FRIDAY CAME BY QUICKLY.

After getting the approval from my dad, I focused more on what would happen. Even though Phoenix and I didn't discuss the full potential of what we would do at the party, we both knew for sure that we would be leaving the night with another clue.

I was jittery all morning. I sat through my classes, my head pounding with thoughts. I could barely focus on chemistry and hardly talked to anyone. I was too focused on what could happen tonight. When the bell rang for dismissal, I was more than happy to go home.

Gathering my stuff in my arms, I hurried out of my class in a last-ditch effort and headed for my locker. The cool air blasted through my thin tank top and cooled my sweaty skin as I fumbled with my locker, shoving my books in my bag.

I was so knee-deep in thoughts that I didn't notice the shadow lurking by my locker until a cold hand landed on my shoulder. Gasping, I turned around to see Phoenix, wearing a concrete grey shirt and black jeans. His hair was pulled back, his blue eyes staring into my soul.

"I need to put a bell on you" I hissed as I put my bag on my shoulder.

A half smile pulled on his lips, a beige portfolio in his hand. "I am going to turn in a few ideas we can use for Caleb's memorial but I need little Miss Sunshine's stamp of approval," he said, handing me the folder.

I rolled my eyes, taking the folder and flipping through it. They were gorgeous. He managed to take the bland ideas that were presented to us yesterday and transform them into a wall of flowers with the energy of a pep rally. Everything about it screamed Caleb from the dark yet vibrant flowers to the football trophy that lay in front of the sketched portrait underneath.

I was taken back, blown away even. "This is beautiful," I said, closing the folder. I handed it back to him.

A blush seemed to creep on his face but he didn't acknowledge it, simply nodding. His eyes raked me up and down, his brows raised.

"Someone is ready to go home," he said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes, closing the locker before walking with him. Our pace synced together as we walked down the crowded hallways.

"And someone is finally out of the basement," I said.

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

A moment passed between us in comfortable silence as we went down the stairs to the first floor, pushing past slow students who didn't even bother to go down the stairs, feeling like it was a perfect place to text and catch up with their friends.

We made it all the way to the first floor in one piece, the sun hitting our skin as soon as we stepped outside. Phoenix hissed, shielding his eyes away with his hand.

I gave him an exasperated sigh, raking my fingers through my hair. "You truly are the son of Dracula," I said.

He rolled his eyes, squinting. "I just don't like the sun," he said. "It's too bright. I prefer the dark."

I raised a brow at him but refused to speak on it, instead walking to the back of the parking lot where Evan was. He was in the car with the windows rolled down, listening to some classic rock. He waved us over as soon as he spotted us, opening the door.

"We don't have all day Ivy. We have a party to go to" he said.

"I'm glad you two have your priorities in order" Phoenix replied back, passing me a look.

I rolled my eyes once again, turning over to him. "Remember, we have to leave the party with new information that can lead us to who murdered Caleb."

"I'm so glad we are keeping a low profile on this," he said in a low voice. "It almost masks the craziness in your eyes."

A frown pulled on my lips and I hit him on the arm. "I am not crazy" I defended myself.

He raised his brows, a scoff escaping his lips."Keep telling yourself that" he retorted back.

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He fidgeted with it for a few seconds before he gave it to me.

"Your number," he said as I took hold of it. "So we can keep in contact."

Quickly, I typed in my number and saved it before handing him his phone. "I'll see you tonight," I said.

"Don't flirt with Greyson too much," he said back, a taunting smile on his face. I gave him the middle finger, earning a sarcastic glare from him.

"I can't make any promises" I replied back, running my fingers through my hair. He nodded, waving at me before he left towards his own car.

Evan started the car as soon as I closed the door, not even giving me time to buckle my seatbelt before he pulled out of the parking lot and drove home.

"You seem to be spending a lot of time with Phoenix" my brother questioned, keeping his eyes on the road. "We haven't even been here for a week and you already have a boyfriend."

The thought of Phoenix and I having any sort of romantic connection made me wince. I punched Evan on the arm and he laughed, reaching towards the radio to turn up the volume. "Don't curse me like that" I said, shaking my head.

My brother shrugged and laughed, still keeping the stupid smirk on his face.

"Moving on from that horrendous question, who invited you to Stephanie's party?" I asked him.

A moment's pause before he answered, "Stephanie herself. I told you that we have class together" he said in a nonchalant voice.

"You also told me you had a big crush on her."

"I said that she was beautiful, never confirmed any actual feelings" he corrected me.

"If you have any actual feelings."

A smile inched on his lips. "Touche, little sis."

