"Come on, Daddy! Come on!" A child yelled in the wintry air, voice echoing. The morning sky streaked ashen and copper. Clusters of snow fell from the heavens in floods, clinging to the little girl's wisps as she skips through the powdery white. "The snow isn't gonna last and I don't wanna it to melt!"

Her father chuckled heartily and nodded. His loafers sinking through the snow with each passing step. "Yes, I know, dear heart." he assured and brushed extra snowflakes off his coat sleeves while keeping a close eye on the girl. "Just be careful now. We must wait for your mother and brother. We can't go to the show without them."

She rolled her eyes and kicked the clean white snowfall. "Yeah, yeah …" She stares at the frozen pond and whitened grass. "Daddy, can I go over there?"

The child's father looked to the directed area. "Sure, just not too far," he cautioned as she nodded before sprinting toward the coated water. "I'm serious, Bryn!"

Bryn twisted back around, snowy bits melting in her hair. "I knooow!"

A tug on his cufflink returned him to his senses and he looked to meet wide, lake blue eyes. A small boy around his daughter's age, smiled at him before releasing his hem. "Hey, Dad. Mom wanted to apologize for taking long but she said she'll just meet you after the show."

Jackson was surprised at the child's comprehending skills but after a while, he beckoned the boy off to his daughter. "Thank you, Harp. Now, do your father a favor and get your sister."

Harper nodded and raced through the snow, tiny blue scarf willowing like swallowtails.

He watched Harper retrieve his sister and their bickering on the way back on the cycle of ice formation. He smiled and thought on about his wife.

He was a much better parent than she'd ever be.

X

"Bryn, doll," Jackson called to his daughter. This had been hours before she'd discovered his body and she clearly remembered this conversation. He sat in his office, holding a book of Catholic verses, a dirty ashtray resided by his legs. "I'd like to speak with you."

Bryn stopped, mid-step, ready to pass his office before she halts in his door. Dimples scratched his smile and a dent lingered on his brow. She entered and leaned on the wall, eyes wide in confusion and lips parted. He didn't usually call one of them into his study alone. "Want me to get Harper?"

He shook his head and shifted in his seat. "No, just shut my door. I need to talk to you alone, Kitten." Bryn noticed his emphasis on 'alone' and cautiously shut his door with an inaudible click. She suddenly wanted Harper's presence but what was the worse Dad could say?

"Okay, what'd you want to talk about, Dad? I didn't do anything bad, right?" she questioned, pursuing her lips and slicking fingers into her shag. He still couldn't get used to her haircut and pierced ears. She certainly took on the rock-persona while he's been gone.

"Never." he advised, causing half a relieved smile to spread about her face. "Even though the conversation we're about to engage is important nonetheless."

"Well, alright."

He was glad she wouldn't push him to rush this discussion. She wasn't like that especially around him unless forced to spend a day with her mother than her attitude would worsen.

"Good, darlin'." Jackson said, a familiar glint in his eyes as he closed his book. "I know you realize at your age that I'm quite old and as much as I despise saying I may not be around any longer." He stopped speaking when he noticed the terror build in her eyes. "Don't fret, I'm speaking hypothetically."

To his surprise she didn't reply, only beckoned for a continuation with weakening horror. He ducked to cough into his palm, muffling the sound as he met his daughter's eyes once more. A wave of concern drowned her when she noticed the smudged red on his fingertips. "A-Anyways, I wanted to say no matter what happens, I never want you nor Harper to blame yourselves."

Bryn laughed humorlessly. "Why are you even bringing this up?"

"Because I love you both more than words." he concluded as if that's the answer to everything. "Mind that, I admire you much more than any else and even if something terrible occurs there will always be someone for you both. Someone that will stay by your side and show such heart that you may even be able to fall in love with one of the fools of this twisted world."

Tears pooled in Bryn's irises as she sunk her lower lip between her teeth, nodding as she tried to halt the oncoming saltiness of tears. "I think Harper already found his."

"I'm proud for him," he acknowledged. "Just remember either way I'll always love you both."

