Robert Tranvo's house was massive. He lived in the uppity part of town, the one with the gated community full of mansions and a pass-code to get past the security team. Yeah, that right. A security team, not even a guard—a team.

Rob's house could probably fit three of mine in length and two in width, not including the front and back yard. He had an indoor and outdoor pool, a hot tub and a jacuzzi—'cause yes, apparently there was a difference—a private pond, a home movie theater, a back building containing an ice rink and so much more my head would explode just thinking about it.

His mom was a neurosurgeon and his dad was the CEO for Always Evans—a private car dealership that quickly gained ground in the East coast until it spread nationwide—and then internationally. It was a multi-billion-dollar franchise.

It was safe to say he was loaded.

I could tell Rex was uncomfortable. He shifted uneasily beside me in his convertible, his dark eyes gazing across the mansion and then all the cars parked in the lengthy wrap around driveway. I wasn't sure if it was the wealthiness or the crowd that was bothering him. Either way it was making me really not want to tell him that my dad owned the company Rob's father was CEO of.

"I really fucking hate people." Rex grumbled as those dark chestnut eyes glanced over the already drunken hoard clambering about the front lawn—the front lawn with a massive angel-based water fountain.

"I know." I tried to encourage softly as our attention turned to the rest of the Big Four climbing out of Trey's SUV in front of us, Lainy's angel white costume standing out starkly against the dark colors of the boy's normal clothes. None of them bothered to wear a costume.

"Let's get this fucking over with." He practically growled as he cut the engine and stepped out of the car. I followed slowly after him.

He hadn't been angry at what Denton said back at Trey's house, from what I saw at least, though that pale ghost expression that had crossed the Dimajio's face suggested otherwise. Rex's mood had definitely taken a darker turn since we left my neighborhood. I was just going to have to try my hardest not to aggravate him anymore tonight.

"Lainy don't you dare think of running off again!" We heard Trey shot the minute Rex locked up his car and walked towards me, his hand automatically reaching out for mine. My heart fluttered as I let my fingers slip between his.

We watched Lainy flip Trey the bird before bouncing off to meet her friends waving and giggling over at her by the entrance of the mansion. "I have a feel I'm going to be knocking some heads together tonight." Trey grumbled when we reached them, that disgruntled frown darkening his bright eyes.

"Me fucking too." Rex added, his hand tightening around mine. I tried not to make it obvious I was leaning into him. He always smelled soo good...

A cool breeze blew across the open plane of Rob's front lawn, causing goosebumps to rise on my legs. I left my—Rex's—jacket in the car and tucked my phone into the pocket of the one he was wearing since the costume didn't leave much room for pockets.

The twins had both left to go talk to a few of their teammates hanging out on the side lawn drinking from one of the many kegs lined out on a table, and Trey stayed with us as long as he could see Lainy through the crowd of people. The minute she disappeared, he went looking for her.

"Should we help him?" I asked over the thumping music streaming out of speakers plastered against the outside of the mansion. Rex shrugged his shoulders, those dark eyes gazing at the mass of bodies in distaste.

"If he can't find her for a while, yeah. Right now I need a fucking beer."

Thirty minutes later Rex and I were leaning against a wall watching Denton flirt with half the cheer-leading team—who had all decided to dress up like they were in a 'Purge' movie. I couldn't stop laughing as he bounced from one girl to the next, each one falling for his goofy charm and flirty jokes.

I laughed and looked over at Rex who had been sipping slowly at his second beer of the night. His gaze caught mine before he rolled his eyes. "He'll never learn to grow up." He mumbled around the opening of his bottle before taking another sip. I eyed the brown glass wearily.

"Can I, uh, can I try some?" I nodded towards the beer, a small, pleading smile tugging on my lips as I tried to puppy dog eye him. He raised one of those dark eyebrows at me.

"You've never tried alcohol before, right?" His question brought a brief flashback to the time he took me to Echo, the night he had to witness one of my little mental breakdowns. I shook my head and rocked forward on the tip of my toes, my hands clasped innocently behind my back.

"Nuh uh, but I want to."

He tried to hide the smirk that pull on his lips by taking another sip of his drink, but I saw it anyways. My gaze narrowed. "I don't think beer is the best option for your first drink, but if you really want to try it..." He held the bottle out to me, a dark twinkle in his eyes as he did.

I didn't trust that sneaky look on his face, but I really did want to try some. It couldn't be that bad if they drank it all the time. I brought the bottle to my lips, my nose crinkling at the smell of the alcohol. Just do it, Rose. Don't be a coward.

I chocked as a liquid that tasted what I assumed pee would taste like hit my tongue. Now that was disgusting. I coughed and blushed like the embarrassed idiot I was as Rex's dark chuckle reached my ears.

"That's awful." I coughed and practically threw the beer back at him as he reached for it.

He shrugged, that smirk still pulling on his lips as he took a drink from the bottle. "You get used to it."

"Why put yourself through the torture though?" I grumbled and smacked my lips together to try and get rid of the taste.

