I Blame Society (Chapters 1-15)

 (Chapter One: Lip Gloss, Laughs, Whispers, and Smiles.)  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 1st, 1989 

The door slams open against the wall, as three girls walk into the talkative halls of Cedar Hills High, in Sherwood Ohio. People stared and spoke quietly to themselves, all eyes on them. These three girls walk through the halls confidently while talking to themselves. These are your typical“ popular girls”. Lip gloss, laughs, whispers, and smiles.

The leader of the pack is Brielle Stanton. She’s the most well known, and the most attractive. With pin straight, dirty blonde hair, and cold blue eyes, enough to freeze anyone in place. She’s always terrifyingly composed and frigid. Brielle is always wearing burgundy, you will never see her in another color. She walked in the middle of the three girls, and was putting on her lip gloss before handing it off to the girl on her left.

Chloe DeLuca. She’s Brielle’s favorite and the social butterfly of the group. She has short, light brown hair that's always curled up perfectly at the ends. Her eyes are a light brown, with a hint of green. She has major connections across the school and even with some important adults. Of course, that's all thanks to her never being afraid to talk to new people with an unexpected friendliness. She always wears light lavender. Chloe walks to the left of Brielle, turning to talk to the girl on the other side of her. 

Madison Reeve. Brielle doesn’t like her as much as she likes Chloe, but she likes her good enough to keep her in the group. She’s the know it all. She has pitch black medium length hair that matches her equally dark eyes. Madison is quiet for the most part, but everyone knows she’s greedy when she wants something. She also happens to know everything, about everyone almost to a concerning degree. Kinda like an ultracrepidarian. Whenever something happens, she’s the first to know about it. Just like the other two, she’s always wearing a single color, and it's royal blue. She's walking to the right of Brielle, and is talking to Chloe.

These three girls are called “The Queens”. They are a dominating group of girls, kinda like a gang, that basically run the school. Never bothered, never harassed, Skye would give anything to be like them. 

Skye Mercer. She has shoulder length, chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes. Skye is like a regular high school girl in a mostly normal high school. She’s intelligent, and witty with a confidence that even she doesn’t know comes from. She isn’t popular, but mostly everyone knows her and she knows mostly everyone. Her life in school is fine. She has friends, and is never really involved in the main dramas of school. She isn’t the prettiest, but people do crush on her every once in awhile. See? Just a normal girl who has a normal life in a normal high school… Sort of.

Skye was watching as the group of girls walked down the hallway like it was a runway and they were high class models. Everything was going as per the usual until Madison stumbled and tripped over Skye’s foot, and fell to the floor.. Skye gasped, but grinned after, finding it funny, of course she covered her mouth with her hand to “hide her shame” and not stifle a laugh.

Madison glared in pure anger and you could tell she wasn’t going to have any of this. The hallway went quiet, Sky could feel their eyes burning into her, making a shiver run down her spine.

Madison pushed herself up, her face red — not from pain, but from being seen like that.

“Watch where you’re going.” she snapped, brushing invisible dust off her blue skirt.

Skye froze, then smiled, a small, but bold thing. “Sorry. Didn’t see you there.”

Brielle and Chloe stopped walking. Three pairs of eyes turned toward her — cold, glossy, perfect.

Brielle tilted her head slightly, studying Skye like she was some organism under a microscope.

“You think that’s funny?” Brielle asked softly. Too softly.

Skye’s grin faded. “No, I—”

“Because Madison doesn’t.” Brielle’s tone shifted. Now it was flat, almost bored. “Right?”

Madison forced a laugh. “Yeah. Super funny.”

“Not my fault you tripped over me. Maybe you should watch where you're going next time.. doofus.” Skye says, staring back defiantly at the looming queens.

Madison’s jaw tightened. Chloe’s hand flew to her mouth like she’d just witnessed a crime.

Brielle’s expression didn’t change. She just stepped closer.

“Are we gonna have a problem..?”Brielle’s hand shot out and grabbed Skye’s locker door, slamming it shut with a metallic clang. Skye flinched.

The sound echoed down the hall. Everyone was watching now, their curious eyes boring into Skye, the phones already coming out.

“You think you’re so funny..” Brielle said, her voice still calm. “You think you can make one of my friends look stupid and get away with it?”

Skye’s heartbeat jumped. “I didn’t—”

Madison laughed — a high, nervous sound. “Oh, come on, Brielle, she’s just jealous.”

“Jealous?” Skye said, grinning lightly. “Oh please, i would never be caught wearing that much lipgloss.”

The hallway gasped.

Brielle smiled then — but it felt more like a warning than anything else. “Careful, Mercer.

People who talk too much around here usually regret it.”

Skye didn’t move. Didn’t look away. For the first time, she saw something flicker behind

Brielle’s ice-blue eyes — amusement, maybe, or curiosity.

“Guess we’ll see,” Skye said quietly.

The bell rang. The crowd broke apart, and the three girls walked away in their perfect formation.

But even as everyone else turned away, and Skye started heading towards her class, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Someone was still watching her.

(Chapter Two: Rules of Popularity)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skye turns around, feeling someone’s gaze on her, and then she saw him. 

For a second, the noise of the hallway chatter faded – the laughter, the lockers, the gossip – just… him. Their eyes met, and it made Skye’s breath catch in her throat. His stare was both steady and unreadable, but there was a sharp sensation behind it. It was sharp like ice, making her heart jump.

He was Rowan Hale, a new kid at the school, and had just walked in when the fight between Skye and the popular girls started. His hair is curly, and a dark auburn color that seemed a bit unkempt. His eyes are a dark midnight blue, while mostly stoic, he could be expressive when he wants to be. His clothing is different every day, but the same style. He always wears a black jacket and a silver chain with a dog tag on it every day. The words on it are unreadable, but you will never see him without it. He looks too soft to be a threat, until you catch the glint in his eyes and realize he’s calculating everything.

She looked away quickly, feeling her cheeks warm. Then, she turned and hurried toward her next class, pretending she hadn’t just seen the most intriguing person in the building.

Skye didn’t see him again but she thought about him for the rest of the morning. By lunch, everyone was already talking.

“The new kid’s weird as hell,” someone whispered at the next table. “Transferred here from some school in Columbus, got kicked out.”

“Why?” another asked.

“No one knows. My brother said he was in a gang or something like that.”

Skye tried not to listen, but of course she did. Everyone did. Gossip at Cedar Hills spread faster than the flu — and usually did more damage.

Across the cafeteria, she spotted him again. Rowan Hale, his name echoed in her mind. Sitting alone, back against the wall, picking at the crust of his sandwich, he couldn’t care less about what others said. His leather jacket was draped over the chair beside him, the silver dog tag catching the flickering fluorescent light.

Madison Reeve was already staring like a hungry dog.

“He’s hot..” she muttered to Chloe, who giggled behind her tray. “But like… the kind of hot that probably carries a knife.”

