The teachers are droning on, their voices monotone. "Exams are coming up... no talking in the back please!"

"God, what is she wearing?" Madison says, in a disparaging, horrified hiss. Her gaze narrows onto Diana. "What kind of hipster Hell threw that up?"

"It's a school uniform," Elliot says in agreement, as Maria eyes the girl, apparently too horrified to speak. "How stupid do you have to be to mess that up?"

But scholarship girl's somehow made it, with her high tops and her sparkly socks that have clearly come out of the one charity shop in Redwood. Madison only knows it exists because Audrey once wandered into without thinking and came out, screaming.

"Oh my God!" Lula is exclaiming loudly, her eyes wide as she looks up from texting. Her voice is so loud that she catches the attention of the teacher, who narrows her eyes at them and presses a finger to her mouth in the universal gesture of shut up. Lula shoots her a dirty look and continues, her voice quieter, "You know Will Carroway?"

They all promptly shake their heads.

"His parents are getting divorced!"

Madison stills, but Elliot lifts his head to say, "Oh, yeah. Will Carroway."

She is not listening, her mind a hazy blur of thoughts. Madison remembers Nick telling her about Will Carroway's parents, on that night on the rooftop. Her heart stutters a little, despite herself, and she can feel her cheeks growing warm, as she remembers. She'd woken up on the rooftop, the soft morning rays of light breaking out across her, Nick's suit jacket laid out across her bare arms and the owner of said jacket nowhere to be seen.

Flushing with embarrassment, Madison had sent the jacket back to him as soon as she could and now, the two move through school hallways, awkwardness lingering over them as they ignore each other as best as they can. Madison doesn't like to think of the night on the rooftop because she knows she spilled too many truths, in her stupid drunk state. Plus, for some strange reason, her heart beats a little faster every time she thinks of Nick and she doesn't like it.

The only comfort that she can get out of that night is that Nick was just as drunk and uninhibited as her.

Madison narrows her gaze towards Lula. "How did you know?"

A slight blush appears on Lula's cheeks as the girl ducks her head briefly. "Theo told me," she says, and Madison eyes the way Lula dimples.

"Who's Theo?" Maria is asking, but Madison thinks she knows.

Lula is lifting her head slightly, already looking defensive. She answers Maria's question but her gaze continues to go back to Madison nervously. "He was at the party."

"The Alcott boy," Elliot says, realisation finally dawning. "He's got a net worth of a few million, I think."

A few million? It doesn't even capture a quarter of the price of Lula's favourite Swarovski diamond set. Madison's lips turn down disapprovingly.

"Lula."

But Lula is looking defensive, her brows furrowing together in annoyance, as she lifts her head steadily to meet Madison's judgemental gaze as best as she can. "I know what you're all going to say," she says, and though her words address them all, her gaze is on Madison. "But he makes me laugh. And I like who I am, when I'm with him."

There is a resounding silence within their group as everyone digests this new piece of information. Madison is eyeing Lula carefully, unwilling to let her worry for her friend show. She doesn't know much about the Alcott boy but one glance to Elliot shows her that Elliot is searching for everything he can. Maria and Audrey are both looking at her and Madison realises faintly, it is not Theo they have a problem with.

It is me.

The realisation stuns her.

Madison remembers Nick's words, an unsettling, unease lingering within the pits of her stomach, and she doesn't like it. He had called her an idiot because they had both judged and acted on only their own judgements.

But she was right to care for her friend.

She is right, Madison knows it.

Nick's just a stupid idiot, trying to get into her head.

The silence is broken suddenly by –

"Oh my God, Audrey! You're wearing the new Dior boots, too?" Olivia exclaims, in an excited whisper, her voice echoing annoyingly as she pushes her way into their group. She turns her head shyly to Elliot. "Hi, Elliot."

She is clearly very thick-skinned for Elliot is visibly paling, his eyes widening as he mouths help to Maria, who is shaking with silent laughter behind her seat, at Elliot's misfortune. Audrey looks physically pained as Olivia pulls her into an unwilling hug, a happy beam spilling across all of Olivia's face. Madison's gaze flickers over Lula, who is still watching her carefully.

"Oh, I'd missed you guys so much!" Olivia says breathlessly, her eyes bright. Her gaze lingers on Elliot meaningfully, who squirms. "Especially you, Elliot."

Maria makes a sound between a snort and a laugh. "It's only been a weekend, Olivia."

Olivia's eyes widen as she shakes her head. "Oh, no, I came back during the weekend," she explains, to blank faces all around her. Her voice turns slow and uncertain as she continues. "I ...I went to Spain. For a couple of weeks."

Madison remembers faintly that the girl had told them something about going to Spain, as everyone within their group make murmurs of assent, forming perfect reaction faces for Olivia. Olivia's uncertainty fades away as she smiles happily towards a terrified Elliot.

"I heard that your party went great this weekend, Madison!" Olivia says. "I didn't get my invite, though."

"Your invitation must have gotten lost in the mail," Madison lies smoothly. Because she is feeling too uncertain and particularly vindictive, she adds, "I put Elliot in charge of it. He was so looking forward to giving you your invite, in person."

Olivia's face brightens and the dark glare that Elliot promptly shoots her could kill.

*

They come for him when he's just outside of school.

