Nick lifts his head, his knuckles bloodied.

The boy whimpers under his fists, collapsed onto the ground heavily, as he narrows his eyes onto Killian, who is already making his way towards him.

"You're not thinking right, Nick," Killian says, his words and voice wary, but even as he reaches for him, Nick grabs at his fist and turns him back, pushing him back down to the ground. "Nick –,"

"I told him I was done," Nick enunciates, as he dodges Killian's fist.

"You messed up his business first, Nick," Killian retorts, kicking out at Nick's face.

Nick can't really defend himself with that one, because it's true. He did mess up Mitchell's business first, but you don't apologise in this type of business. That's not the way it all works. Blood in, blood out. He had thought briefly of upturning Mitchell's entire business but that hadn't been enough to assuage the burning within his blood. Instead, Nick had decided to simply get onto his bike, call in all the favours he had, and take the fight straight to Mitchell himself.

Except Mitchell hadn't turned up.

"Where is your boss-man, Killian?" Nick bites out, laughingly. "Did he run and hide, hearing that I was coming for him? Does he know that he's finally taken that step too far?"

He's so angry that he can barely see straight, but Killian's face is ashen, his lips parting in clear shock. Killian has never seen him so angry before, so reckless, and it clearly has its effect for now Killian can't predict what he can do, what he wants to do. Even so, he attempts to reason with him.

Killian says, "Nick, you're a rational guy, come on –,"

"He threatened my Mum, Killian," Nick interrupts. "You don't go after blood. That's the number one rule, mate." Nick puts a knee to Killian's chest, refusing to let him up, as he takes out the blade from his pocket. The silver gleams and burns within his fingers as Nick presses the cold metal against Killian's pale cheek. "Where is Mitchell, Killian? He and I have unfinished business."

"I don't know – I swear it, Nick," Killian barks out, terrified, "please, Nick, I don't know –,"

Jacob's voice rings out. "Hey, Nick, let him up," he says. "Mitchell's not here. I think he must have run for it."

Nick lets out a huff, but he leans in, drawing the blade carefully, languidly against Killian's cheek before he trails it down to his neck, against the rapidly beating vein that thrums out against the pale of his neck.

"When Mitchell comes crawling out of his hidey-hole, you tell him that this war between us finishes here and now," he hisses out viciously. "If I even see a feather, I'm coming for him and I'll rip his throat open, Killian. You tell him that."

*

"The butler is judging me."

Outside, the storm crackles.

There's something uncomfortable about his mother's house, Nick thinks. Nick watches his mother's eyes grow wide as she splutters helplessly.

"The butler is –," she begins to repeat, rather faintly, her face turned towards the butler, who looks as though butter wouldn't melt into his mouth. "Nick, you have blood on your face!"

"It's from last week, I swear," Nick lies quickly, heavily.

His mother is utterly furious, and Nick begins to rethink threatening everyone to steer clear of her, for a moment. "I am a patient woman," she says, her voice taut. "I really am. I find out that my son is still living, somewhere in the city with his pig of a father, and I go and bring him back. Said son proceeds to show his gratitude by starting fights, risking my business, going out at all hours of the night, only to turn up in the morning –,"

But Nick is growing rather annoyed. "You're not Mother Teresa," he says, his brows furrowing together. "Just because you brought me here doesn't mean I'm going to fall down on my knees for you."

She looks guilty, her words stopping short, and his mother closes her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "Okay, look. Nick, I understand how you feel –,"

"No, you don't," Nick says heavily, interrupting. He's got the upper hand now and he's not letting go, not even for his own mother. "You haven't asked me a single thing about what I feel. All you do is yell at me and tell me how grateful I'm supposed to be and treat me like a stupid file, like I'm one of your business people."

"Yes," his mother says heavily. "I truly understand your concerns, Nick, but you have to realise that you're not a file. I do care –,"

"No," Nick says, shaking his head. "You don't. That pig of a father died, and I still would go back to him than stick around for your sake." It's a lie, because he's not going back now, no matter what happens. He's grown to feel some love for his mother and Nick won't have her hurt. But he sees the way he's hurt her, her face creased in pain, and he continues, quickly. "I don't start fights, I end them. I only risk your business because you don't deserve to be disrespected. And I go out at all hours because this place is a cage."

