Tension

One wrong move and she was dead.

It felt ridiculous for the small island of Cardinham Cove to have an Olympic-sized swimming pool when they were surrounded by the ocean, but Aurora Capulet was grateful for it, for she loved all bodies of water — though it depended on her mood which one she wanted to immerse herself in. The ocean offered her freedom — the pool was more for leisure reasons, when the heiress wasn’t intent on possibly injuring herself beyond repair.

But the country club she was a regular member of had one of the best pools she’d ever been to, so as she bounced on the balls of her feet, thirty-three feet in the air on the diving board, she simply tilted her head and grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear as she waved off the concerned shouts of Sonny and Brandi. Sonny, her most opinionated friend, was clearly stressed while the fair-skinned woman with straight, black hair leaned back on her palms, watching in amusement as Aurora pretended to trip.

“Can you please stop that?” the curly-haired girl pleaded, for despite being the youngest out of the three, Sonny was the level-headed one. “That’s not funny!”

“I happen to think it is!” Aurora quipped in response, her amber eyes sparkling with mischief. She ignored the way the other club members began to shake their heads at her lack of concern for her own well-being, given that it was a common occurrence. “Hey, how many spins you think I can get before I hit the water?”

“Are you seriously betting on your own safety right now?”

“Three, probably.”

The former spun around with a huff after hearing the answer that was said at the same time as her complaint, placing her hands on her hips as she glared at the sleek-eyed girl who sipped on her lemonade. “Do not encourage this, Brandi.”

“Oh, come on, Sonny,” she chuckled in response, motioning towards the wavy-haired girl on the board as she puckered her lips in slight thought. “You really think anything we say right now will make her come down?”

She rolled her brown eyes in annoyance. “Then I’ll get one of the club people to stop her—”

“I think I can do five!”

“Rory!” Sonny snapped, whirling back to stomp her foot at the girl who geared up to jump. “You don’t even- you’re not trained for that!”

On the other side of the pool lounged three other teens, with the Grant chuckling in amusement as Warren was too busy ordering the next round of drinks. The tallest and oldest of the group, Ryker Cavanaugh, downed the last of his beer as a spike of irritation shot up the back of his neck when he heard the commotion the three girls were instigating.

“Rory’s adorable and all,” Grant commented with his hand smoothing back over his short dark curls as Warren sent the waitress off. “But there’s no way she’s gonna make five flips.”

“She’s stupid for even thinking she could get one,” Ryker mumbled, slicking his hair back as his sunglasses slid down to the tip of his nose, a frown pulling at his lips as his azure-blue eyes slid over to the girl bouncing on the highest diving board. “Watch her jump and make a big drama out of it.”

“You think this is bad?” the sleek-eyed boy joined in on the conversation, picking up his burger as he nodded at the girl. “I’ve seen her take on waves stronger than the Grits have.”

“That’s the problem, Warren,” he scoffed, hiking his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose as he rolled his eyes. “She’s friends with them. Fucking Grits.”

Grant laughed, dark eyes wrinkling as he clamped his hand on the blond’s shoulder. “You know, she’s not a Grit, right, Ryker?”

He shrugged his hand off, tearing his gaze away from the heiress as she made a show of bouncing on one leg. “She might as well be for slumming it with them.”

The girl in question giggled, a sound that made the small audience they’d gathered to softly smile as the girl was known for her carefree attitude. “I’ll survive!”

It was a fitting image for the average observer who, in this case, would be part of the groups scattered along the length of the pool. The overwhelming presence of the two vastly different social groups had automatically led those that didn’t fit in either to flock to safety, which just so happened to be out of the way of the opposite ends of the pool.

After all, the club — or, to some, Camp Crisis — was known to only cater to the richer side of the island and no one else. Camp Crisis stood tall on the island, available only to those whose wallets made an imprint under their clothes, and being built in the Banlieue District, where their patrons resided, only strengthened the fact.

The island of Cardinham Cove was, in simpler terms, divided into two groups; the distinction was made clear when they were separated by the bridge that left the sides on their own when it routinely disbanded to let cargo ships and ferries through. It was ironic how the scene in the pool room was so similar to the view of a drone peering down at the island — the Grits, the ones with dirt under their fingernails, on one side, the pristine pool of water acting as their bridge as the Dives, the ones whose fingers hadn’t touched dirt since they were born, glared at them in contempt from the other side.

Of course, such hatred was a tiring concept to uphold consistently, and it wasn’t as if the parties involved were entirely fitted into the categories the island had so fondly stuffed them into. In fact, what was interesting about the scene was that none of the six teens were actually Grits, and yet there was a clear sense of distaste contaminating the water that separated them.

Perhaps one of the differences could be that only one of them hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Or perhaps it could be that two of them were children born from the two families that held Cardinham Cove in the palm of their hands. But there was only one answer, and the audience knew it all too well.

It was because the three girls were considered traitors to their own kind. It was simply amusing that they were the kind of traitors that would still have kisses laid on their feet.

As if aware of the fact herself, Sonny’s scowl deepened. “Don’t you dare!”