Brielle didn’t look up from her yogurt. “Boys like that are only fun until they’re not,” she said flatly. “Then they’re a problem. What do you see in him anyways? He looks like a psychopath, and probably is one.”She pushed around her yogurt, unimpressed.

Skye rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop glancing at him. There was something magnetic about how still he was, how he didn’t seem to care that everyone was watching him. As if he’d already seen this all before.

When his gaze suddenly flicked up and met hers from across the room, Skye’s stomach dropped.

He smiled — barely — then went back to his food, as if he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. Skye’s face felt warm afterwards.

Two boys — Brad Weener and Chad Morrison — strutted in, shoulder to shoulder, like they owned the place. Which, in a way, they did, only because of the Queens though.

“It would be so great to be in the middle of a Brielle–Chloe sandwich right now..” Brad drawled, and they laughed like idiots.

Brad was the louder one — tall, built like a linebacker, with perfectly gelled hair that defied physics and reason. His letterman jacket was practically a second skin, the name Weener stitched across the back in bold white letters, as if irony itself had enrolled at Cedar Hills.

Chad was only slightly less obnoxious than his best friend but still blindly followed him and whatever stupid things he was doing. Despite the fact no one really cared, they carried a tray stacked so high it looked like a dare someone told them to do.

“Ladies!” Brad called out as he passed Brielle’s table, smirking. “Miss us?” He put his arm down on the table to get closer to the two.

Chloe giggled. Madison didn’t even look up from her fries. Brielle, as always, smiled that small, terrifying smile.

“Brad, Chad,” she said coolly, “how charming of you to bless us with your presence..”

“You love it,” Chad said, sliding into the seat beside Chloe and stealing one of her fries. “Don’t act like you don’t.”

Brielle didn’t answer — she didn’t need to. Her silence was commanding enough. Brad and

Chad laughed it off like it didn’t sting, but everyone knew who really ran this school.

Skye watched from her table near the window, trying not to roll her eyes. The popular girls and their jocks — it was like a bad sitcom that refused to get canceled.

Then her gaze drifted back to the corner. Rowan was still sitting there, untouched by all of it.

And somehow, that made him stand out even more. 

Eventually, Brad and Chad noticed Rowan. Brad squinted, trying to see Rowan better. 

If only he wore his glasses then he’d actually be able to see anything.

Skye thought to herself as she sighed. She glanced one more time at Rowan before standing up and making her way toward the table where he sat alone. Her heart was beating faster than she wanted to admit.

“Hello,” she said, her voice softer than she meant as she let a smile come through. “I’m Skye.”

Rowan looked up from his lunch tray, a faint smirk tugging at his mouth. “Greetings and salutations, Skye.”

The words caught her off guard — strange, old-fashioned, almost theatrical.

“I never caught your name,” she said, trying to sound casual rather than an idiot.

“I never threw it at you,” Rowan replied, his cocky grin widening as his eyes met hers — sharp, amused, unreadable.

Skye blinked, caught between confusion and fascination. A blush crept up her cheeks as she looked away, pretending to study the old tiled floor.

Rowan leaned back in his chair, still watching her. His arm was resting on the back of his chair so his body was facing her. “I’m Rowan,” he said finally, “Rowan Hale.”

He stood as he said it — not in a threatening way, but with a quiet confidence that made Skye’s stomach flutter.

“I, um— I have to go,” she stammered, turning before he could say anything else.

As she walked away, she could feel his gaze following her. Not in a creepy way — more like he was memorizing her.

From his table, Brad was watching this interaction between Skye and Rowan, wondering who this kid was. He was too far to hear the conversation, but he had heard all the rumors about him.

Brad turned to Chad, giving him a cocky grin.

“Hey Chad,” Brad says, turning to his buddy. “Who does that guy over there think he is anyway, Bo Diddley?”

“Brad-“ Chad said, watching Sky walk away with a flushed face. “Skye is into him, no doubt”

He looked over at the corner where Rowan sat, and realized Rowan was staring right at them. He quickly looked away, and looked back at Brad

“Let’s destroy him!!” Brad said enthusiastically, smiling

“No way dude, we are seniors, we’re too old for this..”

Brad strutted over to where Rowan sat, despite Chad’s protest.

“Hey sweetheart!” Brad said, approaching Rowan. “What did your boyfriend say when you told him you were moving to Sherwood Ohiooohhh...” Brad said sarcastically, saying the sentence quickly but elongating the “Ohio” in his idiot kind of voice.

Chad was next to him, his arm on Brad’s shoulder. “Hey! My buddy Brad just asked you a question.”

“Hey Chad, doesn’t the cafeteria have a “no weirdos allowed” rule?”

“They don’t seem to have an open-door policy for idiots though.” Rowan shot back, giving them a cocky grin.

Brad stood there for a second, bewildered, his mouth hanging open comedically, before giving a furious look and saying “Hold his arms.”

(Chapter Three: Social Suicide)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chad lunged at Rowan, reaching for his arms, and missing by a long shot, crashing on the cafeteria table, then rolling onto the floor with his arms and legs stretched out.

“Chad, what the heck was that?”

Chad stood up quickly, and looked at Rowan, annoyed.

“nothing..” Chad muttered as he looked away, embarrassed.

Brad looked at Chad as he dusted himself off, confused, and entertained. “Well- whatever.” He says, as he looks at Chad, and at the same time, back at Rowan.

They both reached for Rowan, smiling. Before they could get their hands on him, Rowan stood up, and reached into his leather jacket, and pulled out a WHOLE ENTIRE PISTOL. 

Brad and Chad stepped back with their hands up as Rowan pointed the gun at them.

“Hey man, w-we can talk about this.. I was just joking, ya’ know?” Brad stammered out, his tough exterior cracking.

“Too late.” 

Rowan had the gun in his hand extended to the two boys, he grinned, that glint in his eyes shining. Then he pulled the trigger twice, at both of their heads, the sound echoing through the cafeteria, sending a chill through everyone’s spine.

There was no gore, no blood, just the gun in his hand, smoking lightly. Turns out it was two blanks, the gun wasn’t loaded. But Brad and Chad got so scared, they both fell back and fainted at the same time like a cartoon.

Rowan lowered his gun, looking down at the two boys and smiled sweetly, putting the gun back in his jacket.

Students around went back to talking, acting like nothing happened. 

“What the hell just happened.” someone spoke, and the cafeteria burst into chatter, everyone talking about what just went down.

Later, when everyone was gone and out of the cafeteria, Brad and Chad woke up at the same time. They looked at each other, and stood up. Staggering out of the cafeteria.

“Oh, that sucked!” Chad said to Brad, almost tripping over nothing

“That kid fights better than the real Bo Diddley. Hey, have you ever seen “Enter the dragon”? Bo Diddley fights with his shirt off and is like- pretty ripped for a oriental dude.”

“Oohh, someone has a crush!”

“Shut up!” Brad says, nudging Chad, making him stumble lightly.

“Chad’s eating Chinese tonight!”

“You're such a loser Chad..”

