WARNING: Quick warning for blood, idk if its bad but just in case

"I've taken the liberty of enrolling you both at Heights Country Day. It's the school that Xander and Jameson attend. Grayson graduated last year. I'd hoped to have you enrolled and at least partially acclimated before news of your inheritance broke in the press, but we'll deal with the hand we've been dealt." Alisa says. I stiffen slightly when Jameson's name is spoken.

She turns to Avery "You're the Hawthorne heiress, and you're not a Hawthorne. That's going to draw attention, even at a place like Country Day, where you will be far from the only one with means."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle a bunch of prep school kids," Avery says. I know I can, not sure about Avery but I know I can.

Alisa seems to catch sight of our phones. "I'll dispose of this for you." She says, taking both of our phones. "I don't think so" I say as politely as the phrase can be said. "Mine never blew up like Avery's, I only give a selected few my number" I say, she reluctantly passes me mine back.

Avery begins transferring Max's number to her new phone. I look at my phone and see 32 missed calls and 15 texts.

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Hey x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Everything Ok? x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Weren't at school today x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Tell me if something is wrong x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Need me to come over x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Call me back x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Starting to get worried x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Please text me or call me x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: Spoke to Jay, she said you were called out of practice. Everything ok? Nobody seen you since. Its been three days x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: I love you, just please let me know your okay x

Daddy.. I mean Danny 😩💍: I'm going to stop by your place x

Jayyy 🎀📣: Dan started askin me things, idk what to tell him

Jayyy 🎀📣: Answer your texts gurly

Jayyy 🎀📣: its all good now, told him i havent seen you

Jayyy 🎀📣: How's paradise?

I quickly start by texting Jay back quickly.

Me: sorryyyyy, havent checked my ohone since landing, this place is great. And the guys are greater.

Then I call Dan. Withing two rings he answers. 

Dan: Sweetheart?

Me: hey teddy bear

Dan: I've been worried sick! Where are you?

Me: I'm surprised you haven't seen it on the news yet.

Dan: seen what?

Me: well uhhh.. Avery inherited money from this billionaire and now we stay in Texas in this mansion

There is a painfully long silence.

Dan: Who's Avery?

Me: My sister? The older sister but not oldest?

Dan: I'll call you back in five Sweetheart.. love you

Me: .. Bye

He hangs up and I sigh. 

We are now sitting in a black SUV with itchy school uniforms on. I look out the window and see Jameson walking towards the car. He opens the door and casually slides in as though its nothing. "You read my letter" he says to Ave before anything else. She doesn't reply, "Xander need a ride?" Oren asks. 

"Xan goes to school early on Fridays," Jameson says. "Extracurricular activity." Jameson turns his gaze to me. "Morning dickhead" I greet, "Eiffel Tower" he nods. "You okay having company?" Oren asks Avery.

"It's fine," she tells Oren. Oren turns the key in the ignition and then casts a glance back over his shoulder. "She's the package," he tells Jameson. "If there's an incident..." 

"You save her first," Jameson finishes. Oren has already been over this with me but i don't really care, my sisters safety will always be put ahead of my own. He kicks a foot up on the center console and reclines against the door. "Grandfather always said Hawthorne males have nine lives. I can't possibly have burned through more than five of mine."

Oren turns back to the front and puts the car in drive, and now we're off. Even through the bulletproof windows, I can hear the roar of paparazzi as we exit the gates. "Here." Avery reaches into her bag and removes a letter. She hands it to Jameson.

"I showed you mine, You show me yours." He says. I feel slightly annoyed at my sister, i don't even know why but something in me is angry. "Shut up and read." She says.

He does so. "That's it?" he asks when he is done. Ave nods. "Any idea what he's apologizing for?" Jameson asks making me realise the letter is her letter not just a letter. "Any great and anonymous wrongs in your past?"

"One." I feel slightly lost now. "But unless you think your grandfather is responsible for my mom having an extremely rare blood type and ending up way too low on the transplant list, he's probably in the clear." She says this meaning it to be sarcastic. I don't like mentioning Mom and she knows that. I cough kind of loudly trying to break the loud silence. 

Both turn to me which was not what I intended. I expect Ave to apologise at least but she doesn't. I bite the inside of my lower lip, a habit I started when Mom passed whenever I feel upset stressed or worried. Jameson places his hand on my knee, noticing my slight display of emotion. "Hey Paris, hows Daniel?" Avery asks when she notices this. "He's fine" I say deadpan staring at her dead in the eye. I turn to Jameson who's eyes are scanning me. 

