Roxie made her way to the cafeteria, passing Felicity and Jesse along the way. This time, she held her head high and didn't say a word. She didn't want to be the bigger person this time—she wanted them to feel her pain.

But did they? They were pretty chummy. Walker was right, though. They'd been fooling around the last six months anyway so what did they care?

Making her way to the microwave in the cafeteria, Roxie warmed up her food—hoping that Walker would be there soon. The smell was both good and bad. She felt the nausea creep up again, but it passed and she was ready to eat.

She sat down and prepared to dive in, but then she thought that waiting for Walker would be considerate. Pulling out her sketchbook, she started to dry until Holden showed up.

"Hey, can I sit?"

"Uh, yeah...I guess...sure," Roxie smiled as Holden sat next to her—not across from her as she'd expected.

"Look, I know I've been an asshole, but I am really sorry. I was following Walker's orders."

"Orders?"

"You know—orders. He's going to be my leader when Archibald is dies so I have to follow him."

"You just did what he asked of you? You didn't hate me?"

"No, I've never hated you, Roxie. He..."

"Did he tell you to play the video at the party?"

"No, but I did it because I thought he wanted me to," Holden said, "I am sorry about that."

Roxie didn't know what to believe. She was starting to really like Walker being around and here comes Holden, being sympathetic to her. She sort of felt bad about how he needed to earn clout from a friend.

"You've believed all of these lies about me.."

"I didn't know! I didn't..."

"I can't trust you..."

"I've never trusted you! Not even when you were balls deep inside of me!"

"LIAR!"

"I am lying—I love you so much, but you treated me so badly."

"I won't forgive myself—I will make it up to you until my last breath.."

"Are you going to the party this weekend?" Holden asked her as Roxie snapped out of her vision.

"Uh, yes, Walker invited me."

"Wait—wasn't he supposed to take Connie?"

Connie was smitten with Walker even before Roxie arrived in Myrtle. The rumors were that she claimed he had to be her mate, but Walker was only an available lay—not a boyfriend.

"Well, maybe he should take her then."

"Oh, I mean..I just thought.." Holden shrugged, "You can go with me."

"Huh? No, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Well, you need to tell Walker to make up his mind."

"I will then. Thank you."

Roxie shuddered as Holden continued talking to her.

"So, yeah, if he decides to take Connie, I am free to take you and I would like to," Holden smiled, "No strings, I promise."

"Thank you. I will keep that in mind, Holden."

"Cool. Well, let me go get some of this shit they call food. See ya, Rox."

"Yeah, see ya..."

Where was Walker anyway?

"Are you taking her?!" Connie jabbed a finger into Walker's chest, "You son of a bitch!"

Walker's eyes glazed over and he pushed Connie off of him.

"Connie, there isn't an us and there wasn't a guarantee about this weekend, you know this."

"Wow...you are a player, Wells. I never you were into the trash rat."

Eric and Oliver had followed Walker into the corridor as they were making their way to the cafeteria.

"Do not call her names. I have warned everyone about fucking with her, and that includes you."

Connie smirked, "I don't follow your rules, Walker. Did you happen to tell her who's bed you came to the night she put Victor away?"

Walker sighed. Roxie didn't need to know he'd gone to Connie's for a romp, but ended up leaving instead of being intimate.

"You know the truth, Connie."

He smelled her—turning on his heels—he saw his little mouse looking at him with the deepest hue of amethyst eyes he'd ever seen. Her body was shaking and she wore a frown.

"Roxie..."

Holden came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder, sending Walker seeing red.

"You've had a lot of women.." she joked.

"They meant nothing to me.."

"I was so jealous.." she blushed, "I guess I still am sometimes."

"You think I wasn't? Men ogled you—they still do--and you never saw it. My friends loved your body, your brains—every little thing, but they didn't know you like I did—the real you."

"I knew your heart, Walker, just like I know it now. I will always love this life with you."

Roxie shook her head and rushed off in the other direction, Holden smirking at the way Walker ran after her—leaving Connie open-mouth shocked.

"What the fuck is going on between those two?" Crystal said, coming up being Connie.

Connie scowled, "Nothing a little bitch mode can't fix. He's mine until the ball—not trash rats."

Crystal pulled her away from the guys who were talking amongst themselves.

"You can't go against Walker Wells."

"I can and I will," Connie smiled, "That little bitch should know her place by now."

"Roxie!" Walker called after her, "Dammit! Let me smell you—stop turning your scent off when I chase after you—unless you like being chased. Is that what this is? You like it when I run after you?"

Walker rounded the corner and headed to the home-ec classroom where he found her there, tidying up her work station.

"Hey.." Walker stepped into the room, knowing he'd be in there soon with her later in the day, "Why did you leave?"

"I wanted to check my station."

Walker sat on top of her desk and she placed some fabric around the mannequin.

"I don't know what you heard, but I want you to go with me this weekend."

"No, I think I am going with Holden."

"What? Like hell you are."

"Walker, you don't own me. You can't tell me what to do. He seems sincere and you seem to want Connie."

"I don't want Connie."

"Not what I heard."

"Yeah, I went to her house, but I didn't fuck her."

"I don't care."

Walker jumped from the desk and whirled her around, pulling her into him.

"You don't care?"

"No..."

"You're a shitty liar."

"I do care...I can't say it..."

Walker studied her face, knowing he'd just mind-linked her.

Looking into her eyes, he concentrated.

"Walker, don't read my mind."

"I already am..."

"Gods, I hate you."

"You sure about that?"

"No— I am not sure about anything anymore."

He felt her heartbeat, but then he felt something else.

"What's going on? Are you still ill?"

"Yes, it's nothing. Probably the flu—I don't call a cleric every time I get the sniffles."

"Daddy! Please?!"

"Alright—I will count to ten. You'd better go hide!"

"I'm already hiding, Daddy! Come and find me!"