They continued staggering away, going to their class. 

________________

Days later, it was lunch time again. Brad and Chad were still pissed off about what happened with Rowan. They needed to set the record straight.

Brad and Chad walked into the cafeteria, and walked straight to Rowan.

“Hey loser, what’s with the dog tag? You need a leash?”Brad said, taunting him

“No, but it seems you do.” Rowan replied

They kept going back and forward, shooting insults at each other. But eventually, a huge fight broke out between them. 

Rowan swung first, eyes glinting like he’d just been handed easy prey.

Everyone gathers in a circle around them to watch. 

Brad was already on the floor, groaning in pain, while Chad fought.

Rowan punched Chad hard, making him fall to the ground. Brad stood up, and tried to punch Rowan back, but somehow missed, and fell back to the floor.

Rowan grabs Chad’s head, and was banging it on the floor-

And he only stopped when they were both on the floor, unable to move.

Madison watched in awe, blushing lightly as she nudged Chloe. “Did you see that?! No-Name kid just beat both of them at once!”

Chloe didn’t respond, she was staring down at her boyfriend, half scared, and half amazed. 

Brielle stood next to Chloe, staring at her own boyfriend sprawled out on the floor. “That was entertaining.”

Skye watched silently, her eyes wide. There hadn’t been a fight this bad since the last transfer kid. Rowan straightened, wiping blood from his nose, and turned.

Their eyes met, a small, electric moment.

She stared right back, refusing to look away.

Rowan’s eyebrows raised, a slow smirk spreading over his face as he lifted his hand in a slow, lazy wave.

This new kid was going to be trouble.

(Chapter Four: Family Politics )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skye walked into the busy hallways. When suddenly, someone bumped into her. “SHI-“

“Skye- it’s just me!”

Skye turned around, her heart racing slightly, just to see Trinity.

Trinity Hays. She was Skye’s best friend, since diapers. She was a ginger, and had long wavy hair. She had light green eyes that matched her bubbly personality. The thing is, no one really liked her. She’s nice to everyone, but around here, that wasn’t enough for people. She is always wearing bright colors, and childish patterns. She acts pretty childish, and everyone finds her weird. She always has this playful glint in her eyes.

“Oh.. Trinity.. hey.” Skye said, still shaken

“Ready for a movie night? I rented ‘Beauty and the Beast!’”

“Again? Don’t you know that movie word for word?”

“Yea.. but I’m obsessed! What can I say? I’m a sucker for happy endings!”

Skye and Trinity walked together, talking about what they were going to do after school. 

As the last school bell rang, kids pushed past each other, escaping the confines of school. Trinity and Skye manage to make it out of the crowd and onto the empty path to Trinity's house. 

ring ring- ring ring

Skye’s phone rang. She reached into her pocket, answering her phone with a smile. Trinity watched as her smile faded, and she ended the call. 

“Trinity, go home. I can’t meet you today..”

“Why-“

“Go home.” Skye said, her voice stern. She was already walking away.

Skye made it home to her mother, who was crying — but the kind that came from somewhere deep.

“Mom…” Skye said, her voice gentle, even though her hands were shaking. “It’s going to be okay.”

She didn’t believe it. But she said it anyway.

They drove in silence. The hum of the engine was the only sound, broken only when her mother sniffled. Streetlights flashed through the car windows, each one lighting her mother’s tear-streaked face before disappearing into darkness again.

When they pulled up to the hospital, the air felt cold, like it didn’t belong to the same world they’d left an hour ago. The automatic doors opened with a hiss. The smell of antiseptic and coffee hit her like a wall.

Inside, a man in green slacks and an orange shirt with tiny blue whales was leaning over a clipboard.

Skye blinked. “Why is there a stranger in my brother’s room?”

The man looked up, grinning a little too wide. “Actually, I’m the doctor, smack— Dr. Jello.” He popped his gum loudly.

Her mother frowned. “Are you chewing gum?”

“SILENCE, WOMAN,” he said, raising a finger dramatically. “You don’t work here. I do. Smack. Anyways heres the tea”

Skye’s jaw dropped slightly.

The humor disappeared fast. The doctor’s grin faded as he explained what happened — how Nathan had been brought in with bruises, cuts all over, and even a couple broken bones.

When they stepped into the room, Skye froze. He tried to smile when he saw her. “Hey, kid.” 

Nathan Mercer. Skye’s brother! He has short wavy hair, and it was chocolate brown. He had light green eyes, and was always  smiling. He has a necklace that was gifted from Skye that has an ‘N’ on it, and he always wears it. He was a softie, and always nice to people. He was also in his sophomore year of college.

His body was wrapped in bandages and Band-Aids, a blood bag hung from a stand and was connected to him. He attempted a weak smile, but it was clear he was in serious pain.

“What happened?” her mother gasped and instantly rushed over.

Nathan sighed, staring at the ceiling. “I got into some trouble.”

“Trouble?” Skye asked, looking equally as worried. “Like what?”

He shifted, wincing. “Some guys I hang out with… they were messing with this freshman. Beating him up for no reason. I tried to stop them.”

Skye’s stomach dropped. “And?”

“They didn’t like that.” He swallowed hard. “He had me pinned down - David. Three of them on top of me- while the others just watched. One had my arms, another my legs. And one of them sat on my chest, knees on my elbows. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.”

His hands seemed to shake at the thought as he avoided their gazes.

Her mother covered her mouth, tears welling again.

“Wait,” Skye said quietly. “Slow down.. What friends?”

Nathan finally looked at her. His eyes were hollow, tired.

“A gang.”

(Chapter Five: Saints and Sinners)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Gang..?”The word died in Skye’s mouth. 

Gangs.

There were multiple gangs around Sherwood, and mostly at Cedar Hills High. The gang that Nathan was in was called the “Iron Saints.”, which was one among two major gangs. The other was called the “Black Halo” and the two were mortal enemies.

Everyone in town pretended not to notice them, but everyone knew the rules.

Which colors to avoid wearing. Which corners to stay away from after dark. Which names you didn’t say out loud.

The “Iron Saints” were supposed to be different — the kind of gang that believed in loyalty, not chaos. But power changes people. And the more Skye heard about them, the more she realized that Nathan wasn’t just caught in the middle. He was part of something bigger. Something dangerous.

And the“Black Halo”? They were ghosts. No one saw them, but their presence was everywhere — messages scrawled in chalk behind the gym, obsidian black feathers scattered outside. Rumors spread that the reason no one has seen them is because anyone who finds out ends up dead before they can say anything.

Skye didn’t believe half of it. Not until Rowan Hale started showing up in places he didn’t belong.

She has a feeling Rowan Hale was in one of the gangs. Ever since the fight with Brad and Chad. The way he fought - so effortlessly, like it was muscle memory. She tried to ask him, but he denied it everytime. But when she saw the small tattoo on his wrist — an iron halo broken in half — she wasn’t so sure.

Skye thought about it that night. So much that it gave her the chills. She went home, and fell asleep.

