We didn't tell Holden and Charlie what we're doing last night. They know we're doing something but neither questioned us. I tie my hair back as my phone pings and I read Lawson's message.

Justina just told everyone about the cube, bring your A-Game, Wolfe.

I smile and send him a thumbs up before going downstairs. I let my nature sad face out and walk out into Uncle Freddy's car. Holden frowns at me from the front seat.

"What's wrong with you two? Is this about Greg and Justina?" I don't answer, putting on my headphones and playing sad music to stop myself from smiling. Uncle Freddy grips the wheel.

"I have to see if there's any evidence behind the claim that she broke Bri's leg on purpose and what course of action is needed at rehearsal today."

"But she would never do that! You know that!"

"I do but I still have to do this...Dion, if you want, you can eat lunch with me." I look over, hoping my fake sadness is fooling Holden.

"No, I'll sit alone outside, don't worry. You don't want anyone to think that you're biased or something." The car parks and I get out, not pretending to be nervous about everyone, there's no need to pretend. I hurry to my locker and freeze as I see something scratched on it; Psycho. I stuff my coat inside and hurry to class. I flop into my seat and put my head on the desk. I hear Lawson sit beside me and barely stop myself from looking up. I hear his chair creak as he leans over.

"We can do this. Just a couple more hours." He whispers, taking stuff from his bag and I nod subtly, just a couple more hours.

***

I buy myself a sandwich and drink before going outside to sit. The entire drama table ignores me apart from Lawson and River. I sit down at one of the outdoor tables, trying not to shiver, just a couple more hours and it's over. Someone sits beside me and I look to see Bri.

"I thought you'd be angry that I made break a leg literal." I take a sip of water as her friends sit at the table as well and she smiles at me.

"I know it wasn't you. At least not on purpose," She hands me a kitkat and leans close to my ear. "You and Mr Wolfe are planning something to get whose fault it really is?" I look behind me and see Lawson subtly raise his drink to me.

"Not just us. Lawson too." Bri nods and Michael gives me a good natured smirk.

"How can we help?" He asks and I break the kitkat with a small smile.

"I need you to make sure that everyone knows neither of you think I hurt Bri on purpose, especially all the drama people, and that you're going to find out who it is. Just to make sure my plan works." My phone pings and I smile at the message from Lawson.

Just a couple more hours, okay? We can do this.

***

It's showtime. I go to the auditorium and sit on the stage, I'm the first one here. I look at Lawson's message again and take a deep breath, look miserable and scared. The doors open and Lawson walks in with Charlie. Charlie hurries to me and squeezes my hand.

"I know it wasn't you. You know what the special cause the donations are for," I nod, squeezing back before letting go. "Everything will work out." They sit down in the front row beside Lawson who avoids looking at me, he knows he's not a good actor and that he can't hide what he's really feeling. Uncle Freddy walks in with the others and I notice Lavender sneering at me as she struts beside River.

"Everyone, sit down please," Uncle Freddy sounds tired as he stands in front of me and sighs. Everyone sits down, quietly judging me. "As you all know...Greg believes that Dion's honest mistake was an actual attempt to get the lead," I pull my legs to my chest as Uncle Freddy leans beside me on the stage. "Unfortunately, I have to tell the principal about this and the play will be cancelled, meaning that the donations won't go towards Charlie's father's surgery." Lavender raises her hand with a frown.

"What surgery?" Charlie turns and looks at Lavender, tears silently going down their face.

"He needs a heart transplant and we can't afford it without help," Her face loses all colour as Charlie faces Uncle Freddy again. "Which Dion knew from before the accident. She wouldn't risk all this for some stupid part!" Uncle Freddy pinches his nose.

"I know that, Charlie but since I have to tell the principal that my niece, who I vouched for, broke someone's leg for a part in this play," He swallows, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll get fired and Holden would have to leave the team because he wouldn't stay here without Dion," He turns to me and sighs. "I have to say this now before I go tell the principal. Dion, you are no longer in this play. Rehearsal's cancelled." I hop off stage and grab Uncle Freddy's arm.

"Uncle Freddy, don't do this. You know I couldn't have done this," Uncle Freddy gently removes my hand and turns away. I look at Lawson. "Lawson, you have to know I wouldn't do this!" He slowly looks up and swallows.

"Dion, one of the things I like about you is how smart you are and this was a near perfect crime...No one else could've done this." I look at River who avoids me before looking at Lavender's pale face and at everyone else before giving up.