Rex's dark chuckle turned to a laugh that made my tummy feel all funny-like. "For the effect, Roza. Do you want some water?"

I didn't drink enough for the taste to last long, but I felt weird not holding a drink when everyone else was, so I nodded and let him 'escort' me into the crowded kitchen. The party was designated to the left side of the mansion, first floor, and was packed with not only all of Jasper's high school students, but also the surrounding towns.

I caught a shiny glimmer out of the corner of my eye just as Rex's hand was pulling me into the kitchen. I looked over my shoulder to see one of the 'Purge' girls staring at us, bright blue eyes narrowed icily as they glared daggers in our direction.

I would recognize those eyes anywhere—Jeslyn. Uh oh... I guess she saw us holding hands. But Rex didn't like her, and that was all I cared about.

I turned back towards him, trying to forget the beautiful, popular girl who was crushing on him too, and let him pull me towards one of the many coolers lining the massive kitchen's marble counter-tops. They were all labeled differently, a couple were soda, some water, some various kinds of alcohol.

Every time we went to get something to drink Rex would always check each one mumbling something about morons doing 'fucking stupid shit'—as he put it. He opened the water cooler and checked the cap before handing it to me and going for the beer one.

"Hey Rex! Kid!" Brett announced happily from one of the many bar stools lining the kitchen's island. He raised his own beer bottle in greeting, a bright, happy smile on his face as we walked over to him.

"Brett, been drinking a lot?" Rex gruffed as he leaned beside the older twin with an eyebrow raised. I flexed my now-empty hand at my side. It felt weird not holding his, cold and empty, but I didn't want to seem cray-cray by reaching for his again.

"Naw man, this is only my second beer. You?"

"When do I ever?" Rex rolled his eyes, then glanced over at me with a small smile. "Rose tried her first sip tonight." I didn't even bother trying to hide the blush that stained my cheeks.

"Aye, way to go kid!" Brett cheered and raised his bottle at me. I tried not to laugh at how giddy he was acting. I've never seen him so—relaxed? Is that the right word?

"Rex!" Our little conversation was suddenly interrupted by Trey's voice shouting over the quickly growing crowd.

Rex's head snapped over to the shouting, his chestnut eyes growing three shades darker. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." He growled and his beer down on the counter beside Brett, his strong jaw clenching and unclenching.

In the middle of the growing crowd I could just barely make out Trey's tall head of sandy-hair surrounded by two or three other guys in what was once the large dining room—now it had turned into something quite like Rex's illegal fights. And when the crowd shifted, I could just see that thick mountain arm of Trey's locked around one of the guys necks.

"Could really use some fucking assistance!" Bright green eyes locked on Rex, chin tilting in the direction of the guy who was in the headlock friends coming at the man/boy.

"I fucking knew this was going to happen." Rex sounded beyond irritated, more irritated than I had heard in a while, but I also know that dangerous look in his gaze held something more than anger—he had wanted to fight.

"I got the kid." Brett said from beside us, his beer raising in salute to Rex who had turned that gaze on the Dimajio.

"She does not leave your side."

"Obviously." Blue eyes rolled at his command like it was the dumbest thing Brett had ever heard. Rex clenched his jaw together but turned reluctantly back to me.

"Stay here. I'll be back as soon as that moron's good."

I chewed on my lower lip nervously, my gaze glancing back and forth between the crowd surrounding the fight and Rex. I didn't want him to fight, to risk getting hurt, but I also knew he could take on an entire football team without a scratch, much less four really drunk stupid-heads.

"Okay..."

He gave me a small nod, his hand squeezing my wrist gently before stalking off into the crowd—which kept growing and growing until it swallowed the sight of Trey and the others. I know he needed to, to help Trey, but I couldn't help one snarky thought from popping into my head—so much for not letting me leave his side.

"Hey, kid." Brett spoke from the bar stool beside me, and it took all I had to turn away from the scene and face him. I didn't want to see Rex fight, but I couldn't help the feeling that he would get hurt if I didn't.

"What's up?"

"Do you want to hear a secret?" Brett's blue eyes were wide, a sneaky smile I hadn't seen before pulling at his handsome lips. I raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.

"Sure."

He leaned back in the bar stool, the neck of his beer bottle still gripped in his hand as those blue eyes reflected off the light of the large kitchen. "This isn't beer."

My face scrunched up at that and I eyed the brown glass bottle wearily.

"What is it?"

"You don't want to know." His sneaky smile turned to dark chuckles as that athletic body of his began to sway with the music. "And I'm a little drunk." His gaze grew unfocused the more he drank, his dark hair messy as he ran his hand through it.

"Do you... uh, need help?"

I had no idea how to help drunk people, or what to do with them. This was the first time I had ever experienced a high school party or been around so much alcohol. Sure, Jax used to drink occasionally, but I'd never seen him drunk. And he always kept those that really liked to be away from me.

I had no idea what to do. How do you help someone when they were drunk? Did they even want help?

"I'm golden, pretty girl."

