I listened with a smile as Cleo rambled on about Caspian and Xavier. I wasn't sure if she knew she did it during the car ride over, but I thought it was adorable. There was a tinge of sadness still in me as I thought about my mother's sudden departure, but I was beyond happy to be out of the empty house. It felt good to be around other people.

Cleo helped me get my bags out of her trunk and I thanked her for the ride. As much as I hated driving in these realms, I needed to get my car out of Heaven. I didn't like bumming rides from people. It made me feel especially bad when they didn't at least let me pay for gas. My car may have been shit, but at least it was my shit. I needed to make calls to get it here as soon as possible.

We walked towards the elevator in the colorful parking garage and Cleo took out her keys. "Girl, I missed you so much," she said as the elevator doors opened.

I smiled at her as we walked in and she pressed the button for the top floor like she did last time I was here...on my birthday. Still the night I only seemed to associate with Syn's harsh words inside of the treehouse. I knew he was pissed at me and sure I deserved it, but it still hurt like a bitch.

"I missed you too," I replied. She hummed to the tune playing in the elevator as it went up, and I leaned against the wall. As much sleep as I had apparently gotten in the past few days, it didn't feel like enough. My eyes were begging me to close them.

"Tired?" Cleo asked.

"A little bit." I yawned.

"The guest room is fixed up for you already so when we get in you can take a nap."

"It's alright. I came here to spend time with you guys."

"Girl, we have all weekend. You can take a damn nap," she said.

"Okay," I gave in. "I'll nap."

"Good."

With a ding, the doors opened, and I was greeted with a popping sound followed by a crap ton of confetti in my face. "Queen!" I heard voices cheer. When my eyes slowly fluttered open, I moved the small papers out of my face and looked up at Xavier and Caspian. They both had huge grins on their faces and even if I wanted to, there was no way I could be mad at them.

"Hi." I waved.

Caspian was the first to pull me into a hug and I froze in surprise. He and Cleo were definitely huggers. I didn't even think he and I were close enough for that yet. "I'm glad you're here," he said as I relaxed into the hug.

"Thanks for the invite."

"Always." He smiled down at me as he pulled away.

My eyes traveled to Xavier who I hadn't spoken to since I left and I gave him a nervous smile. "Hey." He was one of the people I had lied to and he told me he wasn't mad, but time had passed. He could've thought it over and changed his mind, especially since I had disappeared on him.

"Hey?" He mocked me with a small laugh. "Come here." He grabbed my wrist, pulling me in for a hug and I let out a breath of relief as he squeezed me in his hold. "I fucking missed you!"

"I missed you too." I laughed softly.

"Are you ready for the best weekend of your life?"

"Oh?" I raised an intrigued brow at him as Xavier let me go.

"No, no, no," Cleo said as she ushered me towards a bedroom. "Get her bags please, but she needs to take a nap before anything."

"Cleo, I'm fine," I groaned.

"Nope," she said. "I hate guests that fall asleep early. I'd rather you nap and wake up later than fall asleep at only midnight."

"Hey, I used to fall asleep at ten," Xavier said, crossing his arms as he tried to keep an angry expression on his face.

"Yes, and you woke up at the damn ass crack of dawn," Caspian muttered. "Thank goodness we broke you out of that horrible habit."

"It's a bad habit to wake up early?" He asked.

"In this house?" Cleo asked. "Hell yeah."

"Then I suggest you all never invite Syn over."

"I feel like it'd be different." Caspian laughed. "You try not to wake us when you're up early, we just hate when you're not in bed with us when we get up." Xavier smiled at his words and I couldn't help, but smile for him. I loved that he was more comfortable with them. "As for Syn...being the ass that he is, I'm sure that he would do everything in his power to make sure that we know he's up."

I laughed softly at them speaking so casually about Syn as I shook my head. He was in fact an early bird- probably one of the earliest birds I had ever met. Most of the time he's been out of the bed by four a.m. Loud was something he wasn't though, he was quiet...at least with me. Xavier seemed to have a different experience with him though since he agreed with Caspian. What a joy it would've been to get to know the more goofy and irritating side of Syn that Xavier faced daily.

"Okay nap time," Cleo sang as she proceeded in her mission to push me towards the bedroom. Caspian and Xavier followed behind with my bags and everyone helped me get settled in. "Okay, I think that's it. The bathroom is right over there. Let me know if you need anything, please."

"I will." I nodded.

