The next morning, Lucy pulled up to the curb before Missy was finished getting ready.

"Bye, Aunt Debbie!" I yelled before slamming the front door and running to Lucy's car. Once I was inside, I sighed in relief. "You're a lifesaver."

Lucy let out a laugh. "Good morning to you too."

I chuckled. "Sorry. My night was hell. Putting up with Missy is one thing, but having to deal with Jenny, Lucas, and Tyler is another. I'm lucky I got any sleep last night."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that when I saw Lucas's truck here last night. Lucas, Tyler, and Justin are like inseparable, you know." Lucy's eyebrows raised in chagrin.

"I'm beginning to understand that," I said. "But Justin wasn't there."

"He probably just had something important to do because Justin is always with them. Jenny and Missy are besties, and they're part of a bigger group that hangs out all the time, so... I hate to say it, but this might be a hard transition."

"I know." I groaned. "Could my life suck any more?"

"Well, you could live in a foster home like me." Lucy sent me a tight grin.

"Oh, my God. I totally suck shit, don't I? I'm so sorry, Luce." My face fell into my hands. "I didn't know."

Lucy sent me a half-hearted smile. "It's not so bad. I just have to work to pay for my dance lessons, clothes, and anything else I want. Plus, by the time I get home at night, there's never any dinner left, but I'm not complaining. I need to watch my figure anyway."

Holy shit. I was a horrible person. I would have to help her out whenever I could. Dealing with my stupid drama was nothing compared to what Lucy had to deal with on a daily basis.

"Hey... uh... if you want, I have some clothes and dance stuff I don't use. Most of it has barely been used. We're about the same size." I offered, hoping I didn't sound like a complete jerk.

"Really?" Lucy smiled so big I couldn't help but feel worse. I would have to make sure to take care of my friend.

"Yeah. Come over after dance tonight. You can go through my stuff and take anything you want." I said as she pulled into the parking lot at a comfortable speed.

"Okay." That big smile stayed plastered on her face as she parked at the back of the lot.

"Why are you parking all the way out here?" I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"Because the assholes park in front, and we're not assholes." One of Lucy's eyebrows raised.

I burst out laughing. "You got that right."

While we walked up to the front, Missy came careening through, forcing us to dart out of the way. She nearly hit me. Stupid bitch.

Those familiar butterflies came back to life when I noticed Lucas leaning against the brick wall with one leg propped up. I stiffened when we made eye contact. His eyes instantly lit up to a green glow as he pushed off the wall.

The smile on his face widened as he walked over to me. "Hey, gorgeous. What are you up to later? You wanna hang out?"

I scoffed. "You're joking, right? I have a boyfriend, and Missy would kill me if I did anything with you. Even as a friend."

Lucas threw a quick glance over his shoulder at Missy's car. "I'm thinking she's more worried about what Tyler's doing tonight. She always is."

I grimaced, feeling bad for Lucas. He deserved so much better. If Lucas were mine, I would kiss the ground he walked on, but he wasn't, and I had Josh. Lucas was sexy, popular, and probably had abs of steel. And yeah, I needed to stop thinking about that.

Even with all the ingredients that potentially created a conceited dickwad, Lucas broke the mold since he was actually a good person. I couldn't help but wonder why he'd put up with Missy's bullshit for so long.

"Why don't you just break up with her?" I shrugged.

"He did last year." Lucy chimed in. "But she threw a huge fit and acted like she was having a mental breakdown."

"Hey, Lucy." A tall thin girl waved Lucy over.

"Be right back." Lucy grinned before walking to her friend.

Giving Lucy her space, I stayed next to Lucas. "Is that true? Did Missy really do that?"

Lucas's lips pressed into a thin line as he nodded. "I didn't want her doing anything crazy, so I just got back with her. When things settled down, we went back to normal. But lately, I've been rethinking some things."

I glanced toward Missy. She was talking to some girls in the parking lot. "Rethinking things?"

"I'm not really sure how to say this, so I'm just gonna say it." Lucas sent me a small smile as he shifted uncomfortably. "I know we just met, but I can't stop thinking about you."

My cheeks grew hot as I looked away. "We literally just met yesterday, and you barely know me. Don't do anything because of me. I have a boyfriend I care about, and there's no way I'm breaking up with him. Honestly, even if I were single, it would never work. Can you imagine what Missy would do if we actually did end up together one day? She'd probably poison me and enjoy watching me suffer a long torturous death."

Lucas chuckled as he nudged me with his shoulder. "Just don't write me off yet. I like the idea of you and me. I might surprise you. Besides, things change, and your boyfriend is like two thousand miles away."

Was he seriously still hitting on me? I had a million things to say, but I didn't want to argue. Lucas didn't deserve my anger. He was just being honest, so I decided to stay quiet until Lucy came back.

