Once we got to Ralphs house we all made our way to the basement so we wouldn't wake up his mom, "I could definitely use a drink after the evening I've had," I said opening the mini fridge and grabbing a wine cooler and sitting between Dixie and Lucas, I could already feel tension. Henry and Ava havn't even made eye contact and well Isabelle wasn't sitting with Erin who was talking to everyone but her. "What did we miss?" I asked.

"Yeah..." Vera agreed looking at Ava and Isabelle who sat a crossed from us. "The moment we got down here I could feel the tension."

"Izz and Erin broke up this morning," Ralph blurted.

"Oh..." I didnt know what exactly to say in this situation. "So..."

"So Ava and I are going to my house," Isabelle said standing up, "We wanted to be here to make sure you were all right," she said nervously moving her long hair behind her ear. Apparently I've missed a lot.

I stood up as we all walked over to the door to talk out of Erin and Ralphs reach, "You guys dont have to leave," Vera said. Erin was sitting in his corner sulking and we all knew that was going to last all night.

"It's alright really we'll plan a girls day I just think I kind of want to chill at home, your not mad are you?" Isabelle asked me sheepishly.

"Girl of course not," I said moving in to hug her, "You take care of yourself I'll be back at school Tuesday," I said cheerfully. "And you," I said to Ava, "Should talk to Henry soon."

Ava gave me a long face, "I hate having to talk things out," she groaned.

"Comes with the territory," Vera reminded her, "Thats why I'm not getting a boyfriend especially one in this town."

"Hey!" Isabelle, Ava and I frowned in unison.

"No offense... anyways since you bitches are ditching I'll just text you about the cabin we decide on tonight, cool?" Vera asked.

"Definitely let us know, oh we need a ride," Isabelle said giving me an awkward smile. "Ralph picked us up and we were supposed to catch a ride with Dixie-"

"I can drive you guys," Lucas said coming from behind me laying his hand on my waist. Ava scurried off to talk to Henry and I tried not to watch too hard, "I have to work early and its almost midnight anyways."

"Lame," Ava scrunched her nose as she munched on some Reese's pieces, "Henry isn't a drinker he can take us home."

"I feel like I hardly see you," I groaned looping my arms around his neck.

"Well you did get suspended from school and I have a full time job, all of my spare time goes to you," he wasn't wrong.

"Is it bad I crave more?" I asked staring back into his dreamy clouded eyes.

Pulling me in closer with a smile snaking acrossed his face he said, "No," then began to kiss me gently his touch sending shivers up my spine. "See ya Erin, Ralph," he didnt say anything to Henry as Ava made her way back to us, "Ready ladies?"

"Yeah," I hugged the girls and watched them leave.

"Now that the party poopers are gone lets have some drinks!" Vera said rubbing her hands together, "Oh and of course talk about mwah, its officially my birthday week bitches!"

Being with your friends for even just an hour is sometimes enough to lift your spirit, when you feel lost sometimes looking elsewhere can lead you on the right road. I tried to be careful when I drink I didn't want to be like my dad but I guess I could see how comforting it is just to throw your life away with one little bottle.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked Ralph and Henry who were laying on a hammock together laughing. "Henry are you drunk?"

"My bad, I told him to have a few and then a few lead to the whole bottle... sort of," Ralph said.

"He doesnt drink anymore," I scolded Ralph giving him a look.

"Fucking hell," Henry sighed dramatically still laying on his back as Ralph twisted out of the hammock his dark skin catching the shadows from the pool light behind us. "Are the stars spinning? I don't recall them ever being able to do that."

"Vera's calling me for another match on the pool table, can you watch him?"

"Of course," I said. Why did everyone seem to have a problem managing their liquor but me? "How ya doing bud?" I asked sliding into the hammock it was a tight squeeze, "Whats going on Henry? Talk to me."

