"kay, I found out from Taylor that Laurel's allergic to peanut butter. And I got her locker combo." Stella took out a jar of Jiff and a sticky note and I widened my eyes.

"Are we really this mean?" I felt kind of guilty for doing this.

"Not mean. Tenacious."

"I don't know-"

"You poured your heart and soul into admitting your feelings to this guy, and all along he's been kissing another girl-"

I winced, "The wounds are still salty, Stell."

"Sorry. I'm just saying, he deserves you and he needs to realize that. So, the only way to do that is to get rid of Laurel. Besides, it's not like anyone will find out."

I just felt really dirty about doing this. I wanted to win back Asher, but not this way.

"Alright. . ."

I still didn't feel good about this.

.•*•.

"My nephew has graciously offered to watch over you delinquents." Principal Galante announced in a stern voice.

"I bet he's some middle-aged prune." Stella snickered and I snorted.

"Is there something funny about getting detention?" Principal Galante stared right at me, her hands on her hips.

"No." I said in my most serious tone.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves." She looked directly at me and Stella when she said that.

"I blame Stella." Jesse said automatically.

"It wasn't my fault." She whipped around, anger in her eyes.

"You're the one who started the whole thing."

"You're the one who body slammed Roan for no reason. It's your own damn fault." She spat at him and it was obvious they still hated each other.

"I was trying to break up the fight." He said in exasperation but she turned back around.

"Sure looked like it." I began to recall what happened two days ago.

"Is it true you were the one who told the principal what we did to Laurel?" Nicole crossed her arms, all business-like.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

"What the actual fuck, John." Stella hissed but he just shrugged his shoulders. When Stella and I got caught, we heard rumors that John told the principal what we did. I couldn't believe he'd snitched on us, I thought he was cool.

"What the actual fuck to you, too! Who puts peanut butter in the locker of someone allergic to peanut butter?" John demanded. "What is wrong with you?"

"You're lucky I don't resort to violence," Stella crossed her arms and I stepped forward, "But Lia does."

I slapped John across the face, my palm hitting his cheekbone. That'll teach him to stay out of our business.

It was meant to be a harmless slap, nothing more, but of course John had to fight back. His eyes were wild with anger as he pushed me back against the cold lockers. I'd never seen him so angry before, he was always so calm.

"Stay away from her." It was Roan. He came rushing in, getting in John's face, which was kind of funny because John was a skinny stick and Roan was very muscular.

That's when Jesse came running in. He wrestled Roan to the ground as everyone in the hall stopped and chanted "fight, fight, fight!"

Someone knocked on the door and the principal walked over to get it.

"That must be him now."

But it wasn't some middle-aged prune, it was Mr. Hudson.

"Hello," He greeted everyone and then paused when he saw Stella next to me. She sank down in her seat, covering her face with her hands.

"I'll leave you to it," The principal walked out and shut the door.

Mr. Hudson didn't say anything at first. He sat down at the desk at the front of the room and looked at us.

"Who was the one who did it? The peanut butter incident?" His question was met with silence, "Whoever did it. . . I just want to know why."

"It was me." Stella spoke up. I started to speak but she talk over me, "It was all me."

"Stella?" He asked in disbelief and she continued.

"I did it." She repeated and I wondered why she was lying to him.

"But-"

She interrupted me, "I did it because I thought I could get away with it." She's lying for me. Why would she do that?

"Well, obviously, you didn't." Jesse muttered under his breath and I gave him my best glare.

Everyone here hated each other. Nicole and John hated each other, Stella hated Jesse and Mr. Hudson, Stella, Nicole and I hated John, and Roan hated everyone here.

I was hoping this detention would force us to forgive each other, like The Breakfast Club.

But of course, movies never reflected real life.

"Why do you always have to be a goody-two-shoes? Why did you have to say something?" Nicole argued with John.

"Just to get back at you. Besides, it was your so-called friend's fault you're here in the first place."

It was nothing new, they'd always hated each other. But before they could at least speak civilly, now it looked like they'd kill each other when they got out of here.

The same was true for Stella and Jesse. Stella was thinking abou getting together with him but now they're arguing, too. And she still doesn't know about him and Taylor.

"Why do you always blame everything on me?" Stella demanded, twisting around to yell at him better.

"I don't always. I just want to know why you'd do that to Laurel. I mean, she's the nicest girl in our school. And easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean."

Stella looked like she wanted to pull her hair out. She abruptly stood up and pointed to the door.

"Mr. Hudson, I need to go to the bathroom." She was already walking out, not caring what he said.

"I'll walk you out. . . so you don't try anything funny."

"Fine." Both of them exited the room shortly. I used my super sensitive hearing to listen in on their conversation.

"What are you doing here?" She asked quietly, her heartbeat fast.

"She's my aunt, I couldn't say no."

"And it just happened to be the detention I'm in, huh?" I heard Stella's voice soften and I wondered why she wasn't giving him the silent treatment. I thought they'd broken up already.

"Look, I need to tell you something important-"

"Lia." Someone poked me in the back and I glared at Roan.

"What?"

"Can you hear them?"

"Yeah, can't you?" After all, he was a werewolf.

"Yeah."

"Look, I just want to know what she has against Laurel." Jesse's voice caught my attention and I leaned back over to be in their conversation.

"You'll never know," Nicole retorted and went back to arguing with John, "And by the way, it's not my fault you lost the election. And it's also not my fault the school made a stupid rule that the loser got to be vp."

"Please, we all know you cheated." John accused.

"Oh? And how did I manage that?" Nicole challenged and I wished they'd stop. They'd been arguing for so long, wasn't it exhausting? I was exhausted from listening to them.

"I feel like we're being punished for something." Roan mumbled behind me and I turned around.

"I feel like we're in the middle of couple's counseling."

"It doesn't seem to be working."

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from bursting into laughter, "Thanks, by the way,"

"For what?"

"For defending my honor." I could've taken care of myself but it was uncharacteristic of him to do that.

"I still can't believe you did that to Laurel. Who knew you'd go to such lengths." He didn't sound impressed or repulsed, but indifferent.

"It was Stella's idea. But I secretly wanted to do it, too," I shrugged.

When Stella and Mr. Hudson got back, he slammed the door, startling everyone and shutting them up.

"No talking. This is detention, for God's sake." He seemed like he was in a worse mood than before.

No one said anything, only casted hateful glares at each other.

.•*•.

As soon as detention ended, I drove to the hospital, wanting to apologize to Laurel.

I was just about to walk in until I saw someone sitting beside her bed. I cracked the door open and saw that it was Asher.

He was holding her hand, stroking her hand. Even with red, blotchy skin and hives, he still stayed with her. He still stayed.

I sucked in a breath and retreated back, walking quickly to the exit.

"Lia!" That damn voice called my name down the hallway.

I skidded to a stop and swore.

Finally, after seconds of my back turned to him, I turned around.

"I thought I heard someone." Asher walked over to me but left a few feet between us.

It was the first time we were all alone.

"Lia, were you-"

"Is she your mate?" I blurted before I knew what I was saying. But I needed to know, it was killing me.

"Lia?" His eyebrows furrowed.

"Just answer the question."

"Yes."

His heart skipped a beat.

"Don't lie." The venom in my voice made his fists clench.

"I wasn't."

"You were, I could hear you heart skip."

"You could hear my heart skip?" Asher demanded and I swore in my head again.

"No. Not at all." I wanted to take my words back, every word I'd ever said to him.

"Are you a werewolf?" He studied me in disbelief.

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Because I'm your friend."

Friend. He was my friend, always has been, always will be.

"Then as a friend, you'll stay out of my business."