As Lucy and I made our way toward the front, we rounded a massive group of students, and my stomach instantly twisted into knots.

Tyler was making out with a girl in the same doorway as yesterday, but this girl wasn't Jenny. Nope. This girl was smaller. Daintier. And she was clinging to him like he was her last meal, and he was returning the sentiment. What the fuck?

This prick had some nerve, and I was going to let him know it.

"Ember." Lucy bumped my arm. "You're staring."

Turning to her, I huffed angrily, doing my best to just let it go. Uh-uh. No. That wasn't happening. I shook my head. "I have to say something."

Lucas must've been following us because he was suddenly next to me. "Tyler does this shit all the time. It's just how he is. He's a player."

"That might be true, but it's not okay for him mess with me and play with Jenny's feelings and then go suck face with some new chick the next morning. He's an asshole, and he needs to know it." No one moved to stop me as I stalked straight over to Tyler.

"You're a fucking piece of shit, you know that?" I yelled, and people gasped.

Tyler pulled back from the girl with ease as a stupid, triumphant smile spread across his face. He readjusted his dumb hat, so it was perfectly backward. "No. I was completely unaware. Tell me how you really feel."

The poor girl certainly didn't have the same fight as Jenny because when I glanced her way, her face paled before she disappeared into the school.

"That's right, honey. You better run from this one because all he does is use and abuse." I pointedly glared at Tyler as I curled my lip in disgust.

Tyler folded his arms and kept staring at me with that stupid smile on his face. He was enjoying this way too much.

"I can't fucking believe you! Is this where you wanna be when Jesus comes back? You make me sick." I pulled some saliva together in my mouth, spitting on the concrete at his feet.

Tyler stepped over my tiny spit stain, stopped in front of me, and bent to meet my glare with his entertained gaze. Tilting his head so close that his nose nearly touched mine, he exhaled and his minty breath fanned across my face. "Jesus doesn't tell me what to do, Ember."

Tingles tore through every part of me. My name coming off those lickable lips made my entire being melt. And what the hell? Fuck him.

My brow slammed down as I took a step back. "Are you stupid? I thought after yesterday, you'd surprise me and show me how smart you are, but I was obviously dead fucking wrong. Too bad. I had hope for you. I guess that makes me the dumb one."

Tyler's lips flattened into a frown as his eyes flicked between mine. He straightened, sliding his hands into his pockets.

Pulling my backpack off, I unzipped a pocket to reveal the clothes he'd given me yesterday.

Gripping the fabric of the pink halter top, I slung it at him. It bounced off his chest and plopped to the concrete. "Here. Give this to your next victim, asshole. Maybe she'll be dumb enough to wear it like I did."

Tyler's head fell back lazily as he studied me from under his thick lashes. He didn't move to pick up the halter top or even look down to see where it fell.

Surprised at his reaction, I plucked out his hoodie. It still smelled just like him. I don't know why, but I didn't want to throw it on the ground. Instead, I shoved it into his chest and held it there. The entire crowd gasped and whispered, which was strange, but I didn't have time to analyze that now.

"Here's your stupid hoodie. I don't want it, and I never will. You make me sick. Stay the fuck away from me, Tyler." My voice was harsh, and I hoped he would listen this time.

Tyler's gaze flared into a full-on blue glow. As he caught the hoodie, his fingers barely caressed mine. The sudden urge to lean in and kiss the shit out of him swept over me.

Resisting the impulse nearly knocked me to my knees. Damn it! I had to pull it together.

Holding my backpack, I skirted around him, but before I could get away, Tyler's hand landed my shoulder. "This is yours, Ember."

Chills ran down my spine as the whispers around us escalated to shocked voices.

The intensity in his liquid blue gaze sucked me in as he pressed the hoodie into my arms. I sucked in a breath and held it, confused about what to do.

Tyler caught onto my confusion and smirked. "It's yours. I want you to have it."

Lucas stepped in front of me, blocking me from Tyler. Lucas took the hoodie and shoved it against Tyler's chest. "Don't be a dick, dude. Leave her alone."

Tyler's glowing eyes flared angrily at Lucas as he whispered, "Back the fuck off. She needs it."

Lucas shook his head and gave Tyler a look of pity. "Believe it or not, dude, she's doesn't belong to any of us. This isn't a game. She obviously can't stand you, so you back the fuck off."

Tyler glanced between us, furrowing his brow.

"Come on," Lucas whispered as he pressed his warm hand to my back.

"Lucy?" I spotted Lucy's face in the crowd, and her cheeks turned bright pink when everyone looked at her. I waved her over. "Are you coming?"

The crowd parted for her, and Lucy kept her head down until she linked her arm through mine.

After we walked inside, Lucy shook my arm in excitement. "Oh, my God! I'm totally speechless. They never let anyone wear their hoodies. Like ever. And he even tried to give it to you. People are never gonna let this one go, Ember."

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