I make it through about four classes (after showing up ten minutes late to my first one thanks to one Jameson Hawthorne) before heading to lunch. I decide not to eat anything for lunch and am stuck with the terrible pain of deciding who to sit with. I scan the room, one seat is free where Jameson is sitting, next to it is a girl and guy yet again eating each other's mouths and on the other side is Jameson which is a no go. The next table has 4 remaining places, every one seems to be doing homework which is the last thing i plan to do. Another two tables are filled with students and have no space. The final table has some girls that i presume are popular due to their attitude. Of course I walk towards them and move towards the spare seat. Im surprised when Avery is sitting next to where i planned to sit. 

"Ave?" I ask slightly surprised, "Hey Pear" she smiles, I give her eyes for using that nickname. "You must be Paris" one girl says reaching out a hand for me to shake. I reach out with the wrist I keep three spare hair ties on even though I have 2 in my slicked back ponytail that i always wear.

"Im Thea Calligaras" she introduces. "Paris Grambs" I reply even though Im sure she knows that after just having said it. "Oh we know who you are" she laughs. I give a questioning look, "Your sister is everywhere." She elaborates. "Right.. i need to go to the bathroom" i did not in fact need to go the bathroom.

Before I can make my great escape Avery grabs my hand, "You going to eat something?" She asks concerned. "Yeah just going to the bathroom first" i fake a pretty convincing smile before walking out of the big canteen. 

I don't even try to pretend im going to the bathroom and turn the opposite direction, I find a classroom that looks unoccupied and enter it. I soon find out it actually is occupied by none other than the tallest yet youngest Hawthorne brother.

"Paris!" he says whilst using some tools on a robot looking thing. "Hi Xander" I reply, sitting myself down on one table next to some test tubes. "What you buildin'?" I ask, "A mechanical dragon" he replies as if its nothing. I watch him build for a little. There is a slightly unusual sound coming from the dragon and i notice this probably isnt supposed to be happening when Xander stops working. I walk towards him, "Im guessing that isnt how its supposed to sound?" I ask, before he can answer there is an explosion, not earth shattering or anything but when I look at Xander his eyes brow seems to have fried of. I fold my lips into each other to stop myself from laughing. I myself am covered in black dusty soot. The mechanical dragon still seems okay somehow.

———

I decide to explore the mansion when school finishes. I find a sports room for basketball, a swimming pool that I might visit later, a theatre and a movie theatre. Next I make my way to a library that we entered that time the brothers were fighting. I push the door open and find books piled high like I remember them having been. I notice Avery and Jameson as well, they both seem to be searching for a certain book however they seem to be removing books one by one and removing the cover of each one. Jameson is working high above and Avery works on the ground.

Cough, Cough! I hint loudly, they both notice and turn around having been so engrossed in their work they didn't notice my entrance. "What are you doing here Pear?" she says kind of stretched out way, meaning 'your not welcome here'. "I'm just leaving" i say, "We could use an extra set of hands" Jameson says, Avery looks at me warningly. "Eiffel Tower come work up here with me" he offers making me smile slightly, "Depends what your doing Dickhead" I tease. "Paris!" Ave scolds. i climb up the iron staircase and walk towards Jameson, "Just search the books until you find a cover that doesnt match a book" Avery orders. "Yes sir" i say giving my sister a little salut from right above her making Jameson smile slightly which i notice from the corner of my eye. I stand at the other side of him working out the way so when we finish we reach the middle together.

I start searching the shelves with them in silence finding only normal books rather than one with a different cover. "What if we're wasting our time?" Avery asks breaking the silence. Her voice echos through the room.

"Time is money, Heiress. You have plenty to waste." Jameson replies. "Stop calling me that." My sister complains. "I have to call you something, -isn't that right Eiffel Tower- and you didn't seem to appreciate Mystery Girl or the abbreviation thereof." He teases.

I fully expected her to come up with a snarky comment to reply but instead she changes the subject completely, "What did you mean in the car today, when you said that the last thing I needed was for anyone to see us together?"

I continue removing covers from books as they discuss, "You spent the day at the fine institution that is Heights Country Day," he says. "What do you think I meant?"

"Don't tell me," Jameson murmurs, "that you didn't hear any whispers."

I myself have heard whispers all day, buzzing in my ears like bees fighting. "I met a girl." Avery says and I already know where this is going as after school Ave told me everything the girl had said. "Thea."

Jameson snorts. "Thea isn't a girl. She's a whirlwind wrapped in a hurricane wrapped in steel—and every girl in that school follows her lead, which means I'm persona non grata and have been for a year." He paused. "What did Thea say to you?" Jameson attempts to sound casual and his face sells it pretty well but there is a telltale underneath. He cares.

"Avery?" He asks again, using y sisters actual name telling me he doesnt only want a response, he needs one. "Thea kept talking about this house," Avery says carefully. "About what it must be like for me to live here.. About all of you."

"Is it still a lie," Jameson asks loftily, "if you're masking what matters, but what you're saying is technically true?"

He wants the truth.

"Thea said there was a girl and that she died." Avery rips off the bandage quickly and i myself regret it for her. The sound of books being removed stops from his side.

"Her name was Emily."

Emily.