Nick is moving towards his bike, rattling his keys idly, his phone still in his fingers as he looks over the text from his mother. She is telling him to meet her in some café or other, so that means no football tonight. There's no football either way because Will is still angry with him, but Nick can't regret doing anything, especially because now Mr Carroway's reputation is now successfully shot to pieces and his unsavoury character is being exposed all over, thanks to him and Madison, for covering his tracks. Plus, Theo is finally going out with Lula and is too excited or embarrassed to ask for his help, yet.

Thinking of Talullah Worthington makes him think of her friend and that's probably why Nick is caught off guard, when they come for him. There is something intoxicating about Madison that both overwhelms him and maddens him all at the same time. After that night on the rooftop, he's not sure what to think of her anymore and she stays within the back of his mind, lingering at the edge of his thoughts, with that smile of hers, as though she knows – and delights in – how confused she's got him.

Madison had been so drunk, even drunker than him, Nick thinks.

He's sure that he said too much but Madison said too much, too, and that makes him feel so much better. God, Nick thinks, of all the terrible things to do, drunkenly spilling all of his terrible secrets and innermost feelings to the equally drunk girl, who had vowed to kick him out of school, on a rooftop at two in the morning was not something he thought he would be ticking off his bucket list.

And it's because he's thinking so intently about Madison that Nick does not notice the flickering shadows behind him, until it's too late and suddenly, he's collapsing forwards, as something hits him in the back. Even if he's caught unawares, Nick catches up quickly and he turns around, swiping up his fist, momentarily forgetting that the keys are within his fingers, so he ends up grazing his attacker in the face.

Two boys and one girl – all of whom he doesn't recognise – are moving for him, but the boy is recoiling away from him, spluttering blood as he clutches his cut cheek, hissing in pain. Nick moves quickly and clenches his fists, ducking the next blow as fast as he can. Though he stumbles, he doesn't let himself fall to the ground. Once he falls, he knows he's dead.

Nick avoids the next blow coming towards him as he reaches to grab the boy's clenched fist before it can hit him in the face, twisting his arm against his back easily. "Who sent you?" he asks, his brows furrowing together. "Mitchell?" Nick barks out an easy laugh and sends the boy sprawling to the ground, where he lies, groaning and cradling his broken arm. "I'm actually offended."

Once he gets into the swing of things, Nick falls back into the habit and takes care of the two boys first, because boys and their anger and their egos have always led to them falling first. The girl is different, her bright eyes narrowing over him, as Nick reaches forward and holds the girl into an easy chokehold, as she scrabbles to get herself free and attempts to trip him up, trying to use her weight against him. Nick is impressed, because this means Mitchell is getting better, but he's getting tired so he lets the girl think she is about to trip him up, pushes himself into the momentum, and at the last moment, turns and slams the girl's body into the concrete ground.

Nick is breathing hard, his gaze narrowed in suspicion. "Mitchell sent you?"

The girl is scrabbled at his hands angrily before she lets out a huff of frustration, unable to free herself from his hold, the breath caught between her teeth. She jerks her head towards him in a nod. "You shouldn't have messed with him," she bites out snappishly.

"He shouldn't have messed with me first," Nick murmurs, his brows furrowing together in thought. He casts his gaze down on the writhing boys and the girl, still struggling under his hold. "I can't believe he sent babies to deal with me. I thought better of him."

"Mitchell's going to come for you," the girl promises him, her eyes bright and blazing. "He's going to come for you and he's going to kill you for what you did."

An arrogant smirk tilts at the edge of his lips and Nick scoffs in derision. "Tell him, game on."

*

When he finally gets to the café, pulling off his helmet, Nick's eyes widen in alarm.

He recognises his mother, seated elegantly at the table, and his heart sinks, when he recognises the two sitting next to her. Madison Sutton and her mother. What the –

His mother sees him first, but her eyes widen almost comically, when he enters the café. She hurries to him, stammering out her apologies towards Mrs Sutton, her light fingers reaching out to him. Nick blinks in confusion at her concern before she cups his face with her hands and he winces, automatically.

"Nick, what happened to your face?" his mother echoes, her voice low and thrumming with worry, as she examines him, her fingers cool over his burning cheeks. "Did you get into another fight, again? Nick, I thought we talked about this, I thought we had come to an understanding, at the very least – I thought you would stop this immature behaviour –,"

"What is Madison Sutton doing here?" Nick bursts out, still unable to tear his gaze away from the girl in question, who is sitting demurely at the table.

His mother breaks herself off before sighing heavily and calling over a waiter, who pops up with a bowl of warm water and a piece of soft cloth inexplicably. She turns to dab at his face and something about the motion is frighteningly motherly and Nick stills, automatically, defensive. He reaches for the wet cloth but his mother simply throws him a stern look, as if to say, don't even think about it, and continues to clean away the dried blood on his face.

"Elizabeth asked for an informal meeting, with you and her daughter present. I expect whatever she has to say includes the two of you," she explains patiently, her brows furrowed. "Tell me, Nick, did you do something wrong at Madison's party this weekend? Did you –,"

"You have such little faith in me –,"

"Nick, I am not in the mood for your attitude."

Nick wracks his brain but he comes up blank and shakes his head. "If anything, that valet was lacking," he points out, to his mother. "I swear he took my bike for a joyride because that seat was way too warm to be the heater when I got on it."

His mother lets out a breath through pursed lips, her brows furrowed together as she casts a tentative gaze back to Mrs Sutton and her devil of a daughter. "Then, Nick."

"What?"

"Play nice."

*