"Funny, I thought Addington was prided on its safety." I glance over at Heather whose eyes are locked on the officers passing by. "...you're not into handcuffs are you, Blakely?"

"What is going on?"

"They're doing locker searches."

"What are they looking for?"

I sigh and glance over at her, "I suppose it's my kind heart and disdain for Jace that's compelling me to actually tell you."

"...Tell me what?"

"You're lucky I like you, Heather," I roll my eyes. "I'd get to your boyfriend's locker if I were you. You know, before the dogs do."

"Leo is in this?" Her face twists with worry over her damsel.

The second bell rings signaling that most people should be in class right now. "And it's probably too late." Heather rushes off under the facade of being tardy, so it doesn't alert the police. I turn to leave as well but stop at the sight of Audrey desperately fishing through her locker. "You're a smuggler too, then?"

"Shut up, Trevor," she snaps, and a checkbook falls onto the floor.

"I'll get it," I sigh and reach down.

"Wait-"

"Ah, William Blakely?" I flip through the pages and raise an eyebrow at her, "Huh, something's changed about you. Did you do something different with your hair?"

"I found it," she snatches the booklet away from me. "I was going to give it to Heather."

"She went that way," I point, and a look of guilt wafts over her face. "Audrey, Audrey, Audrey...I'm so disappointed."

"I haven't used that much. Besides, one report of fraud to the bank and the money is returned."

"That makes it so much better."

"You can't tell anyone."

I smirk, "Of course not."

"I mean it, Trevor."

"Well, my silence is not free."

Her eyes look me up and down. "...What do you want?"

"Your assistance."

"With?"

"You have a way with making women insecure, don't you?"

She rolls her eyes, "get to the point."

"I need you to be my girlfriend."

"Ew, no."

Rude.

"Just for my father and Vivian. We'll be happy lovers and you will break down her self-esteem."

"Who is Vivian?"

"No one, and that's what you'll tell her."

"I don't want to."

"And I don't want to make you but with all the favors I've done for you...when will I ever be repaid? Such a simple task too, just come and be yourself, that's all I'm asking."

Audrey huffs and lets it mull over in her head. She doesn't have much of a choice...

"Fine, but don't kiss me."

"Wouldn't dream of it...honey."

"What the fuck?" I glare at the fleet of cop cars and the two officers standing by the doors.

"If they put metal detectors here, their school turns into another no-good, shit, public school," Danny sighs.

"Should we go in?"

"If we leave, they'll tail us or something. Just empty your bag."

He opens the glove compartment and puts his knife, cigarettes, and a couple of joints in there.

I stopped carrying around anything that could get me in trouble on the off chance that Heather might have my stuff.

"They're going to fuck with us, aren't they?"

"No doubt," Danny gets out of the van.

We're eyed as we walk up, and I guess we do kind of stand out...should've worn the uniform, huh?

"Hold on," one of the officers puts his hand out. "Name?"

"Uh— Rylin, Leonardo." He looks down his lists of names, turning the page and then highlighting mine. "Come with me."

"Why?"

He doesn't respond, just drags me down the hall with him like I've done something wrong.

I glance over my shoulder and see that Danny was grabbed too.

Should've worn a uniform.

The cop stops to point, "Is this your locker?"

"Yeah..."

"Open it."

"For what?"

"Don't worry, officer," the dean comes up behind us. "I'll open it."

I scoff, "There's nothing in my locker!"

"Stand back." The cop pushes me.

They grab textbooks and try to shake the pages loose as if I hid something in there. I start cursing with every book removed, my stash is hidden behind them since I don't keep anything else in this fucking thing.

They get to the last book, and my eyes widen...

Oh, fuck...

There's nothing in my locker.

"See!" I huff and cross my arms.

Shit.

Goddamnit.

What the hell?

"All right, to the office," the dean directs, and the cop grabs me like I can't walk on my own.

"Get off of me," I pull away, but he snatches me up again.

You don't even know I'm guilty.

Danny is sitting outside the headmistress' office— too calm to have been caught.

"Did they find anything on you?" I whisper once I'm sat beside him.

