Third Person Point Of View

"Hey!" Beck called out with a tone of effervesence, frantically waving his hand.

He jogged over to a stone wall across the field where his Italian partner sat. It was Monday morning on the John Roberts college campus, the chilling bite of late Novemeber not kind to the skin. He was bundled in a thick, cranbery colored flannel, complimenting the scarlet freckles on his face, and black jeans.

Catching his breath, Beck slid himself on the stone wall and released his heavy backpack.

"What's up, man? I'm Beck," He lightly panted and extended a fist bump out. "Professor Saralucci assigned us as partners for the Italian midterm. Sorry I'm a little late, my math professor talked to me after class."

Nate peered up, glaring at Beck's extended fist and not meeting it with the anticipated bro-bump. He, instead, sat in forlorned quietness.

"Uh, Nate, right?" Beck titled his head, slowly lowering his fist.

Nate simply stared at Beck through his long overgrown bangs.

"Probably due for a haircut, eh?" Beck poked fun, nudging Nate's arm.

Nate blinked silently. Beck cleared his throat awkwardly, assuming Nate was one of the goth, quiet kids, quite different than Beck's vibe.

"Did you have an okay ThanksGiving?" Beck attempted once again to be friendly.

"Assignment seven is due Thursday and goes over conjugates and adverbs," Nate shuffled his notes, completely disregarding Beck's friendliness. "I can take the first three pages while you take the last one."

"Hey, are you sure, man? That's a lot of work for you," Beck sympathized. "We should divide evenly, two and two."

"It's nothing," Nate mumbled under his breath, barely acknowledging him.

"I mean...okay, I guess. I have a B- in the class so I'm doing so so, maybe it would be best if I just did a page. Should I take down your number?"

Meanwhile, walking by was Aurora, who almost had to pinch herself to verify she saw Nate and Beck sitting with each other. After last nights traumatic day and her interactions with Nate, she didn't want to see him again. She was mortified, not only to be spanked with a belt but for Nate seeing her being spanked and verbally assaulted. Their silent car ride over had been awkward , her face blushed remembering it. She kept asking Nate what was wrong, he wouldn't answer. Though she knew what was wrong, she felt like he was holding something else back.

Aurora didn't see Nate around campus besides when they got out of his car in the morning, let alone see him with Beck. What was happening?

"Hey!" Beck called, waving. He had missed her over the ThanksGiving weekend.

Truthfully, Aurora had forgotten about him, so wrapped up in other things. Seeing Beck again made her heart race in blissful anticipation, her crush back in full swing.

"Oh, hi..." Aurora didn't want to be noticed, but now it was a lost cause. She didn't need anyone in Arlan's world to know she had a male friend. But it was too late.

Making her way over, she uncomfortably, but warmly, waved at the two boys.

"Nate, Beck," She smiled.

"Oh, shit, you guys know each other?" Beck turned to Nate, amused by this.

Aurora's face seemed to pale.

"No," Aurora quickly said, shaking her head. "U-uh, it's written on top of his notebook, I just didn't want to be rude," She quickly muttered. "Nice to meet you," She waved to Nate, pretending not to know him.

Nate gave a purse-lipped smile and nodded his head at her. Aurora returned an equally forced smile.

"Well, I don't wanna interrupt you guys."

"But I'll see you at lunch?" Beck questioned, eyebrows raised and warm, chocolate eyes looking hopeful.

Those eyes made her belly stir with butterflies, the same she felt the day she saw him for the first time. It had only been a weekend, but it felt like centuries since she'd seen him and she missed her friendly lion. He ignited something in her that she just couldn't fight, and she couldn't wait to tell him all about seeing Dacie.

"Looking forward to it," She smiled and nodded in agreement, before parting ways.

Pushing open the nearby library doors, Aurora exhaled and shook her head. She didn't know the two even had a class together and the two world's colliding was strange and uncomfortable. She wondered if they were friends and partnered up purposefully or the teacher assigned them.

It made her nervous, as Beck might tell Nate of his friendship with Aurora. But Aurora wasn't completely worried, she had built a strong foundation of trust in Nate. Nate had truly turned a new leaf and they two had become sincere friends. He looked out for Aurora. She trusted he wouldn't tell Arlan she was friends with Beck.