Either way I'll always love you both ...

I'll always love you both ...

Love …

X

Glittered eyelids flicker, crimson lips curve up in a smirk, and thin eyebrows arch on a pale forehead. A rustle of a short skirt hikes to expose stocking-clad thighs when the girl kneels beside her guitar case. She keeps it upright to observe magazine clippings on her bedspread. Brushes off the ripped knees and looks towards her curtains.

The turquoise curtains shiver and hide traces of sunrays. Her brows lower and she separates the curtains, squinting when the sun blinds her momentarily before it stains the carpet. Her smirk fades when she observing the pictures she ripped out of Rolling Stone: Gene Simmons, Billy Idol, Perry Farrell.

Famous men, great singers, iconic legends. Truly amazing how talented some can be.

She touches a cutout of Billy, gripping a microphone, gaping. It was one of his concert shots.

Would she ever be that wonderful? Singing as extravagant? They all seem to have their lives complete with their songs and hits and signatures. Billy's platinum hair, Joan's bad reputation, KISS's painted faces. Even her own friends have their own. What does she have? Nothing important.

She swings her leather bag over a shoulder and exits her room after a failed search for a clean leather jacket. She'd rather get a fever before she wears one of the coats her mother brought. Winter-exclusive trench coats with belts don't work well with shaggy hair and studs.

She blinks in confusion, halting in front of her door before looking over her brother's room. His bed prepared and muddles of clothing and lacrosse equipment scattered everywhere.

He already left for a school. What a surprise.

Her heart skips and she checks her studded watch, noticing the time irritably. She'd usually get to school by seven and it was already eight-twenty. The doors usually closed by eight-fifty but she had time to smoke a blunt or two.

She descends the stairs and snatches her keys. For a moment, she considers grabbing one of her brother's jackets but decided against it before leaving her mansion. Morning light pours through the dim-lit room.

Her damn brother had taken the family car. She could only wonder what he was doing but walking wouldn't do much to exhaust her. Especially since she won't need a cab since the school was in distance.

Gusts of cutting wind sent her fingernails into her palms. It made her almost wish for one of those stupid coats she never touched.

She sighs in the frozen air and took a trembling step down the cobblestones. Before another and another and another ...

She felt normal again.

Life was becoming normal, too.

And as she completes the crooked path, rounding the corner to head off, she crashes into someone – staggering back and swearing. She was ready to apologize before she notices who it was.

She meets familiar eyes and smiles, a real smile. And receives one in the next second.

Then Bryn says to Javier. "Good to see you again, Javi."

X

"We really need to quit skipping school." Steven told Matt Stradlin as he spun an unlit cigarette in his fingers. Matt stares Steven down before clicking on his lighter to ignite it and only watch it crisp. "We're not gonna graduate and I don't wanna stay stuck in damn St. Jude's forever."

They sit outside Steven's ratty apartment building. The persistent stink of stale cigarettes and teenage-revolution in the air. They both wore their uniforms, pristine shirts crumpled and stained blazers. Steven has still been against lighting since his previous encounter with Bryn. Matt has been working on retaining him to his normal self.

Just like how Vena had gotten the stone-solid guitarist to loosen up last weekend after she followed him to their band's concert.

But each day Steven's desire for hard drugs and booze weakens but not enough because the wanting of white smoke couldn't leave him. He even begun distracting himself with subtle things like chewing on strands of wheat he plucks from a half-dead plant his mother had given him months back.

"Steven," Matt calls in a monotone. Steven cranes his neck back as he turns to look at Matt, sitting a few steps above him. "you haven't said anything about this in a while but you still have that crush on Bryn?"

He smiles and shakes his head. "I never liked Bryn at least not like that. She's just her, you know."

"You know you're pretty convincing but I don't believe you."

Anger sparks and fizzes in his eyes. "What? I honestly don't like her!"