The first thing Skye woke up to that morning was the sound of sirens, a common occurrence around here. She walked out of her house, and to the gas station, looking to get a snack before school.

She found Rowan leaning against his motorcycle near the gas station parking lot,  a cigarette dangling from his fingers.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” she said.

He smirked. “Neither should you.”

Skye hesitated, stopping a few feet away. The morning air was cold and quiet, the kind of quiet that made small towns like these feel dangerous.

“Rough night?” she asked.

Rowan flicked his cigarette onto the pavement, crushing it under his boot. “Something like that.” She could see black imprints left where the cigarette had been in between his fingers.

“You were there last night, weren’t you?”

His jaw tightened. “Where?”

“At the hospital. My brother—Nathan Mercer. He’s—”

“Black Halo,” Rowan said flatly, not looking at her.

Skye’s stomach dropped. “You know about them?”

“Used to.” He finally looked up, his eyes colder than usual. “Before they stopped being a gang and started being a problem.”

She crossed her arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Rowan stepped closer, lowering his voice to a dangerous tone. “It means if your brother’s mixed up with them again, you should stay the hell away. The Halo’s aren’t what they used to be.”

“You sound like you know a lot for someone who’s ‘not in a gang anymore.’”

For a second, he almost smiled — but it didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s because I remember what it costs to leave.”

A siren wailed again in the distance. Rowan’s head turned sharply toward the sound. Then, without another word, he swung a leg over his motorcycle.

“You should go home, Skye,” he said. “Before someone sees us talking.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

He started the engine. “Let’s just say… they don’t like unfinished business.”

Then he was gone — leaving Skye standing in the parking lot, the sound of his motorcycle fading into the cold Ohio morning. An enigma that boy was.

Skye turned to see what Rowan was running from.

At first, all she saw was the blur of headlights cutting through the misty morning air. Then her gaze locked on the black van rolling slowly down the street — too slow, too deliberate. Its windows were tinted, its paint dull and worn, like it had seen things.

And then she saw it.

The symbol sprayed across the back doors: an iron halo, split clean down the middle.

Her stomach dropped. The same mark Rowan had on his wrist.

It was the Iron Saints.

For a second, she couldn’t move. Her pulse thundered in her ears. The van crawled forward, and for one terrible heartbeat, she thought maybe it would just pass by.

Then the tires screeched.

The van stopped dead in the middle of the street. The passenger door swung open.

Skye cursed under her breath as she began panicking internally. A man — maybe a teenager, maybe older — stepped out. She couldn’t see his face under the hood, just the glint of something silver around his neck.

He looked straight at her.

“Hey! Get back here!” he shouted.

That was all it took.

Skye turned and ran.

Her shoes slapped against the pavement as she sprinted down the street, heart pounding so hard it felt like it hurt. Cold air stung her lungs as she breathed heavily.  She didn’t dare look back — but she could hear the van behind her, the engine revving as it picked up speed.

She ducked into an alleyway, nearly slipping on wet asphalt. Her lungs burned. Trash cans lined the walls, graffiti scrawled over every surface. 

Finally, silence.

The van’s engine faded into the distance. The only sound left was her breathing — sharp and ragged in the cold air.

Skye leaned against the wall, clutching her chest, trying to slow her heartbeat.

For a second, she thought she was safe.

Then she saw it — a feather of obsidian black floating down to her shoe.

“Black Halo,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

And that’s when she realized it wasn’t just the Iron Saints who were back in town.

(Chapter Six: After the Smoke Clears)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skye felt like she was bursting at the seams with anger. 

What the hell is wrong with him??? Just leaving me there for dead like a coward!

She was walking home from her near death experience, trying to be as discreet as possible. For the remainder of her walk, she felt on edge and at the same time, incredibly infuriated.

Skye didn’t sleep much that night.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the van. The symbol. The shadowed faces behind the tinted glass. When she finally drifted off, she dreamt of running again — shoes slapping against wet pavement, headlights bleeding through the fog, her own heartbeat so loud it drowned everything else out.

By morning, she told herself it was fine. It was nothing. Just a bad night.

The mirror didn’t believe her.Her reflection looked pale, with smudges under her eyes like bruises. She tied her hair back and forced a smile, but it didn’t quite fit.

Even as she went into Cedar Hills High, that feeling stuck with her until she saw that infuriating smirk as if he’d done nothing wrong.

Rowan.

“What the heck is wrong with you? You just left me yesterday!”

He gave a hurt expression though it probably wasn’t real.

“I mean I did leave you but if I didn’t then they probably wouldn’t have given up that easily.”

Skye paused for a moment. That was a pretty good reason and didn’t seem like an excuse. As Rowan analyzed her face, he smirked knowing full well that he was in the right as Skye bit her lip and avoided his gaze. The memories from yesterday fading.

“Sorry, I guess.”She mumbled, barely audible from embarrassment and in return, Rowan smiled. Wow. What a pretty smile, it felt like being in one of those fancy art museums and you see the Mona Lisa for the first time. She hadn’t even realized she was staring until he started laughing and her face went red.

After that, they talked every day and every night, even gaining his number to text about.. Everything. She told him her worries and her doubts and in return he’d always make her smile with a joke or two. When she complained about someone, he’d always agree and say something that made her laugh and hit his arm. He was snarky sometimes and gentle at others, even loving some might say.

One day, the two of them were gonna head to the park but the one close by had closed due to some issues or something. Skye’s disappointment was immeasurable and Rowan could see it on her face, he’d seen her enough to understand what she was thinking by that point.

“I’m sorry Rowan, looks like we’ll have to go tomo-”

“I can just drive us to another park.”Rowan said, putting a hand on her shoulder and smiling. “I can just borrow my old man's car since a motorcycle won’t fit us both.”

Her face instantly lit up and he chuckled at her expression.

“You're so cute when you're happy.”He teased, so unlike his normal stoic manner.

Skye’s face flushed as she avoided his gaze, “Um, thanks.”

Her heart was fluttering in her chest. She was jittery with anticipation the whole day.

I’m just going to a park with Rowan Hale, the most dangerous kid in our school. Nothing awkward. 

By the time she had calmed down they were already in Rowan’s dad’s car and driving to a park he said was “pretty good”.

They spent hours walking around in nature, commenting on weird looking plants and rocks, admiring how it didn’t smell like gasoline and cigarette smoke. Eventually, they were back in his car, sitting in the backseat and talking.

“This place is really nice, Rowan, I almost hate to leave.”Skye commented, staring into those deep blue eyes of his.

“We don’t have to leave yet, I still want to spend time with you.”Was he being serious? 

Later, the night grew cold — not that they felt it. They hung out in his car till dark, and he drove back to Skye’s house to drop her off for the night.

(Chapter Seven: Bad Company)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The world felt brighter the next day. Visions of what happened raced through her mind as the world went by with a blur. She walked through the hallways with a pep in her step until a voice cut through her fantasies.

“Well, look who survived the weekend.”