When we arrived home, the door was slightly opened, and the lights in the living room were on. Dad was on the carpet, screwing the metal stands on the center table tightly so that it wouldn't unhinge off the glass. The living room was complete by now. The TV was set above the fireplace, and little statues posed on the mantle directly below it.

Our dark couch circled across the huge space, boasting fluffy feather pillows and reclining chairs. Family portraits were hung on the walls and curtains were secured where they needed to be. Overall, everything looked great.

"Hey Dad," I said, walking over to plant a kiss on his forehead. He smiled and hugged me back, grunting as he screwed the last screw in.

"Hey sweetheart, how was school?" he said, still not making eye contact with me.

"The usual, nothing really exciting."

"Well, except for the fact that we are going to our first-ever party tonight" Evan added, his tone a bit less cruel.

Over the past few days, Evan has slowly been easing up on Dad. Of course, he wasn't all sunshine and rainbows but it was definitely better than before when they weren't communicating at all.

"At least you are making some new friends," Dad said, finishing up on the table. He got up, putting the screwdriver in the toolbox not too far away from him. A rag was tossed over his shoulder, his tank top soaked in sweat.

Evan shrugged, running his fingers through his dark curls as he headed straight for the kitchen.

"Ivy's going because her boyfriend is going," he said, opening the fridge.

I frowned, tossing him a sharp look.

"You have a boyfriend?" my dad questioned with a hard tone.

I shook my head. "No, I don't. Evan's just being an asshole!" I screamed loud enough so that my brother could hear me.

His laughter rang from the kitchen.

Dad gave me a hard stare and I sighed, patting him on the shoulder. "I don't have a boyfriend Dad" I reassured him as I made my way upstairs. "I have friends that are boys but no interest at the moment."

"And it better stay that way," he said, shaking his head.

I laughed before bounding up the stairs to my room. I threw my bag on the floor, not even bothering to open it since there had been no homework assigned yet. I took out my phone and put a timer on for an hour before placing it on my assembled dresser and immediately jumped into bed.

A quick nap before a party never hurt anyone.

My body sank into the soft, new sheets, my bare feet kicking underneath the blankets as I settled myself in for a quick nap. A light breeze from my slightly opened windows settled me into sleep and my eyes shut close.

I was knocked out for what seemed like an eternity. My mind was filled with no dreams and no disturbances. I never really dreamed. Dreams never really littered my mind when I was asleep. Maybe it was because I was more logical if anything but just the mere thought of not dreaming beyond my mind was kind of depressing.

When I came to, my alarm was ringing in my ears, the first thing to awaken me from my deep slumber. A tired yawn escaped my lips followed by the sudden realization that I had actual plans to fulfill. Quickly, I jumped out of bed and rushed over to my dresser to get my phone.

I checked the time. 7: 00. The party started in thirty minutes and knowing myself, it took a full hour for me to get ready.

Phoenix had texted me about four times saying he would be at my house by 7:20 and that he needed my address. Quickly texting him back, I rushed into the conjoining bathroom in my room and showered quickly. I was in and out by five minutes.

Throwing on some deodorant and lotion, I fitted my way into some light blue high-waisted jeans and a sequined crop top. I threw on a pair of black sneakers that reached my knees and dried my hair as best as I could. I straightened it quickly, making sure it was dry enough to leave down without looking like a mop.

As I applied some lip gloss, Evan walked into my room, opening the door slightly.

"May I help you?" I asked as my twin brother entered without permission.

"I just wanted to see that you were awake and not completely knocked out," he said in a sarcastic tone, running his fingers through his soft curls.

He wore black jeans and a crisp light blue shirt that complemented his eyes.

"How sweet" I replied back, wiping off the gloss residue from the corners of my lips.

An exasperated sigh came from his lips. "Does it take you this long to get ready?"

"Do you always have to be annoying?" I questioned back without looking at him.

He nodded but rolled his eyes.

The doorbell rang from downstairs and Dad immediately went and opened it. Evan and I both froze, trading glances with each other. A familiar voice greeted him followed by Dad's warm laughter before he called out to Evan and me.

"You two seem to have a visitor!" he yelled from downstairs.

"Are some of your friends here to pick you up or something?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I thought you and I were going to go together" he confirmed, shrugging. Frowning, I grabbed my phone, keys, and crossbody bag before heading downstairs with my brother. In the living room, wearing an army green shirt and ripped light jeans was Phoenix.

He was almost completely unrecognizable with his dark hair tumbling across his face in strands. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle brighter under the fluorescent lights, a smile on his usually brooding face.

When his gaze lifted up to meet mine, he gave me a smile. A genuine one.