“One!” Aurora, carelessly standing on the tips of her toes, began to count, the board wobbling with her movement as she gained momentum with her arms swinging by her sides. “Two!”

“Three!” Brandi shouted along with her, setting her drink behind her with a hand covering the top as Aurora launched herself off the diving board, her body spinning clumsily in the air before she angled her form to be upright as her fingertips dipped into the water, followed by the rest of the young girl as the water cushioned her fall.

Cheers erupted in the club as the liquid laced with chlorine splashed against the front of Sonny’s legs, her frown evidently worse as Aurora popped her head up from the pool with a nonchalant smile. A laugh bubbled out of her, the kind that warmed your heart as it was full of childish joy and complete innocence as her hands cupped the water, using it to push her forward as her legs kicked from behind her, aiding her in her journey to swim closer to her two friends.

“You’re an idiot,” the brown-eyed girl promptly stated once she was within earshot, watching as Aurora braced herself on the edge of the pull and pulled herself up, droplets of clear moisture running down her back. “A complete and utter idiot that only got four flips.”

The dark-haired girl pouted, her full lips dusted with a rosy tint as she squeezed the excess water from her hair. “I was really betting on five.”

“And because of that, you’re buying the next round of fries,” her best friend chuckled, finishing off the last of her lemonade. “Come on, finish up already. I need to get back to the shop.”

“Max gave you the day off, remember?” Sonny told her, already flagging down one of the waiters. “Stop being such a workaholic. I swear to God, one of these days, wheels will spring from your feet.”

“That’d be really convenient, though,” Aurora quipped, tilting her head back to grin at the sixteen-year-old. “You’d just roll everywhere. No bikes, no cars - just drip.”

Sonny pursed her lips at her comment, taking her foot out of the sandals she was wearing to give her a slight push that has her laughing as she jolts forward slightly. “I will not hesitate to drown you, Rory.”

“Do it!”

“Let’s not commit murder in the club,” Brandi cut in, lightly pushing the younger girl’s foot away as the dark-haired girl brought her legs out from the water. “They’re still hounding my dad for the drinks you spilled the other day, Rory.”

Her pink lips spread into a smile, her hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned in to press a damp kiss to the girl’s cheek. “Love you, Brandi,” she cooed, thankful for the girl who took the fall for her and shouldered the charges from the broken glass.

She chuckled, blowing her a kiss before looking up at the waiter that approached them. Sonny quickly ordered another plate of fries and a refill of the lemonade pitcher, sitting back on the lawn chair as the boy nodded in acknowledgment before turning on his heel and walking away to get what they ordered. The curly-haired girl shifted uncomfortably as she spotted the boys on the other side, already aware of how much he hated having her presence around after word had gotten around about how she preferred to hang out with the Grits that he’d had more than enough encounters with, and all of them ended with bruises.

She hadn’t even wanted to go to the club, but when Aurora had mentioned that she wanted to try out the new diving board they’d gotten installed, she knew she had no choice. She’d met the girl when she had to get her car fixed, and Sonny enjoyed talking to her so much that she ended up with a favorite and trusted mechanic to bring her car to, and Aurora had even started making regular trips to Sonny’s family’s record store in return.

It was the first moment she realized that the daughter of the fastest-growing auto shop chain was too laid back to mellow out the recklessness of the brown-eyed girl that had to get tugged back from jumping off a cliff. Seeing as her usual crew consisted of hormonal teenage boys that weren’t too familiar with hygiene, she’d been more than thankful for the two, especially after seeing how they reacted to the insults that had been thrown at Sonny when they were still attending the same school.

“Sonny, can you order me something to go, please?” Rory piped up, snapping the curly-haired girl out of her thoughts as she averted her glare from the blond Dive across them to smile at the brunette. Aurora naturally had darker hair, but she never missed a day since her twelfth birthday to get highlights that brought out the ever-present sun-kissed skin she worked hard for. “Preferably something that won’t tear through a paper bag.”

“Or you can just eat it here?” she retorted with a curled lip as the girl stood up with pursed lips. “You do know that over a hundred million plastic utensils are thrown away each day-”

“Okay, pipe it down with the judgment, Mother Teresa,” she snorted with a raised hand. “I don’t use plastic anything, so ask them not to include it. Also, Pati uses styrofoam sometimes and I don’t hear a peep out of you.”

“That’s ’cause Pati’s scary,” she huffed with a glare. “And don’t change the subject!”

Aurora pointed at her with a steady index before grinning, turning on her heel to head to the bathroom. She looked down as she did it, adjusting her bikini top as she walked past the waiter with the plate full of fries and lemonade pitcher on his tray, ignoring the eyes on her as she brushed her hair over her shoulder and disappeared into the corner leading to the bathrooms.

The eldest Cavanaugh kid watched her with a frown, his jaw clenched tightly. He didn’t like Aurora. She was always too nice, too well-mannered when she needed to be — masking the nights of wild dares and carelessly strewn away beer bottles he’d witnessed whenever she felt like mixing in with the teens of Banlieue District. He’d been amused at first, finally thinking that she got off her high horse to have some fun with them, but he grew to hate it just as fast, as Aurora Capulet held onto grudges tighter than red clung onto a rose.