Skye froze. She turned slowly.

Brielle Stanton stood a few lockers away, surrounded by her usual orbit — Chloe and Madison, laughing softly, looking perfect as always. Brielle’s expression was unreadable, but her smile was sharp enough to draw blood.

“Survived?” Skye said, trying to sound casual. “Wasn’t planning on dying.”

Chloe let out a small, practiced giggle, like she’d been waiting for that line.

“Relax, Mercer. We’re just saying hi.”

Skye shifted her weight. No one just said hi to her. Not them.

Brielle tilted her head, eyes flicking over Skye like she was studying her.

“We were actually talking about you. You’ve got… potential.”

Skye blinked. “Potential for what?”

“For not being invisible,” Brielle said, her tone soft but deliberate. “You’ve got guts. You don’t scare easily.”

Skye hesitated. Was that a compliment, or some kind of trap? With Brielle, it was impossible to tell. The hall felt louder around them — the sound of lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking on the floor, the constant low hum of gossip. But right then, all of it blurred out.

“Why me?” she asked finally.

Brielle smiled, slow and knowing.

“Because everyone else here is boring.”

Before Skye could think of a response, Chloe looped her arm through hers — like they’d been friends for years.

“Come on, we’re going to the mall after school. We could use a fourth.”

Skye blinked. The invitation hung in the air, surreal and dangerous. She could almost hear Rowan’s voice in her head — You shouldn’t be out here.

Her instincts screamed no. But then she remembered the last few days — the fear, the confusion, the feeling of being alone in a crowd.

Maybe this was her chance to belong to something that wasn’t chaos. Maybe it was her way out.

“Alright,” she said quietly. “Why not?”

Brielle’s smile widened just enough to look like victory.

The bell rang, sharp and shrill, and the girls turned down the hall together. Skye glanced back once — toward the end of the hallway, where Rowan stood leaning against a locker, watching her.

He didn’t say anything.

He just stared, his expression unreadable.

For a moment, she thought she saw disappointment. Or maybe a warning.

She blinked, then he was gone.

And for the first time in a long time, Skye felt like she belonged — even if it was with all the wrong people.

(Chapter Eight: Queens’ Rules)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The mall was glowing — that strange, artificial kind of brightness that made everything   look cleaner than it really was. Music drifted from a dozen different stores, and the air smelled like sugar, perfume, and something new.

 Skye stood just inside the entrance, clutching her jacket. She’d never hung out with them before — not outside school, not like this. Part of her thought they wouldn’t show. But of course, they did.

Brielle Stanton didn’t walk into a place — she arrived. Burgundy dress, flawless curls, that confident sway that made people step aside without realizing it. Chloe floated behind her in lavender and glitter, laughing at something Madison said, her voice soft and sweet. Madison herself trailed slightly behind, her dark curls bouncing as she scrolled through her phone.

Skye swallowed hard, feeling completely out of place.

“There she is!” Chloe chirped, waving. “You actually came!”

“Yeah,” Skye said, forcing a smile. “Didn’t want to ruin my perfect attendance record.”

Brielle smirked.

“Cute. Come on, we’re going shopping.” 

They moved like a current, sweeping Skye along with them. The group drifted from store to store — designer windows glowing, mirrors reflecting their laughter. Skye mostly watched. She knew exactly who they were, how they stood, what they said. Every word felt rehearsed, yet real.

Brielle didn’t speak much at first. She didn’t have to. She was the kind of person whose silence filled the room.

It wasn’t until they stopped in front of a boutique — the kind Skye usually avoided because the mannequins looked judgmental — that Brielle finally turned to her.

“You need a color that suits you,” she said suddenly, her tone light but decisive. “Like yellow.”

Skye blinked. “Yellow?”

Brielle nodded, lips curling faintly.

“Yeah. You’ve got that whole.. thing going on. You hide in dark colors, but you shouldn’t. Yellow’s bold. Honest. You should try being seen for once.”

Chloe giggled. “You’d look adorable in yellow.”

Skye felt her cheeks warm. She didn’t know whether to feel flattered or exposed.

“I don’t really do bright colors,” she said softly.

Brielle leaned closer, lowering her voice until only Skye could hear.

“That’s the point.”

For a second, Skye couldn’t breathe.

The girls swept into the store, and before she could react, Chloe was holding up dresses, Madison was snapping photos, and Brielle was flipping through hangers with sharp, elegant fingers.

“Here.” Brielle handed Skye a yellow sweater. Not neon — more like pale sunlight. “Try it.”

Skye hesitated, then took it. The fitting room was small and cold, but when she pulled the sweater over her head and looked in the mirror, she froze.

It was… weird. Different. Like she was looking at someone who didn’t flinch as easily.

When she stepped back out, Chloe gasped. “See? What did I tell you?”

Brielle smiled — slow and deliberate.

“Told you. She’s one of us now.”

Madison rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath, but Brielle ignored it.

Skye looked at her reflection again in the store mirror — the yellow catching the light, too bright, too hopeful.

She wanted to believe it.

She wanted to belong.

As they left the store later, bags swinging at their sides, Brielle slipped her arm through Skye’s.

“You stick with us,” she said softly. “No one touches you. No one messes with you. Got it?”

Skye nodded, unsure whether it was a promise or a threat.

When they passed the glass doors at the far end of the mall, she caught a reflection that made her stop — a familiar shape, standing in the shadows near the exit.

Rowan.

He didn’t say anything. Just watched. And when their eyes met, Skye saw something in his face — not anger, not jealousy. Fear.

Then he was gone again.

And Brielle squeezed her arm a little tighter.

“You coming or what?”

“Yea, sorry..”She looked behind her one last time, eyes searching for that mop of brown hair, and found nothing. She shook her head and turned away, smiling at Brielle. “Let’s go.”

(Chapter Nine: Confidence is Contagious)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rain hadn’t stopped since last night. Cedar Hills looked washed-out, gray, and cold — like the whole town was trying to rinse itself clean.

Skye stood under the overhang outside the cafeteria, her yellow sweater glowing against the gloom. She kind of liked the attention it got — people looked at her differently now. Maybe that’s what Brielle meant when she said, “Confidence is contagious.”

But then she saw him.

Rowan Hale. Leaning against the brick wall near the bike racks, hair damp, cigarette hanging from his lips. He looked like trouble — like he belonged to the storm.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither moved. The air between them felt like static.

“Nice color,” he said finally, voice low, almost mocking. “Did the Queens pick it out for you?”

Skye straightened, folding her arms. “It’s just a sweater.”

Rowan flicked ash onto the wet ground, gaze sharp. “It’s a uniform. You just haven't seen it yet.”

She frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” he stepped closer, “you’re playing dress-up with people who eat girls like you alive.”

Skye’s heartbeat quickened — not out of fear, but something else. “You don’t know them.”

“I know their kind.” His voice dropped, darker now. “And I know how this ends.”“It’s a leash.” He flicked the cigarette into a puddle, watching it hiss. “You just don’t feel it tightening yet.”