"No. You think I'm dumb enough to stash shit here?" I am.

"What about Jordan?"

"He has ADHD and he sells Adderall."

"Listen...the stuff was in my locker but-"

"Leo," Heather cuts in.

"Hey, butterfly," I say nervously and go over to her.

"How are you in trouble? What did they find?"

"...You know?"

"That's why I looked for you," she opens her bag and shows me my stash.

"Thank God," I sigh in relief. "When did you take it?"

"Ten minutes ago, maybe? Why did you have it?"

"Heather, you can't carry this around."

"Well, I don't want to," she says frustratedly. "But it's fine, they already searched me."

The door opens behind us. "Daniel, Leonardo...come in, take a seat," Sanderson instructs.

I nod and then focus back on Heather. "I'll get it from you later, okay?" I kiss her on the forehead.

"We need to talk about this."

"Later."

"Any day now, Mr. Rylin," Sanderson says impatiently.

"Sorry, just saying 'hi' to my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Headmistress raises her eyebrows. "Well, hopefully, she'll rub off on you."

Ha.

She already does.

Evan runs up and puts his arm around my shoulders as I'm leaving. "Where are we going?"

"Home," I laugh.

"Or...guess who got their license yesterday?"

"No way. Let me see." He happily pulls the card out of his pocket. "Of course you look good in the picture, freak."

"You'll look good too."

I scoff at the falsity. "You've seen my yearbook pictures."

He laughs but tries to suppress it into a smile. "I like them."

Evan keeps looking at me, and his smile fades when he sees my neck.

Oh..right...

I cover the bruises with my jacket and stare down at the ground.

"So, did you guys do it?"

"Do what?" I play dumb, but I can feel his eyes burning into me. "He's my boyfriend."

"What am I?" Evan shrugs. "Just your ex-boyfriend?"

"I don't know."

"He loves you too, doesn't he?"

"I don't know...maybe." He treats me like he does, so..."I think so..."

"And you love?"

I sigh, "I loved loving you even when you were too much of a jackass to love me back. At least that was easy."

"When did I not love you back?"

"When-"

"Always, Zach."

"No."

He nods, "Always."

I hate you.

We were friends a couple weeks ago. Why did Danny have to be right? Why can't two people just be friends after love?

Why did you wait so long to get me back?

"Aaron doesn't deserve this. He's the nicest guy I've ever met."

Evan backs me into the bricks our school is made of. Somehow we always end up at the back of this cursed building, drawn to that stupid field. "You're gonna get bored."

"He's not boring."

"He's nice and he's cute and he's good enough for you. So, why won't you end things with me?"

"Because..."

"Because?"

"You're Evan," I confess pathetically, "All I wanted was you, you asshole."

"All I wanted was you...Zach."

"Liar," I almost laugh.

"I'm nice to you."

"Sometimes."

"I'm cute," he smiles, and I try not to look at him because I'll smirk. "I am," Evan tilts my head up.

"Mhm."

"You'll never get bored of me."

I chuckle, "Because you're out of your mind."

"I make you excited," he whispers into my ear. "I'm your dream guy."

"What?"

"Tell me."

"No."

"No? You had a crush on me first."

"Yeah, because you're..."

"Evan," he answers for me.

"Evan."

"Break up with him." I roll my eyes and start to nudge him away from me, but he only comes back. "He's not Evan...and if you wanted him instead...you would've said so already." You know I can't do that. "I'm not kissing you until you're single."

He steps away from me, arrogantly watching the trap he set.

"Hey..." I grab him by his shirt and pull him back to me.

"Nope."

I trade places with him, so his back is against the wall.

My lips hover over his...not teasing...just waiting for him to want me as much as I do him.

We're back to how we were before, aren't we?

He pulls me flat against him, but right before he kisses me— he looks like he's mad he couldn't fight the urge, but now you know how I always felt.

Giving in is such a relief, though.

Evan groans when I put pressure on him, I like the intensity. If I've learned anything this past month, it's that it feels really nice when someone is hot and desperately into you.

His lips could bruise mine, and my tongue wants every inch of Evan. I'm pressed to him so hard, his grip is pulling me farther as if we can break through the bricks. He kisses me like it's raining and we haven't seen each other in forever...or maybe it's me who's desperately into him.