He knew that despite the innocent, doe eyes she’d don on for her convenience, she was just as tainted as he was — for he knew her a lot better than he wanted to, and he absolutely despised how she was painted as something she just wasn’t.

He shook his head, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair when his hand knocked into the beer Grant had been handing to him.

“For fuck’s sake, Grant!” Ryker scowled, shooting up from his beach chair with a grimace as the amber liquid soaked into the front of his polo shirt. “Are you kidding me? This was brand new!”

“I’m sorry, man!” the boy with the sharp jawline laughed, amused by how the situation came to be as he set the beer down. “Dude, it’s not my fault, alright? I’ve been calling your name for, like, the past five minutes.”

“I’m not deaf,” he snapped, pulling the fabric away with two fingers as he shook the excess moisture off. “Fuck, why couldn’t you wait?”

“Dude, you’ve been eyeing Rory ever since we got here,” the short black-haired boy scoffed, popping one potato chip into his mouth. “I’m telling you — just ask her out already.”

As if sensing she was the topic of a conversation she definitely didn’t want to be part of, Rory covered her sneeze with the back of her hand, her nose wrinkling along with her brows as she shook off the remaining irritation in her sinuses. The goosebumps scattered across her skin made her frown, but she paid it no mind as she headed into the stall after giving herself a quick check in the mirror.

Rory was just about to sit when she heard voices enter the bathroom with her, which wouldn’t have bothered her if the giggles didn’t sound oddly familiar. The increasing volume and the eventual stream of water let her know that they were at the sink, and Rory would’ve continued to mind her business if she hadn’t heard her name echo around the fairly large bathroom.

“Did you see Rory?” one of them giggled in the way teenage girls do when they found enjoyment in idle gossip that would quickly turn sour.

“I think that was the whole point,” the other one scoffed, whom she was already nicknaming Thing Two. She was sure that if she wanted to peek through the gaps, said thing would be peering at herself from different angles in the mirror. “She’s such a show off sometimes. She was so trying to get Ryker’s attention.”

When Thing One erupted into a fit of giggles, Rory propped her chin on her hand, fairly certain that Thing Two had done an awful imitation of her that was sure to feature cleavage. “You’re so mean!”

“It’s true!” Thing Two huffed. “I don’t get why she even tries. I mean, did you see her thighs? Why wear a bikini if it’s all gross and brown.”

Her annoyance disappeared when a dull pain squeezed at her heart, her expression dropping and skin paling as she inadvertently glanced down at herself. She bit her lip when she found what they were disgusted about, and her thighs automatically squeezed together, ridding her of the slightly darker skin on her inner thighs.

“Hey, it’s not like she can help it!” Thing One gasped, the light slap sound insinuating she teasingly hit her friend’s shoulder. There was a pause before she eventually whispered with a giggle, “Although… her armpits are kind of darker too, aren’t they? Is that an Asian thing?”

Aurora’s hands left her thighs to cover her torso as her nails dug into her skin, her frown deepening as her expression twisted. It felt oddly cold in the bathroom, but Rory couldn’t bring herself to move, finding the closed-off stall safer than her need to find heat. She wondered how long she could stay inside before her friends eventually filed for a missing person’s report.

“Who cares?” Thing Two retorted. “It’s not like she’s ever gonna be on our level. She never belonged here anyway.”

“Well, it’s not like you can say that, her mom runs, like, half of the island,” Thing One muttered. “It’s really odd, you know? I mean, she would so fit in if she ditched those friends of hers.”

“Oh, please, as if she’s ever going to,” Thing Two scoffed again, finally turning off the water as Rory’s anxiety faded. “Her and that weird friend of hers are practically inseparable at this point. What’s her name? Brando?”

“Girl, she’s the one who fixes your car!” Thing One corrected with a laugh as Rory’s chest filled with irritation, the tension leaving her body as she sat up straight with a hardening expression. “I’m pretty sure it’s Brenda. Plus, you know, I heard that Rory doesn’t really have to try. She’s already got it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the other one — Rory was finding her to be the worse option between the two — questioned snootily. “Are you talking about Ryker?”

“Of course I am!” the giggler confirmed as Rory stood up, rolling her shoulders back. “I heard that a couple of people—”

She swung open the door, her eyebrows set into a straight line that highlighted the iciness in her gaze as her plump lips were faintly curled into a disgusted scowl. The two girls, whom Rory vaguely recognized from school, stopped their words when they saw her in the mirror, blood draining from their faces as the amber-eyed girl calmly walked towards the sink.

They watched her for a few seconds, waiting for her to say something or provide a bigger reaction to how she’d heard them talk crap right in front of her, but the coldness that rolled off of the girl’s body only worsened the anticipation. It was one thing to gossip about the heiress behind her back; it was an entirely different thing to have said heiress ignore their presence.