He realises he's mirroring Madison's words and something within his chest constricts.

His mother parts her lips and reaches out for him but Nick shakes his head, reaches for his keys and goes back out.

When he's putting a leg over his motorbike, Will calls. "Where are you, man? School starts in two minutes, Theo and Tallulah Worthington are making out, and Mr Bates is already looking out for you."

"I told you he was obsessed with me," Nick says. He clears his throat a little, to get rid of the lump.

"You sound funny," Will comments.

"I am funny," Nick says quickly. "Most hilarious guy you'll ever know. Wait, Theo and Lula?"

"I know, right? What the hell?"

Nick is snorting with laughter. "How pissed is Madison?"

"Don't joke," Will says. "She looks like she's a second away from burying a hatchet in Theo's face."

Nick only laughs even more, guffawing loudly, as he begins to drive towards school. He can just imagine Madison's face, seeing Theo and Lula go public, and it's this thought that makes him go faster. He swerves neatly, weaving in and out of traffic effortlessly, leaving a trail of blazing horns echoing behind him.

When he pulls up into school, however, he's already late and Mr Bates is on the warpath.

"Detention," Mr Bates tells him, his gaze narrowed.

"Oh, you missed me, too?" Nick says easily, as he hurries to his next class. "We'll catch up over lunch, Bates!"

As Nick gets into his class, Mr Jones says dryly, "Fantastic, Mr Hawthorne. We were on the edge of our seats, waiting for you to arrive. Thank you for gracing us with your presence."

Nick inclines his head. "I try," he tells the teacher, as he accidentally makes eye contact with Madison.

She looks so perfect he can barely breathe.

For a moment, Nick stills as he sits, before he catches himself quickly. Madison is already looking away, her brows furrowed together in clear worry, and Nick chances furtive glances towards her, from where he sits. She looks perfect, as always, but there's something about her that strikes him curious.

And then Nick realises it.

She's so thin.

There's something worrying about the way Madison looks, with her hollowed cheeks and her narrowed eyes, as she continues to do her schoolwork and text and make notes all at the same time. Nick knows a few of what's been piling up on her and he can't think that it's entirely such an easy time keeping their dancing lessons a secret from all her friends. Something like worry and concern rises within him and Nick purses his lips.

"Nick?"

His head snaps up, towards Diana's face so quickly he startles. Diana is looking at him shyly, her eyes wide as she stares at him, and Nick takes the paper she is offering to him. It's some letter about an overseas school trip but Nick rather likes Redwood now, even if it's a bit suffocating, at times. Plus he has to stay, to make sure Mitchell doesn't try anything.

Diana is clearing her throat delicately, pushing her big glasses up. "Um," she says, flushing slightly as Nick blinks. "Are you going to go?"

"Go where?" Nick says, furrowing his brows in confusion. "Class has barely started."

Beside him, Will snorts and Diana flushes even more. "She means the trip, you idiot," Will tells him, guffawing.

"Oh," Nick says, realisation dawning. Diana is watching him with bright and hopeful eyes as he shakes his head. "Nah, got better stuff to do."

As he crumples the letter up within his fingers, Diana does, too, nodding eagerly. She looks relieved, for some reason, and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "So do I!" she says eagerly. "What with the graduation party coming up after the exams and stuff. Um, what will you do over the weekend, then?"

Make sure Mitchell doesn't go after my mum, that Will doesn't realise how much of an effort I put in getting rid of his dad, dance with Madison in secret, remember that she's the devil, Nick thinks. The list is endless.

But before he can answer, his lips parting, Maria Garcia lets out a gasp, her eyes wide. When she speaks, her voice is loud. "Oh, she's trying to ask you out! That's so cute!" she shouts, in a voice that says it's anything but. Diana's eyes are wide with panic but Maria is already reaching for Madison, looking slightly desperate. "Madison, scholarship girl's got a crush!"

