I've come to learn that Monday mornings at Arcane are extremely laid back since most of us have just got back from our homes. Everyone was mostly still in their pajamas and having breakfast in the cafeteria, including me.

"I feel like skipping today, does anyone want to join me?" I sighed, sipping on strawberry milk.

"Art," Wyatt and Daisy said in sync. It's such a demanding subject, I don't know how they do it.

"What period do you have art?" I asked.

"Last period," Wyatt answered.

I turned to Callum. "Do you want to go get our bowl-thing? It's probably dried by now."

"Sure," he shrugged.

"You guys can stay back to paint them too," Daisy informed us.

I turned to Callum, raising my brows. He nodded, his head bobbing up and down. I chuckled, looking back at my tray. I haven't told Daisy yet, he hasn't told Wyatt.

Wyatt nudged Daisy's arm. "We gotta go, we haven't got the supplies for the pottery."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that," Daisy said, grabbing her bag, both of them standing up and then waving us bye.

"Can we go to your room?" he asked. He's in a completely different mood today. He's in a softer, all lovey-dovey kind of mood.

I nodded, my eyes traveling across his face.

"Look who it is!" We both looked up and saw Finn and Atticus sitting down while the rest of their friends grabbed chairs from free tables and invited themselves to sit with us.

I sighed, rolling my eyes and looking away from them. "Let's just go," I mumbled to Callum.

"What's the rush?" Finn smirked. It's always him, I swear to god. What is his deal?

Callum leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear, stirring things inside me I didn't know could stir like that. "I wanted to take you upstairs and kiss you," he whispered.

I pulled back to look at him. "You can," I nodded softly.

"Do you think Clara likes anyone?" I turned to them when Nate asked his friends that. They're talking about me like I'm not even here.

"I don't know. Do you think anyone likes her?" Finn scoffed.

I pushed my tray away, tipping the strawberry milk over making him immediately screech back.

I smiled, "Oops. I forgot it's empty."

He glared at me, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. "I don't think so. Do you?" He looked at his friends.

"No."

"Probably not."

"Not a chance."

I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair and folding my arms across my chest. "Humor me," I scoffed.

"Who would like her?" Nate asked.

They looked around the room. "I don't think anyone would," Finn said, staring at me.

"Why don't you ask?" Callum shrugged.

"Ay!" Finn stood up, catching everyone's attention. "Are there any guys out here interested in New Girl Clara?"

I glared at him before turning to look at the room. I was surprised at how many guys put their hands up. I blinked in shock, glancing at Callum who was smiling to himself.

"You were saying?" I chuckled.

He rolled his eyes, sitting back down.

"No one would like a new girl," Nate said.

"Yeah. On top of that," Atticus cleared his throat, speaking for the first time. "Her mother died right before she came here, you know?"

I froze, not knowing what to do or say.

"Oh, really? What happened?" Finn asked, acting dumb.

"Car accident. Tragic, isn't it? I hear she was in the car too."

Who the hell told him anything about me?

"Well, that hasn't got anything to do with guys liking her," Nate cleared his throat, shooting me a sorry look. At least he has a little humanity, just not enough to stop his friends or even try.

"Well yeah, that too. Who the hell would like her? Nobody, am I right? She's really weird if you ask me," Finn said, folding his arms across his chest.

I was still glaring at Atticus. How dare he speak of my mom?

"Yeah."

"I know, right?"

"Definitely," they all agreed.

Except for Nate. "Let's just go, guys. Come on," he mumbled. Atticus lifted a brow at him and he quieted down like a little puppy.

"It's very clear someone here keeps the rest of you on a very tight leash, huh?" I asked, nodding towards Atticus.

All the other guys shifted uncomfortably. "At least we have friends. And girls who like us," Ethan chuckled.

"Who likes you?" Atticus asked.

"Nobody," Finn said, clicking his tongue.

Callum abruptly stood up beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him in confusion, slowly standing up. I hope we're not about to accept defeat and walk away right now.

"Everyone here suddenly seems really interested to know if anybody likes Clara!" Callum yelled, everyone stared at him and listening to each word that came out of his mouth. "Let me make it clear for you!"