“What’s your problem?” Skye shot back. “You think you know me or something?”

“I know enough,” Rowan said, stepping closer. “I know what happens to people who think they can stand too close to fire and not get burned.”

She laughed — short, sharp. “You think you’re so deep, don’t you? Standing out here, acting like you’re better than everyone. Newsflash, Rowan — you’re not mysterious. You’re just scared.”

That hit him like a spark. He tilted his head, a humorless smile tugging at his mouth. “You don’t know what scared looks like.”

“Sure I do,” she said, her voice cracking just a little. “It looks like someone who’s too afraid to care about anything.”

He took another step, close enough that she could smell the smoke and rain on his jacket. “And you care too much. About people who’ll turn on you the second it’s convenient.”

“They’re my friends.”

“They’re your poison.”

Skye glared at him, her pulse hammering. “You don’t get to decide that.”

“I’m trying to save you, Skye!” Rowan responds, now raising his voice.

“From what?” she shouted. “From living? From feeling like I finally belong somewhere?”

He grabbed her wrist — not hard, but enough to make her stop. “From ending up like me.”

The words hung there, sharp and honest. The rain filled the silence between them.

Skye yanked her hand away, eyes glassy. “I’m not you.”

“No,” he said quietly, “you’re worse. Because you still think you can play both sides.”

That broke something in her. “You think I don’t see what you’re doing?” she hissed. “You show up out of nowhere, all dark and tragic, like you’re the only one who’s ever been hurt. Guess what, Rowan — I’ve been hurt too. I just don’t hide behind it.”

For a moment, neither of them moved. The air between them was electric — anger, attraction, fear — all tangled together.

Then Skye stepped back, voice shaking but fierce. “You don’t scare me.”

Rowan’s expression softened — barely. “You should be scared of them, not me.”

“Maybe I’m not scared of anything anymore,” she said, and turned away.

“And if you have a problem with it, then deal with it.”

As she walked off, Rowan watched her go — yellow sweater fading into gray rain. He dropped his head.

(Chapter Ten: Control the Fire)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next few days felt like walking through fog.

Rowan didn’t show up at school. Not in the halls, not by the bike racks, not even at the gas station where he always lingered. Skye told herself she didn’t care. Told herself she was done thinking about him.

But she did care. Every time she caught a flash of dark hair or heard the low rumble of a motorcycle, her heart jumped. And every time she saw “The Queens”, their laughter echoing through the halls, she wondered which version of her was more real — the girl who challenged Brielle in the hallway, or the one who now sat beside her at lunch.

Brielle noticed. She noticed everything.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she said one afternoon, twirling a strand of her hair. “Something wrong, sunshine?”

“Just tired,” Skye said.

Brielle smiled — the kind of smile that said she knew better. “Tired girls don’t wear yellow this well.”

Skye forced a laugh. “Guess I’m just learning from the best.”

“Good answer,” Brielle said, her grin widening. “Because you’re starting to fit in.”

The words hit Skye like a drug. Fit in. That was all she’d ever wanted, wasn’t it?

So when Brielle leaned in and whispered, “We’re having a little get-together tonight. Just the girls. You should come,” Skye didn’t hesitate.

That night, the streets of Sherwood were slick with rain. The “get-together” wasn’t what she expected. The Queens’ cars lined the edge of an abandoned parking lot — headlights on, music low. Brielle stood in the middle, arms crossed, looking more like a queenpin than a high school senior.

Chloe and Madison were laughing near the trunk of Brielle’s car, passing around a silver flask. The smell of perfume, smoke, and rebellion mixed in the cold air.

When Skye stepped into the circle of headlights, they all turned to look at her.

Brielle smiled slowly. “Look who decided to join the party.”

“What… is this?” Skye asked, voice unsteady.

“Nothing,” Brielle said lightly. “Just a little loyalty test.”

“Loyalty test?”

Brielle walked closer, heels clicking against the cracked pavement. “Every queen has to earn her crown, Skye. You want in? You prove it.”

Skye glanced at Chloe and Madison — both smirking, both waiting. “How?”

Brielle handed her something small and cold. A lighter.

“See that car over there?” she said. “It belongs to one of the “Iron Saints”. They’ve been sniffing around our school again.”

Skye froze. “You want me to—”

“Relax,” Brielle interrupted. “It’s symbolic. Just scorch the paint. Leave a mark.” Her tone was playful, but her eyes weren’t.

For a long moment, Skye just stared at the lighter. She could still hear Rowan’s voice in her head: You think you can control the fire, but it burns you first.

And then, slowly, she flicked it open. Flames danced in the reflection of her eyes.

Brielle smiled. “That’s my girl.”

The flame hissed out. And just like that, Skye Mercer wasn’t standing outside the circle anymore.

 She was part of it.

(Chapter Eleven: The Blood Pact)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, the world felt different.

 Or maybe it was just Skye.

She woke up to sunlight pouring through her curtains — too bright, too golden. Her reflection in the mirror looked unfamiliar: tired eyes, messy hair, but a faint smudge of ash still clinging to her wrist from the night before.

The lighter was gone. She didn’t remember giving it back.

At school, whispers followed her down the hall. Maybe it was her imagination — or maybe The Queens had already started spreading the news.

Brielle was waiting by the lockers, flanked by Chloe and Madison. The hallway parted around them like always. But when Skye walked up this time, no one looked at her with pity or curiosity.

They looked at her with something closer to respect. Or fear.

“Morning, sunshine,” Brielle said, smiling like she already knew the answer. “You sleep well?”

“Barely,” Skye admitted.

“Good. Means you’re thinking about last night.”

Chloe let out a low whistle. “Gotta say, I didn’t think she had it in her.”

Skye looked at her in confusion.“Had what in me?”

Brielle stepped closer, looping her arm around Skye’s shoulder. “The nerve. The bite. The thing that separates us from everyone else.”

They led her outside, where the sun hit their matching manicures — red, black, and yellow. The Queens’ colors.

Brielle pulled something out of her bag: a folded yellow jacket with a gold pin shaped like a crown.

“Welcome to the court,” she said.

Skye hesitated. The jacket was lighter than she expected when she took it. Soft. Warm. Dangerous.

“Try it on,” Madison said.

Skye slipped her arms through the sleeves. It fit perfectly.

Brielle clapped her hands once. “And there she is — our newest Queen.”

For a second, it felt good. The laughter, the attention, the sense of belonging. The world spun around her, fast and bright and loud, and she almost forgot the uneasy knot forming in her stomach.

Almost.

Then she caught sight of him — Rowan, standing by the fence at the edge of the parking lot. His expression was unreadable. Disbelief, anger, disappointment — maybe all three.

Their eyes met.

Skye froze, breath catching in her throat.

Brielle noticed and smirked. “Ignore him, sunshine. He’s just mad you’re shining brighter than he ever will.”

Skye looked down, pretending to fix her sleeve. When she looked back up, Rowan was gone.

