AN: Please remember this fic is rated T.


Crescent Moon Darnel thanked the girl handing her the pineapple smoothie and joined her friends already sitting at their usual table. She slipped into the empty seat next to her boyfriend, Aimery Park, and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I've been class president every year since we were freshmen and by the stars, if I am not student body president this year …" Levana's voice shook.

"You'll be president. Who wouldn't want to vote for you? You're the most popular girl in school!" Sybil assured her, hand patting Levana's shoulder supportively.

Levana brushed Sybil's hand away, running her own fingers along her shiny auburn waves, making sure every curl was in place.

"I heard Kai Prince was thinking about running for student body president," Aimery said, almost sounding bored.

Levana bristled.

Cress flinched.

She hated when Aimery purposefully pushed Levana's buttons. He was never the one who had to deal with Levana when she got into one of her moods. It was always Sybil and Cress who had to comfort her, take her shopping, or to the spa, or watch as she threw her belongings across her room and yelled.

Aimery could feel Cress tense up. He squeezed the arm around her waist and smiled one of his world-famous smiles. "Of course, he's never beaten you before so why would this year be any different?"

Satisfied, Levana took a sip of her green juice and made a face. Cress bit her lip to keep from snorting. Every day after school they would meet at the Juicy Fruit and every day Levana, Sybil, and Aimery would order a green juice and then proceed to take three sips before throwing the rest away. She always wondered why they just didn't have salad for dinner.

Levana stood up, brushing nonexistent dust off her Givenchy Antigona bag. "We need to start brainstorming campaign ideas. Crescent, I'm thinking you can make me an app or something. Maybe it sends users inspirational quotes of mine and reminds them of how wonderful I am."

"Actually, I can't today," Cress said, standing up. Aimery stood up with her, his arm still around her waist. "There's this event at the hospital and I told my dad I'd be his date. But the app sounds great! I can start working on it this weekend," she added quickly, before Levana's ears could begin to smoke.

Levana's scowl turned into a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course. The doctor is doing such great work."

Aimery pulled Cress closer, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "Can I come see you tonight?" he whispered before kissing her just below the ear.

Cress blushed. "Not tonight."

Aimery pouted before biting his bottom lip as he looked at her intensely. Cress felt weak in the knees. He smiled, flashing his perfect white teeth, and lowered his head to kiss her hand.

"Call me, then."

Cress nodded.

Levana rolled her eyes, already halfway to the door with Sybil trailing behind. Aimery chuckled and jogged after them, leaving Cress to collect herself before heading home.


Cress couldn't help but smile as she watched her father shake hands with countless people who wanted to congratulate him. Dr. Sage Darnel had just received an award for the research he was working on to find a cure for an extremely rare but deadly blood disease, letumosis. He was the top scientist in his field and while he had yet to find the cure, his research resulted in cures and treatments for many other diseases.

Cress sipped slowly on a flute of champagne. Her father had pressed it into her hand, disguising it with a splash of punch. She hesitantly took it from him, but was glad that he had the forethought. She was always so nervous talking to people she didn't know.

A hand patted her on the shoulder and she spun around in her lilac gown. Smiling at her was Rikan Prince, the owner of the top hospital and research facility in the city, and her father's boss.

"We're so proud of your father, Crescent," Mr. Prince said, beaming.

"Thank you, Mr. Prince. And thank you for hosting this event in his honor," Cress replied, returning his warm smile.

"Of course, dear. He deserves it with all of the amazing work he's doing."

At that moment, Mrs. Prince slipped in beside her husband, looping an arm around his elbow. Cress couldn't help but smile.

"Crescent, you look absolutely beautiful," she cooed.

"Thank you, Mrs. Prince. You look lovely."

"We haven't seen you around much. Do you have any classes with Kai this semester?"

Cress blushed. "No, Mrs. Prince. I'm afraid not."

"That's a shame. We miss seeing you around." She took Cress's hand. "You're always welcome to come visit Kai. We know how close you two are."

Cress forced a smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Prince, but I suspect Kai will be busy with Carswell now that he's back."

Mrs. Prince's smile didn't reach her eyes, but she squeezed Cress's hand softly. "Of course."

"Thank you again for hosting this event for my papa."

This time, her smile did reach her eyes. "It is our pleasure, Crescent."

Mr. Prince gave Cress a small bow and she watched as they made their way around the room, mingling with much more important people. She fiddled with the end of her braid as she thought about the way Mrs. Prince's face tightened when Cress had brought up Carswell Thorne. Was he really that bad? How could he be if he was friends with Kai? Kai, who was smart and nice and who had been her friend when no one else was. She had even had a small crush on him back then.

She bit her lip. Kai also stopped talking to her when she started dating Aimery in the spring of their junior year. Thinking back on it, she wondered if maybe he was only nice to her because he was lonely. After all, he only started talking to her after his best friend was expelled and shipped off to who knows where.

The thought of Kai and Carswell Thorne made her heart ache. Maybe the rumors were true and Thorne really was a liar and a scoundrel. At the very least he was the type of person who couldn't even be bothered to bring a pen and paper to class. But if he really was that bad and Kai could remain loyal to someone like Thorne but drop Cress so easily, had Kai ever really been her friend to begin with?

