Twenty Five.

"Something's changed." Rose squints at me sitting on one of the windowsills in the common room.

I fight the smile trying to push onto my face. "Nothing's changed."

"You're a big liar." She points at me. "I can see it all over you."

"See what?"

"Cullen."

I quirk an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yep. All over."

"You need your eyes tested."

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Her eyes follow mine. "I knew it." She stands as the bell for next class rings, gathering her books. "And if you aren't being obvious enough, I see the hickies." She tugs at the edge of my scarf, uncovering purple and pink kisses made with lips and teeth. The reminder makes my knees weak.

I slap her hand away, covering them back up, and grab my bag to see Cullen; which, unfortunately, coincides with a date with Cope.

He's smirking when I get to him, laughing at whatever Rose has said as she's passed. "I guess it's out then."

"I didn't know it was a secret." I try to play it cool, but all I can think about is kissing him.

He slides his fingers under the bag on my shoulder, tugging me closer to him. "It wasn't." He dips down, and I get my wish.

Someone clears their throat behind us. We break apart and have to move aside for Paul. He has a fox's grin, brimming with enough truth to detonate the rumours. He'll enjoy telling Ben. "You two should get a room."

Cullen leans against the doorframe. He's laid-back, but dominant, and has more confidence than most of the boys here could dream of possessing. He's everything Paul is not. "Thanks for the advice, mate. Now, can I give you some?"

I tense up, my demeanour the direct opposite to Cullen's, and try to tell myself to relax. Paul is cocky enough to mouth off, but he wouldn't start something without his backup.

"Depends what it is." Paul says it like he couldn't give a shit about anything anyone would say.

"Whatever they promised you. It's not worth it."

"What the fuck are you on about?" He shakes his head and laughs, but struggles to rein in the other signs of nerves, eyes darting anywhere but Cullen, shoulders pulled up by strings held by an invisible puppeteer.

"Work it out, and then stay away from them." Cullen isn't harsh or threatening, I hear the warning well enough, but Paul's face is red, eyeballs trying to escape.

Cullen diffuses him by slinging his arm around my shoulders, a hint to leave that I take gladly. I can't get out of there quick enough. We walk to Cope's, the few people still roaming the corridors clock us together. We'll be front-page news by lunch.

"What was that about? The dealing?" I keep my voice low, the spotlight on us is getting too bright. I can already see the smoke.

"Yeah. I wanted to give him a chance. He doesn't know what he's getting into."

"Maybe it was a one off, like Sam said."

We're steps from Cope's room, Cullen's lips make a beeline for mine. One kiss. "Maybe." Another, this time longer till my lips tingle. "Maybe not."

It makes me think of pulled petals twirling as they drop to the ground in a childhood game of wishing and chance. I hope Paul has enough petals to get back to maybe not.

Cullen walks me backward, presses me into a wall display about the solar system. His lips don't leave my skin, hands roaming to the warm skin above my belt.

"We've got class," I say, but it's lost in the intensity of his kiss. I try to wriggle away, but he just laughs, dragging his mouth along my jaw, biting my ear.

"This is more fun." His voice is so close it makes me shiver with pleasure.

We both jump apart when another voice, shrill enough to smash glass, shatters our oblivion. "More fun? I doubt you'll think that when you see the assignment I'm going to set for you both."

Cope is standing in her doorway, arms folded, hair as severe as her glare. "Get in here, now." The last word is a bomb.

I scramble past her to my desk, but she holds Cullen at the door. Words are exchanged. He doesn't look at me when he takes his seat, closely followed by Cope who has the look of a devil come to make our life hell.