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I glare up at Cate as she rejoins us at our booth in the corner of a diner we came to... as if I didn't need a fucking shower, sleep, and a drink or five to wash down what all had just happened in Cate's head.

Her neck was much less irritated now, but you can see it was burned badly, even with her trying to hide it with her hair.

Andre stands to let her back into the booth as I sit rigid as fuck next to Jordan. Why and how did I end up next to them? Other than my angry thoughts towards Cate, my stressed and worried thoughts about Sam after letting him go with Emma, all I can harp on is what's going through Jordan's mind... watching— or rewatching, my memories— God, where are we supposed to go from here?

"Shetty can't meet right now." Cate tells us.

"And why the hell not?" I spit out, my words overpowered by Jordan's booming feminine voice. "The fuck does that mean?" They snap abruptly.

Marie glances at both of us out of the corner of her eye, sighing. "Where is she?" She asks, just as fed up but much less abbrassive than Jordan and I were.

"The city. She'll be back later." Cate answers, glancing up at Marie as she avoids looking in my direction. Or Jordan's.

"So what do we do?" Jordan asks, calmer than before.

"I'll wait for her at her house, and then, when she comes home, I'll tell everyone everything." Cate explains. I scoff. How fucking convenient.

Cate looks annoyed like she's about to say something before Andre blurts out. "I'll go with her." He offers, seemingly reading our thoughts like I'm sure Cate is doing right now. Mmm, good.

"It's okay." Cate turns to him.

I tilt my head. "Mmm, don't think he was asking."

Andre's eyes briefly glance over at me as he lets out a chuckle. "No. I'm going."

"You can trust me." Cate says lightly, turning to look at the rest of us and Jordan switches to their male form.

"Stay out of our fucking heads." They snap at her, nostrils flaring, and I could not agree more with them. What a day, huh?  "Then maybe we'll trust you."

I let out a scoffing laugh as Jordan push themself up from the table. "Not likely." Not ever. But yeah, I'd say the mind screwing us really did it for me.

Marie slowly turns to me, shifting her eyes to Jordan as they leave the restaurant, as if she's expecting me to follow them. I roll my eyes.

Cate sighs, pulling my fleeting attention back to her. "Iliana, I-"

I slam my hand on the table causing everyone but Andre to jump. "Don't fucking start, Cate." I grit my teeth, narrowing my eyes at her as we look at each other for the first time since we sat down and I grip the edge of the table, feeling the cool metal soften as it melts under my touch. "You're lucky your ass isn't melted into a pool on this floor right here or split into by a sun beam. So how about you do us all a favor and save it." And with that I heave myself up, thighs unsticking from the plastic booth, and storm out of the diner just like Jordan did thirty seconds ago.

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"I swear!" Cate stresses as Marie goes to stand, not wanting to follow Iliana and Jordan knowing they both need their space, and went in the same direction, but also not having the energy or desire to stay any longer. "I swear, you can."

Marie lifts her hands up defeatedly. "I want to believe you." She tells Cate, and she did. Marie wanted so badly to give Cate the benefit of the doubt, but after everything? After everything she's seen. After hearing and seeing Iliana's point of view... how could she?

But it still didn't sting any less.

"I know you do." Cate says softly, knowing how Marie feels on Iliana's behalf, and that she's hurt on her own accord. Marie lets out another sigh before walking out.

And then there were two...

Cate looks over to Andre. "Do you believe me?" She tries, shooting her long shot.

Andre chuckles lightly to himself before downing the rest of his drink in one gulp and slams the cup down. "You already know." He barely glances at her before getting up and leaving.

𖤓

Outside, Iliana huffs as she rounds the corner, coming into view with Jordan's back as they stomp in the opposite direction, freezing when they hear her.

Can't a girl get a MINUTE of angry peace to herself anymoreee?!

"Feel better now?" Iliana mutters their way.

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?" Jordan turns to face Iliana, taking a couple steps towards her.

Iliana raises her brows challengingly, at the ground, not looking up as they move closer. "That you puff your chest out all big and strong and switch to a guy when you want to be heard to get your point across." Iliana states, the words rolling off her tongue with ease, slicing into the air.

Jordan lets out a chuckle. "And you deflect people's insecurities onto them to hide your own when you get angry cause you're actually hurt." They state and Iliana clamps her mouth shut.