“Why would I ever do that?” In the pool area, Ryker, completely unaware, shot back a comment of his own with a roll of his eyes, pure annoyance creeping up his neck at the thought. “Don’t say shit like that. Damn it, it’s not coming off.”

“Just go wash it off with some water and stop whining,” the black-eyed teen drawled with a dismissive wave of his hand. “And can we hurry up? My mom’s already hounding me for being out so much.”

He rolled his eyes, not in the mood to deal with their antics as he walked around the pool to get to the bathroom. The reason he’d been so insistent on stepping out in the first place was so he could get rid of the stress that his father had given him after finding out Ryker hadn’t bought some materials like he said he would, but his mood had only worsened when he saw the Dives that had decided people on The Rook were far more worthy of their time than those on Banlieue District.

“We—” Thing One choked on her words as she tried to laugh it off, though there was much less confidence in her voice. Thing Two simply couldn’t believe she’d gotten caught. “We were just joking—”

“You know,” Rory spoke up before they could come up with their excuse, her eyes focused solely on herself as she pointedly checked herself out as she washed her hands. “Before you complain about my body so much, you should have your boyfriends stop asking for pics of it.”

She reached for a tissue, patting her hands dry before balling it up and throwing it at Thing Two’s face. The two girls flinched as they prepared for a more punishing comment, but Rory barely gave them another glance as she walked out, leaving them to gape at each other as they attempted to understand what had just occurred.

Ryker was still grumbling under his breath by the time he’d turned the corner to get his shirt sorted out, a flurry of brown hair filled his sights before softness met the front of his form, his hand shooting out to steady them both when her nose brushed along his collarbone. He grimaced when his palm met damp skin, shuffling back to scowl at Aurora as she rubbed at her nose with a slight pout of discomfort.

His lips curled back, pushing her away from him as he glanced down at the wet fabric of his shirt that had spread after having the brunette press against him. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered, holding his hands out with a displeased expression. “You’re getting water all over the damn floor.”

She tilted her head at him with a smile, crossing her arms over her chest and scoffing at the way his gaze darted down. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re at a pool.”

He rolled his eyes, shaking the moisture off his palms as if touching her was the worst possible thing he could imagine. “I have eyes.”

She hummed, narrowing her gaze slightly. “So it’s common sense you lack?”

He nodded, running his tongue over the top row of his teeth as he briefly glanced away, looking back to give her a tight grin. “You know,” he began, leaning down slightly with a mocking glint in his eye since he knew how much she hated their height difference. “Everyone thinks you’re such an angel, but you’re not fooling me.”

She shrugged carelessly, unfazed by his hostile behavior since she’d already experienced enough of it. “I don’t have to.”

His grin widened at her answer, his hands coming up to slip into the pockets of his shorts. “Good.”

But distrust quickly bloomed in his chest when she chuckled, stepping closer and causing his smirk to fall as she reached up and tapped his chin, leaning on the tips of her toes to have her breath fan over his lips and give him a taste of her honey-scented lip balm. Ryker froze, gaze dancing over her face as she slowly brought her brown eyes up to meet his.

“You’re already a big enough joke on your own,” she whispered, her lips tugging up in bemusement when his features morphed into one of pure exasperation as she shuffled back with the same bright grin that made him want to watch her fall. “Go change your shirt, Ryker. We all know you’re an alcoholic — we don’t need to smell it.”

She patted his chest, winking at him playfully before she stepped around him and sauntered away. She jerked back when Ryker whirled around and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, tugging her back and gritting his teeth when she did little to escape his grip, turning her head to glare at him as her perfectly full lips were still spread into that signature smile of hers.

But then his own lips curled back in a sneer, his hold tightening on her as he brought her closer towards him. “Say hi to Donny for me, won’t you?”

Her smile dropped, her face going numb as the icy claws of her past squeezed at her heart and stole her breath. She ripped herself out of his grip, inhaling shakily as she pushed him away from her with a clenched jaw of her own.

“Don’t you ever say his name again,” she warned him, her voice devoid of any emotion and different from how she usually was as her gaze went cold, staring at him wordlessly before turning on her heel to leave.

Ryker watched her go with a triumphant smirk, choosing to ignore the guilt that rushed through his veins. He ran his fingers over his jawline, clearing his throat to try and get rid of the uneasy feeling swirling in his stomach as he watched Aurora disappear around the corner, but he felt his body move forward, half wanting to go after her and say he didn’t mean what he said.

But he shook his head, forcing himself to turn around and handle his own problem - and it was getting beer out of his shirt.

Aurora deserved it, anyway.

At least, that was what Ryker tried to tell himself as he stalked off to the bathroom. There were frantic whispers that faintly reached his ears when he passed by the one meant for women, but he couldn’t possibly care less when all he could think about was how Rory’s normally unbothered expression had faded because of him.

There was a part of him that was smug about the fact that he’d broken her facade. He always hated the way she walked around as if she didn’t have a spiked tail of her own; he hated how she always smiled with the kind of look that hid her barbed tongue. She was known as the Angel of Cardinham simply because it was more likely for rocks to grow legs than to have her acknowledge someone out of her own circle.