"You forget this –" Matt ignores the outburst. He's well-used to their friends threats and screams. "But you were actually very drunk so I doubt you even knew what happened." Steven cocks an inquiring brow but stays quiet. "It was right after our recent show and you went on about Bryn's intro to Lila Thorn. You were over my house because you lost your keys and said – 'I had never wanted to do Bryn so, so bad.'"

Adler grits his teeth and caresses the healing bruise over his eye. He could only imagine how that ended.

"What'd you do?"

Matt laughs and leans back on the banister. "I punched you in the chest pretty hard because you nearly choked to death on a cigarette."

He shut his eyes and even though he didn't remember saying that. He does remember the multicolored bruise on his stomach the next morning. He takes in deep breaths. "You told me I fell off your couch."

"Gotta lie somehow but you have to admit it is pretty believable."

He nods. They were best friends for a reason.

"Oh, Maaaaaaatt!"

They turn to see Vena coming toward them. Who would've thought another girl other than Bryn would skip school? Unlike them, she wasn't wearing a uniform. Instead a pale blouse with an arrowhead collar and a tulle skirt, raven hair tumbled over her shoulders and down her back in a stream of inky whorls.

She was beautiful and you'd have to be blind to not say so.

Vena beelines for them until she's in their faces, inwardly grimacing at how repulsive and disgusting the building they were outside of. Why was she even trying to seduce this loser again? He was so poor and low-class but if it meant making Tinsley suffer, she was all for it.

Steven blinks. She looked awfully familiar. But who was she exactly?

"Hey, Vena," Matt greets, causing another wave of confusion to crash over the former druggie. "what's up?"

She opens her mouth to speak but Steven beats her to it. "Vena," he parrots. "Have we met?"

"Christ, Steven."

Vena shakes her head. "Um, not that I know of." she lies, voice rising to a high octave. "Well, anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you."

He rolls his eyes. She's wasn't a good liar. "Back at 'cha."

Matt narrows his eyes and glares at his friend before meeting Vena's gaze. "Ignore him. Wanna go for breakfast?"

Steven gapes in shock and Vena smiles pleasingly. "Sure." she replies, ignoring the stunned face before her. "I know a great place."

"Great." Matt says and forces the cigarette into Steven's hand. "Here, smoke. It'll make you feel better." He jumps to his feet and throws his blazer over his shoulder, smiling crookedly at Vena. "You ready?"

"Of course!"

They walk off and Matt leaves his friend, forgotten, swinging an arm around the slender ice queen while they begin murmuring to each other.

Shows how much people still care for him but he knew enough about Vena's lies just by seeing those fake smiles she gave. He could only wonder of the other tricks she had up her sleeve –

But she sure wouldn't get his approval.

He drops the cigarette at his feet and stomps it out, watching their forms disappear down the street before heading for his favorite music store.

Halfway through, he kicks a bottle into the gutter and hears it break with a pop.

Hopefully, he wasn't the only idiot who didn't know who Vena was.

X

Claire hurries through the St. Jude's courtyard and pushes through the boys'; looking for only one in particular that wasn't Dean. She's been spending every second with him but was searching for a Blackwell. Harper Blackwell. And it seemed much harder today. Maybe he was just in early lacrosse practice or taking care of his sister.

She wasn't finding him for her own spite or needs. She was still trying to get him to believe her when she talked about Vena. He always seemed to think she was lying, nowadays. Even though she does lie, she wouldn't lie to him but Vena probably got to him before she had the chance to.

She shoves way through jocks, heels clicking as she rounds the corner for the practice site Harper usually spent most hours at. To her surprise, he wasn't in the field, only the coach, who busied himself arranging equipment.

She scoffs and walks off, careful to not get dirt in her heels.

He was probably just hiding to anger her. Especially how sometimes he could act so very childish. They had broken up for a reason, you know.

But thinking of the stupidity of their togetherness brought nothing but gratefulness.

Is that such a bad thing?

She smoothes her collar before choosing another route Javier had once shown her. It was where many smoke weed and enact infidelity behind their boyfriend/girlfriends backs.

It's very surprising to say no one really gets caught back here because most are either too drugged or smart enough to not say anything. Snitches get stitches is the motto.