I couldnt read his face he just seemed equally relaxed and strained as he looked up through the trees and at the stars. I dont doubt many girls have fallen for his beautiful face, or the way his eyes swirl when you look at him, I didnt think they made guys this pretty. "I thought America would be so much more different ya know? I wanted to be someone else and start new finally take charge of my own life but now I cant."

"Why?"

"Erin and Lucas know something about me and before it gets out I need to be the first to tell you, I'm a prince. My adoptive parents are part of a royal line and because I'm a loose screw they decided to get rid of me. It was either boarding school or here and I thought America would be a piece of cake compared to boarding school though now I'm thinking boarding school sound about nice right now..." he rambled on finally turning to me. "Do you hate me? God you probably do dont ya?"

"What?" I scuffed frowning trying to comfort him. "I wouldn't expect anyone who hardly knows me to tell me where they come from, its not my business. Lucas and Erin were wrong for snooping, I'm sorry they did."

"Its not your fault..." he didn't know what to say. " I dont know, I surly thought you would be mad."

"I kept things from you too remember," I countered.

"I dont deserve a friend like you," He gave me a weak smile barely showing his teeth. "Can I tell you something Marisol?"

"That depends," I swallowed as his face began to inch closer to mine, I found myself unable to pull back.

"I think about you more then I should," he gulped as he watched me intensely not breaking eye contact. "Maybe I've been imagining things but I feel something between us since day one if I'm to be honest," he grabbed my hand. "When Ava wanted to go back to Scotland with me I got upset because I didn't want her to come, I wanted you. And I know I'm wrong for it but every time I look into your eyes I cant help but feel... overwhelmed."

"I think you drank too much," i said sliding my hand out of his. "I like you," more then I should, "But I'm with Lucas and you were just with one of my best friends if she even knew you said any of this she'd have both of our heads. You need to sleep this off," I said calmly.

"When I'm sober, when I wake in the morning I'll feel the same way," he said leaning back into the hammock not taking his eyes off of me. "I wont kiss you till you want me to and you will," a small smile twitched at the corner of his lips.

I rolled my eyes trying to resist a smile, "You think mighty high of yourself dont you?"

He shrugged, "I'm highly determined when it comes to people I care about. I think Lucas is an alright guy but your with him because he's comfortable."

"Thats not true," I tried not to get too irritated I understood what he was going though I've been in his exact position a couple times, in this exact hammock with Dixie actually. "Now your highness you need to get inside and get some sleep for tomorrow night."

"Are we all sleeping here?"

"Yep Ralphs mom is driving us all home in the morning, thanks to you Jasmine thinks Lucas and I made this a ploy to hang out all night alone..."

"Oh...Sorry mate," he said staggering out of the hammock and onto the grass.

"Mm," I mused looping my hand in his arm so he wouldn't fall into the pool on the way inside. "So you and Ava are done done?"

"She broke up with me," he confirmed nodding his head up and down. "I feel terrible," he confessed.

"Dont, I love Ava and all but she is a lot if it wasn't Scotland it would be something else. She needs someone soft," I chose my words carefully as we shuffled through the patio doors. "We'll sleep up here everyone's still up downstairs," I sniffled trying to see through the dark living room.

I took some blankets and pillows from a chest on the bookcase and made us each a bed, "Stay on your side," I said sternly packing pillows in a line between us.

"You guys do this a lot?"

"We're always sleeping over at each other's houses never really Isabelle's though her parents are weird...they never really liked us especially the boys. Now no more questions go to bed," I scolded.

"Someone's cranky..." turning over he buried his face in the pillow and didn't say another word. Me on the other hand... I stayed up the entire night thinking. About everything, everyone, especially about tonight.

.............................................................................................................................................

Today was the day, the day of many firsts actually. In just an hour Lucas will pick me up from his morning shift (I didnt even know bars were open in the morning) and I would ask him out. I wasn't sure how, usually the guys asks the girl but I was just too impatient. Do I bend on one knee? No perhaps not.

"You look nervous," Vera and Dixie cackled together on my bed as they painted each other's nails.