"Aurora," Santiago warmly smiled, meeting her at the entrance wearing a smooth, cobalt blazer and slacks. "I trust you had a fun, very meatless Thanksgiving," He winked.

Aurora giggled. "Actually, there was a turkey, but I didn't eat it."

"Ah, well I'm sure you had enough other good stuff to eat," He beckoned her and they walked to their usual study spot.

"What about you, did you celebrate?" Aurora inquired sweetly.

"I, uh, was wrapped up in other things," Santiago shrugged a shoulder. The two comfortably settled down at their usual study table, outpouring textbooks and notes onto the small table.

"So, as you know, your exam is Wednesday. How freaked out are you feeling?" He poked fun at her light heartedly.

"Uh, on a scale of spilled milk on the kitchen floor to child lost his mom in the grocery store, I'd go with the latter."

Santiago chuckled softly, rubbing his stubble with his nails and cracking open a textbook to their current chapter.

"You've got this," He reassured, softly flipping through the pages. "Oh, by the way," Santiago began casually, lifting her lavender bottle and placing it on the table. "You left this here with me last time, I hung onto it for you. I know I mentioned I wanted a cute little bottle, but I think you should keep this one," He joked.

Aurora pealed with giggles, softly taking her bottle from him.

"Thank you so much, sorry this keeps happening. At this point, it's, like, fate for it to end up with you."

"I took the liberty of filling it by the fountain before we met, hence why it's cold."

Her small hands went to unscrewing the bottle, and his eyes lit up. He nonchalantly peered down to the textbook and absentmindedly flipped through some pages softly.

"Can I ask you something?"

Santiago gripped the textbook but softly peered up to find her wide, ice blue eyes matching his glance. He wasn't sure what this question would be and just hoped it wasn't anything alluding to his true identity. He grew nervous, he always grew nervous easily but was just good at hiding it.

"Sure," He comfortably answered.

Aurora's cherry tongue swiped the pout of her bottom lip briefly before she took her lip between her teeth.

"When you take tests...how do you stay calm and collected? How do you focus without freaking out? I-I mean, you've taught me so much, I've learned a lot, b-but I just feel like I'm gonna panic and forget it all. How do I not do that?"

"Easy," Santiago folded the page and closed the book. "Just pretend you've already passed."

Her forhead scrunched slightly as her head tilted.

"Pretend...I've already passed?"

"Yes, pretend you already know you've passed. Start the exam with that confidence. You know future Aurora got an A, because she worked hard and knew the material; Any less of a mindset will lead you to fail."

"I guess I never thought of that perspective," She pondered.

"You have to go into every operation-I mean, test," He clarified, saving face, "like you've already passed, confidently. Act like you've already accomplished what you want to. If you don't believe in yourself, you'll take the test accordingly and do poorly. Now, I say we hit the books instead of dwell on our anxious thoughts, eh?" He winked.

Aurora gave a sympathetic half-smile in agreeance.

"Right," She vigorously nodded, opening her own textbook.

After a few hours of studying, Aurora's brain felt fried and exhaustion had her shoulders tensed and hunched. The two wrapped their session with a sweet goodbye and Aurora was relieved to be getting a lunch break. After gathering her belongings and exiting the library, she greedily inhaled the sharp, sweet Autumn air that brought in scents of maple wood and crunchy leaves. Aurora loved Fall, something about the season made the air feel most clean and smell so ripe. It brought her so much peace and bliss. She approached Hadley by the outdoor cafeteria tables.

"Hey! Happy day after Thanksgiving. Do I look fat?" Hadley looked down at her vibrant green sundress.

"Uh, no?" Aurora replied, confused.

Hadley frowned, peering down at herself.

"Damn it. Should've eaten more pie. Anyway, what time are you coming over on Friday so we can get ready for the Fall Back together?" She took Aurora's elbow and lead them to a wooden table and Aurora tripped a bit catching up.

Aurora sat herself across from her friend who passed her a tray full of grilled cheese and kiwi slices.

"The Fall Back?" Aurora repeated.

"Gosh, you really are out of the loop. It's a fall event dedicated to dressing up as a decade from the past. Like a throwback...a Fall back...okay, whatever. I'm definitely doing the sixties. You should too, we could match."

"I can't even think about that, Had, I've got this huge exam Wednesday. I'm freaking out."

