**Wyatt (Steven R. McQueen), Nash (Alfred Enoch), Ari (Dylan O'Brien) and Mari (Sarah Hyland)**

4 years earlier

"Come on, B," Wyatt said, scaling ever higher up the gnarled branches of the ash tree. "Stop worrying about your nails!"

Colby giggled. "Just 'cause I've always been a tomboy doesn't mean I don't enjoy being more of a lady sometimes." She huffed then, digging the toes of her boots into the deep ridges of the bark and grasping for a sturdy branch. When she reached him, he grabbed her hand, helping her settle into the boughs. They sat in contemplative silence among the bright green leaves.

"I know some things have changed," she admitted. "I know I've started caring about silly things like my hair and my nails—"

"And clothes, and showering every damn day," he added, smirking.

"Hey, you should be glad I do all those things!" she asserted, blushing fiercely as she placed a well-deserved slap on his knee. "Most of it's for you, you know!"

"Uh uh. You can't blame me," he said, kissing the back of her hand. "I'd love you even if you smelled like week old hot onions."

She scoffed, grinning.

"Look," he said, averting his eyes, his tone suddenly serious. "I see the way other guys look at you, and I don't like it."

"My my, are you...jealous, Dodge?"

"Hell, yeah!" he drawled. "I'm goin' out with the prettiest girl in Texas. I want you all to myself." He brushed his thumb over her cheek, sending her a furtive wink.

She couldn't help feeling flattered.

"I'm all yours," she whispered.

Wyatt

"Was that your doin'?" Nash asks, elbowing me in the ribs. He covers a wide grin with his fist as he chuckles. I turn to find him pointing toward Cole, who makes his way down the hallway with a shiner that's a deep shade of purple. People whisper and stare as he passes by, and I might feel just a tiny bit of guilt since Colby swears he wasn't the one that drugged her.

Cole shoves a gawking freshman into the wall while spewing obscenities, and I'm over the guilt. Cole's not worthy of my pity.

"Yep," I say. Ha. So maybe he didn't drug Colby. He's still a prick.

Nash gives a low whistle. "Cripes, Wyatt. You sure you didn't do that 'cause you're jealous?" He snickers, and I know he's teasing, but it feels a little like a punch below the belt.

"Whose friend are you, asshole?" I demand, smirking. I swat the book he's holding out of his hand, and it falls with a heavy thud on the floor.

"Geez, someone's in a pissy mood this morning," he grunts, bending down to retrieve his book. "Either that or I made a helluva good observation." He waggles his eyebrows, grinning.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. Nashawn "Nash" Porter and I have been friends since before I have memories, with family ties that run deeper than blood. Our moms have been friends since high school, and Nash's dad is the pastor of the local church we've attended my whole life.

As the oldest of five kids, Nash has always had some pretty hefty expectations on his shoulders, setting a good example and whatnot. I've always done my best to keep him from staying too close to the straight and narrow, though.

In other words, I may not be the best influence. But hey, I'm no worse than Ari, the third member of our friendship triad.

"Whattup?" Ari sidles up from behind, smacking me on the shoulder. "Saw your handiwork," he adds, indicating Cole with his thumb. "Props, brother."

Aurelius "Ari" Castillo, Nash and I have had each other's backs since second grade. Ari and I had it out on the playground during recess over rights to the only football in the ball bin. It came to blows. I ended up with a swollen lip, and he escaped with a bloody nose, but we both walked away with respect for one another. That's all it took to know we were friends for life.

"What'd that dick do this time?" Ari continues, digging into his locker just two down the row from my own.

"Wyatt caught him trying to round the bases with Colby," Nash says. "Colby seemed drunk when he found'em."

"Colby texted me yesterday," I say, slamming my locker shut. "She swears it wasn't Cole that spiked her drink. She thinks it was Greg Hayword. Says he was the one filling everybody's cups that night, but Cole still shoulda known better."

"Mmhmm," Ari and Nash hum in unison, doubt coloring their tones.

"Well, I guess he had it coming one way or the other," Ari reasons. "For overthrowing you during our scrimmage with Lincoln High. Everyone knows he did it on purpose."

Cole did do it on purpose, that shithead. He's played quarterback for North High since he was a freshman, which is typically unheard of. Of course, instead of accepting his role with humility, he's a jerk about it.

