AN; ... Okay I know I said I was going to be evil and leave the chapter hanging but... I didn't mean to be this evil and leave it so long haha - I lost my IPad, where this is all written on... I am so sorry, I feel awful...

On the bright side... Here is the chapter and I'm going to post the next one too to apologise... Please let me know what you think!

P.S - I know we all wanted a slap but I realised that plans I had for another pairing would clash if it was written so... Maybe another time you'll see a good slap *hint hint hint*

Enjoy!

Rythian hadn't meant to see anything. He honestly hadn't. But when Echo had gone into the shed, closely followed by Hannah and Lewis who had emerged without her, he had worried. What if something had happened? He had quickly made his way further down the hedge, racing quietly before seeing her creep around the back of the shed. He had relaxed until he had seen movement behind, realising it was Alex, and had crept forward till he was almost beside them before he even realised what he was doing.

He had seen the bottles of vodka, seen Alex drinking from them in previous rounds, and had instantly been concerned for Echo, who seemingly hadn't noticed. Rythian had felt so frustrated when he heard her making her excuses, saw her look around for an escape... Realising he could do nothing.

And then... The kiss. Rythian felt as shocked as Echo looked at that moment when Alex had begun kissing her, threading a hand through her hair. Echo was looking remarkably torn, not pushing him away but not kissing him back either. Just... Letting him kiss her. Rythian didn't know why it bothered him so much that she hadn't made a choice... It evidently bothered Alex more as he broke away, looking at Echo confusedly.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" He asked, blinking slowly as Echo shook her head, resting it on her knees as she brought her arms up to her head.

"I don't know... I don't know what to decide. I... I like Hector." Echo finally said, looking up at Alex dejectedly. "I want to be able to forget what I feel but I can't Alex. So it's not fair on either of us; you kissing me or me kissing you back." Echo explained as Alex looked annoyed.

"Then why didn't you push me away?!" He demanded, hurt and confused as he reached for her.

"Don't touch me!" Echo replied angrily, pushing him away as rage flew across Alex's face as he held onto her wrist tightly.

"FOUND YOU!" Sjin crowed as he rounded the corner, faltering at the sight before him as Echo and Alex looked up at him, one face visibly upset whilst the other was in anger. Sjin hovered awkwardly. "Did... Am I missing something?" He asked as Echo pulled her wrist out of Alex's tight hold.

"Just a drunken idiot." Echo mumbled as she picked herself up shakily, walking towards the others. She tried to hold her head up high as she walked towards the others, making her way quickly to Zoey.

"Zoey, where's your bathroom?" She asked as Zoey turned to her, immediately widening her eyes as she saw the hurt on Echo's face.

"First door on the right past the kitchen..." She said in shock as Echo nodded and marched right past her, closing the door behind her as everyone turned to see Alex staggering across the garden towards them, being supported by Sjin.

"Not again mate" she heard Chris complain behind her as she quickly made her way to the bathroom, massaging her bright red wrist. As soon as she got there, she splashed water onto her face and wrist and took out her phone, running through her contact list. She needed to talk to Hector, she was fed up of everything. The lies that everyone had, the secrets she was keeping... She wanted to talk to the person who'd practically been her other half before Kim; even if he had yet to pick up the phone to any of her other calls.

She found Hector's name and dialled it, praying that he would pick up for once, that he would talk to her. She was therefore surprised when it stopped ringing and someone picked it up. Echo wasted no time in introductions.

"Hector, it's me. I know you don't want to talk to me but hear me out, okay? I'm doing alright here, I've got friends and family again but... None of them know me like you do, and I'm scared and worried and feel so alone and I really need to talk to you about it because... I'm just so confused. I miss my old life and there's nothing here to remind me of it, which in turn reminds me of it so please, please say you'll talk to me and be there for me like before and tell me what to do because I am so done with the pain and the hurt of losing someone and not being able to cry about it... Hector? You there...?"

There was a long pause as Echo struggled to retain the tears in her eyes as a long sigh came through on the phone. "Echo, this isn't Hector. You called the wrong number." Rythian's voice came out quietly as Echo held her hand over the mouthpiece and swore quietly.

"... I know you don't want to hear this, but Alex is drunk. He didn't mean to hurt you in any way. In response to people knowing you, I'd like to think I know you very well now and if not, you have a twin. That's the closest thing you can get to a constant best friend Echo; Kim will always be there for you now, no matter what. I know what it's like to miss an old life, to have reminders about it every day and not be able to say anything to anyone else... I may not be Hector, but I am here for you Echo. I promise that. And when you're ready to talk to me about it, let me know." Rythian's voice was kind, full of concern but most of all honesty; Echo had snapped the phone shut before she even knew what she was shutting out.

