"No," he shook his head. 

I whined, kicking my legs around while the four of us sat at our table for dinner. 

It's Thursday night. That fancy party is tomorrow, and while I said earlier that I didn't want to go, Daisy has changed my mind. She told me that she goes every year and it's always so fun dancing, drinking even if it's not alcohol. She said they always put up a photo booth even though that's not exactly royalty but it sounds like an extremely fun night. 

I got better by last night but even then, Callum says we're not going. 

"He's not deciding for you, is he?" Daisy asked. 

"No," I said, shifting in my seat. 

"Are you sure about that?" Wyatt smirked. 

"Yes," I huffed. "Because I'm still going." I turned to Callum. 

"No, you're not," he said, not looking up from his phone. 

"Callum, I'm going whether you come with me or not. I'm the new girl, how can you say you won't let me experience Arcane High properly? And I'm okay now, I'll watch what I eat and drink, I promise," I cried like a baby. "Please come with me!" I grabbed his arm, shaking it. 

"I'm not going and neither are you, Clara. It's not safe, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but listen to Nate. He even warned you." 

I sighed, pouting and staring at my plate. "I'm not eating." I shoved my plate away. 

"I'll shove it down your throat," he said, scrolling through a website. I don't know what he's doing, he's been on that stupid phone all day. 

"Do it," I dared. I snatched his phone away, tucking it into my back pocket. 

He sighed, turning to me. "What do you want?" 

"Are you listening? I want us to go to this party," I huffed. 

"And I'm telling you it's not safe, Clara. Why aren't you understanding?" 

"We're at school, nothing is going to happen to me." 

"I killed someone here. You really want me to believe that?" He arched a brow at me, daring me to prove him wrong. 

I sighed in defeat, choosing to be petty and ignore him. Silent treatment. Always. 

"You can keep doing that, you're still not going." He reached into my back pocket and pulled his phone out, going back on it. 

"Dude, let her go," Wyatt said. "We'll all be there, she'll be by your side the whole night, come on." 

I glanced at him. 

"Mm-mm," he shook his head. 

"Maybe you can ask someone else," Daisy said to me, smirking. 

I tried not to smile. "Who do you think I should ask?" 

"Go with Nate," she shrugged. "At least he can give you a heads up and you can get out before they find you." 

"Or you can go with Atticus and make him think you switched sides," Wyatt snickered. 

Callum looked up, glaring at him. 

"Temporarily of course," Wyatt muttered. 

"Maybe I will," I agreed, knowing I would never in a billion years do that. I'm not stupid, why would I ask the guy who threatened to kill me? "Where is he? I'll go ask him right now." I stood up but Callum grabbed my shirt, yanking me back. 

"You're not going with him." 

"But I can go with someone else?" I asked. 

"You're not going at all. Case closed." 

"You don't get to make that decision for me. Either you can let me go or I'll sneak out, Callum." 

He pinched the bridge of his nose, turning to me. 

"Please?" I asked softly, sticking my bottom lip out. 

"Pull out the 'babe,'" Daisy suggested. 

"No, pull out the 'baby,'" Wyatt chuckled. 

Callum glared at them even harder. 

"Baby, please?" I asked, linking my arm with his and taking his hand, locking our fingers. 

"You would know, wouldn't you? Calling each other baby and babe all the time?" Callum asked, looking between Daisy and Wyatt, making them both shift uncomfortably. 

"Callum," I mumbled, tugging at his arm. 

"What do I get in return for taking you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me. 

"What do you want?" I replied, looking at him questioningly. 

He fell into thought before pulling me closer and leaning up to my ear. "You said anything, now don't back out. You owe me a strip-tease," he whispered. 

I pulled back to look at him. "No," I deadpanned. "Not my thing." 

Wyatt and Daisy looked at us weirdly. 

"Fine, I'll take you for free." He narrowed his eyes at me. 

I grinned, putting my can of coke in front of him. "Can you open it?" 

He opened it with one hand, sliding it over to me. "Try holding back a little, your greed is showing," he said. 

"For?" I asked. 

"Going to this stupid party." 

