*

"Hey, Wren, you wanna go to this party tonight?" I heard Frankie call across the room, as he descended the stairs. I guessed he just got off the phone with Christie and she said she couldn't. I had just finished one of my summer reading books and was finishing up taking notes on the last chapter.

"What kind of party?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uhh... a fancy party." He answered.

"Sure. I have nothing else to do." I shrugged.

"Okay, put on something... rich-looking." He told me, taking a drink of water and looking down at his phone.

"Hmm, okay." I answered, making my way upstairs and wracking my brain as to what I had that could work. I decided to check out Christie's closet and found a fancy black dress that was stretchy and a couple skimpy shirts. The dress turned out to be way too baggy and the skimpy tops made me feel particularly boob-less. I frowned down at my body in the mirror and then peered into my closet. I had a short black pencil skirt I knew I could wear so I threw that on and started hunting for an appropriate shirt that would work for a fancy party. I knew skimpy was usually better if it was done in the right way and I found a black blouse with a complex collar that disguised the fact that I had no boobs.

"Oh, that looks good. You're already ready?" Frankie told me with a cute smile that made me smile back.

He had thrown on some nice pinstriped black pants that he wore with a shiny black satin collared shirt when I joined him in his room in front of his full-length mirror. "Hm I don't know... Do I look gay?" Frankie asked me, as his eyebrows furrowed at his reflection. I studied his dark form before answering.

"Maybe a white shirt?" I watched him furtively as he changed his shirt.

"Good call." He nodded with another look in the mirror as he buttoned it up over his muscular abs. I tried not to breathe too loud at the sight of them and smiled to him awkwardly through the mirror when his eyes turned to my reflection.

*

"Swanky." I commented when we arrived in his shiny black Audi to a mansion. It had its façade lit up as if it was alive and we parked on the round-about in the front. It was brighter and less intimidating than the Greyson estate and wasn't made of stone, so I guessed it was not as old.

"Yeah..." He said, peering up at it in awe and slight apprehension. "Ready?" he asked, sounding as anxious as I felt.

"As ready as I'll ever be..." I told him, following his lead and getting out of the car. His doors squeaked as they closed and he joined me on the passenger side. "So, whose party is this?"

"Uh, oh my friend Nicole." He answered as we made our way to the door.

"Oh yeah? Ex-girlfriend?" I asked, trying not to sound too judge-y.

"Nah, just a friend." He shrugged. His hand opened to take mine and I slipped my hand into his, trying not to let myself read into it too much.

A tall dark-blond-haired girl opened the door instead of the servant that I had expected.

"Frankie, you came!" she cheered with a squinty-eyed grin.

"Hey, Nicole." Frankie answered, accepting a light hug. He had let go of my hand to hug her lightly and I felt like I should just shrink away and disappear into the stoop. The feeling of being out-of-place tripled when her blue eyes fell on me and her eyebrows rose.

"Hi." She said in a high friendly voice, but with an awkward air as if she wished I wasn't there. I raised an eyebrow and then my face fell into an innocent smile.

"I'm Wren. Frankie's surrogate girlfriend for the evening." I announced, holding my hand out for her to shake. Frankie's laugh was like bells and Nicole's mouth fell open, before she shook my hand.

"Christie's little sister." Frankie explained when Nicole's eyes turned to him for a more believable explanation. I felt his hand on my back and Nicole stepped back to let us in. I felt my heart swell for Frankie as he let me step in first.

"Waiiiit." I mumbled, looking at a family picture that was hung in the entryway. The man behind a young version of Nicole looked familiar. He knew Vati. I had met him in a meeting in New York City in a building that we owned that was the hub for a Pharmaceutical Company. "Is Gerry your father?" I asked, turning to Nicole's frozen look of surprise and a suspicious look from Frankie.

"Yeah. How-?" she didn't finish her sentence.

"Is that Wren Greyson?" Gerry asked, his strong voice dipping and then rising as he took in the sight of me in my silly outfit. Frankie stepped back to stand at my side and the large silhouette of Gerry in his suit came into full view. His head tilted to the side as he came upon me with strides like a lion. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, with a quick glance at Frankie. I saw his dark eyes dart to Frankie's sides like he expected to find a gun.

"It's nice to see you, Gerry."

"Is your father looking in on me?" he asked with a laugh, even though I could hear the threatened tone on the edge of his voice.

"No, nothing like that. I'm here to keep an eye on my sister's boyfriend." I joked, slipping my arm around the crook of Frankie's elbow. Gerry's eyes went to Frankie and I could see his large frame relax and a polite smile grace his lightly bearded face.

"Franklin Dietrich." Frankie introduced himself, holding his hand out to shake.

"Gerry." He answered, shaking Frankie's hand firmly.