She crossed her fingers and bit her lip as she looked at me hopefully. "Please don't be one of those people that sleep the entire day into night. It's only two right now. I'll die you're still sleeping after ten hours."

I laughed as I sat down on the bed. "What do you people have against sleep?"

"Sleep is great," Cleo said. "At the right times."

"What's the right time?"

"Seven a.m. into the afternoon." She shrugged as if it was a known fact.

"That's insane."

"Get used to it, babes," she said as they all headed to the door. "Have a good nappy nap! Dream of me!"

I gasped. "Who else would I dream about?"

She gave me a wink and Caspian draped an arm over her shoulder as they left the bedroom. Xavier gave me one more smile before leaving. "Call for me if there is anything you need, okay?"

"I will."

He closed the door behind him and I collapsed into the bed. I wanted to unpack my things for the weekend before I fell asleep, but as soon as my head hit the pillows...I was out like a light.

꧁꧂

Shit, I cursed myself as I stretched my arms in the bed. My arms and legs were tangled in the sheets as I woke up and I'm pretty sure that wet spot on my cheek that I wiped away was drool. Ew, I hope Syn never saw that. I yawned as I got up from the bed and stretched my back.

I was positive that whatever time parameter Cleo had set for me was completely surpassed. I hadn't been this well rested in months. I was always busy with work and then when I got to Jeradua, I was always busy with Syn. I loved every moment of it, but sometimes a girl wakes up in the middle of the night for something other than an orgasm.

Not that I'm complaining...

With a smile on my face at the memory, I headed to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth. The thirty minutes following that were dedicated to my hair that I had been neglecting. I had been throwing it up in a ponytail for days like I was capable of that shit- hell no, I needed maintenance like a car needed wheels.

I combed out my curls, wincing at the hard knots before following through with my routine of oils and moisturizers. When I was done, I wrapped the silk bandana around my head and walked out of the bathroom to get dressed.

Satisfied with the baggy grey set I was wearing, I headed out of the room and saw Xavier and Cleo giggling as they painted Caspian's face. My eyes around the room to the natural light from outside filling it and I frowned- the sun hadn't even set yet. Did I sleep into the next day?

"You're up," Cleo whispered as she tried to hold back a laugh.

"What time is it?" I walked towards a nearby couch and sat down.

Xavier glanced at his phone. "Six. You were asleep for like for hours."

"That's...surprising," I said quietly. My circadian clock was definitely messed up after my three-day sleep. "What are you guys doing?"

Cleo held a finger over her lips and waved me over. I scurried quietly to her side and she pointed down at Caspian whose eyes were closed as Xavier and Cleo drew multiple and various genitals all over his face. I tilted my head as I looked at one and squinted my eyes. "What's that one?" I whispered.

"The scientific word...is anus, my love," she replied quietly. I snickered and she passed me the permanent marker. "Draw something."

"No, I can't." I shook my head. "He's so nice to me."

"That's because you don't know him yet," she whispered. "Get your pre-revenge before he annoys the crap out of you."

"I'm not trying to get on his bad side." I laughed.

"You wouldn't get on my bad side." We all jumped as Caspian opened his eyes. The marker dropped from their hands and Caspian shot me a wink before standing up and heading toward the kitchen.

"You were awake?" I asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied as he looked at his reflection in the glass of the microwave.

"And you let us do it?" Cleo groaned.

"You guys were having fun." He shrugged.

"Aww," I said, making Cleo nudge me and shake her head.

"Don't fall for it, Queen. He's evil," she warned me.

"She's right," Xavier said. "He seems nice right now, but just wait."

"Don't scare the girl," Caspian said as he wet a napkin and walked back to us. When his eyes landed on me, he gave me a charming smile before plopping down on the couch. "Don't listen to them, love. Their haters," he enunciated, "and I happen to be the innocent soul that they bully in their free time. You see my face."

Oh I definitely saw his face. It acted as a canvas for all the genitalia drawn across it. Someone had been creative enough to use his lip ring as the piercing for the tip of a very long penis that extended down his tattooed neck.

"All of your input on one another has been noted." I smiled. I'd just have to see for myself if Cleo and Xavier were right about him. They probably were. He did look like the type of guy that would get under someone's skin. There was something teasing and smug in his features. But if Cleo married him, he couldn't be as bad as they said.

Cleo's phone began ringing on the kitchen island and she gave us an apologetic smile. "Sorry," she muttered, scurrying to the phone. We watched her in mild curiosity as she fixed her hair and took a deep breath. She cleared her throat and plastered a smile on her face before holding the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" She chirped brightly with extreme enthusiasm- way too much enthusiasm.