Interrupting his thoughts my phone rings loudly. I take it out of my pocket and see Danny calling, as I answer Jameson and Avery start discussing Jamesons letter.

Me: That wasn't five minutes.

Dan: yeah I know, i uhh, got caught up. I'm sorry, I genuinely thought you weren't telling the truth. I uhh..

Me: its ok.. 

Dan: No.. it isn't. I want to uhh talk to you. 

Me: Thats kind of what you're doing teddy bear. I laugh slightly

Dan: i mean in uhh person

Me: Well i already told you.. im in Texas and-

Dan: Well can you fly back? Or maybe i could fly there and see you.

I now notice Ave and Jameson have stopped discussing and are discretely listening to my conversation.

Me: whats so important that you can't just tell me right now?

Dan: just trust me sweetheart when i say its improtant.

Me: is everything ok? Did something happen?

There is a silence on the other end that makes my stomach drop.

Me: ok well i have some money saved i might be able to buy a ticket home then we ca-

Dan: Its fine, I'll get a ticket and ill be there by tommorow morning, that ok?

Me: yeah- uhh- sure. See you then

Dan: bye sweetheart

Me: bye teddy bear.

He hangs up and i watch Jameson visibly cringe at the nickname 'teddy bear'. "That sounded pretty serious" Avery says. "Everything is fine, he just has stuff happening at home and needs to talk. He's flying over tonight" I partly lie. She stays quiet and Jameson looks at me, then at the same time we both look down at my knee which still has Jamesons hand on it, drawing circles on my skin. We move our eyes slowly back to each other's and he takes his hand away after subconsciously having comforted me.

"Almost there." Oren speaks, breaking the awkward silence. If he's been following the conversation, he shows no sign of it. "The Country Day administration has been briefed on the situation. I signed off on the school's security years ago, when the boys enrolled. You should be fine here, Avery, but do not, under any circumstances, leave the campus." The car pulls past a guarded gate. "I won't be far."

This is what rich people call a high school? I think, whilst taking in the sight outside my window. It looks more like a college or a museum, like something out of a catalog where all the students are beautiful and smiling. I suddenly feel out of place, even though everyone looks the same, wearing the same crappy uniform but i feel like I'm just a child playing dress up and not actually one of them.

"I hate to puzzle and run, Mystery Girl...." Jameson's hand is already on the door handle as the SUV pulls to a stop. "But the last thing you need on your first day at this school is for anyone to see you getting cozy with me." Jameson opens the door and is gone without a further word. He descends in the clump of burgundy blazers and shiny hair.

I leave next whilst Avery remains in the car talking to Oren. I freeze when i stare at the groups of children my age. The group that Jameson is amongst consists of a girl and a boy eating each other's faces, two boys talking to four girls no doubt trying to get themselves a date, and finally some other boys messing around and throwing stuff Jameson being one of those boys. Next I see a group of girls walking into school in a triangle. Then i see a group of kids doing homework on a bench and many many other cliques. 

I can't move as I try to decide who to approach. Instead I make my way towards the building and stand alone next to a wall waiting for the bell to ring even though I still have 10 minutes. I get a few rude stares from the snobs that pass by. Avery walks towards me after a couple minutes, "Hey, you coming?" She asks me, "No" i reply, "You don't exactly have a choice" she says. "Well just tell the headmaster I can figure this place out for myself and you'll report back to me" I suggest. Avery rolls her eyes and sighs knowing im too stubborn to let it go. She walks away and I remain outside the building.

My eyes roam and I find a set already staring into mine, a beautiful bright green set of fascinating eyes. A face that doesn't have much emotion at the moment but is filled with wonder and curiosity. The item previously being thrown around is still moving but Jameson stays motionless, that is until the object (which I now recognise to be a rock) comes orbiting towards him and hits him right in the back of his head. He gets hit so hard that the force pushes him to the hard concrete ground. 

Without hesitation I notice my legs moving without checking with my brain. And suddenly I'm crouched down at his head where he is laying on the ground, blood pours from his would and his eyes are scrunched closed in pain. "Fuck.." I speak under my breathe as I inspect the wound, the crimson liquid pours from his already bruising nose. Some of his friends standing around him speak over each other "Oh shit.." one says, "Jameson Hawthorne not catching a throw?" One jokes, "Shit thats a lot of blood" another says, I block them out and focus on helping him. 

I push some hair from his face and his eyes open quickly clearly having not noticed me. His pupil are dilated which only has a small amount of causes: A reaction to medication, A brain injury, drugs, adrenaline and Sexual arousal which makes me uncomfortable to even say in my own mind. I only know all this because Jay's pupils were dilated last month and I googled it, turns out she was on this weird medication i didnt know about. I'm hoping thats the same here and not a brain injury. "Why were you throwing a fucking rock anyway?" I ask astounded. 