Cress finished off the rest of her champagne in a single gulp and looked for her father, hoping he would be okay if she left the party early.


Cress slipped out of her gown, sighing with contentment. As much as she loved dressing up and feeling like a princess or famous movie star or renown opera singer, she also loved being just Cress curled up in her pajamas.

She could still feel the effects of the champagne on her cheeks as she twirled around the room, her hair whipping around behind her. She hummed to herself as she pulled on her favorite pair of pajamas and turned the sheets down. Remembering to call Aimery, she picked up her phone and dialed his number. No one picked up. She checked the time and seeing that it was just past 10:00 pm, she texted him. Maybe he was busy.

Cress was just about to turn off her light when she heard a clicking at her window. She made her way tentatively towards it and peered down from her second story bay window to see Aimery standing on the street, throwing tiny pebbles up. She opened her window and leaned out.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," he called out to her.

Cress couldn't help but giggle. "What are you doing down there?"

"I'm here to see my beautiful Rapunzel," Aimery called out to her. "Let me come in."

Cress bit her lip, thinking she really should turn him away, but he just looked so handsome in that green sweater that she loved and he was standing outside her window. When he pulled out a single yellow rose from behind his back, she completely melted.

Cress closed her window and practically ran downstairs. When she opened the front door, Aimery was already leaning against the door frame, rose pressed up to his nose, smiling devilishly. She crossed her arms in front of him and feigned indignance.

"I said you couldn't come over tonight."

"I know, but I was thinking about you all evening and was dying to see you. I bet you looked beautiful in that dress, but I think I might prefer this outfit." He smiled slyly, eyeing the pale yellow pajamas with the tiny white polka dots. His eyes lingered on the delicate lace trim.

Cress blushed but pulled him inside. Aimery hooked a hand under Cress's chin and brought her lips up to meet his, kissing her tenderly before letting go. Cress couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"Come on. Show me that dress of yours." Aimery said, already walking up the stairs to her bedroom.

Cress followed, entering her room to find Aimery already stretched out on her bed, leaning against the headboard as relaxed as can be. He laughed when he saw her face.

"Oh come on. Show me the dress."

Cress went into her closet and pulled out the lilac dress with its silk and organza skirt swishing about as she walked. Aimery leaned forward and let out a whistle.

"Wow, Cress. You must have been the most beautiful girl in the room."

Cress blushed.

"Try it on for me?" Aimery asked, an eyebrow raised. Before Cress could scold him, he laughed light-heartedly. "I'm only kidding. Come here."

Cress lay the dress on her velvet divan and came to sit down next to Aimery in her bed. "You're such a comedian." She deadpanned.

Aimery laughed again and wrapped his arm around her. His voice was gentle now. "I was only teasing." His voice was practically a whisper and Cress could feel his words on her neck as much as she could hear it in her ears.

She let him kiss her and his lips began to trail down her neck. Her body shivered in delight. Aimery pulled her down lower onto the bed and hovered over her. She felt the rose on her skin, its velvet petals brushing against her lips, then down her neck, along her collarbone and down her arms and soon it wasn't the rose petals she was feeling but Aimery's fingertips and then his mouth.

Cress could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and she didn't think it was the champagne anymore. She sighed as she felt the tenderness of his touch on her skin and placed one of her hands on his arm, the other on his hip. Cress let Aimery's tongue slide into her mouth and she felt the tip of it run along hers. Her body tingled all over.

Their kisses deepened and when she felt Aimery's leg between her own, her breath hitched.

"Aimery, I—"

His mouth overtook Cress's and her words were lost. Her head began to swim, all thoughts floating away except for the desire to feel Aimery's mouth on hers, his skin on her skin. She could feel his hand on her leg now, slowly sliding upwards. Her whole body felt weak.

Aimery's fingertips fiddled with the pearlescent buttons of her top and Cress could feel the warmth of his breath on her stomach as he began to kiss her bare midriff. Her skin grew hot under his touch. He nudged the waistband of her shorts down a fraction with his chin and placed kisses against her hip.

"Aimery …" She sighed, not sure if she was pleading for him to continue or asking him to stop.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel," he said between kisses and Cress could practically feel his words melting into her skin.

Aimery's hands were on both of her hips now and his thumbs began to nudge the material of her shorts down. Desire suddenly gave way to panic and she froze. She reached down to place her hands on his, stopping him from going any further.

"Aimery, I can't," she said breathless.

Disappointment flashed in Aimery's eyes, but he recovered just as quickly. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and took her hand to pull her up. He ran his thumb across her knuckles.

"I'm sorry that got out of hand. Forgive me?"

Cress nodded, but couldn't bring herself to look at him. Was it shame she felt?

Still holding her hand, Aimery brought it up to his lips and gave her knuckles a gentle kiss. "I'm sorry, Cress. Come on, I'll leave."

Cress finally looked up at him to see he was holding out the rose. She gave him a small smile as she took it and let him pull her out of the bed. She walked him to the door and said goodnight before he leaned down and gave her a peck on the forehead. Aimery gave her a wave goodbye before turning to make his way down the street. She watched as he disappeared down the block and closed the door.


AN: #sorrynotsorry. Thanks again to lettered for being an amazing beta as always, and thanks for reading. Reviews and likes are always appreciated.