*NEXT DAY*

I made my way into my next class, culinary. As soon as I walked through the door, I saw Liam sitting in the same spot, the same book I always saw him with was held up to his face. He made me smile. I don't mind having only made a couple of friends. I wasn't expecting to be awfully popular because I never was, but either way, I'm glad it consisted of having a friend like Liam around.

"Hey there." I smiled putting my textbook down in front of the empty seat in front of him.

He wore a white t-shirt with a grey jacket over it as well as light blue jeans and a pair of Timberland boots. His dark brown hair was still as always in a small quiff hairdo.

His brown eyes looked up, a smile curving onto his pink lips as I took a seat.

"Hi, California. Almost didn't see you there." He joked.

So the nickname remains.

"Very funny." I spoke sarcastically making him softly laugh.

"So I heard Mr. Wiser took his class to see some colleges and universities?" His deep British accent spoke rapidly.

I nodded my head.

"How was it?" He asked looking down as he watched me take out some notes from last class.

"Oh, it was amazing. I really liked CSU." I noted looking back up at him.

"No way!" He exclaimed in shock, a smile growing wider in his features.

I furrowed my eyebrows, not quite processing what he was inferring to.

"I'm going there!"

"What!" I exclaimed in shock, smiling as he nodded.

At that moment I took it upon myself and brought my arms around him in a tight embrace. "Liam, that's great!"

I felt him chuckle before I pulled away. "Thanks."

"I never knew you applied?" I asked still smiling as I placed some strands of hair behind my ear.

Liam shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't think I'll get in so I didn't tell anyone."

"Wow, that's so good." I smiled, "I'm happy for you."

"Aw.." He teased, "Don't worry, California, I'm sure you'll get in too."

"Hopefully." I sighed.

"Did you see the stage?" He asked beginning to get excited towards the subject.

"Yes!"

"It's massive, isn't it!"

"God, that was the best part!" I exclaimed.

"And what about the dorms?" He asked.

"They were definitely not what I was expecting." I replied.

"Wow." He smiled, pausing to chuckle. "I can't believe we're going to go to the same school."

"Me either." I smiled.

I was going to ask him something. Actually, it was about someone. He seems to know a lot about Harry, so why not mess around with things for a little while and see what I can get. After all, Harry did leave me a bit creeped out from our previous encounter.

"Hey, remember that Harry guy?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows. I think I trust him enough to tell things that have happened, something I can't even tell my brother.

"Yeah?" He sounded confused. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that, on the campus tour, he kinda warned me about going there?" I paused, "To CSU."

"What?" He chuckled.

I nodded my head, recalling how stupid I must've sound.

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know?" I shrugged my shoulders, "That's why I asked you since you knew about his gang."

"Wait, you told him!" He exclaimed, a worried look growing in his face.

"Yeah?"

"No!" His eyes widened, "You weren't suppose to say that to him."

"Why? What's so wrong?" I asked.

Liam looked around the class, head becoming closer to mine so the people around us didn't hear what he had to say.

"Look, those guys are really careful with being secret--"

"But I thought you said that everyone knows about them?" I asked referring to our last conversation about Harry.

He nodded his head, "That's because I thought you wouldn't say anything since I made you believe everyone knew about them."

I gave Liam a look of surprise. He lied to me? Well maybe I shouldn't be opening my big mouth, but why should I keep it closed at times?

"So what you're saying is that no one knows about them?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"No." Liam nodded his head.

"Then how do you know about them?" I asked again, giving him a curious look.

Liam got nervous. I can tell because his bottom lip started to slightly shake.

"They did something to me that I'll never forget..." He seemed scared.

I can't believe what I'm hearing. They hurt him, I just know it. Those guys are just bad news. They probably beat him up, or worse. He's scared. What they did to him is something that'll stay there forever. It shows it in his expression.

"Liam, what happened?"

He looked down, letting the thoughts flow from the front of his head to the back.

He was going to speak but our culinary teacher beat him to it.

"Okay class, no one speaks from now on. I want all attention on me as I'll demonstrate the art of the last meal we'll be cooking together as of this year." He continued.

I looked back at Liam.

He was putting the book away in his backpack when he noticed me looking at him.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, "It was a long time ago, anyways."

I don't care how long ago this was. This guy could mean harm to Robert and Niall and even me. We're all in danger if he keeps it up with his little puzzle game.