"I met Frankie at Smuggler's Notch and then we ended up both going to Skidmore." Nicole explained.

"It's nice to meet you." Gerry told Frankie stiffly, before turning his eyes to me. "Let me know if there's anything I can get you." His eyebrow twitched and I couldn't help the smile that tried to crawl across my lips when I realized he wasn't just speaking about a 'drink', but was offering me illegal drugs.

"Thanks, Gerry. I don't need anything. I'll see you later." I answered, as Gerry departed and Nicole led me and Frankie away toward the kitchen.

Frankie and I were introduced to a couple other girls Nicole's age and I noticed there were very few guys at the party and the ones that were there were attached to a girl like glue. Frankie was by far the most beautiful man there and I seemed to gather almost as much attention as him.

"Who's this?" the next group of girls asked as they came over in a gaggle while Frankie and I had turned to the finger foods and drinks.

"I'm Wren."

"Hey, I've seen you before. You're famous. The heir to the Greyson Corporation." One of them said in surprise, looking at me as if studying my eyes for something. I smiled awkwardly.

"I'm not really famous." I said, with a glance at Frankie, to see that he seemed kinda surprised too. The girl who recognized me reminded me of Christie. She had dark hair, pale skin, and intelligent eyes.

"I'm Darcy." She smiled, holding out her hand. I shook politely and then saw her eyes go to Frankie.

"I'm Frankie. Wren's my girlfriend's sister." He explained, with his eyes sweeping over the other three girls, who like Darcy seemed interested in him. I could see the disappointment in their smiles- same as me...

"Sister? You have a sister?" Darcy asked, with her eyebrows furrowed wildly.

"Yes. Christine Silver." I explained, still seeing confusion on Darcy's face. "My name was changed after my parents died. Christie kept our father's last name."

"Wow, that's- I'm sorry." Darcy stuttered.

"I never knew them." I shrugged.

"How old are you?" one of the girls asked with her red-painted lips smiling down at me and her eyes looking hazy and drunk.

"Ten." I answered reluctantly. "How old are you?" I countered, making them laugh.

"Twenty." One of the girls called over her wine glass.

"Oh, Frankie, I forgot that you guys are under the drinking age too." I pointed out, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not letting you have alcohol, Wren." He told me, with a determined look down at me like I was going to fight him.

"You know, Vati lets me drink, right?" I asked, with a shrug.

"Who's Vati? What kind of name is that?" one of the girls asked.

"He's my grandfather."

"You mean Henry Greyson." Darcy asked.

"Yes."

"I'm not your Vati." Frankie said in a mock whisper that made me laugh as he started moving off and took my hand to pull me with him. Some of the girls followed and new ones came over and asked us the same questions about my age and how Frankie knew me.

"You're muscular. How are you so muscular?" one of the girls asked, touching my bicep. I frowned as I looked at my arm to see my muscles were pretty defined. I hadn't really noticed, but I guessed it was from riding and more likely lunging Wolf.

"She's an equestrian and she goes to the gym." Frankie told them with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Oh, do you go with her?" one of the girls asked with a suggestive tone and an obvious look at Frankie's body.

"Nah, but sometimes I go with my girlfriend." He laughed, making the girl make a face that made him laugh harder.

"I'm his girlfriend tonight." I told them, taking his hand and pulling myself closer to him.

"So cute." One of the girls cried, making me fight not to cringe or scowl. Kill me...

When we moved off to check out the backyard and the girls moved to different conversations or different rooms, I let go of Frankie's hand and stopped.

"Was ist los?" 'What's the matter?' he asked.

"Do I look like a boy?" I was trying to ask if he thought I was unattractive, but it came out wrong.

"What?" he asked through a surprised laugh.

"I mean; do you think I'm too muscular?" I asked with a frown down at the lightning shape of my thighs and the sinewy look of my arms.

"Wren, I think she meant it as a compliment." Frankie said softly.

"You didn't really answer my question." I huffed in distress. "Do you think I'm... unattractive?" He seemed to notice the worry in my eyes. Did I even want to hear his answer? What would I do to be what he wanted? What could I do? His eyebrows furrowed slightly and his brown eyes studied my face rather than looking down at my body like I wanted them to.

"Wren, I think you're beautiful." He sounded so sincere and his voice was so low and smooth. He took my hand and pulled me out into the hot summer night. The pool was huge and had pale lights that glowed blue from under the water. Lights around the perimeter of the fenced concrete pool area lent a romantic warm light to the backyard and the bugs were chirping loudly. "You shouldn't worry about what anybody thinks of your body. As long as you're healthy, who cares?" he asked. I gave him a look that said everybody-cares and he gave me a look that said stubbornly well-they-shouldn't.

