Damien paced at his spot at the western end of his high school. It was a quaint little nook, a wedge between two corners. It wasn't really near anything exciting, which is why Damien liked it—no one would be able to overhear their conversations.

Orion appeared in the entrance a couple minutes later—with people. Way too many people.

"I brought friends," he said simply, shrugging sheepishly.

'Friends' was an understatement. There were eight people hulking behind Orion, and although Damien recognized all of them, he didn't know some of them very well.

"Orion," Damien started, glancing at the people he brought with him, "this was supposed to be secret."

"Oh! I know, I know that," Orion said. "But... I thought we might need some help. You remember Lilith, right? And Alanna?"

Damien nodded at each of them in turn, offering a friendly smirk. "Of course, yeah. But the rest of them? I'm not throwing a party."

"I'm not here for a party," one from the group said. Damien recognized him as Fitz, a guy that tended to hang with the goths. They never really seemed like a complete goth, though. Damien wondered what the hell he was doing here. And how they knew Orion.

"Then I guess you won't be disappointed," a person that Damien knew was named Asryn retorted. Their arms were crossed, and their eyes darted around as if they were trying to glare at all nine of the others at once.

"Guys, let's not do that right now. We're here for a prank, right, Damien?" Lilith, a girl that had helped Damien on some of their past pranks, spoke up. Her light tone seemed as if it were to be easily talked over, but her voice carried over the group with ease.

Damien nodded, leaning back against the brick wall. He smirked, eyes slowly passing over the small crowd before him, trying to convey that he wasn't ready to give up his secrets quite yet.

"Come on, just tell us," Alanna pleaded. "We need to know what we're in for." Murmurs of agreement surrounded the words.

"Yeah, why don't you just tell us?" Roshan said, stepping forward. Damien wasn't exactly close to faun, but they were pretty sure that faun didn't like them. Faun's eyes glared daggers at him. Yeah, they were completely sure faun didn't like them. "It's not like it's difficult."

"Maybe not for you, but for me?" Damien played along, theatrically exaggerating his sentence a movement, something Lilith taught him. She claimed that more people would listen to them that way, that people would be nearly entranced by their every movement. Damien seriously doubted that, but trying it was never out of the playbook.

"It's the hardest thing in the world for me."

Asryn rolled their eyes, and Damien could see Fitz struggling to not facepalm himself. Good.

"But, alas, I'm afraid I must tell you anyway."

"Good God, can't you just tell us?" Megumi, a girl known for arguing over practically everything, groaned.

Damien straightened, looking as professional as possible. "Fine. But on one condition."

"What condition?" JJ tentatively questioned, curious.

"You don't tell anyone. This prank stays with us."

—raven speaks!!

hey guys! i hope you enjoyed this next chapter. it's kinda short, but i needed something to kick this thing off. i also apologize if your oc wasn't really mentioned, i wasn't able to fit everyone in there without it getting kinda awkward. so yeah! bye!