Still, in spite of the hatred that burned deep in his gut for the girl he was always compared to, there was a stinging pain in his chest that reprimanded him for even speaking against her at all. He and Aurora had always butted heads, more due to the fact that Ryker couldn’t find himself saying anything but insults when it came to her, but the mere sight of her irritated him because of one reason — and that reason was the one he was forced to live under the same roof as since the son of a mayor couldn’t live anywhere else on the island.

So really, he knew it wasn’t her fault, but why did she have to be so goddamn perfect that he had to suffer for it?

The guilt had subsided by the time he’d squeezed the moisture from his shirt and the anger had led to him roughly draping it over his shoulder. Ryker Cavanaugh was known to be unapproachable, but the scowl that marred his pretty features was a sight that would’ve made anyone avoid him as there was a certain bloodlust in his eyes that was eerily similar to the look of a convicted killer. The blond Dive was easily irritable, after all, but none quite elicited such a reaction aside from the heiress herself.

Standing at six foot four with broad shoulders and a build that could thank the hours spent at the gym, Ryker was a sight for sore eyes as he nearly cracked the tiles under his feet as he marched back out of the bathroom. If he had been in a cartoon, it would’ve been comical to see smoke spewing from his ears like a roaring chimney intent on turning wood into ashes, but in real life, it was merely terrifying and nothing else.

His eyes automatically found Rory’s as he stormed back out to his spot across from hers and the girl graced him with another wink, wiggling her fingers at him as he tightened his jaw so hard he was sure he chipped a tooth. Ryker stuck up his middle finger at her with a harsh glare, but Rory merely pressed her hand to her chest with a pout, blowing him a kiss before sticking her own finger up with a sweet grin.

He rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue, forcing himself to look away from her as he went back to his friends. Just before he took back his seat, he took another glance towards Rory to see her covered up with her jacket, mumbling something to her friends that had them looking at her in confusion before they nodded and went to pack up.

He furrowed his brows unconsciously when he realized she hadn’t even washed up before leaving. Her hair was still wet and he could tell by how it was darker than it usually was, and he was unnerved by the way she seemed so rushed to leave. He continued to watch her even when her back was already turned to him as she walked away, but just as she turned her head to meet his eyes, he was abruptly broken out of his trance when Grant gave his shoulder a shove.

“Dude!”

The interruption and the touch on his shoulder made his scowl return as he quickly shifted his gaze towards the dark-eyed teen who held up a beer. “What?” he snapped, evidently disgruntled by the interruption as Grant huffed.

“Did you seriously not hear a word I said?”

He rolled his eyes, adjusting his seat on the chair as he snatched the beer away from the boy’s hand. “I don’t listen to half the stuff you say,” he muttered, bringing the bottle to his lips.

“Wow,” Grant scoffed, hands on his hips as he copied the gesture of rolling his eyes as a way of mocking Ryker. “Rude.”

Warren chuckled, checking the time on his phone as he stood up. “I gotta head back before mom throws a fit.”

“Then leave,” Ryker answered simply, not giving them another glance as he brought his sunglasses down from his head to cover his eyes, the sunlight poking through the glass ceiling bothering him. The sun gave a more golden tint to his darker blond hair, and paired with the body that was now on full display as he let his back rest against the chair, it was becoming more and more apparent that despite the way his name stirred chaos, Ryker was truly hellfire trapped in an adonis.

“Dude,” Grant voiced, blocking the sun from Ryker’s face as he glared down at his friend. “Why are you so pressed?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Warren piped up when Ryker merely made a gesture of shooing away the darker-haired teen with tight curls. “He just saw Rory.”

That was what made Ryker actually listen to the conversation as his brows pulled together again. “What?”

“Oh, come on,” the sleek-eyed teen drawled, raising a brow as if telling Ryker he wasn’t believing the ignorance. “Everyone saw that little thing before you went to the bathroom.”

Ryker’s lips curved into a frown as he shifted his sunglasses up again. “What part of ‘what’ didn’t you get?”

Warren and Grant shared a look before they seemingly took on characters; Warren donned a somewhat irritated expression whereas Grant’s features twisted into what one would interpret as a charming girl, as he pretended to twirl an invisible piece of hair around his chest. They made a show of not making eye contact as they walked towards each other, and when they eventually intercepted, Warren exaggeratingly reached out to catch Grant, who pretended to fall before he peered at Warren with dazed eyes.

Ryker watched their little play with a blank expression. “Are you two hiding something from me?”

“That was you and Rory when you pretended to be mad about her bumping into you,” the darker-haired teen explained. “We all saw where you were looking, Ryker,” he said, making a crude gesture of grabbing at his chest, and Ryker scowled.

Warren nodded. “You took a real long time in the bathroom after that.”

“You know what?” the blond Dive interrupted with a clipped tone as he sat up, swinging his legs over the seat. “You assholes can walk home.”

“Hey!” Warren laughed, holding his hands up in defense as Ryker angrily picked up his things. “Just ’cause Rory didn’t fall on you doesn’t mean you get to punish us!”