"It's not greed, it's want. I want to see what it's all about, I'm allowed to have fun like everyone else here. Just because he's after me doesn't mean I can't have fun," I frowned. I turned to Daisy and we all made a plan to go out tomorrow to get our clothes for the party. After that, we bid goodnight and left. "I think I should go back to my room tonight," I said as we reached our floor. 

"No," he said, stretching out the word while keeping a firm grip on my hand. 

"Why not?" I asked, rocking our hands back and forth as we walked. 

"If you want to stay in your room, I'm coming with you." I chuckled, both of us stopping in front of my room. 

"You know, you're awfully clingy," I laughed, leaning against the door. 

His hand went to my waist, taking my keys. "I know," he nodded, unlocking the door as he kissed me. He pushed it opened, both of us stumbling inside before he kicked the door shut behind him. He walked me backward, knowing exactly where he was headed. To my desk where he hoisted me up and then pushed my legs apart, standing in between and then pulling my hips closer to his, deepening the kiss. 

I smiled against his lips before pulling away. "I like you better without a shirt on," I grinned. 

"Well, the same goes for you but I'm guessing we don't always get what we want?" 

"Who said?" I lifted a brow at him. 

"Ladies first," he smirked. 

"Exactly, so you go ahead." 

He shook his head, smiling, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek before he took a step back and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it on the floor. He stepped closer, putting his hands down on the table beside my legs. "Hmm," he nodded, extremely amused. 

I grinned, sticking my hands up, my arms right up. 

He tried not to smile but he failed miserably. "You want me to do it?" 

I nodded quickly. 

He chuckled, closing his eyes before leaning in and kissing me, his hands going to my shirt. He lifted it up and peeled it off, only breaking the kiss to pull the shirt over my head. 

"Don't look." I put my hands over his eyes. 

"But I want to," he replied. "Let's do a fair trade. Five seconds each. You look, I look." 

I get to just stare at his body for five whole seconds? 

"Yes," he smirked. 

"I hate when you do that. Stop reading my mind," I whined, pulling my hand away. 

"But I like reading the thoughts you can't bring yourself to say," he smiled, looking at me. 

Six. And a half. Abs. Life really isn't fair. 

"I knew you were wearing that one," he chuckled, pointing to my bra. 

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes at him. 

"I peeked this morning," he whispered, leaning in again. 

"You peeked when I was in the bathroom?" I arched a brow at him. 

"You were showering in my bathroom without locking the door, you didn't even close it all the way, baby," he smirked, mocking what I said earlier. 

"I thought you were sleeping," I scoffed. 

"You have no idea how often I pretend to be sleeping to see what you do around me or to read your thoughts," he laughed, kissing me softly. "You're like... a little crazy, you know that, right?" he asked. 

I nodded, smiling. "Can I ask you something?" 

"Hmm," he nodded in permission. 

"What really happened to me, Callum?" 

He asked me, "What do you mean?" but his eyes told me that he already knew. 

"You know what I mean. Be honest, please. I know the pain stopped on its own but I've never had that kind of pain. At first, it felt like the pain I had in my body after the accident. I felt like I was recovering like that all over again. Is something wrong with me?" 

"No," he shook his head, taking my hands in his. "Nothing is wrong with you, absolutely nothing. 

"You've never lied to me, don't change that now," I sighed. 

"No, I promise. Nothing is wrong with you. I just didn't know it then, I wasn't able to figure it out. I'm still not completely sure about all of it, I'm still learning about it." 

"About what?" 

"The curse on darklings." 

"What does that have to do with me?" I frowned in confusion. 

"I'll tell you when I understand it. But I can tell you what Nora did the day I called her to check on you. She pricked you." 

"I was right," I scoffed. 

"She pricked you to make you bleed." 

I blinked in confusion. Why would she do that? 

"And you healed." 

I stared at him in utter shock. I am stunned. "I... I h-healed? Healed? Like you do?" 

He nodded. 

"That's impossible, I'm a human." 

"And you still healed. You don't have any other power. But you can heal. That's why Nora sent me home to ask my dad about the curse. I think it would explain directly what's going on." 

"What is going on?" I sighed. 

"I know but I don't," he groaned. "I'll tell you, Clara, I promise. Just give me some time to figure it all out. I'll talk to Nora and I'll tell you. Can you do that for me? And for yourself?" 

"Okay," I agreed hesitantly.

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