My eyes widened in realization.

He turned to me, grabbing my waist and jerking me forward, planting his lips on mine. A series of gasps, shocked exclamations, and whispered screams made it across the room. He pulled back, knowing well enough that the secret we planned to keep, would no longer be a secret. In fact, the whole plan he made and had me agree on- of not telling anyone but our best friends- had drowned.

The whole plan drowned in the ocean and it was messier than the Titanic. The Titanic actually sank, not drowned, but you know what I'm saying.

He stared at me a little longer. "Everybody clear now?!" Callum called out, glaring at Atticus. "Anybody who still wants to know can come and ask! No?" He lifted a brow sharply at Atticus who was getting up with his friends before they all walked away.

I turned to Atticus and his friends. Atticus seemed confused but then he blinked in realization and looked between Callum and before nodding to himself.

I discreetly elbowed Callum, thinking instead of saying what I wanted to.

Weren't we supposed to keep it a secret? The look Atticus has isn't very nice.

He looked at Atticus after comprehending my thoughts and looked him up and down.

Atticus walked over, both of them standing in front of each other now. "Were you just waiting for a new girl to join so you could kill her too?" Atticus asked, keeping his voice low.

"Not unless she's trying to kill me," Callum answered confidently.

Atticus's jaw ticked. "She wasn't going to do it. She wouldn't have if you didn't break up with her that night."

"Was I meant to allow her to continue cheating on me and then let her kill me in my sleep, Atticus?" Callum sighed, "Kiara was manipulating you. And you know it."

"Don't you dare say her fucking name!" Atticus snapped, grabbing Callum by the shirt.

"Fine, I won't," Callum agreed.

Atticus reluctantly let him go. "So, she's yours now, huh?" he asked, glancing at me.

Callum didn't respond to him.

"That's too bad. I didn't want to take this route. I was just going to take her from you and make her mine."

I nearly gagged at the thought.

"But now I might just do what you did to Kiara."

I swallowed, genuinely nervous for my safety this once. He can't kill me, he couldn't possibly be serious right now. It has to be an empty threat, come on.

"She has nothing to do with what happened last year," Callum stated.

"No, you're right. But she has everything to do with you. I see she knows everything now," he chuckled, looking at me. "She makes you stronger, doesn't she?" Callum didn't answer so Atticus stepped closer to him, both of them seeing eye to eye. "You want to save her, don't you?" he smirked, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Go ahead. See if you can."

I could see Callum's hands clenched into fists and his shoulders squaring him.

Please don't strike first.

It'll only get him in trouble like it did Atticus last time. "I will—"

"Kill me if anything happens to her, if I do anything to her, right?" Atticus finished the sentence for him. "I'm getting a little tired of your empty threats," he sighed, looking bored. "And anyway, I have no problem with being killed as long as you get what you deserve for doing what you did to her last year. I loved her."

A part of me actually feels sorry for Atticus. From what I understand, he was trapped by Kiara, she manipulated him and he fell for her. And I think he might blame himself, even if it's just a little, for what happened.

"You think you should have stopped her, don't you?" I asked, looking directly at Atticus.

His eyes flickered to mine, softening for just a second. "What?"

"You think you should have stopped her from meeting Callum that night. Because he wouldn't have had to do what he did if she didn't see him at all. If she stayed with you that night."

"You don't know what you're talking about so it's better for you to just keep quiet." He glared at me.

"You blame yourself. More than you blame Callum," I said, realizing it as I stated it. It's true.

He blames himself for letting her go that night. "You know nothing, Clara. Except for what your boyfriend here has told you. You know, there are always three sides to the story. Here too. His side. My side. And the truth. If you want to know the truth, you should hear my side too since you know his. Then you can be the judge," he nodded before walking out.

I watched him as he left, his friends following him out. I don't think he's the bad guy here.

I think he feels obligated to get revenge on Kiara's behalf because in his eyes, she was perfect and he loved her. So from his point of view, he's doing the right thing. Actually, from Kiara's point of view, he's doing the right thing.

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