After asking me two more times if I was okay, Lucy finally left the topic alone before going to class. I didn't rush, and honestly, I didn't care if I was tardy. I needed a minute to process.

My migraine was still having a heyday as I walked in a daze to my locker. Students whizzed passed, which told me the tardy bell was about to ring.

Tiffany, from my hate club, purposely clipped me with her elbow as she whisked by. "Griffin's mine, you stupid slut."

An odd sense of relief ran over me. Hearing her say that was strangely comforting. It kept me grounded and made me happy to know that not everything had changed.

My hate club still hated me. Good. I was still in a normal world with normal people.

Once I made it to my locker, the halls were nearly empty. It took me a few tries, and some focused concentration until I finally got my locker open.

A minty aroma whooshed past me, bringing me a solid dose of clarity. Tyler's hoodie still hung inside my locker.

This world was totally fucked up in ways I'd never realized, but I wasn't stupid and I needed to face the facts. Griffin scared the crap out of me during lunch. And don't even get me started on Justin and Tyler. They had some crazy superpowers.

Did Lucas have superpowers too? Did I? What was with my invisible flames that slapped Griffin across the face?

I was beginning to believe that my therapist was full of shit. I wasn't an oversensitive Empath or anything that a so-called professional could diagnose. I was a total freak.

Whatever I was experiencing was not normal, and I had to assume Tyler had been trying to talk to me about it, but I'd been a complete douche nozzle to him. Still, Tyler deserved my anger. He wasn't exactly the winning specimen of trust.

Honestly, I was just scared shitless, I'd always lived in my little box of life and followed the rules no matter what.

Do everything your parents say. Go to classes. Be on time. Train constantly. Take your pill. Call your boyfriend.

And damn, I was just sick of my fucked up existence.

Clearly, there were forces at work that I could no longer ignore. I'd been in similar situations to Griffin's in the past, but it had never resulted in flames before. In the past, darkness had enveloped me, and I'd even heard people's thoughts, but this thing with Griffin... was something new. Something terrifying.

One thing was true. My pills weren't working, and it was time to stop taking them.

"You good?"

I didn't look because I knew that voice.

"Look, I don't know what's going on, but unless you guys plan on filling me in, I don't want to talk." I slammed my locker, revealing Justin. Flutters filled my belly.

Justin leaned on one shoulder against the lockers with his legs crossed. His tantalizing eyes grazed over me as he studied me closely. Holy shit. He was so fucking hot.

Damn it. This wasn't the time.

I glanced over to see Tyler and Lucas calculating my next move. "Tyler, did you want to talk to me about something? I'm ready to listen as long as it's about what just happened."

"We can't talk about it here," Justin glanced around the hall like people were listening, but the hall was a ghost town.

"I'm sick to death of these games. Next time you guys think I need your help, just look the other way. I can take care of myself." I stalked away.

"Wear it." Tyler whisper-shouted as something soft hit me in the back of the head.

Aggravated, I spun to find a hoodie clumped on the floor. As I stooped to grab it, I glanced up to see Justin in only a tight black tee shirt and jeans. His thick muscular arms, tight pecks, and well-formed six-pack abs were on display and I was... yeah... not supposed to be looking, but I couldn't help it.

This was Justin's hoodie.

At that realization, my stomach clenched in anticipation. He wanted me to wear his hoodie, and I wanted to. Since that wasn't an option, I could just smell it, couldn't I?

No! What the hell was wrong with me? I had a boyfriend and Justin had a girlfriend, didn't he?

Confusion took over as the contradicting thoughts and desires battled within.

Justin slowly approached me as his golden gaze smoldered. "Please?"

Stuffing the fabric into Justin's chest, I shook my head. "No."

Justin's gaze fell in defeat as he took the sweatshirt, and my heart tumbled with his.

"Why?" Tyler's tone was full of anger.

"Well, hm... let me see here." I tapped my lips a little too hard to make my point. "I guess the biggest reason is that I'm taken and the other reason is that Justin has a girlfriend. You should really let her wear it, Justin."

"What?" Justin's eyebrows shot up as his eyes darted between mine. "I don't have a girlfriend and I've never had a girlfriend."

"Jessica's not your girlfriend?" I searched Justin's shocked expression as even more confusion swept through me.

"No." Justin squinted, shaking his head. "What made you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know. The way she follows and touches you, and the way you let her hang all over you." My tone was full of irritation as I remembered Jessica hanging all over Justin the day before. "I bet when you're alone, the two of you are all over each other like Tyler with all his girls, right?"

Justin's lip curled in disgust. "No. I don't do that shit. She's into me, but that's over now. I put a stop to that shit. I promise I won't let her hang on me anymore. No one will ever touch me again. No one except you, Ember."

Butterflies took flight in my heart as goosebumps prickled at my skin. Why did he sound like he was apologizing?

Wrinkling my forehead, I shook my head. "You don't owe me anything. I don't care what you do. I have Josh. You do remember I have a boyfriend, right?"

Justin's jaw tightened as his eyes dimmed to a cold desert brown, making me shift uneasily.

