"So I have a question," Brynn said cautiously. She and Jonathan sat at a table in the mess hall late at night. The cafeteria was nearly deserted and no one paid much attention to them.

Jonathan, who was in the middle of working on some paper for Psychology, looked up at her. "About?"

Brynn twirled some noodles around her fork. He wouldn't like this conversation. "About your little…observation book…"

Here come the fireworks, she thought.

Surprisingly, Jonathan's expression was patient. He put his pen down and folded his hands. "What about it?"

Brynn's brows furrowed. She hadn't expected that. She had prepared herself for him to lash out and retreat to the back of his mind.

"What's it for?" Brynn asked then mentally slapped herself. What was it for? She knew what it was for! Ugh, stop sounding like an idiot all the time…

"Observations…?"

"Yeah, I get that, but why? Why did you start taking notes on everyone?" Brynn struggled with her words.

Jonathan leaned back in his chair and frowned. His eyebrows furrowed and he had a thoughtful look in his eyes. For several minutes, he sat silently. Brynn thought she would explode; it had taken her all night to build the courage to ask him about his notebook. It was a sensitive topic; Jonathan didn't like sharing information about his personal life and Brynn had stolen it twice. This was the last thing he probably wanted to talk about.

She wished she had asked a different question but that particular one had been flitting around in her mind for several months. She understood that Jonathan had a passion for Psychology. What she didn't understand was why he wanted to observe everyone around him and take notes on their behavior. It baffled her.

Jonathan looked her in the eyes finally. "I started studying Psychology when I was ten."

Brynn's mouth pursed. That hadn't been her question. She opened her mouth to restate the question but he stopped her and said, "I'll get to that in a moment. It makes more sense if I start from the beginning."

Brynn nodded and sat quietly. Jonathan's brows furrowed again and he stared at his notebook for a few moments. She had a feeling he was trying to collect his thoughts.

Brynn was practically on the edge of her chair. Was Jonathan about to open up to her? How much would he tell her? She had a feeling that whatever he told her he had never admitted before. Jonathan was no open book. He had to trust you before he started giving out information.

Excitement flickered through her like lightning. Jonathan trusted her. Each time she thought about it, it made her feel giddy and special.

"I started studying Psychology when I was ten," he repeated again. "I was always into science and math and one day, I just happened to stumble upon a book that covered the topic. It was basic but it caught my interest so I dove even further into it. It didn't take up all my time and I only studied it occasionally."

Brynn could tell he was uncomfortable. He was moving his hands around quite a bit—adjusting his glasses, brushing his hair behind his ears and so on. She sat still as a statue while he opened up to her.

"As you know, I don't get along with people that well. I'm subject to teasing and bullying," Jonathan said sourly. "For a while, I thought something was wrong with me and that's why they picked on me. It was a phase and I got over it. But the question still hung in the air—why did people feel the need to bully each other? So I started to research this and along came the notebook. Over time, I started to think of other questions—why do people act shy or rowdy around others? Things like that. This was also about the time that my obsession for Psychology was beginning. I wanted to know why we behave this way. I filled up one notebook, then another and another. I have dozens of notebooks dedicated to observations. The one that you always get your hands on—" Brynn blushed with embarrassment—"is just one of many. Does that answer your question?"

It was so simple. Most people would not have been satisfied with this but Brynn felt as though she had discovered some grand secret. Jonathan had never opened up that much about himself so she felt like she had just been given half of his mind. It was silly but she felt accomplished.

"So that's why you got into Psychology? Because you wanted to know why people bullied you?" she asked.

His face darkened. "That's part of it. I also find it fascinating. It's an outlet for me. Psychology is such a vast field and there are always new things being discovered. The mind is like the ocean; there's so much that we've hardly covered anything even though we feel like we have loads of information."

"You make it seem so fascinating," Brynn replied.

He scoffed in reply and looked down at his notes. "Now answer a question for me."

"Shoot."

"Why do you party so much?"

Brynn rolled her eyes. "That's a stupid question. I haven't been to a party in over a month."

"There's no such thing as a 'stupid question,'" Jonathan scolded. "And I just answered your question so it's only fair if you answer mine."