Before Claire could maneuver through the area, she was met with the intense stench of mixed perfumes and drugs. Not many were actually smoking today but the scene still brought her tremors.

Tinsley and Harper were kissing. Her legs hitched on his torso and his hands on her thighs. They didn't once bother separating despite all the presence around them, mouths crushed and tongues making furious travel, it almost seemed perfect. Like a twisted fairytale.

And even though she wanted to say something, she couldn't discover her voice.

She felt her heart leap into her stomach and stay there. Unmoving. She felt like an obstacle to their love and it made her chest sting and ache like someone just embedded an arrow there.

Harper's hands graze into Tinsley's hair as he held her. She laughs against him and caresses his hair.

Claire watches them awhile longer before taking her Louboutins and dignity back into reality.

X

"Javier Dominguez." Bryn purrs, forcing the remainders of her accent to make herself seem more seductive than she needs to be. She folds her arms and cocks a brow. "Who would've ever thought you'd come to see me? I find that awfully uncharacteristic of you." He kept his silence but a smirk entrances while he approaches her, grabbing her waist and holding her to him with an angel's touch.

"I was just passing by and thought I'd come see the beautiful girl I saved last night." he replies and to his amusement, he felt her breath hitch in her ribs.

"Well, um, thanks." she answers, losing the accent instantly. It was him who rescued her and if not for him, Tinsley, and Harper, she'd likely be dead. She was much better especially without Scott's painful criticism but that was history. "Aren't you supposed to be getting to school? Don't want to be late now, do we?"

His smirk doesn't go. "I guess not." he says and she glides out of his arms. "Mind if I join you?"

Brushing off his hands, she takes a cigarette from her pockets. "Sure, I don't care. Only if you don't mind walking a little."

They begin, savoring time. "If it means I get to be with you, I'd walk the rest of my life."

Bryn smiles, forcing herself not to laugh, she just manages when she looks back to her unlit cigarette. "Yeah, yeah, you seriously have to work on your comebacks if you want to get to me." Another freezing gust shook her as she leans forward on her heels. "Damn, damn, damn. I seriously should've got one of my brother's damn jackets."

And after she spoke, a blazer drapes across her shoulders and she looks up at him, confused. He stood smiling, boyish charm teetering her edge. "Don't want you to get sick now, do we? Then we'll never really get to spend this time together again."

She quiets to slide her arms into the sleeves of his blazer. She was thankful to have him but also knew he was still a shameless heartbreaker.

She wouldn't let him break her heart. He didn't deserve to come close.

But she had to learn that in the hardest way while she was stuck in some publicized scandal with her ex-lover, David Pesavento.

Well, he was doing his time.

"You know you didn't have to –" Bryn mumbles but doesn't let it go. She enjoyed its warmth and in some weird way, she noticed it smelt like him. Expensive cologne and cigarettes wafts through the fabric. "You'll get cold, too."

He brought his palm to the curve of her back, leading her along. "It doesn't really matter to me because compared to what you're wearing." His eyes direct to the shortened length of her skirt. Not that he was complaining ... "You'd be better off keeping it."

Bryn rolls her eyes and laughs. "You're always using charm on me. You know you don't have to all the time."

"I wouldn't be standing here, if I didn't."

"You probably would but I just wouldn't be paying attention." she admits as they stride the streets. He smiles, firm hand on her spine. "I would assume you'd be with Vena since Claire told me she was your love."

Javier's hand froze on her back before retreating into a pocket. It wasn't surprising Claire had revealed his very unfortunate past to Bryn since Claire knew everyone else's but regretted hers. He knew Claire's, Tinsley's, and Vena's only because he's known them for years.

Harper and Bryn were probably the only two he didn't know entirely. He only knew they were transfer students from Italy, were former outcasts, Harper once dated Claire and Bryn had her alter-ego, Lila Thorn.

When you think of that combined, it doesn't seem like much. But if you know anything about the Blackwells, you'd be treating this news with value.

He knows he can't just wave her comment off because it'd return to haunt him much later.