I couldn't help but reciprocate it back, the feeling so natural and instinctive.

"I'm glad to have met one of your friends," Dad said, patting him on the back. "He already seems like a real charmer."

Evan snorted, keeping his snarky comments in his mouth. "Yeah, just ask Ivy."

I aimed a kick at his shin which he protested against, grabbing his leg in pain. An innocent smile slid on my lips as my brother cursed at me, tucking my hands in front of my bag.

"Both of you, behave" Dad warned in a stern voice. Despite his distressed state and my irritated daze, Evan and I both nodded.

Smiling, Dad reached into his wallet and handed each of us a twenty-dollar bill. "In case the food at the party sucks and you decided to ditch for some fast food," he said with a warm smile.

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. "Thanks, Dad. You seem to have already read my mind."

After a few minutes of chatting, Phoenix led the way out the front door with Evan and me trailing behind him. Dad watched from the front door as he unlocked the doors to his car.

"Drive safe kids," he said as we got in the car.

"I will" Phoenix reassured him as he took his place in the driver's seat. He started the car before putting his seatbelt on, and carefully pulling out of our driveway. Dad waved at us frantically as we pulled out, his figure disappearing when we went around the corner.

Far enough from home, I relaxed in the car, passing a glance over to Phoenix.

"No leather jacket tonight?" I asked him, taking in his toned arms that were fitted underneath his shirt.

"It's in the backseat. I'll get it once we arrive" he replied back, turning on to the main road.

"You could have texted me you had arrived," I said.

He simply shrugged, biting his lip. "I could have," he said in a tone that made it sound more suggestive than a statement. "But that was a lot of effort into something so little."

"Little to you but very big to me." Another smirk drew across his face, the streetlights casting dark shadows on his hauntingly defined features.

"Don't listen to her. She was done with her hair" Evan chimed from the back of the car.

Phoenix mustered a smile, keeping his eyes on the road. "I have a sister too. Trust me, I feel your pain" he supported my brother.

Evan seemed to nod right back, the two sharing a genuine understanding.

A groan escaped my lips. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to look like the Lochness fucking Monster" I retorted back to the both of them, crossing my arms over my chest.

"You look like that every day" my twin brother teased, earning himself a middle finger from yours truly.

I could tell Phoenix was entertained by our banter, shaking his head and biting his lip to stop the laughter that threatened to bubble from his lips.

However, his steel-blue eyes briefly flickered over to me as we stopped at a stoplight. He raked his gaze over my shoulder and past my body very slowly. He stopped at my shoes and continued his way back up to my face, sending a cold yet warm chill down my back.

Then, ever so smoothly, he locked his jaw and paid his attention back to the road just as the lights turned green. "Your hair looks fine" he whispered to me. "You look fine."

Although it wasn't quite a compliment nor an insult, I couldn't help but smile to myself, mustering up a simple "Thank you" before sealing my lips close.

We arrived at Stephanie's house shortly. Well, more like a mini-mansion.

The driveway was full, forcing us to park a few feet away from her house and walk about a good five minutes to the front door. Phoenix had shrugged on his leather jacket, keeping it open and shoving his hands in his pockets. Evan was a few steps ahead of us, seeming to already blend in with the preppy, drunk, unpredictable crowd.

The front door was jarred open when we approached. The music was deafening, illuminating strings of lights flashing before our eyes. Students had ditched their proper attire for skimpy clothing that barely covered them. A lot of them wore glow sticks around their wrist, carrying red cups that contained God knows what.

"Reconsidering?" Phoenix whispered to me, seeing the glum look on my face.

Despite what my mind said, I shook my head, clearing my throat. "Nope. I'm good."

"Evan!" A voice called out to my brother. We all turned around to see Stephanie standing on her living room table wearing a white flowy dress, her neck decorated with colorful glowing beads, and her blond locks decorated with flowers. "Come here!" she beckoned him with a smile, curling her fingers.

In her hand she held a red cup, dancing infectiously to the beat of the music blasting through the speaker. It was a miracle the neighbors hadn't called the cops yet.

And that we haven't gone deaf.

"Well, I'm on my merry way," Evan said, waving at us, heading over to Stephanie's teasing direction. "Good luck on whatever you guys are investigating."

His figure disappeared into the crowd, his voice lost among the thousands. The last I saw of him was his tall figure joining her on the living room table, the two getting a bit too comfortable with one another.

Phoenix and I stood by the door for a good minute, taking in the chaotic scene and rethinking our decisions.

After what seemed like forever, he spoke. "I'll try to find Tyson. You go on ahead and find Greyson" he said.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded, looking around the big house. "Okay. Don't try to look too suspicious."