Brynn scowled and wrapped some more noodles around her fork. "Because it's fun."

"What's so fun about acting like a fool in front of other people?" Jonathan pushed. "You can't possibly enjoy it that much. Do you feel pressured into going to all those parties?"

"What do you mean pressured? I go because I want to," she defended.

"Or because you want to be seen," he replied. He cocked his head to the side. "Is it an insecurity problem? Do you feel like you won't be accepted if you don't?"

Brynn glared at him. This was probably payback for picking apart his mind. "I don't have an insecurity problem—"

"Yes, you do." Jonathan shrugged innocently. "It's not as bad as it used to be but it's still there."

"How so?"

"You duck whenever you're with me in public." His face was neutral and gave nothing away but she thought she saw something flicker across his eyes.

"That's not true," she whined. "Why are you so convinced that I'm insecure?"

"You're a people pleaser, for one part," he stated. Jonathan began to list things off on his fingers. "You look the other way when people stare at us and you only want to hang out at night. You act on impulse because you think you're being funny."

Where was this coming from? He sounded like he did when he used to hate her. But there was no indication of hatred on his face—just curiosity. Brynn shifted around in her seat. He wasn't the first person to point out that she was insecure. Or that she was a people pleaser. Or that she acted on impulse. Hadn't she had a similar conversation with Cadence a few months ago? Supposedly it was obvious that she was insecure…

But she had her reasons. She knew she was a people pleaser but she did that because she didn't like to start drama. She was better about acting on her impulses and didn't do it as often. Yes, she supposed it was true that she did those things so she would be accepted in the group.

But she had a good reason, didn't she? She could blame it on the fact that her mother was a psychopath. People didn't want to associate themselves with the children of psychopaths. Back at St. Mary's, people had always watched her with wary eyes. They waited for her to snap and turn out like Olivia. Brynn had to prove them wrong. She had to prove that she was fun and kind and stable. She couldn't stop once she had accepted their approval. She had to keep going. Their opinion of her could change at a moment's notice. Doing what they wanted her to do always seemed like a safer option.

She couldn't admit any of that to Jonathan. He didn't know what her connection was to Olivia Rivers. How would he react if he did? Would he think she was a freak? Would he shun her? Scrutinize her? Brynn enjoyed Jonathan's company and didn't want to lose him so suddenly. At the moment, he was the only one she had. What was she supposed to tell him?

He was waiting for an answer. Brynn shrugged and played with her food. "It's…complicated. I have my reasons."

"Reasons?" he asked. "What kind of reasons?"

Brynn sighed. "I really don't feel like talking about it, Jay. I'll tell you some other time."

Jonathan studied her and she was afraid he would keep pressing the matter. He surprised her by nodding and dropping the subject.

They talked about a few other things during their meal. They talked about exams and agreed to prepare for their Photography exam together (even though it supposedly was a joke). At half past nine, they stood and walked toward the doors to leave. At the same time that they were getting ready to walk out the doors, Meredith White was walking in.

They paused and stared at each other for a second. Brynn felt nervous; was Meredith going to say something? Would she ignore her? Lash out at her?

Meredith's mouth pursed into a smile. "Brynn. I haven't seen you in a while."

Brynn's mouth felt like sand paper. What was she supposed to say? You haven't seen me because you've been ignoring me? Instead, she tripped over her words and said, "I-I know."

Tension hung in the air. Meredith's eyes flashed to Jonathan and her brows quirked up. "Who's this?"

The words flew out of her mouth before she could think of what she was saying. "Jonathan. We're just finishing up some homework."

Jonathan's brows furrowed in confusion. Brynn didn't have her books with her nor had she been doing homework during dinner. Jonathan had been the one studying. His mouth turned into a straight line and he looked away.

"I was just getting some dessert. Have you eaten yet? You should join me," Meredith invited her. She didn't glance at Jonathan once.

Brynn swallowed. She wasn't sure what to do? Leave with Jonathan or stay with Meredith? Jonathan answered for her.

"I have to get back to the dorm. I'll see you later, Brynn." He turned on his heel and left. He hadn't even waited for Brynn to say goodbye.

