Experiment on me by Halsey really goes with this chapter ;-)

Grace's hands shook by her side and she shoved them into the pockets of her jeans she wondered if she was making a huge mistake, a part of still could not believe she was considering Joshua's offer. A few hours ago she had been so certain she would throw his offer back into his face the next time he ran into her but after Kendrick had left, she had almost run into Dr. Ireti and a part of her was certain he was looking for her.

Joshua could fix her problems, he could save her only chance of getting away from her family ensuring that she graduated, but at what cost? What did she have to offer a boy who had everything?

She quickened her steps, grateful that it was evening and there was no chance she'd run into anyone now. Grace came to a stop right in front of the path that led to the environment of the Faculty of Law and looked ahead at the Moot Court, she was surprised at what she saw -- two figures argued heatedly at the steps.

As she walked closer, she realized it was Kendrick and he looked pissed off, ready to tear the other boy in pieces. Too bad, it was likely he wouldn't win, the other boy had the muscles Kendrick lacked.

"It's not like what I have to say will make you feel any better, how about we put this behind us?" The boy spoke rapidly, kicking one leg as he spoke.

Under the glow of the streetlight, Kendrick scowled and he looked like he was going to say more but he turned and saw Grace. The other boy followed his line of sight and straightened, Grace noticed he was looking at strangely, as if he was assessing her.

"You came." Kendrick said breathlessly when she reached them, he still looked furious, his brows were pinched together as he stared at her.

"I was curious." Grace found herself saying. "Who's your friend?"

"No one." Kendrick said at the same time the boy said, "ORION'S gatekeeper."

He bowed slightly, pantomiming removing a hat like a magician. He looked at her with narrowed brown eyes and he somehow reminded Grace of herself with the same almond shaped eyes but he was taller and more masculine looking. He was dressed in jeans and a plain black T-shirt that clung to his torso.

The boy ran a hand through his thick hair, wincing as he did so, Grace bit her lips to stop the laugh bubbling in her throat. In American movies, his fingers would have probably slid through his over gelled hair and the girls around him would faint but this was reality and he was Nigerian, he didn't have silky hair, he had thick stubborn hair that was almost an afro. He began tapping his foot on the concrete and every time he did so, he'd sneak a glance at Kendrick.

"If he's no one, then why are you arguing with no one?" Grace asked Kendrick.

"Good point, let us through, Firepemi." Kendrick said through gritted teeth. Something clicked in her head at the name.

"You wouldn't happen to be Firepemi Kingston, captain of the football team?" Grace asked him.

Firepemi nodded with a slight smile. "Let me guess, you are one of my fan girls and you want an autograph."

Grace rolled her eyes.

"No, I think you're an asshole. You and your stupid buddies once blocked me from playing badminton by placing the table tennis table on the badminton court. And when I confronted your dude bros about it, I didn't even get a glance, dismissed like I was a maid." Grace snapped.

Firepemi flinched back, looking frightened. Kendrick cracked a tiny smile at that.

"Well, I apologize." He finally said.

Grace didn't bat an eye. "You're not forgiven."

He shook his head, but he was smiling.

"Welcome to ORION."

Again, she got the distinct feeling she was making a huge mistake but one look at Kendrick told her he did not feel the same, he looked like a groom before the altar, ready to whisper his vows.

"Do I really have a choice?" She muttered under her breath as Fire pushed open the grand doors. Grace sneaked a glance back and saw that the street was empty, it wasn't unusual but it still made her feel paranoid.

"I'd say yes, but we both know I'd be lying." Firepemi said.

"Yada yada, can we just get this over with?" Kendrick sneered. He pushed back hair flopping in his face harshly and strode into the brightly lit court, Grace snuck a glance inside and saw that it looked every bit like a courthouse and it's seats were filled, when she was sure she saw someone like Joshua inside, Fire said something that snagged her attention.

"You know, you're the first person we've had that doesn't descend from a wealthy family." He mused and his eyes glittered with secrets. He knew something she didn't, that much she was certain of.

"Should I feel special?" Her expression hardened.

"I don't know, should you?" He said. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Any advice for a newbie?" Grace snorted, she was only half serious but Firepemi looked very serious.

"Be careful, Grace."

Surprise crossed her tight features.

"I never said my name."

Firepemi laughed. "You go in there now, and you'll find out everyone there knows your name and who you are."

"God knows you've been hard to find."

The double meaning wasn't lost on her, but she nodded and for the last time, told herself she could still turn around and leave. But Joshua Phillips could make her life heaven or hell. What Phillips wanted, Phillips got.

And she had no idea how right she was. She gave Firepemi a final glance and stepped into the white lit court, it was colder than the outside and when the doors shut behind her with a bang and all eyes turned to her, including Joshua's razor sharp gaze and when his eyes met hers, he didn't smile. Joshua frowned.