*

After about an hour, the party was becoming kind of a dud. The music Nicole had on was boring and her speakers were too quiet. A bunch of people had joined me and Frankie outside and I had drank a sugary drink which I had been wishing was alcoholic.

"You guys are terrible at partying. What the heck?" I cried when the music wasn't even loud enough to feel.

"Show us how to party, then, Party Girl." Frankie insisted, giving me a funny idea.

"Well, I have better music than this. We should all be dancing!" I told him, making a cute grin light his face.

"The speakers don't go any louder." One of the girls informed us with a pout.

"Frankie, maybe you should pull your car up to that gate and we could use your speakers and subwoofer?" I pointed, making him look with the corners of his mouth pressed down and possibility in his eyes.

"Yeah," He agreed thoughtfully. "I can do that."

It didn't take Frankie long to get his car backed close to the pool gate and I opened it from the inside and went to the passenger seat to plug in my ipod. I smiled when I found my playlist full of club music and Frankie looked excited when he turned the dial and turned on the bass to its fullest volume, practically blowing my ear drums out where I sat beside him. He looked like his ears were blown out too and I couldn't even hear my own laugh at his expression.

We leaped out together and the party-goers cheered as we went over with our hands in the air. The rest of the party came out like swarming bees and I found myself dancing on one of the picnic tables with three drunk girls.

"Where'd you learn to dance like that?" someone called to me with their eyebrows raised.

"Oh- Uhh..." I looked to Frankie with a slightly guilty expression. "A stripper taught me." I told them honestly with my hand next to my mouth as if I was whispering when in fact I was talking loudly over the loud music. I saw the slight horror on Frankie's face. "Relax, Frankie. It's not like I'm going to start ripping my clothes off." I laughed. "Although, I do sorta want to jump in the pool!"

"Oh my god! I dare you!" Nicole called over the music. I could tell Frankie knew I would do it because he was smirking as I took his hand for him to help me down off the table.

"Dare it is." I chirped, trotting over to the diving board. "Ready?" I looked to see Frankie and Nicole along with a bunch of others were watching before I took three barefoot strides along the sand-papery diving board and lifted off to throw a front flip. I heard the surprised cheering even as I hit the water. When I was under the water- it was like the calm before the storm- like I was all of a sudden in a different world. It was a weird feeling that came over me- like maybe I just wanted to stay down there in weightlessness.

When I emerged, the first face I saw was Frankie's and he couldn't contain a smile as he held his hand out to pull me out.

"Nice one." He laughed.

"Your turn, Frankie." I answered, slyly. I could see the look in his eyes that said I had just convinced him.

"If you insist." He joked. To my utter joy, he stepped back and unbuttoned his shirt before handing it to me. When he went to the diving board, I guessed every girl was staring in awe along with me. He took one stride before doing an amazing flip off the diving board. I cheered with the others and couldn't help the impressed grin that spread across my face. I had put his shirt on one of the chairs to lean over and offer him my hand even though I knew he wouldn't need it. Instead of pulling him out, he pulled me in. My body plunged into the refreshing clear blue water, into the timeless space underwater. Frankie went underwater too with a smile on his lips as his brown eyes connected with mine. We were in slow-motion together like we were in outer space and the world had melted away. It was just us two- him and me. I would've stayed in that moment forever staring at his exhilarated expression and perfect shirtless body, if I didn't need to breathe.

"You guys are crazy!" Nicole yelled down to us when we both came up with our hair sticking to our heads. He ran his hand though his hair, making it stick up like crazy with a silly grin on his face. Next thing I know, Nicole got pushed in and three other girls jumped in with their tight dresses getting completely soaked.

"Wren, you're a bad influence!" Frankie said, swimming close to me.

"Somebody had to show them how to have fun." I joked. I was surprised when he kissed my cheek as if he was thanking me, making me blush.

*

It was late when we got back from the party and Frankie and I had wet hair and damp clothes when we tried to creep in and Christie popped up from the couch.

"Heeey!" she smiled, brightly. "I waited for you! It's so late." She laughed, turning off the TV and approaching Frankie to put her arms around him. I almost choked on my pain when they pressed their lips together passionately and she got to run her hand over his jaw and her arm around his neck. I had been moving off to the stairs, struggling not to let tears come to my eyes in front of them. "Your hair's all wet." She laughed.

"Wren convinced me to jump in the pool." He told her fondly, making my urge to cry almost worse.

"Did you have fun?" I heard her call as I ran quickly up the stairs. "Wren?" I heard her ask as I raced to get around Darko to hide in my room.