Meredith pulled her back into the cafeteria and ordered some ice cream. "Why are you doing homework with that guy?"

"He helps me," Brynn muttered. She had screwed things up back there. No doubt Jonathan was angry with her.

"Mmm. So what have you been up to? I haven't seen you in forever!" Meredith exclaimed. She led her to a table and they sat down. Meredith tossed her curls over her shoulder and smiled at Brynn as though nothing had happened between them.

Brynn was angry. Was Meredith just going to keep pretending that nothing had happened? She had been the one ignoring Brynn and now she was acting like they were best buds.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen with me?" Brynn muttered. She kept her eyes on the table. Don't do this, a voice in her head warned. She wants to make everything better. You need her.

Meredith pouted. "Oh, come on, Brynn—"

"No, Meredith," Brynn snapped. "You haven't talked to me in over a month. We're you afraid I'd bring down your status?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I didn't know what to say."

"You could have asked if I was alright or if I needed something."

"What good would that have done?" Meredith snapped. "Everyone knew you weren't alright and no one wanted to get mixed up in the drama. It was better to leave you alone for the time being."

"Yeah, great idea," Brynn replied sarcastically.

Meredith narrowed her eyes. "I'm trying to make things better, Brynn. If you don't want my help, that's your own fault."

Brynn stood up and left. She had had enough of her crap. Brynn ignored Meredith as she called for her to come back.

Once she was outside, Brynn pulled out her phone. One new message from Jonathan C., her screen read. Brynn gulped as she flipped the phone open and clicked Read.

Told you so, it read.

Her heart sank to her feet. Jonathan was now convinced that she was embarrassed to be seen with him. She massaged her temples; how was she supposed to convince him that she wasn't? How did she prove to him that he was her friend? As she searched for an answer, someone bumped into her, causing her to jump.

Brynn turned to see who the person had been and her heart sank even more. Caitlin Marx glared at her. "What's wrong, Brynn? Did your parents finally decide to disown you?"

Brynn gritted her teeth. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Caitlin. "Fuck off, Marx."

She hurried away and blocked out whatever insult Caitlin threw at her. Up above, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. It was followed by a roar of thunder. She shuddered; thunder storms always reminded her of that fateful night…the night that her mother snapped and killed her father. She remembered that it had been storming that horrid night.

Brynn stopped and stared up at the sky. Why had she been cursed like this? Why had she been given Olivia as a mother? It made everything complicated—she had to act a certain way, speak a certain way, think a certain way all so that people wouldn't think she would end up like her. People were scared of her. She knew some of her old friends had been wary of her. Why couldn't she have been the biological child of the Kiley's?

When she thought about it, all her problems went back to Olivia.

Lightning cracked and lit up the sky and the thunder became more violent. Brynn hurried back to her dorm.

. . .

She walked through the doors just as the clouds let loose and poured down gallons and gallons of water. Brynn hurried up the stairs to her room and poked her head inside. She sighed in relief when she saw that Sydney wasn't there. Ever since she had caught her hooking up with Brendan, Sydney found other places to sleep. She usually spent the night in some guy's room but she had been sleeping in her and Brynn's room lately. They never spoke but it was still horribly awkward. Her blanket and pillow were missing so Brynn assumed she had left to camp out elsewhere.

Brynn dropped her backpack on the floor and plopped down on her bed. What was she supposed to do? Jonathan wouldn't want to talk to her now. She had just killed her chances of befriending Meredith again. She didn't care. It wasn't like Meredith actually liked her or anything. Brynn rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.

Her phone began to chime. Brynn shot up and felt relieved. Maybe it was Jonathan, calling to forgive her? Her hopes were instantly killed when she realized it was just her dad calling. Brynn groaned and debated whether or not to answer. On the fourth ring, she gave in and mumbled a greeting.

"You sound thrilled," her father teased. "Everything alright?"

"Great," she lied.

He rambled on about random crap for a few minutes. Brynn didn't pay any attention. She was trying to think of ways to apologize to Jonathan.

"Are you listening to me?" her father asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

George sighed. "I need you home on Saturday. We're having a company dinner party at The Yacht Club and we want you three there."