"Ew, is that legal?" Lula says laughingly before Theo turns to her, looking affronted.

"Hey," he says. "Not cool."

Lula's smile drops as she and Theo finally unstick themselves long enough to have a slightly worrying argument between them. But Diana is looking humiliated, her cheeks a permanent stained red, as her lips part in horror. Will has stopped laughing but Maria is still tugging at Madison's elbow, even as Elliot tries to tell her not to.

"Madison," Maria says, "Scholarship girl's in love with the Hawthorne boy."

And it is then Madison's head snaps up sharply before she can stop herself. She turns around to stare at him briefly before she catches herself and turns her head back to Maria. Diana is still looking utterly humiliated and Nick opens his mouth to say something, feeling slightly awkward.

But Will shakes his head. "Trust me, mate," he tells Nick. "You're better off not saying anything."

Mr Jones bustles back into the room. "Wow," he says. "Do you guys hear that? It's – it's silence. Music to my ears."

*

The school day passes by quickly and because it's the day they have to practice their dance, Nick stays behind.

Theo is trying to talk things through with Lula, both of whom are still offended from this morning. But from what Nick hears, Lula is only offended because all her old boyfriends never used to call her out on things. So that just leaves Will to convince.

"Look, man, if you don't want to play football –,"

"No, I do," Nick says heavily, his gaze flickering over to Madison, who is also speaking to her friends. "It's just – I've got detention, you know, with Bates and all. They're all just so obsessed with me, what can I say?"

Will laughs but he still looks a little suspicious when Nick heads back into the empty school, the storm crackling behind them. He's not as pleased with the new arrangements, either, but the dance teacher had told them the studio was being redone, after all. When he gets back inside, he sees that Madison is speaking to the headteacher, her voice sweet and saccharine as sugar.

"Of course," she is saying softly, her eyes bright. "I try my hardest to contribute ideas and opportunities for our students, Mrs Miller, but it is thanks to you that such ideas become possible. I am very grateful for your expertise, Mrs Miller."

Nick watches, in slight awe. Madison's got the headteacher eating out of the palm of her hand, he realises, and he watches, his lips parting quietly as Madison manages to fish the keys to the school from Mrs Miller. As she waves goodbye to the headteacher, Mrs Miller pauses to throw him a deeply suspicious look while he grins at her. Nick and Madison turn to each other, the emptiness of the school echoing all around them.

Madison lets out a quiet breath, before she tilts her head to him. "Let's get this over with, then," she tells him, as Nick follows her to seat themselves in the classroom nearest to the assembly hall, to wait for Bastien.

She seats herself at the table demurely, her lips pursed together, as Nick collapses against the wood of the chair heavily. He lifts his head, the beginnings of a curious question brimming on his tongue. He wants to know what she's done against Kyle, mostly because Kyle's a big guy and Madison's smart but not smart enough to dodge a punch.

But Madison speaks first, avoiding his gaze. "So... Maria says you and the scholarship girl are apparently going strong," she says carelessly.

Nick chokes. "What?" He shakes his head quickly. "No, we're not!"

Madison turns her head and laughs at him. "I should've known," she says. "Maria's getting weird lately."

"She's overcompensating because she knows she hurt you," Nick tells Madison.

Madison stills and really, in hindsight, that should have been his first warning sign. "What?" Madison turns her head, her eyes bright as her lips part. "How did you know that?"

Nick flushes a little. "She told me what she said," he tells her, looking at her carefully. "Control freak and all that. Maria's not the type of girl to say sorry so that's why she seems weird to you. Because she knows she hurt you."

"She didn't hurt me," Madison denies, lying so quickly that Nick raises an eyebrow. "Maria says stupid things when she's drunk. It doesn't mean that's what she really thinks of me."

"I didn't say that," Nick says and the air between them crackles.

"Well, good!" Madison bites back. She pauses a little, and eyes him. "You went after Mitchell, didn't you?"

Nick gapes. "No, I didn't," he says hurriedly.

How does she know these things? Is she a witch?

Madison rolls her eyes. "Don't even try to lie to me – I saw the blood on your knuckles."