"Yeah well that's tomorrow, the Fallbacks on friday, and you deserve to go! You're gonna be totally fine A, I promise. You've been working so hard. Now are you gonna dress up like a hippie stoner with me or what??"

"That's dressing up for you?" Aurora poked and Hadley's mouth fell open as she chuckled at her friend's audacity.

"Hey, I'll have you know I haven't smoked in...two days."

Aurora retrieved a pen from her backpack and clicked it, quickly scribing on it and passing it to her friend.

"Kid...?" Hadley's head tilted.

"I'm only kidding," Aurora clarified, giggling. She let out a low sigh, running a hand through her hair. "I think it could be fun, I want to go. I just need to make sure I get a good grade, or I might not even be allowed to. My professor told me,"-

"Hey guys," Beck's honey-soothing voice rasped as he approached the table, causing Aurora to shut up and look up. Only what she saw made her skin crawl and turn a pale shade of white.

Peyton was with him.

Her thick, glossy black hair was in two cute pigtails. A green crop top revealing a blue gem belly button ring adorned her, with an acid wash denim mini skirt and knee high black boots. She was confident in her body and Aurora wished she could dress the same. As well as Beck's burgundy flannel on her, the sleeves drooping well over her hands in its oversized fit. Aurora's heart squeezed with jealousy and dropped to the pit of her stomach.

"Cool if Peyton joins?" Beck asked, looking smugly to his friend. Peyton's little button nose scrunched as she giggled quietly.

"Sure," Hadley scooted over which made room for her twin and Peyton.

Why, Hadley?! Aurora thought to herself.

Peyton and Beck settled in and carefully placed their lunch trays on the wooden table, Peyton giggling when her tray accidently bumped Beck's.

"Hi! I don't think we've met! I'm Peyton Kimiko," She extended her hand to Aurora, smile like a Disney princess.

"It's really nice to meet you," Aurora forced out, shaking Peyton's hand which was covered in Beck's soft flannel.

Aurora was never good at pretending to like people, hence why in high school she never talked to anyone. Yet, she was trying her best not to seem less than enthused at Peyton's presence.

"And then, Hadley, we obviously know each other from when I came over this weekend," Peyton's nose scrunched as she giggled and smiled at Hadley.

Aurora's stomach sank with dread at those words. What? She thought. She came over? Beck invited Peyton to their house?? Did Beck show her his piano, too? Did they cuddle with Cannoli?

Aurora's jealousy clouded her mind and she couldn't believe that Beck had lied to her. As her friend, Beck should just come clean and say Peyton and him were dating. Why keep secret about something so obvious? Did he think Aurora was naive and couldn't see what was happening? : Peyton and him spent all their time together, she was all cozy in his flannel. Even Hadley probably knew, and Hadley told Aurora everything. Why wouldn't Hadley tell her this? Aurora was beyond uncomfortable, she felt in the dark about what everyone in front of her knew, and she didn't like it.

"So, A," Beck began, smiling warmly with his chin on his palm, breaking Aurora from her thoughts. "You were gonna tell me about your ThanksGiving."

She had wanted to tell Beck and Hadley, not Peyton. She hardly knew Peyton and didn't trust people easily, so to open up about seeing Dacie in front of her didn't seem right.

Just ignore her, Aurora told herself.

"Yeah, I, uh, I saw my sister. My foster sister, she got adopted recently."

"That's great!" Beck gasped.

"Awww, tell us more, tell us more! How old is she now?" Hadley squealed.

Aurora found herself smiley largely at the twin's interest, joy seeping into her heart recalling her memories with Dacie.

"Her name's Dacie and she's seven, she's so grown up!! She lives in this beautiful house in Bel Air, and her family is so sweet, her dad's name is Denver," Aurora giggled.

"Okay, Denver, what the fuck?" Hadley's face scrunched.

"Oh shut it, Haddison," Beck poked at his sister.

"You first, Beckingham palace."

"Anyway, Aurora," Beck silenced his sister and Aurora giggled. She had missed the twin's antics. "Keep going. Tell us more."

"They cooked this beautiful dinner, it was so good! It was like my first real Thanksgiving. I don't know how regular food will suffice now."