"I'm sweating," I admitted looking in the mirror at my greasy face I decided to not even wear makeup no amount of setting spray could save this face.

"Today's a big day," Dixie said her face now softening, "It wouldn't be real if you weren't nervous."

"Look at you two," Vera gapped, "Its like a whole one eighty I cant keep up do you guys hate or love each other?"

Dixie and I rolled our eyes at the same time. "Both," Dixie said giving me a wink. "Alright we need to let her go Lucas is waiting, I'm surprised he even chose waterfall chasing as a date he hates hiking."

"He'll do anything for Mar," Vera teased as I rushed out of my room still dealing with my nerves. We've already kissed, cuddled why would I even be half this nervous? Its not like he'd say no right?

The worst that will happen is I'll stutter.

"What's up with you? You've been quite," I accused Lucas as he followed behind me on the trail to our last waterfall. The entire hike he's been less chatty then usual as if he were thinking about something, "Do we need a talk?"

"No its not anything like that."

I stopped in my tracks, "Is it me?" My heart slammed into my gut, "Did I do something?"

He sighed stopping in front of me and cupping my face in his, "You did nothing I'm just stressed with work is all."

"Then quit you could get you a job with your dad."

"I don't want to quit I like it there," often when Lucas was lying his big blue eyes would sort of twitch and after a while of me staring him down he couldnt look at me.

"Your lying, why are you staying?"

"They pay me good," he said shoving his hands in his pockets.

"How good?" I put my hands on my hips trying to read him, he hated that it made him squirm.

"Twenty an hour...."

"What the fuck?" I blurted trying to comprehend what he just said. "EMTS dont even get thirty and hour... what the hell are you doing? Stripping on the side?"

"I do a lot more then you think most of the time I'm running the place alone, Big John has even talked about making me a manger, fifty an hour."

"That bar is always empty theres no way," I scuffed.

"Well believe it."

"I dont," I raised a brow. "What else does Big John have you do," I couldn't help but lace my voice with sarcasm. "You are going to tell me now or I wont leave this spot."

"You're being dramatic..."

"Lucas," I pointed my finger at him. "Dont play with me."

Running his hands over his face and then looking at me he shook his head, "Promise you'll at least listen-"

"I always listen," I cocked my head to the side.

His lips pressed into a frown, "thats not listening."

"Carry on," I waved for him to continue.

"Dixie started off as a bartender too till John decided he could trust her and moved her up in the business. The bar is a cover up for trading and buying cars..." I didn't interrupt, as much as I wanted to... I didnt. He even waited for me to speak and when I didnt he continued, "My job is collecting the payment, they come here, pay me and then go out in the back and Dixie brings them the car-" nope couldnt do it.

"Lucas I know you are not telling me you are working for a man who STEALS cars and sells them illegally?" I shrieked, "Your not saying that right," I smiled nervously it quickly faded. "Lucas?"

"If he got busted theres no way Dixie or I could get busted we're just working for a bar," he said as if that made anything better. "I dont expect you to understand but I need to make money somehow and my dad cant hire me in because I've had history in a ward so I dont have many options."

"You cant do this," I wasn't hearing him. I mean I was but I most definitely wish I hadn't. "You will get caught..."

"John and his family have been doing this for years Mar I trust him he's real low key I promise. Cops dont even go on the south they dont care what goes on there."

I sat on a rock trying to calm my heart, "What am I supposed to do with this..." I mumbled.

"Would you rather I have lied to you? I wanted to be one hundred with each other..." I looked up at him I honestly didnt know what to say, the right thing to say.

"I dont know," I said honestly. "I need a second or I might say something unforgivable," I said laying my head on my hands trying to think clearly.

"I'll be just down the trail..."

Not only was the south side dangerous but doing dangerous business down there're came with consequences, our parents learned first hand when they were our age. I needed to talk him out of this but I had a feeling that was a conversation that might be impossible. No amount of money is worth your life, your freedom. Big John was using him and Dixie and he will hear it from me, I won't let him leads two people I care about down a bad path.