"Well, you lied, first, and it's none of your business!"

"It's none of your business, either!"

"Fine!"

"Good!"

"Then we're in agreement!"

"Perfect!"

A heavy silence hangs between them and Nick can't stop looking at Madison, the way the soft light glints through her hair. The beginnings of the silver lightning crackling against the sky casts her body into a soft hoary hue. To take his attention away, Nick begins to drum his fingers against the table incessantly, letting out an impatient huff. When is this stupid dance teacher going to arrive?

Madison turns her head. "Would you stop that?" she bites out angrily.

Nick glowers at her, in annoyance. "You're perfectly welcome to leave," he shoots back at her cuttingly, as lightning cracks across the skies. "I know how much you love my company."

"God," Madison says furiously, her eyes flashing. "You're actually the most frustrating –,"

"Oh, am I, actually? Am I?"

"You hypocritical, ungrateful ape of an ass –,"

"– stubborn, manipulative bitch –,"

"– can't think what I could have done to get stuck with someone like you –,"

"– must have killed a baby in a past life to have you happen to me –,"

"How dare you think you can talk –,"

"You think the world revolves around you like you're the sun or something, like we all live to bow down to you!"

"And you think you're so much better than the rest of us, because you came from the city's streets, like some cliché made-for-TV movie!" Madison bites at him viciously, as the storm cracks out against the skies.

Nick is laughing derisively into her face. "I get it," he says, glaring at her. "You're lonely. That's why you never stay at your house. That's why you're here. You put up a good front, but I see it – I see you. You just don't want to be alone!"

"Shut up!" Madison snaps at him angrily, her cheeks red. "You think I don't see you, too? You've got nobody here, either! You don't want to be here. You never have. The only reason you're here and not running back to the city is because you want a home! And you think you'll find it in your mother!"

They're both breathing hard, glaring at each other venomously. Nick towers over her like a giant as Madison glowers at him angrily and whoa, how did they get this close? He hadn't realised they'd gotten so close to each other. When did Madison lift herself from her chair and when did he push himself towards her like this? Lightning crashes across the sky but the air between them crackles harder. Nick glowers at her angrily, his eyes fixed on her beautiful face, and he has never hated a person more.

So much for working together as a team.

They're not a team, they're a destruction.

"God," Madison says, but there's less venom in her words and more uncertainty in the lights of her eyes as she stares at him. "You're an asshole."

"And you're a bitch," Nick says but it's more of a reflex and there's no actual hatred behind his words.

She licks her lips, staring up at him and Nick's gaze drops down to her lips.

He is highly aware of everything now, realising that they're way too close to each other, that her gaze is lingering too long on his face. Nick can count each individual lash, can see the soft brown flecks in her eyes, but all he can think about is those perfect, plump lips, stained in red. He's staring so long but Madison doesn't seem to have noticed, staring back at him with a slightly dazed expression in her eyes.

And then –

Nick's not sure who moves first.

All he knows is that they both lean forward too quickly and suddenly, his lips are on hers, and God, it feels good.

They crash into each other clumsily and in the back of his mind, Nick can hear the tables moving slightly, the wood whining against the floor, but he can't care about that, his mind a dizzied blur. Madison is pressed up against him, her hot mouth on his, both of them stumbling to grab their balance.

She tastes like heaven and sin all at once.

Nick grabs at her waist and kisses her hard, hearing the faint sound of a chair being knocked over, as he pushes her back into the wood of the desk, his fingers in her hair. Madison reaches for him desperately, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him even closer to her. They close all space between them so that there's barely any room left to breathe.

Madison is hot all over and moans of pleasure escape from her throat as Nick's fingers drift across her shirt, her hands curling within his hair and leaving a burning trail against the bare skin of his neck. His grip tightens around her at the soft sounds she makes as she writhes against him, both wrapped up in a delicious haze of pure desire.

And suddenly – what are they doing?

Both he and Madison pull away from each other in horror, gasping for breath.

The air between them is crackling and hot and outside, the storm has simmered, still crackling across the skies. Madison's fingers touch at her lips as she stares at him in horror, breathing hard.