Dedicated to Destined_007 for being who she is (and also a great friend)! Love you!

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"Ash! Hold on!" the girl known as Vivica Jaeclyn yells after me as I walk past her at a brisk pace, barely able to hear her over my racing thoughts of the whereabouts of the notebook I've been looking for for so long.

"Vica, go on your own, girl. I'm busy," I say, not intending to pause a bit but having no choice but to stop as she latches onto my arm.

"Ash, c'mon! You've made me go to class alone all this week!" she pleads, using a sad tone like she usually does to guilt trip me into doing what she wants me to.

"Yeah, like it's such a colossal crime," I shake my head, tired of Vica's antics yet amused at how she can't be bothered to try something else all the time.

"But I hate walking in alone!" she whines.

"Then find another friend, Jaeclyn," I say, opening my locker to see if the book I've been looking for is in it.

"But we're seated alphabetically!"

"Befriend the guy sitting on your other side then," I take my guitar bag out of my locker and pull the strap over my shoulder.

"Who, that Jackson guy? No way!"

I wave my hand as if to shove her away and sigh in relief when I spot my notebook. Stuffing it into my backpack, I square my shoulders and make my way over to Luc Mathis' locker. He's leaning on his locker, earphones in and eyes closed. I don't want to have to call him so I clear my throat to catch his attention.

That is, until I realize that, of course, he can't hear me! Smacking my forehead, I tap his shoulder, my nerves on edge. His eyes flutter open and he immediately tenses. When he realizes it's me, he relaxes and holds up a finger.

I tap my foot impatiently while I wait, wanting this to get over as soon as possible even though it's kind of sweet, what Luc is up to. Speaking of, he takes out his earbuds and puts them in his pocket after tapping on his phone for what feels like half an hour; my watch tells me it's only five minutes, though.

Reaching into his locker, he pulls out a card and a box and hands them to me.

"He'll be by his locker now, I guess," he says, his nervousness obvious in his tone and eyes.

"Chill, Mathis," I say, my old self reappearing for a second as it seeps out through a small pore in the wall I've built up to keep it back.

"In ten, right?" he questions me and I nod in response absently.

Putting the card and box in another bag, I strap the bag on my other shoulder as I make my way towards Nova Hart's locker. When she sees me, she groans as if I'm some dreaded disease even though she booked an appointment now.

"What?"

Used to her haughty attitude towards me, I just continue, "Who's the 'lucky' guy this time?"

"Not a guy. A girl."

"Whatever. Who?"

"Delta."

"You're breaking up with Delta Jaxton?" I gape, not surprised that she would get to this but shocked at how she's doing this.

"I've become tired of her. Besides, just take your money and do your job, peasant."

My hands balling up into fists, I swallow the urge to shoot back a snarky response. I wouldn't do this if it weren't for my hair that Hart (figuratively) has in her hands. She calls the shots and I've too much at stake to defy her. Blankly staring at her, I raise an eyebrow. She looks at me, confused, until she realizes her fault.

"Oh, right, yeah. Um, okay, the first verse of 'I Knew You Were Trouble' until the second."

"That's it?" Delta had invested so much time and emotion in her and she drops her with only that much?

"Ugh, what else? Right, maybe do the chorus of 'Since You Been Gone' too?" she asks more than tells me.

I smack my forehead and walk away. I'm dreading having to do this to Delta. She's such a nice person and this is a really big shame.

I reach Delta and quietly apologize to her. Her eyebrows furrow when she realizes that I'm paid to be here. Well, I guess I could tweak the words so at least she feels better. Hart isn't gonna care anyway so I have free reign, I'm guessing.

Too bad that it's Delta here. I'd had a feeling Hart was up to something when she pretended to befriend Delta. I guess she had some project or something to coax Delta into completing for her. Delta's usually the first to hand in her assignments anyways so that makes sense.

Guitar in place, I begin strumming. Delta's trying so hard not to cry that I have to close my eyes if I'm not to cry either now.

'Once upon a time, a few mistakes ago

She was in your sights, she got you alone

She found you, she found you, she found you

I guess she didn't care, and I guess you liked that

And when you fell hard, she took a step back

Without you, without you, without you

She was long gone when she met you

And I realize the joke is on you

'Cause I knew she was trouble when she walked in

So shame on me now

Flew you to places you'd never been

'Til she put you down, oh

I knew she was trouble when she walked in

So shame on me now

Flew you to places you'd never been

Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground

Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble'

I slowly open my eyes to see that Delta's eyes are bright with unshed tears.

"I'm so sorry, hon," I say softly.

I turn around to see that Hart's there, smirking at Delta. When she sees me, she scowls at me. Uh oh, she wasn't supposed to be here! The anger and annoyance radiating from her interrupt my regular heartbeat and send the blood in my veins pulsing rather spastically.

"Terrible move, idiot," she tells me.

I turn around to pick up my guitar cover, resigned because I know I can't fight this. I see that Delta's giving me a sympathetic look. Well, I sure hope that means she's forgiven me.

"Remember what happened the last time you pulled off something like this?" Hart glowers at me.

"Um, one second?" Delta falters.

"What?"

"Just one thing," she says and whispers in my ear. I must become pale at the very thought of this but I'm still going to do this for Delta, even if it just worsens the repercussions.

"I'm so sorry, Ashica, but please do this for me," she tells me and I nod in response.

"Ashica's going to sing a song I have for you," she tells Hart and signals me to start. Taking a deep breath, I perform a stripped-down version of the originally faster song.

'You're haunting me, taunting me all in my brain

Turn off the light and now all that remains

Fills me with doubt

And I'm shouting your name out loud

Why do you wanna put me through the pain?

I get the feeling I'll never escape

I can't hide away from the shame of you

Tears on the ground, tears on my pillow

You won't bring me down

And I'll get over you

These tears will get me through

And I'll get over you

I'll get over you

I'll get over you

I'll get over you

I'll get over you'

This is gonna get so much worse now, but I'm glad I got to do something for Delta.

I quietly pack up my guitar but am stopped when Hart asks me what in the world I think I'm doing.

"I've got another place to be at," I state simply.

"Fifteen." Hart states.

"I need to be there in two."

"Five now and the rest later." she states and drags me along.

Well, I guess Leandre Kyllian could wait a bit longer for the message from Luc while I face a piece of hell.

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Hey there!

I'm so glad I finally posted this!

I'm currently facing difficulties with posting chapters seeing that there's some problem with my wifi and this browser as well...

If everything goes according to plan, the next chapter should be posted in four to five days...

See you (in my notifications) then!

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