*

I was sitting on my bed trying to hold it together with Darko by my side when I heard them make their way clumsily up the stairs. When they got to the landing, I was in complete silence and could hear them kissing. My heart felt like it was being pierced slowly and painfully as I heard them laugh as they made their way into his room across from mine. I knew they were going to have sex. I couldn't bear to hear and my wet eyes searched frantically for something I could do to pretend it wasn't happening. His door had closed and I heard a quiet moan from him that made my pain impossibly worse. I couldn't even breathe. I slipped out of my room as quietly as possible with Darko and then I stood at the bottom of the stairs in the dark with misery drowning me. I wished I could just take Christie's car and start driving. I looked at the table where their keys were thrown and spotted a pack of cigarettes and Frankie's lighter.

I stood over the table looking at the box of cigarettes for a quiet moment before taking one and putting the lighter in my pocket. I slipped on my shoes quickly and threw on Darko's leash. He was excited and his tail was wagging as he quietly looked up at me and waited for me to let him out. I walked with purpose away from the house, letting my tears and sobs out in the hope that some of the pain would leave with them. When I felt like I was far enough away, I stopped to let Darko pee on a stop sign and I took out the lighter. It took me a couple tries to light it with Darko pulling my arm around with his leash as he sniffed. Once it was lit, I breathed in the familiar smell. It didn't make me cough like I thought it would and to my surprise, it did seem to calm me down, or maybe it was just making me foggy and dizzy.

I had stopped sobbing and as I smoked and walked, I tried to decide where I could go. I wanted to go to Grei's, but his foster parents might wake up and call Vati. I wouldn't want that. I was almost disappointed that the cigarette was finished and I crouched to snuff it out completely before leaving it with a bunch of others on the side of the sidewalk. I would've thrown it out, but I didn't see a trashcan and it was starting to make my fingers smell.

If I could just get on Wolf and gallop away, maybe that would be best. Could I even make it to the barn on foot? Would I die walking? Maybe it would take all night...

I don't know how long I spent walking, but I knew I had to go back. I had no choice. I had no way of running away and nowhere to run. Plus, Vati would find me no matter where I ran to and he'd be mad that I ran away.

"Wren?! What are you doing out alone?" Christie's voice made my heart drop as I was making my way to the door. I looked up to see them both look down from the balcony and then I saw his expression turn to outrage.

The front door flew open before I even had the guts to approach it and Darko barked in surprise and pressed against me. Frankie looked pissed as he grabbed my arm and pulled me in.

"Where did you go?!" He demanded, making my tears return.

"Nowhere." I growled, avoiding his eyes as I fought back painful tears.

"Why do you smell like smoke?! Have you been smoking?" I could tell he had seen the lighter in my fist and I frowned up at him and fought his grip as he tried to get his lighter back.

"It doesn't matter!" I roared the only thing I could think and was able to shove his damn shirtless body away from me. He had fire in his eyes that looked down at me. I'd never seen him so angry before.

"You could've been kidnapped!" He slammed the door, making me flinch even though I tried not to look affected.

"Why would you care?! You're not my parent!" I spat at him. "I can do what I want!" I sounded as broken as I felt even though I had tried to sound strong... or at least not like a baby. I could see that he was upset, even through the blur of my tears in my eyes, but I decided he was only upset because it was his cigarette and lighter I had taken. He was only upset because I was 'his girlfriend's sister'. I wasn't his sister and I definitely wasn't his girlfriend, I thought bitterly.

"What's going on?" Loic's voice asked. "Why is everyone screaming?" he asked softly. I took the distraction to get away and I had once again lost a hold on my damn tears and sobs. Why couldn't I just be normal? Why did I have to feel this way over him? I didn't even know why I said what I said. It didn't even make any sense. Why did I take a cigarette? How stupid! I'm so stupid.

I slammed my door and Darko cowered before laying down near the bed in confusion. I could hear them talking in low voices downstairs and guessed they were explaining my stupidity to Loic. Now Loic was going to know I was a stupid cry baby, clepto-idiot. It took me a long time to decide to lay down on my bed and I found that I was still clutching his lighter which made me cry harder.

I would never have him.

I heard Christie's voice through my door. She whispered to someone that I guessed was Frankie. She said 'it's probably just hormones' before she called my name softly through my closed door. I didn't want to answer and I didn't want her to see me. I just wanted to disappear.

"Are you okay?" Christie asked with deep sympathy in her blue eyes. I couldn't speak and my face was still screwed up as I cried. She pulled her robe tighter around her and then she hugged me, making my tears stream faster. "I'm sorry, Wren. He didn't mean to yell at you. He was just worried about you. We just want to keep you safe." She told me gently, making me let go. I handed her the lighter. She shot me a sympathetic look as I held my breath as numbness came over me and I just wished I was dead. She left my room as I buried my face in my pillow and pretended to be dead.