"How can we forget? You remind us constantly, and you made me talk to him last night." Tyler scoffed. "I don't even know why you're pretending with him. You know he's not right for you."

"He's good to me and I care about him." I whisper-shouted in Josh's defense. "Why are you doing this? You don't even know him. He's a good guy."

"I broke it off with Missy this morning," Lucas said out of nowhere as he inched toward me.

What the hell? Missy and Lucas weren't together anymore?

"Okay. Good for you, but why does it matter?" And why was he bringing this up? Lucas and I needed to have this conversation in private. I told him it would never work and now he was forcing the subject in front of his friends.

Lucas pushed Justin to the side as his soft green gaze roamed my face. "We talked about this. You already know why."

"Do I? We barely know eachother." I glanced at Justin, but he didn't look upset that Lucas had pushed him out of the way.

In fact, Justin appeared to be rooting Lucas on. Why? I thought Justin wanted to be with me. Color me confused as fuck.

Tyler stepped in between Lucas and Justin, front and center. "Lucas cares about you, and he's making a solid effort. Does it matter that we just met you?"

"Uh... yeah, it does. I've got a boyfriend and if I didn't, I couldn't be with him anyway. He is... or was, Missy's boyfriend. It's like code or some shit." I crossed my arms, utterly confused at why I had to explain simple facts. I faced Lucas as I grimaced. "I didn't say this earlier because I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but I can't do my cousin's ex. I can't stand her and any guy that was with her makes me wanna gag. I don't know why you were with her, but you're one of the best guys I've ever met, and I'm glad you broke up with her because you deserve better. You should go for someone else because I can't be with you."

"But..." Lucas looked physically ill when I laid out the truth for him. "I know I fucked up, and I don't know why I put up with Missy's bullshit. I just... I didn't know you existed. You have to understand, I was miserable as fuck and I was just biding my time."

"We all were," Tyler mumbled as his brow pinched. "And why can't you be with Justin?"

"Theoretically... if I didn't have a boyfriend, it would be because..." I searched for a reason, but couldn't find one as I regretfully examined Justin's frown. "Just because, okay?"

Justin nodded sadly as he worked his bottom lip before he slipped his hoodie over his head. I watched as the perfect V below his abdomen became entirely visible. I glanced away, wanting to slap myself for hurting him.

"What about me? I've never done girlfriends because I was waiting for you. Is there any way you can be with me?" Tyler searched my face.

When I thought about being with Tyler, I could only envision him making out with every girl in school and that's if he stopped at kissing. If I was honest with myself, Tyler had slept with most of the girls in school, when I hadn't even slept with one guy.

Scrunching my nose, I shook my head, repulsed. "There's no way in hell. You use girls for fun. You disgust me."

Tyler's sky-blue eyes flared with irritation. "Why don't you want us? We all want you and need you. You have to understand that we had no idea you were real."

My eyes widened. What was happening, and what exactly was he talking about? They all wanted me and needed me? I took them in as they hung on my every move. Why were they expecting me to pick one? What the hell was going on here?

"Okay, I get it. Is this another bet? Did Missy put you guys up to this? Come on. You can tell me. How much is she paying you?" I chuckled nervously.

Tyler lifted his hand, smoothing his knuckles down my cheek. An overwhelming sensation to go to him washed over me, but I held my breath and forced back my desire.

"You feel our connection, don't you? We all feel it too. From what we know, this is just the beginning. You found us before we found you. You want us just as much as we want you, Shortie. Stop fucking playing." Tyler's voice shot through my veins like fireworks.

"She feels it." Justin's tone was matter of fact as he eyed me knowingly. His lips tugged up, revealing his dimples. "She's just scared."

They weren't lying. I wanted them, and not just one. All of them.

What the hell was going on with me? There was no way I could have three guys all at once. Why was I even thinking about this? Josh was a good boyfriend, and he'd done nothing to deserve my betrayal.

I huffed and spun, stalking away. "I have class."

"Government. We know. Lucas has that class with you." Tyler easily kept up with my fast pace. "I'm in physics with you next and we're all in study hall together later. And if you're wondering about Calculus in the morning, that's Lucas."

My mouth fell open. "What the fuck? How do you guys know my entire schedule? And why are you guys in all my classes?"

"We have our ways, Gorgeous," Lucas whispered.

"And we're not leaving you alone in the cold anymore, Angel." Justin's voice was soft. "Never again."

"You guys are insane." Furrowing my brow, I spun, walking backward. "Do I need to call the cops? Are you guys stalking me? Because if you are, that's just wrong on so many levels."

"Is it? If you knew what we knew, you'd understand." Tyler smirked as he shifted his hat to face forward.

"It would be nice to get some facts, but I guess that's not gonna happen." I shrugged. "If you won't tell me what happened during lunch, then please, just leave me alone. I mean it when I say I'm committed to Josh. You guys should go back to your girlfriends, or makeout buddies, or whatever. I don't need this bullshit in my life. I already have enough to deal with as it is."

Spotting my next class, I walked through the door, putting an end to whatever madness was taking place.

💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