She could deal with Alex, make a joke, forgive him. But not with Rythian. Not after he had heard her spill out her feelings. She couldn't forgive him right now; it was a terrible reason, but she has honestly thought Hector had picked up the phone; the pain of it not being him was more painful than what she had felt with Alex.

With that in mind, she walked out of the bathroom, practising a few smiles as she bounced out into the garden, where people were crowded around Alex, who had his head on the table.

"Is he okay?" Echo asked in concern as people whirled around to her in surprise. Kim was looking furiously at him whilst people glanced between Echo and Alex, Alex obviously having told them what had happened. Alex looked up at her voice and frowned.

"I..." He began before Echo smiled at him, walking over and giving him a light hug. Alex froze as people looked shocked when Echo finished the hug and sat down beside him.

"Here's what's going to happen Alex; I'm not going to be mad, and you're not going to be upset. I still like Hector and maybe I didn't make that as clear as I should have, especially to you. I understand how you feel about me but it would be wrong for me to try and date you when I'm still trying to get over Hector... Or am still in a relationship, it's so mucked up at this point. Point is, you're not in the wrong here so lighten up and cheer up. We're at my first mushroom party and I'll be damned if I let anything ruin it!" She said firmly, Alex smiling at her properly.

"Alright." He nodded at her as Echo turned to everyone else. "Anyone else want to get anything off their chest?" She asked, looking pointedly at Lewis and Hannah, who glanced back at her in surprise, but remained silent. "Alright then... Who's up for a dance off?" She asked as Hannah whooped loudly as Zoey rushed over to the music, turning the speakers up as everyone began dancing. Echo happily danced with everyone, including Alex, before dancing her way over to Teep and Kim.

"I'm fine guys, you can stop giving me those looks." She said, frowning as Teep and Kim exchanged glances again.

"But Alex tried to kiss you..." Kim began before Echo waved her hand at her dismissively.

"Just have some fun, alright? The food is being watched and people are heading for it either on their own or in pairs. He's got this." Echo said knowingly as she was aware that Duncan was dancing nearby. Kim and Teep smiled reluctantly.

"Alright!" They smiled as they began dancing wildly, Echo managing to laugh sincerely every now and again. She felt a buzz in her pocket and opened her phone, reading the message quickly before staring over at the hedges and snapping her phone shut.

Rythian watched as she read his apology and closed the phone without replying. Rythian knew that he hadn't done anything wrong, not technically, yet Echo needed someone to blame for not being able to talk to the real Hector; the fact he had heard her private confession to him made him feel guilty beyond belief, even though it wasn't his fault. It was bad, but he had meant every word he had said to her.

He turned his eyes back to the food table as people began to finish off the last pieces of everything; the only thing remaining out of the three foods he'd been keeping track of was the chicken rolls. Even as he noted this, Ross went over and took the remaining few on a plate. Rythian watched him carefully, preparing to write his name before he realised Ross had set the plate in front of Alex, who was looking thankful as he got some food into his system. Rythian realised it was safe to start counting up the numbers and turned to his numbers and markings he had made throughout the whole night. He added them up carefully and froze as he discovered the results. He recounted but came up with the same result, staring in disbelief as he took out his phone and began to text a name.

Teep suddenly stopped dancing as a light flashed from "Mage" as he opened it. He nodded before quickly showing it to Kim and Echo.

Sausages: Lewis, Duncan not far behind. Confirm?

Teep nodded to the others as he quickly added up the talley that he had been keeping track of, sending a reply to Rythian as a message came through on Kim's phone.

Chicken: Alex I think as Ross took the majority but seemingly giving a lot to Alex. Confirm?

Kim replied quickly, having already been keeping track of her numbers as Echo felt a buzz in her pocket, ignoring it.

"Aren't you going to open that?" Kim demanded in shock, narrowing her eyes in suspicion as Echo reluctantly opened her phone to see a text from Hector. Pain ran through her briefly as she momentarily wished it was the real one, just to say something to her.

However, the name that had appeared shocked Echo to the extent she forgot she was angry at Rythian for some reason, her face draining white as Kim and Teep leaned in to read it. They looked at each other in horror as Echo glanced over at Rythian's hiding spot and felt her anger ebb away slightly at the pain Rythian must be feeling.

Pringles: Zoey.