Caspian laughed at her suddenly cheery voice and threw a pillow at her. She swiftly caught it and rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, no problem. We would love to." She forced a laugh with whoever else was on the phone and rolled her eyes as it abruptly stopped. When her eyes landed back on us, she eyed Xavier and me in thought.

"Is it possible that Caspian and I could have two extra tickets?" She asked as Xavier and I glanced at one another. "Just for my friends...yes...yeah they're hot too, if that even matters?" She shook her head, moving her blue hair over her shoulders.

"Okay, thanks...Buh-Bye." She giggled softly and quickly hung up the phone. "Ugh, I hate that bitch."

"Was it Anna?" Caspian asked as he peered at her over the couch.

"Yup," she answered as she walked back to us. She sat on Xavier's lap and grunted into his neck.

"That bad?" Caspian asked with a grin.

"She just opened her club and she wants us at the opening tonight. Says it'll show us all as allies or whatever the fuck," Cleo said.

"Who's Anna?" Xavier asked.

"Her husband is one of Cas' business partners and she used to strip with me. Her husband and Cas are both like competing at this point," she said as she waved her hand in Caspian's direction.

"Don't insult me like that. There's no competition and if there was one, I already won," Caspian said as he moved to a sitting position on the couch and continued wiping the remnants of the marker on his face.

"How so?" I teased.

Caspian grinned at me and bit his lip. "Have you seen me? How could I not be winning?"

Cleo walked over to him and laid a kiss on his cheek. "You lose to me though."

"A loss I gladly accept." He grinned. "...On some days."

"Uh huh." Cleo walked to the middle of the room and turned to Xavier and I. "Anyways, if Caspian and I have to go to this event, you two are coming as well."

"Fine with me," Xavier said as he stretched.

"I just put on my pajamas." I gestured to my clothes. I didn't anticipate going out tonight at all.

"Well you better un-put them on, girl," Cleo said.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" I asked with a grimace.

"Nope," Caspian said as he stood up.

"I don't have club clothes with me," I added.

"All the clothes Cleo bought for you on your birthday are still in the car. There are plenty of dresses in there you can choose from," Caspian assured me, calming my nerves before looking at Cleo. "What time do we have to be there?"

"Eight, so that means ten for us." She winked.

"You want to be late?" I asked in confusion.

"Of course. We don't like them," Cleo said in a 'duh' tone. Her answer still didn't make sense but I was just going to go with it.

"Got you."

Caspian looked at me and laughed softly. "Cleo is very...shady with people who disrespect her. Anna shames Cleo with backhanded compliments about being a stripper so Cleo...against my advice, remains her friend."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Haven't you heard the shit about keeping enemies closer?" Cleo asked. "I'll be damned if that snake gets the upper hand on me."

"It's not that serious," Caspian muttered.

Cleo gasped dramatically and stomped toward him. Xavier wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we held in our laughter as we watched them argue. "She called me fat, Cas!"

"No, she didn't. I was there."

"She literally said my dress looked tighter than usual."

"That's not calling you fat though." Caspian shrugged off her words as he walked around the kitchen island to the fridge, but before he could open it, Cleo shut it closed and he sighed.

"Yes it is. How isn't that obvious?"

Caspian looked at her for a long moment and her angry demeanor faltered as she glanced away from him to try to stop her smile. "Don't you guys agree with me?" She asked us.

"She called you fat," I said dryly with a shrug and Xavier nodded in agreement.

"So I'm the only one not getting it?" Cas asked.

"Pretty much." Cleo said as she turned back to him and shook her head. "I should really divorce you."

"But you won't. Now please move." Caspian said with a fake grin. "Love you."

Cleo returned his mocked hospitality and took a step away from the fridge as Caspian pulled out ingredients to make a sandwich. She looked at the items he put together and grinned at him. "I hope that makes you fat."

His head snapped to her and his face dropped. "Maybe if I get fat you'll leave me." With that, he took a mouthful of his sandwich and grinned at her with a full mouth.

Xavier snickered at his words and shook his head as Caspian walked back to his room. "Oh you're laughing now but wait a few years and you'll be in my position," she said in annoyance as she cleaned up Caspian's mess.

I didn't know if she realized the words she said, but it made Xavier and I smile.

Xavier ran his hand through his hair and got up to walk towards her and help her clean up. "Looking forward to it."