"Jamie? Do you know who I am?" I ask, "Eiffel Tower" he blinks a few times as a smile grows on his face, "There's something definitely wrong with him" one of his friends says not understanding. "He's fine!" I sigh. "Get up" I tell him, giving him a hand to help himself up with. He ignores my gesture and gets up purely to prove a point. I scoff slightly and place an arm over his shoulder. He tries to walk without my support and stumbles slightly so I wrap it back around him and help him inside. He leads me to some bathrooms in the school even though it takes ages with him unbalanced. "Balance issues is a symptom of concussion" I remind him, "Balance issues is also a symptom of alcohol" He replies, "You are not drunk at school?" I ask sort of surprised but also slightly relieved. "That would be correct, probably just the concussion one" he teases, I know he isn't drunk and is just being a dick.

He walks into the males bathroom and I drop my arm to lean on the door to wait for him. "Your not coming in? So your going to let me bleed out in the toilets of a crappy private school?" he smirks. I groan and walk inside the boys bathroom with him. He sits down crossed legged on a countertop between two sinks whilst I prepare a paper towel for his wound. Next I wash my hands and get him to sit on the floor so I can reach him and eventually he does after a few snarky comments about my height.

"I can't believe you got hit by a rock! Like of all the things you can be hit by its a flying rock!" I tease slightly whilst applying pressure to his small wound that manages to be bleeding more than a cow makes milk which is a really weird metaphor that I thought of.

"What did you call me earlier?" he asks out of the blue, presumably having been in deep thought. "What? I ask baffled. "Jamie? You called me Jamie" he recalls. "Did I? I don't even remember" I lie. "Say it again" he says after turning around to face me, even though the pressure has now been removed it isn't bleeding anymore. His face is close to mine, too close for someone who has a boyfriend. The top of his nose slightly touches the bridge of mine due to the slight height difference. 

My breathing is slow and steady but my heart is running a marathon. "I'm never saying it again" I laugh softly and speak quietly. "I'll just be calling you Eiffel Tower for the rest of your life then" he teases softly. "Go for it dickhead" I smirk. His head lowers slightly so i feel his breathing tickle my lips. I feel him moving closer slowly until our lips are like a quarter of an inch away. I prepare to push him back but when I try my body refuses to stop this, instead I feel myself slowly move forward until it takes one sudden movement before our lips connect. It wouldn't be all to bad as long as Danny doesn't find out. Fuck. Danny. This should probably pull me back, the thought of my boyfriend of three years. Three long years. I feel his breathing pick up as my lips come close to touching his, his breathe is warm. No! No! No! No! I can't do this to Danny.

Danny

Danny

Danny

Danny

Fuck Danny, I'm shooting my shot!

As I make my decision to connect our lips the school bell rings making me jump back. He smirks and I allow myself to laugh slightly. Then the laughing won't stop, it's not that funny but I just can't stop and after not even a second I notice him laughing to himself.

"Fuck you were bleeding like a minute ago" I recall with a worried expression. "Nine lives" he winks at me, before standing up to leave. He exits leaving me to sit in my own thoughts. I can't focus right now, not because of guilt, because of regret, not because I regret it but rather because I don't. 

Without thinking I whip my phone out and dial Danny's number. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ri-

Me: Danny?

Danny: Yeah, everything ok sweetheart?

Me: Not really.. I need to tell you something..

Danny: Yeah? What?

He speaks softly and calmly making me feel better about what I've done.. or almost done.

I pause for a long time.

Me: When's your flight?

Danny: Two days

Me: Can you catch an earlier flight?

Danny: How early?

Me: An hour?..

He makes a thoughtful sigh and pauses.

Me: I need to see you Teddy Bear

My voice breaks slightly.

He thinks again for a long time.

Danny: yeah ok. I'll be there in like 5 hours I guess. If i can find a flight but if not i might be a little longer ok?

Me: Ok.. yeah.. Thank you

Danny: Love you

Me: Bye.

I hang up and let out a huff of air.

How am I supposed to even tell him this, 'Hey Danny thanks for flying over to see me, by the way, I almost cheated on you with a guy I just met but its ok because I didnt but I wanted to..' I make a really long groan sound. 

I look up when I hear the door open and close, half of me hopes its Jameson again but I'm not that lucky I realise when a tall red haired boy walks inside making me realise i am in fact still in the boys bathroom, sitting on the floor.

Quickly, i stand up and walk out straight after squeaking a quick 'sorry' at the confused boy.