A smile curled on his lips. "Why else do you think I dressed so preppy?"

A scoff escaped my lips. "Hate to break it to you but ripped jeans defy all the rules of being preppy."

He shrugged, waving a nonchalant hand at me. "It's my kind of preppy" he replied back.

I rolled my eyes at him but wished him luck before we parted ways. I worked my way through the crowd, trying to see through the blazing lights and splashing alcohol. In the center of the living room, there was a huge pool table that was being used for beer pong. Several drunk peers congregated around the table, shamelessly throwing the ping pong balls.

Despite the fact that half of the time, the ball missed the rim of the cup, the alcohol was still consumed and refilled once more. It was at this table that I found Mercedes with Katherine and Greyson. She was easy to spot, wearing a yellow sundress that brightened her dark complexion. A red cup was in her hand, and her wrists were covered in glow sticks.

"Mercedes!" I called out to her over the music, pushing and shoving people away as I made my way over.

She looked over before smiling, reaching for my hand and pulling me through the crowd. I stumbled a bit but was soon wrapped in her arms in a big hug.

"You made it!" she screamed over the loud music. "I was hoping you would come!"

She looked over at my outfit. "And you look hot!"

A blush crept up on my cheeks even though it was invisible under the multicolored lights. "Thank you! You too!"

She smiled and tapped Greyson on the shoulder who was standing next to Katherine, both of them competing in beer pong. Greyson shot his ball into a cup, the whole table cheering before he took it and down it in one gulp before it was refilled once again. Turning around, he saw me, a smile breaking on his face.

"Ivy!" he screamed, enveloping me in a hug. "You made it!"

I hugged back, breathing in his airy cologne. We pulled apart and his eyes met mine, still so blue under the lights. He looked really cute, his dark hair gelled back, and the black shirt he wore hugged his muscular arms. He paired it up with basic grey jeans and sneakers.

Still, every time he smiled, something inside me fluttered.

Not the fucking time, brain.

"You look gorgeous!" he complimented me, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Thank you!" I hollered back.

Katherine, who had been too busy throwing and drinking, walked up to us with a blank expression on her face, holding two red cups in her hand.

She handed it over to me, swirling the brown liquid inside. "Here," she said in a very flat voice. "The finest beer in ShadowHill. Greenlight, chilled to perfection." Without waiting for my answer, she shoved the cup in my hand. Swallowing, I stared down at the drink.

"I shouldn't," I said, looking up. "I don't drink."

Mercedes threw her arm around my shoulder, shaking her head. "It's not that bad and barely strong. I've had like five cups and I'm still sober enough to drive to like Jersey."

The alcohol on her breath was still strong enough for me to decline. "I'm fine really. It doesn't look appealing."

Katherine rolled her eyes, running her fingers through her tumbling red hair.

"Your lost" she whispered underneath her breath, taking a sip from her own cup. Sighing, I looked down at the cup, swirling the liquid around.

Anything to convince them that I am not suspicious.

Lifting the cup to my mouth, I took a swing from the cup, the sour drink pouring down my throat. Suppressing my gag, I forced on a smile, clearing my throat.

"It's good right!" Mercedes yelled into my ear.

I nodded, taking a small sip from the cup. "Totally," I said in a glum voice.

Katherine smiled, taking a sip of her drink. "Come on, Greyson! It's your turn again!" she said, pulling him away.

He mumbled but didn't hesitate, turning back and winking at me. "We'll catch up with each other later!" he yelled through the crowd.

I nodded before he disappeared into the crowd.

"Come on best friend!" Mercedes said in a slightly tipsy haze, wrapping her hand around my shoulder. She pulled me close to her, dragging me through the pulsing crowd. I held my cup tight and danced my way around the crowd with her.

"Who did you come here with?" she asked, chugging her drink down.

"Phoenix and Evan!" I replied back.

She stopped momentarily, wiggling her eyebrows at me. "Do you and Phoenix have a thing for each other already?" she questioned in an awed voice. "Because Greyson wouldn't be down for that!"

"He's my friend!" I simply replied back. Mercedes raised her brows at me again but didn't question any further, instead dragging me around with her as she danced to the beat.

I tried to keep up with her as best as I could, holding on to her arm as she dragged me through the crowd. At some point in the night, I lost my drink, probably dropping it somewhere on the crowded dance floor.

Throughout the entire night, I tried my best to look around to see if I could capture Greyson's eyes. His silhouette would flicker in my vision here and there but disappear only moments later. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Especially with Mercedes wandering around, talking and flirting with any intoxicated boy she could find.