***

Sanmi waved at the last of his crew as they pilled out of the lecture room, he inhaled sharply and turned to the last one, Hayley leaned against the wall with a satisfied smile on her face, she blinked lazily at the fluorescent bulb in the room. Her clothes stuck to her skin sweaty from the routine Sanmi had just put the group to.

Apart from leading a personal dance crew, he also taught dance to any student willing to pay and Hayley had started as one, until he discovered she was as good a dancer as he was or perhaps even better. Now she was just a pain in his ass, some days he was grateful for her meddling, some days she kept him out of trouble but not today, not when he was supposed to meet a representative from ARTEMIS about ten minutes from now.

And the fact that he was suffering from withdrawal symptoms wasn't helping his mood at all.

"Can you go now? I have shit to do." He said sharply, too tired to care when she flinched.

"Don't swear at me, you ass. And by shit, you mean, run errands for Joshua Phillips and deal that dirty shit." She snapped back, he was half surprised, Hayley rarely lost her temper and most days she was usually quiet, like a shadow.

"I cannot deal with this now!" He exploded. "Get the fuck away from me."

To her credit, she didn't burst into tears but steeled her gaze. She crossed her arms across her chest and breathed heavily in a manner that told Sanmi she was equally pissed.

Tension sizzled in the air between them.

"I'm not going anywhere and let you destroy yourself any further." She said firmly. "Look at yourself, Sanmi, you look like hot garbage."

He knew he did and suddenly all the fight left him in one breath and he collapsed on a chair, rubbing his head like the motion would take the pounding headache away. Hayley sat besides him.

"You need help, Sanmi." She said, this time softly.

"I need another dose." Shame burned deep in his chest as the words forced themselves out.

"Fuck," He exhaled, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "I don't want you to see me this way, Hayley. This drug ridden bastard with no concern about anything but the next dose."

The words were pouring from his lips in ragged whispers, his eyes burned with unshed tears and his body shook with every breath.

"You need help, you need a rehabilitation centre, I know someone. . ."

He cut her off with an impatient snort, this wasn't the first time she was suggesting such but somehow admitting that he needed help felt too much like a cowardly man. His father would have taken one look at his face and laughed till he was crying. You're weak, nothing but a girl in a man's body, his father used to sneer in his face. And maybe he was, he didn't have Grace's strong will to fight and win, he didn't have Ewatomi's quiet wisdom or her strength in herself even when things went to shit for her. Sanmi knew he was exactly like his mother; weak.

"I don't need help and I don't need you to fix me." He said.

Hayley recoiled like he had hit her and for a moment, neither of them knew what to say until she spoke again, this time her voice was shaky.

"My brother was an addict, I never saw it and I never knew even while he was away at rehabilitation, I thought he had chosen to abandon me. While I hated him, he was suffering." She sighed.

"I'm not going to sit back and do nothing when I can help you."

"Stop trying," He said. "Stop trying to fix something that is broken, I don't want to be fixed."

He stood up and picked up his backpack at the sound of the buzz of his phone, a quick glance at the screen told what he needed to know, he didn't need forgiveness or healing. He wanted revenge, cold and simple. Sanmi wanted Joshua Phillips and his gang to pay for messing with him, for daring to glance at Grace. If he died in the course then so be it, he had nothing left to fight for.

Hayley watched him with disappointment in her wide eyes but she didn't say anything to stop him and when he was at the open door, he turned to speak one last word.

"I wish I were the person you think I am. I am not your kind brother who hugs you when you feel sad or the brother who fixes your problems and beats your bullies." He sniped. "I haven't been a brother to my siblings in over a year and it's too late to try to change me."

"Grace got into some trouble this week, and guess what my first instinct was?"

"You wanted to protect her." Hayley said it like a prayer but no matter how blind she was to his faults she could not deny the glint in his eyes.

"No, I wanted to get the hell out of there. I didn't want to save her, I wanted to save myself." He said and it wasn't exactly a lie. "If I were the ideal big brother." He raised his hand to make quotation marks in the air.

"I wouldn't have gotten myself into shit in the first place." He finished. "Go home Hayley."

Sanmi didn't turn back to see her face but he strode outside, welcoming the cool air, the environment was scanty of students but there was a red car parked under a tree. He caught the logo on the back of the car under the glare of the streetlight; it was a circled slanted 'A' and it could have stood for a normal things, anarchy, apples or whatever but Sanmi knew it stood for ARTEMIS.

He was impressed, he had seen ORION with their toys and gadgets and they were nothing short of impressive and on a good day, he might have called them mind blowing but it was nice to see that he was allying with an organization as powerful as ORION. Although only time would tell which was more powerful.

Sanmi was still gazing admiringly at the sleek car and noticed the driver climb down from the car a little too late and of all the people he could have expected to work for ARTEMIS, she was the last person he could have thought of.

"Is this a joke?" Sanmi managed to splutter. His body stiffening at once as she strode to where he stood. Eyes blazing but unsurprised. She knew.