“I don’t fucking like Rory!” he stressed, gesturing heatedly with his phone in his hand as red rushed into his cheeks. “Why are you so obsessed with this?”

Grant and Warren shared another look before the former voiced, “Well, if you don’t like Rory, can I—”

Ryker shoved past him, intentionally pushing him hard enough in the direction of the pool until he heard the splash of the water slamming into Grant’s back and felt the droplets splatter at his feet. The blond continued to walk as if he hadn’t done anything even as Grant quickly swam up and gasped for air, but Warren couldn’t help but get in one more comment before Ryker could fully leave them behind.

“So you don’t like Rory, huh?”

“I know you can’t swim, prodigy,” he snapped, keeping his back turned to them as he stormed off. “Don’t test me.”

Getting dropped off a few houses away was almost routine for Aurora, and it was part of that routine for her to sag back against her seat and peer at the grossly large mansion with apprehension once the car stopped moving.

Brandi had one elbow resting on the window pane, staring at her friend wordlessly as the dark-haired girl with caramel highlights shifted uncomfortably on the plush leather chairs. She had one leg propped up on the seat, as the dark-eyed girl had already grown accustomed to driving with one foot on the floor and one hand loosely clutching the steering wheel, but she placed it down so she could lean forward and grasp the heiress’s knee comfortingly.

She’d lost count of the number of times she’d seen this scene before. The way her best friend’s shoulders tensed faintly, the natural pout of her mouth becoming more prominent as she chewed on the inside of the rosy lips everyone’s eyes were drawn to when they met the girl. Her eyes, shaded with the color of preserved amber, were darting around in anxiety, unable to keep focused on one thing like they usually were.

Brandi’s gaze slid down to where Aurora’s hands were balled on her lap, noting how the brunette hadn’t moved even when the girl had touched her. She sighed quietly, reaching to cover her fists with her own palm as she squeezed, successfully capturing the girl’s attention as Aurora tore her gaze away from the mansion to look at her best friend.

“What?” she breathed out, the white of her teeth peeking through as she tried to reassure Brandi that she was okay. “Sorry, I know I’m taking too long to get out.”

“You know, we can always go back to mine,” she told her friend with a soft grin in response. “Mom loves having you over, anyway.”

In spite of the unspoken subject hanging in the air, Aurora chuckled, her curls bouncing as she shook her head. “No, she’s already got her hands full with the triplets,” she chimed, smiling at the thoughts of the older woman with pin-straight black hair that always fell poised down her back despite how much she ran around to control her three toddlers. “Besides, I’ll see you later at the shop. I still need to do some inventory.”

“Okay, but just call me if you need anything,” the thin-lipped girl sighed, her eyebrows furrowing in worry. “Rory — I’m serious,” she added in with a slightly firmer voice, knowing how Aurora could be.

“I promise I will,” she voiced, leaning to press a kiss to the other girl’s cheek before her fingers slid onto the handle, trying to ignore the coldness that seeped through her skin as the back of her neck bloomed with heat. “Let me know when you get home, okay?”

“Wait.” The dark-haired girl didn’t let go of Aurora’s knee, halting the girl from opening the door as she insistently pulled her back. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

She chuckled, tilting her head with a teasing look. “You couldn’t have asked this earlier?”

Brandi gave a grin of her own. “Sonny was with us earlier and you know her temper.”

Aurora hummed, nodding her head understandingly as she settled back into her seat. “I’m guessing this is about what happened at the club then.”

“I don’t know what happened, so I’m just gonna let you tell me if I’m right,” she continued, angling her body away from the wheel to focus on Rory more, whose eyes seemed to have found the dashboard a lot more interesting than before. “Did something happen in the bathroom?” she asked, and even if she didn’t directly say it, Aurora knew that Brandi, ever the observant best friend, had noticed the amber-eyed beauty walk out with more effort to conceal the parts she’d been mocked about.

The words of the girls echoed in her head and Rory pulled the jacket a little tighter around her body. “It was just a bunch of stupid girls.”

“Oh, I saw them. They definitely are,” Brandi agreed, reaching out to gently rub Rory’s shoulder. “You know they’re wrong, right?”

“I know,” she mumbled, even when a voice in the back of her head screamed otherwise. “It’s just a bit weird hearing it from other people.”

“Other people suck,” Brandi scoffed, squeezing Aurora’s shoulder when she huffed in amusement. “Don’t mind them. They can’t even tell an orange from an apple. Speaking of dimwits, I saw Cavanaugh bump into you too. He cause you any trouble?”

She scrunched her nose up at the reminder of her encounter with the blond. “No, he was just being an ass like usual. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

“Are you sure?” her best friend followed up with a hint of doubt. “’Cause nothing’s ever simple with that jerk,” she snorted, lips quirking in distaste at the memory of their last encounter. “And he was eyeing you at the pool. Just be careful around him.”

“I know, Brandi,” she cooed, brushing off the topic like she always did before tugging the handle, and pushing open the door. “Don’t worry, he can’t hurt me. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“It’s Ryker, Rory,” she scoffed, knowing how dangerous the boy could be since he was virtually untouchable on the island. For Brandi, he was the life-threatening parasite waiting to be picked up by the unsuspecting puppy that was Aurora Capulet. “Don’t be stupid.”

