"What happened here Hazel?" I shook her shoulder from where she was lying on the ground.

"Let go of me Griffin," She shook me off and stood up.

"Whoa," I took a step back, "Sorry for trying to help Gonzales."

"I don't need your petty help," she snarled.

"Sheesh," I threw my hands up in the air, "I'll just leave you here to die," One thing you learn when hanging out with Hazel Gonzales is that life is harder in the in crowd. It's either be the hunted or the hunter, and most people are the hunted.

"James," Hazel turned her eyes on my boyfriend, "Go find the newbie and Bane for me."

"Yes your majesty," James muttered. Hazel growled, low and throaty, a warning.

"Leave him out of this Gonzo," it was Hazel's awesome older brother Will this time.

"Oh," Hazel turned to face him, "You're dating the freak who hit me, why don't you go find her?" She asked.

"Don't feel like it," he shrugged, "She didn't hit you anyways. You tripped over air and fell over when YOU attempted to hit her and she wasn't there." With that he started to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Hazel demanded.

"To hang out with the 'freak' who 'hit' you," he called over his shoulder, "And this newbie seems pretty sweet so I'll hang out with her too."

"Your brother's got courage to stand up to you like that," James stated.

"Both of you," Hazel snarled, "Leave me ALONE and go make-out or something." James nodded, grabbed my hand, and started walking off, only I didn't move.

"Why did you say she hit you?" I asked.

"None of your business Griffin," Hazel dusted herself off.

"Well I just made it my business," I commented, "You were trying to get her to hit you. You know what happens when she uses…."

"Her calm hides a storm," Hazel waved a hand dismissivly, "Yada yada I get it. Don't piss off the freak."

"At least the newbie was right about one thing," I said, "You let your past define you, and I've dealt with that long enough. So I'll let you go back to secretly making out with James and running the social calendar of the school and I'll go introduce myself to the newbie and make amends with Kora. At least she seems nicer then you."

"You don't know the mistake you're making," Hazel glared at me.

"I'm correcting a mistake," I commented, "Not making one."

"And what would that be?" James asked.

"Becoming 'friends' with you," I motioned to Hazel, "And dating you." I motioned to James. I turned around and sprinted to catch up to Will, he would know where Kora and the newbie were.

"She's dead," I heard Hazel whisper that to James. I was okay with that, her threats didn't apply to me anymore.

"Will," I called, he turned in shock, "Wait up."

"What do you want with me Griffin?" he asked.

"To apologize to Kora," I said.

"Why?" he asked again.

"Because I was a jerk," I stated, "And that was mostly because I hung out with Hazel, but the new kid. She made me see that Hazel's past does define her. Hazel is a manipulative brat and she's turned me into that too."

"Glad you've caught on finally," Will grinned, "I thought she had a tight grip on your mind."

"So that's her gift," I mused.

"Manipulation?" Will commented, "That's her gift."

"We know newbie has sight," I said, "Kora has thunder, and I have strength."

"Cratus, Theia, Anemi, and Apate," Will whispered, "The four unlikely friends."

"Who's Cratus?" I asked.

"You're Cratus," he stated, "Kora's Anemi, Hazel's Apate, and newbie's Theia."

"Sight, storm, strength, and manipulation," I muttered, "Four curses."

"Not curses," Will said, "Gifts. Four gifts."