He starts to pull away, and my teeth graze over his bottom lip. I'm not ready to go home without you. He chuckles and my mouth moves up to nibble on his ear.

"Who taught you that?" Evan asked. "Me or him?"

"Does it matter?"

Leo hesitantly walks in. "You don't look happy..."

"What happened in school?"

"Nothing. They couldn't prove anything."

"Why would you keep drugs in your locker? You said you hardly do them."

"It wasn't to smoke, it was to sell."

"What?" My jaw drops.

He huffs in frustration, "Matt really needs the money, so Danny and I are selling at school."

"You're selling drugs?" I say as if I possibly misheard him.

"It's just weed."

"You're going to get expelled and arrested." I gasp, "Do you sell outside of school? You're going to get killed."

"No, I don't sell outside of school."

"I want you to stop."

"Heather..."

"Why won't Matt just get a job?"

"He needs money fast."

"How much? I'll give you it right now."

"I'm not taking money from you, Heather, and neither is he. Are you kidding?"

I huff, "are you kidding?"

"Butterfly-"

No.

I turn away from him and head toward the stairs. He gets on my nerves so badly sometimes.

Despite my head start, Leo isn't far behind me. I try to shut my door once I get to my room, but he holds it open.

"It'll be over in no time, I swear," he pleads.

"It should be over now. It shouldn't have ever started."

I sit down on my bed.

"You don't get it," he patronizes, and I glare at him. "Well, you don't. Silver spoon, trust fund. The only people you know in jail are there for tax evasion."

"Oh, so I shouldn't care that you're doing something dangerous and stupid for money?"

"I know you care, but you're not thinking about it from where I'm standing."

"You're standing with too much pride to take money from your girlfriend but not too much to distribute drugs. Is that it?"

"I'll stop. I'll tell Matt that I'm out, okay?"

I slowly uncross my arms, "...Really?"

"Yeah, I don't like doing it anyway."

"It's not safe..."

"I know. I'm done, stop worrying." And I try, but I can't shake the feeling that he's saying this just to shut me up. "Smile."

"I don't want to."

"Smile." Before I could say no, his fingers started prodding at me. I laugh involuntarily because of the tickling and squirm beneath him, tossing and turning to get away.

"Ugh," I grabbed both of his hands in mine.

"I love you," he smirked.

"I love you," I push him back and climb on top of him. "I hate being tickled."

His eyes shift over to where I'm straddling his waist. "I don't hate this."

I hate being upset with you. Especially since I couldn't stand to shut you out.

"Matt's going to get you hurt."

He sighs for the millionth time. "Stop thinking about it."

"People around drug dealers always get hurt too."

"Matt's not a drug dealer...really. Besides. What do you know about drug dealers?"

"I know they're not safe."

"I'm with you, right?"

"Yes."

"And I'm safe here."

"Then I won't let you go home." I shift to lay down on his chest.

"I don't want to anyway." Gazing at his face...I'm annoyed that someone so cared for could also be so careless. And you're insanely beautiful to me..."I can see your brain going crazy right now."

"No, I'm okay."

"This is why I was hoping I could hide it from you until it was over."

I scoff and sit up again, "Imagine if something happened to you, and I had no idea you were even doing anything."

"Nothing's going to happen-"

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you!" Leo huffs. "I'm not gonna fight with you." He moves away and stares at the ceiling.

"We're not fighting. We're talking."

"So it's a coincidence that you're mad?" I roll my eyes. "Know what? I'm gonna head out."

"Bye," I shrug.

"Yeah," he gets out of my bed.

"The drugs won't sell themselves."

"Exactly."

I roll over so that I don't have to see him leave, and he doesn't get to watch me become miserable in his absence.

It would be embarrassing to try to stop him when he wants to go. Besides, the tension is intolerable at this point, we can't argue it away if we won't even look at each other.

My door opens, and I'm waiting to hear it shut before I relax enough to let any tears fall.

It never shuts.

Leo walks back in and lays next to me again. The tv turns on and becomes the Switzerland between our disgruntled silence.