"Screw you guys! Maybe I should've sat with Rain that first day!" I storm out, actually starting to cry and go into the girls' locker room. I hide behind one of the walls and wait, knowing who's about to walk in, taking out my phone and pressing record. The door swings open and Lavender walks in, shaking, looking so guilty...Looks like I was right. She splashes water into her face and looks at herself in the mirror.

"What did I do?" I step out from where I'm hiding and cross my arms, my phone sticking out of my coat pocket.

"You just destroyed everything," She whirls around, her lips parting. "I'd hoped I was wrong. You made sure I couldn't find the other cube, didn't you?" She nods, tears going down her face. "I'm guessing you locked Lawson and I in the auditorium together so you could take those pictures for River?" She nods again and I step forward, swallowing painfully. "You did all of this because you're in love with River?" She sits down and nods again.

"I just wanted him to feel the same. I thought if I got the part, he'd see me differently," I sit down beside her, my phone facing her. "I didn't mean to break Bri's leg, I just wanted her to mess up her audition so I'd get the part. When I didn't get the part, I saw how Lawson looked at you...So, I convinced my uncle to give me his spare key so I could lock you in. I had a Go-Pro set up so when my uncle let you out, he grabbed it for me. I didn't know there was any signal in the auditorium and I took your charger so you couldn't use your data...Which reminds me," She reaches into her bag and hands over my charger. "I don't know how you've been charging your phone but you can charge it with your own charger." I take out my phone and stop recording.

"Are you going to confess to my uncle and the prinicpal?" She looks at me for a long time before nodding. "I'm sorry for the performance but...I didn't want to just confront you about it. I hope you know that we don't think you're a bad person, you just made some mistakes." Lavender looks at me, her grey eyes watery.

"Why did he chose you?" I don't know who she means.

"River says because I can piss people enough that they like me. Lawson said he chose me because my voice is Cas worthy," I stand up and offer her my hand. "My uncle needs you. So does Charlie," She takes my hand and I pull her up. We walk towards the office and I glance at Lavender. "You know I don't feel anything for River, don't you?" She looks at me as she knocks on the door.

"I'm not completely sure that's true." The principal says enter and we go inside.

***

"Lavender confessed and everything's fine now," I smile at Lawson through the video call as I lie in bed later that night and he goes for a walk. "Judging by the dozens of messages I'm getting, I played it too well?" Lawson nods, looking at me in a way that makes me want to be talking in person.

"Especially with when you said that you should've sat with Rain that day," We just grin at each other until he stops walking. "So, I may have slightly lied about my location," He picks up a pebble and throws it. I hear a sharp tap against my window and go to the window. Lawson waves from the driveway and I hang up the video call before opening my window. "Mind if I come in?" I point at the terrace.

"Sorry, I can't open the front door, you have to climb," He climbs up the terrace and I step back from the window so he can climb in. "So, why are you here?" He sits on my bed and I notice the dark circles under his eyes.

"My parents announced that they're getting divorced," I sit beside him and take his hand, resting my head on his shoulder. "I knew it was coming but it still hurts...I just started walking and I found myself here. You're the only person I wanted to talk to about it." I look at him.

"You can always talk to me, no matter what," He strokes my cheek slowly and I put my hand over his. "I thought we were sticking to the rules." He nods with a sweet smile.

"We are but I just really need to do this," He leans forward and kisses me. I kiss back as he buries his free hand into my hair. He pulls away and smiles. "I really needed to do that, sorry." I smile, running my thumb over his knuckles.

"You don't need to apologize, it's what I needed after today," My  voice shakes and he frowns at me. "Everyone acted like I was a different person and...Someone scratched psycho into my locker. It was just hard." He brushes his lips over mine before pulling away.

"I doubt things are going back to normal straight away so if you need me, you're going to message me a safe word of your choice." I look at him for a moment before thinking of one.

"It's not really a safe word but a safe phrase," He nods and I smile. "It's too cold for you here. It's my favourite lyric that has nothing to do with musicals." He kisses my forehead.

"You message me that and I'll find you and do whatever you need me to do to make you feel better," He checks the time and winces. "So, I don't want to go home since it's nearly midnight and I'm scared...Would I be able to stay the night?" I nod, really glad that it's Friday, my parents are away at A Streetcar Named Desire three towns over.

"As long as we just sleep," I take out my contacts and climb into my bed. "You can sleep beside me if you want," I hear the sound of shoes falling to the floor. "Shh. My parents are gone but Holden isn't." He crawls to lie beside me over the duvet and pulls a blanket around him.

"Goodnight Wolfe."

"Goodnight James." I take his hand and close my eyes.