Brielle turned to her, still smiling that perfect, poisonous smile. “Welcome to the family, Skye. From now on, you ride with us.”

The words felt final. Like a door closing behind her.

And as the bell rang, echoing through the courtyard, Skye realized she wasn’t sure if she’d just been crowned… or claimed.

(Chapter Twelve: Big Fun)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a couple of days of being part of “The Queens”, Skye felt seen. Confident, even. But Skye’s mind was on something else tonight.

If there was one thing Cedar Hills High did better than gossip, it was parties.And nobody threw a party like Brad and Chad.

By Friday night, word had spread across the school faster than wildfire.Everyone who mattered — and plenty who didn’t — was heading to the Morrison estate, a sprawling house on the edge of town that looked more like a mansion than a home.

Music pulsed from inside before Skye even reached the driveway. Neon lights flashed through the windows. The smell of cheap beer and expensive perfume hung thick in the air.

Brielle, Chloe, and Madison had arrived early, of course. Brielle had declared that this would be Skye’s debut as a Queen — her first night to really shine.

“You’ve got your color,” Brielle had said earlier that day, brushing imaginary lint off Skye’s yellow jacket. “Now it’s time to make them see it.”

So Skye dressed the part — a yellow collared shirt that was cropped way too high, denim skirt, a small gold chain around her neck. She felt half thrilled, half terrified.

When she stepped inside, heads turned.

The living room was packed — bodies swaying, laughter echoing, red plastic cups everywhere. The bass vibrated through the floor.Chad was dancing on the couch, shirtless, sunglasses on despite it being well past dark.Brad was trying (and failing) to start a karaoke session in the kitchen.

Chloe spotted Skye first. “Look who finally showed up!” she called, waving her over.

Skye smiled and made her way through the crowd.“Didn’t think this many people actually existed in Ohio,” she said, and Chloe burst out laughing.

“That’s the spirit,” Brielle said, handing her a drink. “Tonight’s about forgetting everything. No drama, no guilt, no Rowan Hale.”

Skye hesitated at the name, but took the cup anyway.“Deal.”

Hours blurred together.The living room became a dance floor. Someone turned on a fog machine. Madison climbed onto the table to lead a toast; Chloe was busy recording it all on her camcorder, giggling uncontrollably.

For once, Skye wasn’t thinking about gangs, secrets, or choices. She was just there — surrounded by laughter and noise, feeling like she belonged.

Then — because chaos has good timing — someone yelled, “POOL TIME!”

“YEAH!”

“FINALLY."

Suddenly, everyone was outside, the night air cool against their skin. Brad cannonballed into the pool, soaking half the crowd. Brielle kicked off her heels and followed, still laughing.

Skye hesitated at the edge, watching the glowing blue water ripple under the string lights. Then Chloe grabbed her hand.

“C’mon, sunshine,” she said. “You’re one of us now.”

Skye grinned — a real, unguarded grin — and jumped.

The water hit cold, shocking, alive. When she surfaced, her yellow top clung to her skin, glittering under the lights. Brielle splashed her, laughing, this side of her was unknown to Skye and she almost forgot to swim. In this moment, it didn’t matter what tomorrow would bring, just only right now and everyone around her.

But as Skye caught her breath, she glanced toward the fence — and froze.

A figure stood in the shadows beyond the yard. A familiar outline. Watching.

Rowan.

He didn’t move, didn’t say a word. Just turned and disappeared into the dark.

Skye’s laughter faltered. The music swelled again, and Brielle shouted for another round of drinks. 

Suddenly, someone broke her silence. 

“Skye, you are lookin’ good tonight!”

She turned, startled — then smiled when she saw who it was.

David Moore. His hair is sandy brown — always a little messy, like he doesn’t try too hard but somehow still looks perfect. His eyes are green-gray — the kind that changes color depending on the light. He’s always looking right at you when he talks, like he’s letting you in on a secret. He was a charmer, always making connections with the people that he meets. His build was lean but athletic — he’s on the swim team. Confident posture, relaxed movements. A lot of the time he wears a faded denim jacket with a few patches and pins on it. And he also wears a small gold chain that he fidgets with whenever he’s thinking.

He was leaning against the edge of the pool fence, drink in hand, his dark hair damp from the water, a crooked grin on his face. He wasn’t one of The Queens’ usual crowd — not a football player, not a poser. Just a guy people liked being around. Easy confidence. A laugh that made other people laugh.

Skye felt her cheeks warm. “Thanks…”

He smirked, stepping closer. “Didn’t think yellow was your color. Guess I was wrong.”

She laughed softly. “Guess so.”

He tilted his head, studying her. “You’re new with them, huh? The Queens?”

Skye hesitated. “Something like that.”

“Careful,” he said, voice light but eyes serious. “They burn bright — but they burn fast.”

Before she could respond, Chloe splashed water at them from the pool.“Skye! Quit flirting and get back in here!”

David chuckled, brushing water from his arm. “Go on, Sunshine. Wouldn’t want your new friends thinking I stole their favorite toy.”

Skye rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“You will,” he said, with that same easy grin. “I'll make sure of it.”

As she turned to rejoin the others, she could still feel his gaze on her — not cold and calculating like Rowan’s, but warm. Curious. Dangerous in a different way.

For the first time all night, the thought of Rowan watching from the shadows didn’t scare her as much as it used to.It just made her wonder what he’d think if he saw her smiling at someone else.

Throughout the night, Skye got closer to David, and she got out of the pool, and after drying off, they talked. For a while. They actually got really close. And after the party, Skye was always seen with David.

(Chapter Thirteen: Pressure Point)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Rowan’s Perspective)

The house still smelled like chlorine and cheap beer. Even after the party had ended hours ago, Rowan swore he could still hear the bass thudding faintly in his head. He sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the cigarette burning between his fingers.

He told himself it was just another night. Just another dumb party he shouldn’t have gone to.But it wasn’t.

Because he’d seen her.

Skye Mercer.

Laughing. Hair damp, skin glowing in the pool light. Like she didn’t have a care in the world. And right beside her—David Moore. The guy everyone liked. Easy smile, clean sneakers, hands that didn’t look like they’d ever been in a fight.

Rowan took a drag off his cigarette and stared out the cracked window. Smoke curled toward the ceiling in thin, lazy ribbons.

He shouldn’t care. He didn’t care.

He kept saying that. Over and over.Like if he said it enough times, it would start to sound true.

By Monday, it wasn’t just a party memory anymore. It was everywhere.

Skye and David at the lockers.Skye and David at lunch.Skye and David walking down the hall together, laughing about something Rowan couldn’t hear.

He’d pass by them sometimes, just close enough to catch bits of her voice — that soft, quick laugh she only used when she was comfortable. And that’s what got to him most. She was comfortable with someone else.

He leaned against his locker one afternoon, pretending to dig for a book, when David walked by with his arm slung loosely around Skye’s shoulders. She didn’t even notice Rowan watching. For a second, his hand tightened around the metal edge of the locker door nearly crushing it.