“I’m not stupid,” the amber-eyed girl retorted with a nonchalant grin. “He’s fun to tease, Brandi. That’s all it is.”

“This game of yours is gonna get you killed,” she deadpanned in response. There was a sense of urgency in her tone that made Rory raise her brows. “Have you not heard the kind of company he keeps around? ’Cause you know he’s been seen in some of the rougher parts of The Rook, and he’s not exactly an angel.”

In spite of herself, she gave a lighthearted laugh, not really registering what her best friend was hinting at. “What, like you and I are so innocent?”

She raised her eyebrows with pursed lips. “Except when we get high, the most we do is listen to Sonny’s album, but he gets blackout drunk after drinking beer in his own body weight.”

“So just a regular Friday night for college students,” she quipped with a nonchalant shrug.

Brandi frowned. “Except he dropped out of college.”

“I should get dropped off now before you give me the birds and the bees talk,” Aurora chuckled, patting her best friend’s knee before sliding out of the car, the paper bag clutched in her free hand.

She kissed her teeth, leaning forward to peer at Aurora suspiciously. “Why do you keep defending him?”

“I’m not defending him,” she responded with a carefree smile, crossing her arms over her chest with a teasing glint in her eyes. “Why would I defend him?”

The dark-haired girl’s expression shifted into one that insinuated she knew something Rory didn’t, and that she hated knowing in the first place. “Oh, believe me. You’d have reasons.”

“Hey!” Rory huffed, pouting in distaste. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying,” the girl sighed, waving her hand as if to prove her point. “You can do better than a spoiled brat.”

Aurora’s face wrinkled at the mere thought of having anything to do with Ryker other than a mere acquaintance she had to occasionally see because of her family; Brandi, in turn, deadpanned at her reaction. “I just don’t have the time to worry about rich boy problems — I’ve got enough on my plate.”

Brandi chuckled after a few moments of observing the amber-eyed girl’s clear bitterness at the memory of Ryker, for it was normal for Aurora to brush off the more serious topics. It was one of the things she both loved and hated about the girl because she knew the origins of Aurora’s humor and how fresh it came to be. “Yeah, yeah, alright. Just don’t overdo it. You don’t know what he’s capable of, Rory.”

“I promise I’ll dial it down,” she reassured her with a mock salute before tapping the side of the car and swinging it closed. “River’s?”

“It’s not like we can go anywhere else with those three,” she snorted in response with a wave of her hand. “Text me when you’re ready to leave or just get Sonny to do it.”

“I can use my bike.”

“With the stuff you wear? I don’t think so,” she retorted as she started up the car again, knowing how the brunette preferred more risque outfits that weren’t ideal for bike riding. It wasn’t that she had a problem with — it was the ones that stared for a bit too long that did. “Don’t be stubborn.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” she laughed, shuffling back with a large grin, her hands crossed behind her back. “Love you!”

“Love you too, hot stuff!” the dark-haired girl called out, waiting for Aurora to turn on her heel and trudge up the long driveway before sighing, her smile falling as she hesitantly turned the car around, glancing at her best friend once more in the mirror before driving off.

Aurora took in a deep breath as she skipped up the driveway, her gaze bouncing around the neighborhood she lived in as she tried to get her mind off the fact that she was about to enter the last place she wanted to be in. The takeout Sonny had ordered for her was warm against her skin, the thin fabric of her halter top doing little to keep the heat off as a cold breeze blew past her and caused her to shiver slightly.

She’d wondered if it was truly cold, because the temperature on the island never dropped low enough for her to feel comfortable in jeans with thicker material, so she couldn’t help but theorize that it was just her subconscious preparing her for the atmosphere that was vastly different in the Capulet household.

Perhaps it was ridiculous for her to feel this way, for Maribel Capulet was known as one of the sweetest women in Cardinham Cove, an accessory title to how successful she was with a handful of investments in numerous companies, though her most recent venture was the popular restaurant chain she was expanding, partnered with none other than Mayor Vaughn Cavanaugh.

She was known for being one of the most gracious guests, albeit Aurora was quick to admit that her mother had standards that were higher than the skyscrapers in Dubai and she was overly fastidious about the tiniest details, which was probably the foundation that led to her being featured in Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, although her kindness and generous charities were discussed widely.

So the hesitance that buzzed through her veins made her legs wobble slightly felt unnecessary as she stepped on the pebbled pathway, her heart stopping in her chest as her ears honed in on the silence that surrounded the property, suddenly missing the bustling in the club that distracted her from her inner thoughts.

Regardless of the uncertainty that loomed between the heiress and the distance to the large oak door complimented by brass, she strode through the marbled foundation, her numb fingers wrapping around the cool metal and twisting it open so she could enter the house.