The tenseness stings as it intensifies around them, both having so much built up animosity towards each other, so many words begging to be said, who could possibly have the time to let it all out?

"Mmm." Iliana nods, knowing if she's gonna dish it, and Jordan's actually gonna bite back, that she has to take it. "You should work on that."

Jordan shakes their head before letting out a breathy laugh. "I remember freshman year, you told me I didn't only have to be a dude to get people to listen to me."

Iliana bites the inside of her lip and shrugs. "You don't."

Jordan takes another step closer, pushing Iliana further on edge. "And you remember you told me to switch?" Iliana inhales sharply. "Said you wanted me to." Her throat aches as she swallows while Jordan takes another step. "Or." They gaze down at her. "Last year when you told me you couldn't be with me, couldn't love me, because I was both." They stop inches away from her. "Do you remember that?" Their breath quickening with each energy word.

"And I deflect my insecurities?" Iliana poses, eyeing them out of the corner of her eye watching as their chest rises and falls.

Jordan scoffs, stepping around to position themselves directly in front of Iliana. "Was any of that real?"

"Was any of what real?" Iliana echo's, her voice weakening. Her skin buzzed, feeling flushed like she was on fire at their close proximity. She's afraid if she looked up they'd be nose to nose. Her tongue darts to the raw chunk taken out of her cheek from earlier, unable to land anywhere else in her mouth.

"Your memories, Cate's mind." They answer, voice hardening as the slowly drag their finger, merely centimeters away from Iliana's skin, up her arm til their cool rings touch her skin as they force her chin up to look at them. "Real, or not?"

Her breath hitches, freezing in her chest and throat all together before her jaw sets tightly and she lifts her chin higher in defiance, but Jordan's grip only remains firm. "Why does it matter? You don't give a fuck." She manages out.

"Because I need to know." Jordan strains, leaning in to where their noses graze and they're breathing each other rigid air. "Was that real, or not real?"

Silence.

"Of course they were fucking real." She finally spits out, their eyes boring into hers causing her to falter under their touch.

"You fighting Cate's mind control?"

"Real."

Jordan ears burn, their mind a jumbled mess of screaming, cursing, and a million fucking questions. Iliana's warm skin a permeant tingling on their skin they wish they could rip away from as the zipper on their pants begins to strain. God, everything about her got to them. Under their skin, in their mind... in other places. She was intoxicating. Jordan wanted to yell at her, demand answers, demand an explanation, but their desire, their need, the desperate aching want to drag their hands up and down her body and taste her so goddamn badly overpowered every ounce of hate their were hanging onto tightly by a thread- their grip loosening as her shortened breathes, pouting lips, and sugary sweet smell drove Jordan's senses to the point they almost can't focus on absolutely anything around them anymore.

"And that morning?" They grovel, struggling to keep it together.

Iliana goes to shake her head, taking a step back, but Jordan grabs her wrist with their free hand.

"That morning." They press. "Your feelings, your words..." They walk backwards until Iliana's back bumps the brick wall and Jordan cages her in. "Tell me."

Iliana's heart pounds so loudly in her chest she's sure she's gone deaf as her ears ring.

"I can't." She whispers.

"Why not?" Jordan's forehead brushes hers, their fluffy hair in their male form tickling her lashes.

"Because it was real." She shudders, finally admitting out loud, to Jordan or to herself, she's not sure which. An exhale barely leaves her lips before Jordan's fingers slip around her throat and their mouth crashes into hers, their tongues grazing each other's lips as Jordan grips the back of her hair and her hands fly up to their chest bunching the white t-shirt in her fist as they engulf each other... forgetting how to breath as their minds slip into a haze and their mouths and hands take over...

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𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽 sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

Hey... hehe, uh... welcome back...

I cannot stop giggling, screaming, & freaking out rn, omfg...

I was gonna update this past Wednesday, but I was still up past midnight & had more to get out buttttt... I think this was WELL worth the wait ;)

So I hope y'all enjoyed the kick off to episode 7 & have as much fun reading as I had writing... ;) My Ilordan lovers... you have been fed <3333

Thank y'all SO much for 22K+ readsss & I can't wait to hear everyone's responses to this chapter so don't be afraid to comment your thoughts, questions, & reactionsss!! Untillll next time... stay tuned ;)

And yes, this absolutely was an Everlark reference, okay byeeee <3333