The sound of it creaking caught Madison Reeve’s attention from a few lockers down.

She didn’t say anything at first — just watched him, that knowing smirk forming.

Finally, she crossed her arms.“Didn’t think you were the jealous type.”

Rowan didn’t look at her. “I’m not.”

Madison raised a brow. “Could’ve fooled me.”

He shut the locker harder than he meant to, the sound echoing down the hall. Madison jumped a little, then laughed quietly.

“Sure you’re not,” she said, tilting her head. “But if you were, I’d tell you something: standing around and twiddling your thumbs doesn’t exactly win her back.”

He turned finally, his eyes dark. “Who says I want her back?”

Madison shrugged. “Nobody has to. You look like it.”

She walked off, her perfume lingering faintly in the air.

Rowan stayed where he was for a long moment, staring down the hall where Skye had disappeared.

“Damn..”

By the time he stepped outside, the late afternoon light had started to fade. He walked to his bike, running his hand along the cold handlebars, trying to shake off the feeling in his chest.

Across the lot, Skye and David were standing by her car, still talking. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, laughing at something he said.

Rowan watched for a second too long.

Then, without thinking, he started the engine. The sound split through the quiet, sharp and deliberate.

Skye’s head turned immediately — eyes wide, catching his for the briefest second. Her hair whipped into her face, and she looked almost ethereal.

He revved once, hard, before driving off.

The wind stung his eyes as he sped through the streets of Sherwood, and he told himself it was just from the speed.Not from the way she’d looked at him — surprised, maybe a little guilty.

Not from the way his heart wouldn’t shut up about her.

(Chapter Fourteen: Golden Hour)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next week blurred together—hallway laughter, late-night phone calls, and the kind of smiles Skye didn’t know she’d missed until she found them again. David was easy to talk to. He didn’t ask for anything, he just listened.They met after school almost every day—coffee shops, walks home, quiet corners in the library. And every time, it got harder to pretend she wasn’t starting to like him.

David made her laugh until her sides hurt. He told her stories about getting lost in the woods as a kid, about things that didn’t matter but somehow did. He looked at her like she was something rare. Something he didn’t want to break. 

A few days later, Skye hadn’t meant to go to David’s house. It started with a casual, “You can come over if you want—my parents are out,” said between laughs and half-finished texts. She almost said no. But something in his smile, the way it reached his eyes instead of stopping at his mouth, made her say yes.

His house was small, but comfortable. Warm light spilled across the living room, soft music humming from a record player in the corner. There was a faint smell of coffee and cedarwood, something steady and grounding.

David motioned toward the couch. “Make yourself at home,” he said with that easy grin of his. “You want something to drink? Water? Soda? I can make coffee—though it’s probably terrible.”

Skye smiled. “Water’s fine.”

He disappeared into the kitchen, and she took in the room—the scattered books, a guitar propped against the wall, a half-finished drawing on the coffee table. Everything felt lived in. Not staged. Not perfect. Real. 

David came back, two glasses in hand. He handed one to her, then sat beside her, leaving just enough space for the air between them to feel charged.

“So,” he said, leaning back slightly. “You and the ‘Queens.’ You really fit in with them, huh?”

Skye laughed softly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I guess so. They’re… fun. Loud. Complicated.”

David nodded, his gaze thoughtful. “You don’t seem like them.”

“What do I seem like?” she asked, teasing, but her voice was quieter than she meant it to be.

He met her eyes then—really looked at her. “Like someone who wants to belong somewhere but isn’t sure where that is yet.”

The words hung in the air. Skye felt something twist in her chest. “Maybe,” she said after a long pause. “Maybe I just got tired of being invisible.”

David didn’t say anything for a moment. Then, softly: “You were never invisible. Not to me.”

The air grew still. The record in the background crackled. Skye’s pulse quickened.

David reached for Skye’s hand, holding it close, as Skye smiled. 

Davin leaned closer, as Skye watched, feeling her cheeks warm. Davin went close enough to Skye, and whispered in her ear “You're so beautiful..”

Skye blushed, feeling David’s warm breath on her neck. 

“Y-you too..”

David’s hands found its way to Skye’s hips, pulling her close.

David leaned in slightly, his lips a hair away from Skye’s..

BANG!

Skye and David jumped, looking back at the door, which was now wide open, with Rowan standing in the doorway.

(Chapter Fifteen: Bad Timing)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The silence hit first.

For a moment, all Skye could hear was her own heartbeat — 

Rowan stood in the doorway, his jacket half-zipped, his hair windswept like he ran here. His expression wasn’t anger — not yet — but something worse. Something raw.

“Rowan?” Skye said, her voice small, cracking at the edges.He didn’t answer right away. His eyes flicked from her to David, then back again.David straightened, his jaw tight. “You could try knocking next time..”

Rowan’s laugh was sharp, humorless. “Didn’t think I needed an invitation.”

The air between them felt heavy — electric. Skye’s throat tightened, unsure what to say or who to look at.

“How did you get here..”

David stood first, stepping slightly in front of her, protective without meaning to be. “You’ve got something to say, Hale? Or are you just breaking into people’s houses for fun now?”

Rowan’s voice was low, steady. Too steady.“Just checking in,” he said, eyes fixed on Skye. “Didn’t realize you were… busy.”Betrayal shone clear in his steady gaze.

“Rowan, this isn’t what it looks like—”He cut her off with a small, bitter smile. “Sure it isn’t.”

For a long moment, no one moved. The record in the corner kept spinning, whispering a soft, old love song that now felt ironic.

Finally, Rowan turned on his heel.The door slammed shut.

Skye sat there, her heart in her throat, David’s hand still on her hips, holding her close against him — but suddenly it didn’t feel comforting anymore. It felt heavy.

The silence stretched long after Rowan disappeared from the doorway. The sound of his boots on the porch steps echoed until it didn’t. Until there was nothing left but the faint hum of the record player and the sound of her own uneven breathing.

David finally moved first. “He’s… got some issues,” he said softly, trying to laugh it off. It didn’t land. Skye nodded, but her thoughts were miles away. Her pulse was still racing, though she couldn’t tell if it was from fear, or something else entirely.

“You okay?” David asked, his hand brushing her arm. Skye flinched. Just a little.

“Yeah. I just— I didn’t expect that.” Her voice was tight, small. “I don’t even know what that was.”

David sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, he’s probably jealous. You shouldn’t let it get to you.” “Jealous?” she repeated, the word catching on her tongue. “He has no reason to be.”

But even as she said it, her stomach twisted. She didn’t know if she believed it.

David smiled again — the same easy, disarming grin that had made her say yes to him in the first place — and reached out for her hand. “Forget him. Stay a little longer, yeah?”

Skye hesitated. She wanted to. God, she wanted to. So she decided.

“Fine, I’ll stay.”

Skye said, finally kissing David.

He smiled against her lips, and slid his hands into her hair. “Trust me, Skye.”

And despite every doubt in her mind, she did.