"Still as cocky as ever, it doesn't suit you, Ilesanmi." She raised both eyebrows.

"It got you in my bed, didn't it?" He expected the slap but the sting still surprised him. Tope looked a surprised as he did and she recoiled from him.

"And look where it led us, bastard." She spat, Sanmi was still reeling. Her chest rose in an inhale and Sanmi watched her school her emotions into something calm.

"Come with me, ARTEMIS seems to see something in you. I can't wonder what." She said bitterly, then she was walking away without checking to see if he followed. She knew he would, once he would have followed her to the ends of hell.

And somehow, after months her words still stung, because this heartbroken girl had once been the only person who believed in him.

***

Grace had expected some acknowledgement but she wasn't expecting everyone to turn their gaze from her and return to Joshua. She blinked, anxiety sinking deep in her bones and she wished she could dash out of the room and never return.

The ceiling fans whirled and she welcomed the almost harsh breeze as she settled at the back row besides Kendrick. The Asian boy no longer looked angry, he was adopting an air of false calm, his face said one thing but the constant jiggling of his leg said another.

Joshua was standing where the judge was supposed to be and he was speaking without a microphone, but his voice was clear and loud in the silent room. For a moment, she followed the motion his lips made but the ringing in her head made it hard to make out his words. Until Kendrick nudged her and reality returned in a swoop, her eyes blinking to focus on the bright florescent bulbs in the court.

Grace tried to sneak glances around the moot court, seeing if she could find any familiar faces but she found none at first until she looked at the front row on the left and recoiled at the sight of the familiar bald head. She barely noticed the other adults in the front row.

"Some lecturers are here," She whispered, shocked.

"Yes, I saw a professor from my department." Kendrick said lowly. "And Firepemi's father."

Dr. Ireti was one of them, he was sitting there and nodding along to whatever Joshua was talking about, and the sight of him made Grace's blood boil with fury.

She had been played, and she had fallen to their games. There was a  high chance now that someone in this crowd had framed her, stolen her ID card and planted it in his office and he had gone along with the charade.

Had Joshua Phillips done this? What did he want with her?

She wasn't aware she had risen up until all eyes were turned to her, expectant, even Dr. Ireti. He must have seen the murder in her eyes because he too started to stand. Kendrick was tugging at her arm, trying to get her to sit but she slapped his away.

"You bastard!" Her voice was an incredulous shout, echoing through the court, it was a growl that she could have never imagined she could speak in.

Phillips' gaze narrowed infinitesimally. The girl in the hijab standing by his side leaned in to whisper something in his ears.

"Just wait until this gets out to the university, you can kiss your reputation of most loved goodbye." She snarled, to her dismay tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. She wiped them away with an angry swipe.

"You do that and I'll fuck your life so hard you'll never show your face in public." Phillips voice rang clear.

She trembled at the fury in his tone, this wasn't the smiling boy the university knew him as. This one was cold and hard and unsmiling.

"You've already fucked it up." Grace waved her arms around, hitting Kendrick smack in the eye, she didn't even pause to make sure he was alright. She was like a mad woman unleashed, tired of being pushed into a game where she was bound to lose. "What the fuck do you want from me?"

"I am nothing like your or your band of bastards!" The chorus of gasps might have made her blush minutes ago. "My family isn't rich or powerful, I am nothing to you, just another toy for you to play with until you get bored."

"Sit down, Grace." That was the only thing he said.

"Make me, fucking make me." She dared.

"Your family lives thirty minutes away from the university, your little brother enjoys watching cartoons but still cries when he's asked to take a bath." The girl in the hijab recited suddenly, Grace's eyebrows furrowed in confusions. "Your father beats your mother black and blue, and she cheats on him to spite him. Your brother is an addict and your sister is a kleptomaniac."

Realization dawned on Grace like cold water and suddenly she felt like crying like Rafe. This wasn't a recital, it was a threat. We know everything about you, we can find you, those simple words said.

"When you were eight, you smoked a cigarette. You watched your sister get raped when you were seven and you never said a word."

She flinched at the last part, feeling like she had been stripped bare in front of strangers, the tears were flowing down in torrents now and she felt hate swell in her heart.

She suddenly felt like she was being laughed at, everyone was pointing at her and laughing, look at Grace, the poor girl who has had nothing but misery her whole life.

She didn't wait for the command again, she let herself fall back into the seat, breathing hard. She was sure Kendrick was peering into her face and wondered if he thought her a misery too.

"I'm glad you're being so cooperative." Phillips' voice came again and a second later, he resumed his spiel about the the mission of ORION but she could feel his eyes flicking towards her every few minutes.

She didn't even flinch when he mentioned her and Kendrick's name and the applause that followed. Or how he spoke of a test, a test for new members. She focused on Kendrick's rough palm on hers, and how it did little to numb the gnawing pain.

Grace whispered the words for his ears only.

"I'm in, I'll help you take down ORION."