Pretty girl? Well, that was new.

Was he so drunk that he was complimenting me now? He was always the one scolding Denton and telling him to 'shut up'. I didn't even know he had any opinion about me at all.

"Brett-"

"Where's Lainy? Oh shit, I'm supposed to be watching her." He jumped off the bar stool like he just remembered something crucially important and stumbled backwards. "I have to fine her..." He muttered more to himself than me before taking another chuck out of whatever was in his beer. "She's pissed at me, you know?"

No, I didn't know that.

Curiosity piqued, I took a step closer to him to avoid the, uh, couple clambering onto the counter beside us. I tried not to grimace as I stepped away from them. "Why is she mad at you?"

Those bright eyes darkened, and his smile turned into a scowl as he glared out at the crowd. "I don't fucking know, one minute she's fine and we're good and then the next I'm the bad guy. Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm the fucking good one!" He shouted at an invisible Lainy before going back to his bottle.

Okay... That made no sense whatsoever.

"You are a good guy, Brett-"

"Hey, you're Rose right?" A light tapping on my arm made me turn from the Dimajio enough to glance over my shoulder at—well, I had no idea who he was, but he was definitely handsome.

Blonde hair hung shaggily across his forehead as deep brown eyes gleamed warmly over at me, his smile was bright and perfect against tan skin. In any other world I would have found him extremely attractive—a world without Rex Turner. And something about him seemed—familiar in a way. Though I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad familiar.

"Um, yeah. Do we know each other?" I asked carefully as I glanced back at Brett to make sure he hadn't drunkenly stumbled off. He was still standing uneasily beside me, mumbling nonsense about Lainy being mad at him for whatever reason.

The boy's smile grew even though one of his hands reached up to rub the back of his neck almost nervously. "Well, no, but I was talking to some of my friends from Jasper about the cute Tinkerbell and they told me your name."

"Oh..." Was all I could manage to say, heat flooding the back of my neck. There were far too many boys complimenting me in one period, my head was going to explode—and it didn't help that I kept wanting all of them to be Rex.

"Yeah." The boy chuckled his hand dropping down to the two drink cups he placed on the counter beside us. "I'm Liam by the way." His beaming smile was back as he raised the cups between us. "And my friends convinced me to come talk to you."

My cheeks were staining red and I was taking a hesitant step away from him. That familiar feeling was rising, not necessarily déjà vu but just something that made the back of my mind prick weirdly.

"T-that's really sweet, but I'm actually with my friends-" I turned to grab onto Brett's jacket, ready to have him steer me in a completely different direction, only to find empty space beside—well as empty as a packed room could be.

Oh... no. No, no, no, no, no.

Rex was not going to be happy.

I gulped, my eyes widening in worry as I glanced nervously around the packed kitchen. I flickered my gaze to the crowd that was supposed to be watching the fighting boys, but there were too many people to see through anything.

Oh boy. Rex was going to be really mad.

"It looks like your friends left you." Even though Liam's words sent a stab of panic through my chest, his tone was soft. I turned back to him, trying to control the panic quickly bubbling up in my chest.

Alone, alone. I'm alone, in crowds of people I don't know.

I don't do well alone.

I don't... I can't-

"Hey, you alright?"

My eyes snapped over to concerned brown pair staring down at me, those cups still held in his hands. I let out a shaky breath and tried to choke down the panic, even though my hands refused to stop shaking. I didn't know him, but he was there, and he was nice. Not alone, technically.

"Y-Yeah, sorry. I just promised my friends I wouldn't leave them." I tried to give him a reassuring smile, one I doubted he believed.

"Well, they can't be mad if they left you."

They left you.

Breathe Rose, breathe.

"Here, have something to drink it'll help calm you down."

My eyes snapped down to the red solo cup in Liam's hand, unease filling my chest even more. "No thanks, I don't want to take your drink from you."

His eyes lit up at that and he let out a chuckle before shaking his head. "I brought it over for you anyway. Kind of like a 'let's get to know each other' gesture."

"Oh..." I mumbled in embarrassment as I reached up for the cup, a red thin liquid swooshing around as I did. "Thank you, I-I don't really drink much though."

Liam shrugged, that smile of his beaming back at me before he sipped at his own drink. "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you."

That blush was back, and it didn't help that I could feel his gaze scanning my face. I stared down at the cup. It was nice being complimented, but all I wanted was for those nice words to come from Rex's lips.

"You're really nice, Liam. But there's, um, actually someone else that I'm... really into."

Just friends. Just friends. Just friends.

Rex and I were just friends but saying that to Liam had just felt so right. And I felt guilty talking to him, like I was betraying that giant, angry wall of fury that was Rex Turner. No matter if he didn't want me like that.

Or at all.

Alone. Left you all alone.

No. No, Rex didn't. He left me with Brett. Silly, very drunk, Brett.

"Hey, that's cool too. We can still be friends." His tone didn't change, and he was still shining that bright smile which I tried to return.

"Y-yeah, thanks. I would like that."