"Oh my gosh, Beck, speaking of great food-after eating those veggie burgers from Green Gatherings, I don't know how this grilled cheese will live up," Peyton cooed. "You're just such a good cook Beck. We definitely have to stop there before we go to the Fall Back."

So he had offered Peyton his special vegetarian food too. Aurora's face fell. She couldn't take the flirting. Why wouldn't they just come out with it and say they're dating?? Them pretending they weren't an item just made things worse. She felt like she was about to cry, she was so mad and disappointed and jealous.

"You okay, Aurora?" Beck asked and suddenly Aurora looked up.

The three people in front of her stared. It was too much again. She felt like she had just overshared in front of a stranger and was interrupting Beck and Peyton's honeymoon vibes. Just quite frankly, she didn't want Peyton around her.

"I'm sorry," Aurora gathered her belongings, leaving her grilled cheese behind as she quickly paced away.

"What's her deal?" Beck asked Hadley in a murmur.

"She's just stressed over a test," Hadley explained, and once Aurora was out of ear shot, she could no longer hear the three conversating. She exhaled slowly, deciding to just focus on her test and resume back to the library.

A few hours later, a yawn stretched over Aurora's features as she hastily swiped through pages of her textbooks. Her tired, blueberry eyes panned from her notebooks to her textbooks, bath and forth. Studying for her animal studies examine successfully took her mind off of Beck. She was anxiously trying to absorb as much information as possible.

Ok, deer are the artiodactyla order, and mammalia class. But what phylum..? She asked in her mind.

She anxiously flipped through the pages to find it.

Arthropod...mollusca...bryozoa? What phylum are deer??

"Come on...come on," She bit her bottom lip, pushing her textbook aside and looking through her notebook. Flipping through the paper pages, her eyes scanned from top to bottom, seeking to find the phylum deer were in.

"Aurora," A familiar voice called and her head snapped up in attention. Nate stood before her, making her heart doubled in pace.

Again, it was extremely odd to see him at school, when she always just saw him in the estate. She didn't like the two worlds colliding, it put her mind at ease to keep them seperate. Her life being kidnapped, and her somewhat normal life at school. Not to mention the encounters between the two over the last twenty four hours held a lot of tension. She took in her strawberry flushed lip between her teeth.

"Hi Nate," She softly said.

He uncomfortably gripped his backpack strap, gulping.

"We should talk, please," He said quietly, eyes falling to all her study material, unable to hold her gaze.

His eyes held such heavy guilt. She swallowed uncomfortably. She wasn't sure how this was going to go, or what could be said about such a traumatic event for the two of them. But she felt she owed him a conversation if he wanted to acknowledge what happened.

"Okay," She quietly agreed, closing her book and setting her materials aside.

Nate dropped his black backpack to the floor and settled across from her, sighing deeply and rubbing his temples. He rubbed his jaw back and forth with his fingers, finally meeting her eyes.

"I just...I feel like I have to say something. I can't stop thinking about last night."

Aurora's face paled in pure humiliation as Nate's eyes fell from hers, and to the ground.

"I know I was completely silent during the car ride this morning, but I just didn't know what to say. I was in a state of shock. I had last night looping in my head like a record repeating itself. I have to let you know how sorry I am that he made me...watch. I was horrified, I am horrified, that he did that to you. You must feel so...degraded. It's dehumanizing. It's abusive."

Aurora's chest felt heavy and throat thick, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She had been facing all of her abuse privately and dealing with it internally. Having Nate watch it like some sort of display or show was showing him such a vulnerable side of herself that she didn't consent to.

"And I want to get you out."

Aurora's mouth fell open instinctually.

"I-I can't let you get abused like that," His tone broke as his chocolate eyes met hers, glossy with unshed tears. She had never seen Nate so broken and vulnerable in front of her and felt her own eyes well up. "I want to get both of us out. I came to you last night to tell you I was leaving, but when I saw you vulnerable like that, I couldn't leave you there alone."

"Nate," Aurora shakily exhaled, sniffling as tears leaked to the curves of her cheeks.

He came forward and gripped the table.

"We're doing it, Aurora. We're breaking from him...that...that monster," Nate shook his head. "He can't control our lives anymore."

"B-but, Nate...I'll go to..." Aurora felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked around, fearful someone was listening.

His expressions seemed confused, concerned. His eyes prompted her to continue.