I can feel him looking at me...

He doesn't speak, but we've said enough— maybe too much.

I turn back and wrap my arms around him.

"I didn't want you to know because I didn't want you to be like this— worried out of your mind whenever you can't see me."

Zach smiles at Matt, "Bonnie Renello is telling everyone you're her boyfriend."

"What?"

"You haven't heard?"

"Why would I hear that? Who is everyone?" He snickers, "The freshmen?"

Zach narrows his eyes, "you're the one dating a freshman."

I chuckle because it's true. "Not even Zach is doing that, and he's a freshman."

"I thought you had an older girl?" AJ questions him. "What, are you trying to break even?"

"I'm not fucking either of them," Matt shakes his head.

"What happened with Peyton's friend?" I ask.

"Lydia's a..." he shakes his head and looks down.

Leo walks up to us with his hands shoved in his pockets. "Hey," he sighs and sits on the stairs.

Is everyone being a drag today?

"What's wrong with you?"

"Heather was pissed," he hands me the weed, and I hand him my flask.

"Should've let her smoke some then."

"She's scared for me, I had to calm her down."

"Tell her to mind her business."

"I am her business."

"Spoken like a true housewife."

"You don't have to sell, man. I can do it on my own," Matt presses his lips into a fake smile.

"It's fine, I've got you," Leo shrugs.

Wind breezes over the steps and light from the building hallway shines behind us.

"Hey, Peyton," AJ smirks as she comes down. "You look good."

"Aaron called," she says to Zach.

"Ugh," he puts his head in his hands, and Leo watches while laughing. "What's funny?" Zach barely looks up enough to ask.

Leo shakes his head while smirking and hands him the flask.

"You're drinking?" Peyton says in shock. "You're giving him alcohol?"

"Zach is pretty grown up at this point," Leo replies.

"Yeah, right."

"Where are you going?" Zach scowls, "and why haven't you left already?"

"Out," she responds. "Surprised you're still here. Don't you go out every night now and climb back through your window like no one notices?"

"Shut up."

"You're never here either," Peyton says to Leo but then considers the rest of us, "...or you...or you...or you."

"I'm so sorry that you miss us," Leo teases.

"I don't, you block the stairs," she waves goodbye.

"Bye, Peyton," AJ smiles.

"Bye..." she eyes Leo. "Boyfriend."

"Dangerous situation," Matt says in amusement, and Leo shakes his head like we didn't see what just happened. "Is that her now?" Matt points to the car pulling up across the street

It's a nice car. Not nice enough to be from the Upper East Side, though.

A guy gets out of it and goes around the other side to open the door.

Isabel steps out, and the guy kisses her before even closing the door back.

"Isn't that your mom?" Zach looks over at Leo.

"Who is she with?" Matt questioned.

Leo stands up and narrows his eyes to see them better, "I don't know..."

Whoever it is— he knows better than to walk up with her.

But what type of asshole doesn't walk their lady to the door?

Isabel sighs when she sees us all here, "Leo, it's a school night."

"Who was that?"

"You smell of alcohol and cigarettes."

"I don't smoke, mom," he follows behind her into the building, and I follow behind him. "Who was that?"

"None of your business."

"I have to tell you everything about my life, but you get to say 'none of your business.'"

"I'm the parent. What happens in your life is important to my life."

"Vice versa."

"I'm not doing half the stuff I fear you're doing, but I let you out anyway, I trust that you'll do the right thing. I already have."

"You know there's no space for that guy here, and I'm not moving."

"Oh, please, Leo. We've been on a few dates, no one is moving anywhere."

"A few dates? So you're serious then?"

"That only means serious to teenagers, you're all so filled to the brim with emotions everything feels serious."

"Was that a jab at me?"

"It both terrifies and delights me that you're so attached to Heather."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Because, Leo...forget it. I'm tired."

He stops in his tracks. "From what?"

"Oh, don't get me started on that 'from what' you have the nerve."

"Goodnight," Leo accepts defeat and surrenders to his bedroom.

"Thought so," Isabel closes her door.

"Pretty shit day for you," I chuckle.