This can't be happening.

***

"This can't be happening!" Ivy sounded excited as we left the school building. "I can't believe graduation is tomorrow!"

"Must feel great." I smiled.

This isn't my school, I was just finishing it here. There's no need for me to feel so ecstatic about it since it already feels like I graduated. I hope I'm not being such a buzz kill on her, but it's not like I'm suppose to be crazy about it either. Today also has me feeling a bit down. After what Liam told me, I don't see things the same way as I used to. And I'm exhausted. Yesterday's little trip had me going around a huge space filled with hills and stairs.

"Come on, Leah." She smiled playfully shoving my shoulder. "You must feel happy."

"I am." I corrected her, "Only, it's not such a big deal for me."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because, I've only been here for what, almost a week or two? And graduation is already around the corner. I'm not even going to be in the court of graduates. I never got the invite. And even I'd if I go, I'll be sitting in the stands." I explained.

"That doesn't mean you're not coming right? Or at least to the after party over at Taylor's house?" She gave me a pin-eyed look.

This is the same thing again with Niall. Parties just aren't my thing I'm basically invisible, yet people still want me to go?

"Don't be like that, Leah." She begged.

"Ivy, I really don't know what to tell you." I replied.

"Your brother told me he was going?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"That's his decision. And why is he saying those things if he clearly knows he has to ask Robert for permission?"

Ivy shrugged her shoulders.

"Whatever." I ignored his ways.

A loud honking noise soon interrupted our little conversation as a white car came to view. The windows rolled down and a lady's face appeared from back in the driver's seat.

"Ivy! Get in the car! We're late for your appointment!" She called out.

"Mom!" Ivy sighed, looking around with a bit of a conscious look on her face.

I couldn't help but giggle a little as her cheeks turned bright red, making it stand out most from her golden hair and blue orbs.

"I'm so sorry." She looked back at me. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded my head. Maybe.

"Bye." We called out to each other as Ivy ran back to her Mom's car.

Within a blink of an eye, she was gone.

"Hey." A male stepped next to me.

I didn't have to look back. The Irish accent that clearly came from my Mom's side of the family was noticeable.

"What do you want now, Niall?" I asked annoyed with him. He has no right to start saying stuff to people if he doesn't even know himself. He's taking advantage over Robert and it's not fair to do that to anyone.

"What did I do this time?" He asked already getting aggravated with me.

I turned around, crossing my arms over my chest. "Why are you telling people you're going to that party tomorrow night?"

Niall laughed, looking around elsewhere but me. His hands were tucked into his front pockets, laugh slowly decreasing. "C'mon Leah, it's not like he's not he's going to say no?"

"You don't know that?" I corrected him. We don't know how he gets with letting us out. We're not that close to him.

"Just leave it alone, okay. I already asked if you wanted to go and you said no. So don't worry about me." He looked down, a small but not serious looking grin. "I'm going and that's final."

I rolled my eyes looking back at the car loop to see Robert's car pull up.

"You need to ask him." I grinned at him before walking away.

I could already imagine him wave his hands in the air sarcastically with wide eyes. It's something he's always done to me, since we were children, to emphasize he wasn't scared.

"Hi guys." He spoke with the same sick, raspy voice from this morning.

"Hey." I didn't really smile as I hopped on to the middle of his pickup truck. Niall followed and shut the door closed.

"Guess what?" He asked driving away.

Niall and I gave him bewildered looking expressions.

"Three invitations to graduation tomorrow." He finished.

I furrowed my eyebrows. That doesn't seem right. Teachers at this school clearly stated that we're not allowed because we haven't been in it for more than a semester. My Mom only enrolled us here because we weren't considered full graduates and wouldn't get our diplomas from our previous school until we completed all the 180 days of school. All we're doing here is finishing the course so then the administrators can sign the paper and our diplomas and scholarships can be submitted. Yes, this is all a process but it was better than staying all over again in London where they're in a completely different level. So why did the administrators change there mind?

"It was signed by your guidance counselor. She said she wanted you two to be there." He finished smiling as we made our way out of the school campus.

Wait, Ms. Westernfields did this? I thought she hated me?

"Our guidance counselor?" I made sure.

Robert nodded.

Great, now I'm questioning what's going on with everybody?