Brynn fought the urge to groan. Why was it so important that she come? All she did was stand around and eat the food laid out. "'Kay," she mumbled.

"How's that one friend of yours' doing?"

"Which one?"

"The one you brought home for dinner over Christmas break."

Brynn frowned. "Jonathan? What about him?"

"I was just curious. You don't talk about him anymore so I was just wondering if you two were on good terms still."

"We're…okay," Brynn answered. Or at least she hoped. Hopefully Jonathan would be over it by tomorrow.

"He's a good kid," George added.

"What, do you want me to marry the kid or something?" Brynn teased.

George chuckled. "I wasn't implying that. You're much too young for marriage. But you should bring him by sometime."

An idea struck her suddenly. She nearly fell off the bed. Brynn knew how to reconcile with Jonathan and prove that they were friends!

"Would I be able to bring Jonathan to the dinner party?" she asked hopefully. "Would that be okay?"

"It's fine with me."

"Cool, thanks," she happily replied. Now she just had to convince him to come. It shouldn't be that hard.

George hung up a few minutes later. Brynn was beginning to realize how ludicrous her idea was. Jonathan wouldn't want to go to her parents' dinner party. He hated social gatherings and would probably prefer to stay in and read his text books. Brynn dropped her head in her hands and groaned. How would she convince him?

It was the only way. He didn't believe that she thought of him as a friend and this would be the best way to prove it. She just had to convince him to come.

"Oh, this is going to be fun…" Brynn mumbled miserably.

. . .

Jonathan must have been pretty mad at her, Brynn realized the next day. After lunch, he usually waited on the sidewalk so that they could walk to class together. He was nowhere in sight and she ended up walking to class alone. He was in the classroom when she arrived. Brynn paused at the door and took in a deep breath. Here we go, she thought to herself.

"Hey, Jay," she said as she sat down beside him. He nodded in reply and kept his attention on his textbook.

Brynn frowned. She leaned closer to him and grabbed his textbook and slid it away from him. Jonathan glared at her, annoyance written across his face.

"I wanted to apologize," she said, "for yesterday. I know you don't believe me but I'm your friend."

"You have a weird way of showing it," he said in an even voice. His eyes were accusing and made her want to hide under the table.

Brynn swallowed and fought the urge to look away. "I was unprepared for Meredith to show up. She caught me by surprise and I didn't know what to say to her. I declined her offer to be friends again."

"Congratulations," Jonathan said, sarcasm dripping off of every syllable. He snatched his book back and ignored her.

"Jay," she pleaded. She leaned in so close that their shoulders almost touched. Jonathan visibly stiffened and watched her from the corner of his eye. "I don't care about any of them. I want you to be my friend. Please forgive me? I promise I won't do that again."

She held her breath as he sat silently, weighing in her words. He turned to look at her and studied her face. Brynn offered him a small smile.

"Fine," he said quietly, accepting her apology. "I forgive you."

She felt like squealing. Her smile grew even larger. "I wanted to ask you something."

His brow quirked up. "What might that be?"

"My parents are having a dinner party this weekend," she began, "and I wanted you to come."

His top lip twitched. "A dinner party?"

She nodded.

"I don't know…"

She playfully nudged his shoulder. "Aww, come on, Jay! It'll be fun. We won't have to talk to anyone; we can just hang out. Pretty please?"

He looked unsure. Jonathan tugged at his shirt collar. "Who would be at the dinner party?"

"Just people my dad works with. They won't pay any attention to us and will leave us alone."

Uncertainty splashed across his face and he licked his lips. After what seemed like eternity, he said, "I suppose I could come…"

Her face lit up brightly and she wanted to hug him. Don't scare the kid away! She composed herself and said, "Great, I'll pick you up at six thirty."

. . .

Jonathan was not happy about this dinner party he had to attend. Not in the slightest…

He had been stupid to agree to go with Brynn. Why had he forgiven her so easily? Why did he always allow her to convince him to do stupid things? He needed to get his priorities in check.