"Her name was Emily," he repeats. "And she wasn't just a girl."

A breath catches in my throat. I force it out and keep checking books, because I don't want him to know how much I heard in his tone. Emily had mattered to him. She still matters to him.

"I'm sorry," Avery says. "We should call it a night." I say. Its late and I think we've all said a little too much.

Jameson's working rhythm stops and is replaced with the sound of footsteps as he made his way to and down the wrought-iron spiral stairs. He positions himself between Avery and the exit. "Same time tomorrow?"

"We're making good progress," Ave says "Even if we don't find a way to shortcut the process, we should be able to make it through all the shelves within the week."

Jameson leaned toward me as I passed. "Don't hate me," he says softly.

"There's a slight chance that we might not be done within the week."

"Why not?" Avery asks.

He brings his lips right next to Ave's ear and I suddenly feel a sort of wave through my body, a cold feeling, a jealous feeling. "This isn't the only library in Hawthorne House."

Jameson moved his body to let my sister passed as I stand dead still on the top stair. I force myself to move and make my way down the staircase and towards the door. I smile politely smile and try too get out of the room as quickly as possible because I don't trust myself with this man. 

"I believe we never got the chance to finish what we started" he says. I take a step towards him, already regretting what I've started. He smirks when I reach him, the first place my eyes go are his eyes, his beautiful bright green eyes. "I wanted to let you know, whatever this is.. it wno't continue. I have a boyfriend and I love him" the words 'i love him' sound weird in my mouth, I've never said that to Danny before. He seems taken aback.

"Sweetheart?" A voice says from the doorway, my head turns instantly. "Teddy bear?" I smile. Danny holds a suitcase and flowers. I run towards him and he drops the flower immediately in order to wrap his arms around me when I leap into his embrace. "I missed you so much" i sigh before connecting our lips deeply, he disconnects them to reply, "I missed you too" then he reconnects them. I missed him, more than anything. "I love you" I whisper lowly when our lips disconnect. 

Danny gulps and a smile grows on his face, "You've never said it before" he says, I smile at him. "I love you too" he says. I nuzzle my head into his neck whilst he is still holding me with his hands around my waist. My arms are wrapped around his neck then he notices Jameson watching. "I dont believe we've met" Danny says, placing me on the ground and wrapping his arm around my waist. "I'm Dan" he says reaching out the other hand. "Nice to meet you Daniel" Jameson says in spite of him, just like his Mother had. "Dan" Danny corrects, "Oh sorry Dan must've misheard you" Jameson says before turning down his handshake and walking right passed us. Danny turns to me, "I need to tell you something" I say softly. His face turns into a concerned one. "That guy.. we almost kissed, we didnt but we were close and then right as you walked in i think he wanted to but i told him no because I realised I love you more than anything and hes not worth it because-" I recite, he interrupts me by kissing me, "Did you not hear me?" I ask, "I heard you. He almost kissed you.. I did kiss you.. Look I love you Paris and im not going to let some rich snob who thinks he can do what he wants ruin our relationship" i almost argue with him that Jameson isnt just some 'rich snob' but i dont because that might just be what pushes him away. 

"I haven't ate dinner yet, want to put your bags in my room and we can head down for something?... i mean that is if you want to sleep with me- not sleep with me, sleep in my room" i specify going bright red. "I'll sleep in your room" he laughs. I lead him to my room where he places his suitcase after handing me the flowers he had to pick off the floor. I then take him down the staircase to the kitchen. Miss Laughin is doing dishes when I enter, Danny stays outside. 

"Hi" I say to her as she stirs a pot, "Hello" she replies, "What you making? It smells delicious" i say, she smiles brightly. "Just soup" she replies. "Who's that out there?" She asks kindly as I scour the fridge for leftovers. "Thats Danny, he's my boyfriend" i say in a giddy voice. "He asked me where he could find you, seemed pretty excited to see you" she replies asking my big smile grow. "Would you like some of this soup instead of heating up leftovers?" She laughs, "Would that be okay?" I ask. "Course it would" she says filling two bowls and passing them to me. "Thank you!" I say before exciting the kitchen and making my way to Danny, "Have a good night" i yell back, "You too dear" she says.

I pass the soup to Danny and we make our way outside to eat. In the Hawthorne garden we sit on the stone steps. We start eating and he starts talking about stuff at home. "Have you.. have you seen the interview Libby's boyfriend did?" He asks, "Ex" i correct. He whips out his phone, types a few things and then passes it to me. 

Drake looks fancy, like it had been planned. 

"Avery was always a loner. She didn't have friends. I'm not saying she was a bad person. I think she was just kind of desperate for attention.. She wanted to matter.. A girl like that, a rich old man... Let's just say that there were definite daddy issues. And her younger sister.. she was just as bad, she was pretty popular at her school and she always made sure her sister knew it, she would always try and bring her sister down which is probably why Avery felt so desperate for attention, I mean I kind of feel bad.. The three sisters never really had the best relationship and it shows" Drake says on screen. 

I feel so angry right now, "none of that is true" i say defensively. "I know" Danny says wrapping his arm around my shoulder as he is finished his soup now. I eat the last spoon of soup and snuggle into him. He is still wearing his varsity jacket, which still smells like him. I feel safe here. I love him.