I play tight end, and I've been working my fine ass off for a scholarship to college next year. There were Baylor and Texas A&M scouts at our scrimmage versus Lincoln, and I was really on my game that day.

We were down to the final seconds, and I was wide open in the end zone. Cole sent the ball sailing just over the top of my outstretched hands. I could excuse it if I thought it was an accident, but the smile on his face when I came down without the ball told me all I needed to know. Needless to say, we lost.

I nod. "It's gonna be a long season," I sigh.

"Aurelius! Ugh!"

I glance over my shoulder finding Mari, Ari's twin sister, marching angrily toward us.

Ari cringes in anticipation of her wrath. "Mar, what's the problem? I—"

"I'm driving to school tomorrow, and we are parking on the side where my locker is so I don't have to race across campus!" she asserts, exasperated. "You always do this, parking near all of your stuff while I have to hike—"

"This again?" Ari interrupts. "You wouldn't be late if you didn't have to drag your ugly face into the bathroom and slather paint all over it to—"

"No, no, no, Aurelius," Mari says throwing her hands up and shaking her head in frustration. "Mom says—"

I tune out as they continue their typical bickering.

Marisol "Mari" Castillo, the younger sister I only sort of wish I had. She's a full eight minutes younger than Ari, which I guess technically makes her the little sister, though the only thing small about her is her size. Her personality on the other hand, well, let's just say big doesn't do it justice. And for the record, there's nothing ugly about her face...

I tune back in just in time to see Mari storming down the west wing toward the science hall. Ari pulls a book from his locker, muttering to himself in Spanish. Nash and I dissolve into fits of laughter.

"Oh, you laugh," Ari grumbles, slamming his locker shut. "Try living with that. I know how to handle her though, don't worry. Maybe then she won't always go running to mom like some giant baby."

He continues spewing his vitriol in earnest, only now we're trying to get him to shut up, Nash clearing his throat, and me subtly slicing my fingers across my neck. The man can't take a hint, though.

Mari reappears, tapping her brother on the back, hands placed stubbornly on her hips. She may be a foot shorter than her brother, but I swear she's larger than life right now. I'm glad I'm not the one on her bad side.

"Escuché lo que dijiste, hermano," Mari says, jabbing her brother in the chest with her index finger.

"Oh, por favor hermana querida," Ari answers, folding his arms over his chest. "No tengo miedo de—"

"Damn," Nash says. "I don't understand a word they're saying, but somehow I just can't look away."

"Ari's outmatched, though. Dude looks scared outta his mind," I say, nodding toward our compatriot. It's not an uncommon site, their knockdown-drag-out verbal throw-downs. They tend to slip into Spanish when they're particularly fired up, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the show. Ari's pride definitely needs the periodic ego check that Mari provides.

"I don't have time for this, Aurelius, and now I'm going to be late," Mari says, running her hand through her waist-length brown hair.

"You're only late cause you couldn't leave well enough alone," Ari continues. "You didn't have to come back here and argue."

"I'm done with this," Mari insists, throwing a hand up in front of Ari's face and turning her attention to Nash. "Take me to breakfast?" she asks, batting her lashes. "We'll just skip first period."

"Uh..." Nash hesitates, glancing from Mari to Ari, then back.

"No!" Ari gruffs.

Mari smiles, winking at Nash.

"Sure!" Nash agrees. Mari links arms with him, and a huge grin spreads across his face.

Until he sees murder in Ari's eyes. Nash tenses.

"Ignore him, Nash," Mari says with a toss of her hair, leading him toward the exit. "Ta-ta, hermano!" She waves over her shoulder, and Nash simply shrugs, tossing us a sheepish grin on his way out the door.

"Seriously?" Ari growls. "Seriously?"

"Chill, man," I say, clapping him on the shoulder. "Like Nash can say no to a pretty girl."

"Pretty?" Ari grunts.

I laugh at Ari's exasperation. "C'mon, we better get going," I say, stopping in my tracks when something catches my eye.

I see Colby enter from the other end of the hallway. She looks beautiful, like always. Her eyes meet mine for a brief moment, a hint of a smile gracing her face.

I'm pleased to see she's not holding our Saturday night disagreement against me.

Her eyes move shyly away from mine, watching the floor before her as she makes her way between the throngs of students before she stops suddenly.

Right in front of Cole.

But instead of her palm colliding with his cheek like I'm hoping for, it's her lips.

Aw hell, am I jealous.