It's better to answer now, right?

"I admit." Javier responds after a lifelong pause. "Vena was once my love but not my only. A man never reveals his true love … or so my father says."

"Your dad sounds like a pimp."

Javier laughs. "He probably was since he is my dad."

This time Bryn is the one to laugh, shoulders quaking as she slicks fingers through her hair. He never realized how nice her laugh seemed to be.

She looks away and suddenly at his hand where it lingers at his side. It was bandaged and the gauze was slightly dirtied with red, she was about to gasp but hid it as she looks back to him.

"What happened to your hand?" she asks and feels instant remorse.

"I cut it when I jumped in after you." She scowls and lifts his bandaged knuckles, observantly. "Well, thanks, Mom, but it's fine. I went to the doctor and it's barely a gash."

"Shut up. I'm trying to be nice." she mumbles and lowers his hand after surveillance. "Gotta be careful. If I only told you how many times I cut my hand." She hits his arm and gestures for them to continue on. "Seriously, Harper's expressions were just –"

Bryn halts and stares ahead, lips parted. Javier also stops and looks at her, noticing her eyes bug and a defensive gasp come from her clenched jaw. It was strange but he shouldn't exactly be questioning.

Javier looks ahead and eventually sees her prey, Vena, striding cheerfully, mouth in a grin, one that didn't fit her face. Before anyone could stop her from approaching, she grabs hard onto Bryn's hands and rose her shoulders.

"Bryn! It's just so great to see you again!" she chimes enthusiastically, ignoring the glare Javier gave her. Bryn's face was set in stone as she glares over Vena. "We must catch up! You know maybe, like, now since you don't really seem to be doing anything!"

"I'm kind of with him." she mentions, keeping her temper in-control.

Vena only giggles again, shaking her head. "He'll be fine! I'm sure he won't mind if I take you away for a few minutes!"

Javier grits his teeth and composes himself.

Although before either could reply, Vena clamps a hand on Bryn's elbow and drags her around the corner and across the street.

He sighs to himself. As long as Vena didn't do anything to her, he'd be alright.

Count your blessings, J.

X

Once Javier was no longer in distance, Bryn found her back against redbrick and was soon met with Vena's devilish eyes, malicious and venomous, her smirk dark. Her hand immediately left Bryn as she folds her fingers behind her in a fashion that didn't suit her.

"I've finally got the dirt I wanted on you, Blackwell." she snarls and salvages her cell from the pocket of her skirt and though Bryn wanted to say she wasn't scared of Vena's accusations she knew nothing and couldn't get dirt this early in the week.

And she had much more troubles than any New Yorker around so she could only wonder what Vena managed to get on her.

"Why don't you mention what you have on me first? Makes everything a lot clearer." Bryn quips and Vena's sadistic smile broadens, holds out her phone to Bryn, where she was for once at a loss of words.

She and Javier were in the filmy image, kissing and half-naked. It looked like some sick shot out of a sex tape. It was horrid and embarrassing, the perfect image to ruin a reputation. Or in her case, worsen.

She wanted to snatch the phone but couldn't build the willpower. "Where did you get that?" she demands, throat parched.

Vena is satisfied. "I have my sources." she adds and doesn't even take time to think. "If you don't do what I say when I say it, this picture of the mourning Blackwell on top of New York's playboy isn't going to Gossip Bee but the media. I'll be glad to give it to the tabloids. They'll eat me alive for this."

Suddenly the fearless girl was fighting the urge of tears. She would never let herself be embarrassed so cruelly even if it meant following Vena. And though she hates to admit she wouldn't want the same to Javier. "I'll do whatever you want." Bryn vows solemnly, her fists shaking. "Just don't get J-Javier involved in this."

The seductress smirks. "Gladly, now come." She hooks her arm in Bryn's. "Since you are officially my maid for the time, we're going off to Constance and I'll be able to flaunt my new minion, this will surely be a day to remember."

Bryn only lets the beauty drag her. Not even deciding on any else.

And from afar, Claire watches.

Vena would surely be going down.