I'm not the write...) Anywaysss, hehe, see y'all in 1 week, NEXT MONDAY, for the rest of episode 4 chapters to celebrate the 6 month anniversary of Golden Facade!! See you then, mauh!