She closed the door behind her with a quiet click, swiftly moving towards the stairs so she could eat her burger and fries in peace like she always did. But just as her palm met the smooth wood of the rails, her name was called, halting her from moving up the steps as Maribel’s heels clicked against the floor, prompting the young heiress to turn around after taking a deep breath to give her mother a small smile.

“When did you get home?” she questioned with the same tone dripping with honey, smiling largely as she strode forward and opened her arms, pulling Aurora into a hug after the young girl stepped down the stairs. “I thought you were still with Brandi. I didn’t even hear her car pull up.”

“I walked back,” she lied easily, trying to hide the paper bag behind her back as she looked up at her mother. “Didn’t wanna trouble her, you know? Um, I thought you were in Algarrobo?”

Maribel sighed, her curled hair brushing over her shoulders as she reached to tuck her daughter’s hair behind her ear. “I decided to cut my trip early. I don’t want to be away from you for too long, especially after what happened.”

Aurora took in a deep breath, subtly sliding back from the older woman as her nails dug into her palm. “I’m fine, mom. You didn’t have to come back for me.”

“We need to talk about what happened eventually, Aura,” she whispered tentatively, her accent slipping through slightly as she stared at her daughter with soft eyes. “I’m here for you, you know this.”

“I do, mom,” she voiced in response, averting her gaze as the uncomfortable knot in her stomach grew tighter. “But there’s no need to talk about it. I’m fine.”

The dark-haired woman shook her head, her tanned skin growing flushed out of frustration. “You say that, but—”

“Ah, I thought I heard voices.”

Aurora’s throat grew hot as the deeper and unfortunately familiar voice joined the conversation, the urge to expel the negative feelings she had bent over the pristine toilet in her private bathroom growing as Philip crossed the hallway that led to the office areas, meeting the Capulet women with a half grin that made her skin crawl. His hair was cut short, complimented by the medium stubble he always sported, and reminded Aurora of her recent hatred for facial hair as he stopped in front of them, grey eyes trained on her.

“What’re you doing home, Rory?” he questioned with a friendly tone that had her gritting her teeth. “Cathy said you were out and wouldn’t be home til tonight.”

She pursed her lips together, not meeting his gaze as she kept her eyes on her feet. “I just came home to rest for a bit.” She hid the paper bag as best as she could, trying not to draw attention to it as she had absolutely no plans on dining with them despite how delicious Cathy’s food could be.

“Oh, well, you wanna have some lunch?” he offered next with a jerk of his thumb over his shoulder. “Your mother and I had Cathy whip something up—”

“I’m fine,” she cut him off, quickly turning to head up the stairs before they could call Cathy, the primary help, to pull up a seat for her.

“Aurora!” Maribel called out in disapproval, not liking the way the young girl had blatantly brushed him off. “Don’t be rude. Philip’s asking you nicely.”

“I’m not hungry, mom,” she rushed out, though her grip on the rail tightened as her gaze darted to the portrait on the wall, her heart pounding in her chest as she took in the sight of her father smiling at her. “I’m gonna head up to my room,” she mumbled, dropping her head in an effort to shield herself from the memories that rushed into her mind as she moved towards her room on the second floor.

“Aurora,” her mother’s voice stopped her again. “You’re getting dark. I told you to stay out of the sun.”

It was this very conversation that Aurora dreaded every time she stepped foot into her household. The same voice that made her want to cover herself in baggy clothes and dark colors to make herself be unseen, blending into the background so she didn’t have to suffer through the feeling of nausea and whispers in the back of her mind that told her she shouldn’t go outside. Her legs were far too big for her to wear shorts, or she should wear less revealing tops to seem like a proper woman and not some floozy to be seen on the side of the road, begging for someone to pick her up.

It was the same voice that used to bring comfort to Aurora, now filtered by insecurity and anxiety.

She nodded wordlessly, tugging her shorts down her legs as she nearly tripped over her own feet in her haste to escape. She could hear the two adults start to discuss her behavior before she even reached the final step, worsening the silent fury that was already building up in her chest as she fumbled for her room and swiftly ran in, closing the door behind her as soon as she could before locking it with shaking fingers.

She hated feeling like this because she didn’t like crying — so she didn’t. She’d gotten so used to repressing her emotions that instead of curling up into a ball and pressing her face into her knees to let the tears fall, she flattened her back against the door and slid down, her legs crossing in front of her as she sat down and took a deep breath, trying to resist the urge to throw the food in her hands across the room in an effort to let out her frustrations without screaming and causing an even bigger commotion.

She sighed heavily, leaning back and lightly thumping the back of her head against the door. The faint twinge of pain that shot through her cranium eased her anger minutely, but she appreciated the relief no matter how small it had been, staring up at the ceiling with glazed-over amber eyes and a frozen heart.

She glanced at the bag just next to her legs, drawn by the warmth it was still giving off as the aroma of blended spices wafted into her nose. The words of her mother echoed in her ears, desperation to feel some sort of serotonin lingering in her bones as she reached for the paper bag and ignored the satiated feeling in her stomach, opening the paper bag and pulling out the food inside.

If she couldn’t find relief in the comfort of her own home, maybe she could find it in the takeout bag.