While I very much wanted to leave, the thought of abandoning her in this wild scene settled uneasily in my stomach.

So for the next two hours, I failed to complete what I came here to do in the first place. I walked with Mercedes, danced my ass off to any song I knew, and participated in several rounds of beer pong. It was almost shameful for me to admit that I was enjoying myself way more than I should.

This was not my initial plan. But then again, I never really planned for my life to take such a sudden turn.

Midnight was two hours away when the party calmed down a little bit. Everyone who had been partying on the dancefloor seemed to take a little break, socializing and refilling their drinks. The couch was full of drunk, slightly passed-out bodies. In the corner of the living room and up on the second floor, kids were lounging around in circles, hookah pipes centered in the middle.

Mercedes had finally detached herself off my arm to join Katherine who was sitting on the beer-soaked chair, leaning on her shoulder. Seizing the moment, I went outside to the backyard which was a little bit more relaxed with some sober people. There was a bonfire in the middle of it all, people toasting marshmallows and passing around some drinks.

Amongst these people, I found Phoenix in the corner sitting by himself. He held a red solo cup in his hand, the ember flames flickering from his eyes. He didn't seem to pay much attention to anything, looking at his surroundings. When his eyes landed on me, he frowned, shaking his head.

My cheeks burned bright and I took a step towards him to apologize but he shook his head, motioning over to the other side of the backyard.

Sitting alone on the wooden swing set was Greyson, staring up at the stars. Turning away from me, Phoenix watched as I strolled my way over to him.

"I finally found you" I whispered to Greyson when I was close enough. He looked up at me, smiling his charming smile. I sat on the wooden chair across from him, both of us using little force to push the swing side to side.

"It was getting too crazy in there. I needed some air" he said, sipping from his cup. I laughed with him, running my fingers through my hair.

"I need to ask you something," I said in a low voice. His brows rose but the smirk on his lips was rather deceiving.

"Ask away," he said.

"So, I've been hearing about Caleb a lot. About his murder, his past life, even about his family" I said. Greyson didn't seem to react to his, instead just staring at me with calm eyes. "I've been trying to piece together the story but I haven't been able to figure out the complete storyline so I was wondering if you could shine a little light on the situation."

"Caleb was the star boy," he said without hesitation. "Everyone knew who he was. He had the smile, the hair, the face. He was just a recognizable dude. He had an abundant amount of money, he threw the wildest parties, he hooked up with the hottest girls, and he scored the most touchdowns. It was all a pretty picture. But his family life was never the prettiest."

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling excitement zip through my veins.

Greyson shrugged, nibbling on his lips. "I mean, his family, while successful now, did used to have a very shady reputation in the past. It took them a while to dig themselves out of that hole."

"What? Did they murder someone?" I asked half-jokingly. A spark twinkled in his eyes and for a moment, he was still. His gaze locked on me, a frown pulling on his lips.

"A bit too soon for those kinds of jokes," he said in a rather hurt but harsh tone. It sent my skin crawling but nonetheless, I nodded.

"I'm sorry. That was out of line." He waved a hand in my direction, shaking his head.

"It's okay. It's just that Caleb and I were very close friends. Our families knew each other very well and we played on the football team together. It's hard to deal with the fact that he is gone."

"Did you see him before his disappearance?" I asked, already knowing the answer to that.

He nodded.

"Yeah, it was just after practice. Me, him, and Tyson were just chilling getting ready to go home. While Tyson ran back to retrieve his jacket, Caleb told me something. He was always a bit more superstitious than all of us but he had a weird feeling that someone was following him."

Hearing those words raised a lightbulb in my head. "Following him? Like a stalker?"

"Something like that. I didn't think too much of it but thinking back on it, I should have followed up and taken him more seriously. Maybe, I would have been able to do something."

His voice cracked on the last few and my enthusiasm disappeared. Staring at Greyson right now, he looked like how anyone should look when they lose someone.

Broken, sad, and lonely.

Deciding to end my questioning investigation, I moved and sat next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up too much. You know that if there was anything that you could have done, you would. It's not your fault."

"Yet I still feel like it is," he said, turning over to me. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and see the dark gleam in his blue eyes but instead, I smiled, suppressing my excitement. "It's not. I promise you that."

Humming, he reached out and touched my hand, stroking my fingers softly. "You seem to know a lot about tragedies," he said, slightly intertwining our fingers together. "What's your story?"

Smirking, I squeezed our fingers together. "Let's save that tale for another time."

Champagne pouring over us

All my friends were glorious

Tonight we are victorious  

~Victorious by Panic! at the Disco