Jonathan had hoped to talk his way out of it before Saturday. He had planned on telling her that a dinner party sounded ridiculous and he had better things to do. But every time he brought it up she would remind him how excited she was. The warmth would take over and he found himself lying through his teeth, agreeing that he too was excited.

At six thirty on Saturday evening, Brynn had not arrived. He was beginning to believe that she had forgotten about inviting him and would go to the party alone. At first he was pleased. At six thirty-one, he felt stood up. When the clock struck six thirty-five, he was beginning to feel anxious. Had something happened? Should he go look for her? At six thirty-nine, he realized that she wasn't going to pick him up and felt genuinely disappointed. He hated to admit it but he had been a little bit excited to go to dinner with her. It was the first time they were hanging out somewhere other than the library or mess hall or their other usual hangouts. He kept reminding himself that it meant nothing; Brynn was asking him to go as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

The warmth in his stomach kept nagging at him that there was something more.

At six forty-one, three knocks rattled his door. He swung it open, a cross expression on his face, and glared at Brynn. She stared back, an amused smirk on her face.

"You're late," he growled.

"I couldn't decide what to wear," she said casually and shrugged.

He huffed and walked past her. Behind him, Brynn snickered. It took all his energy not to turn around, walk back in his room, and slam the door in her face.

She hummed as she followed him outside. It had been raining earlier and the clouds had finally parted to reveal sunshine. It smelled like rain and cut grass outside and he inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. Brynn was taking him out of his comfort zone tonight and that made him irritable. He was bound to snap at her if she said one wrong word.

"Just to warn you, Cadence is driving us," Brynn warned as they walked around the building and went to Dixie-Wells' parking lot. Sure enough, Cadence was parked outside in a black sedan.

Jonathan shot her a look. "Can you two behave?"

Brynn winked at him. "No promises."

He rolled his eyes and opened the door and slid into the back seat. Cadence watched him from the rearview mirror. Neither offered any sort of greeting to each other.

The first few minutes of the drive were quiet. Brynn looked out the window and Cadence focused on driving. Jonathan could tell it was tense between them. He wondered if it was some sort of sister rivalry that made them behave this way. He had no idea; Jonathan had no siblings of his own so he wasn't sure how it worked between them.

Once they were in the city, Brynn began to fiddle with just about everything in the car. She rolled her window down, then rolled it back up; she flipped through the radio stations and fumbled with the air conditioning; she moved her seat back and forth, trying to find a position she liked.

"Brynn," Cadence warned as she turned down a street. "Cut it out."

"I'm not doing anything," Brynn defended. She turned around and smiled at Jonathan. She was obviously enjoying this. Cadence sighed and tightened her grip on the wheel. Even Jonathan was annoyed with Brynn's behavior.

It took twenty-five minutes to reach The Yacht Club. Cadence parked the car and hopped out wordlessly. Jonathan and Brynn followed. Gravel crunched under their feet and the smell of salt water wafted into his nose.

The Yacht Club was a long, two-story, white wood-paneled building with a reddish-brown roof. A wooden porch wrapped around the building and people sat on porch swings and rocking chairs. Jonathan followed Brynn inside and stood behind her as Cadence spoke with the hostess. His eyes wandered around the inside of the building. The ceiling was supported by thick, wooden beams and the walls were covered with photographs of men holding giant fish.

They were led through the restaurant, through a threshold and entered a large room in the back. About thirty men and women occupied the room, holding champagne flutes, and chatting with one another. Jonathan spotted Mr. Kiley in a corner of the room, surrounded by several men wearing khaki shorts and polo shirts. Mrs. Kiley was nowhere in sight.

At the back of the room, wide windows covered the wall and Jonathan could see a large deck and the tops of boats. He started walking in that direction when Brynn stopped him.

"Come on," she said and nodded towards her father. "He'll want to say hi."

Jonathan nodded and followed Brynn through the crowd, his eyes trained on the back of her head. His heart lightly thudded against his chest.

Mr. Kiley looked over at them as they made their way over. He smiled and excused himself from his guests. Mr. Kiley stuck his hand out and Jonathan shook it.

"Jonathan, good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm pretty good, thank you for asking," he politely answered. He could feel Brynn watching him. For good measures, he added, "Thank you for the invite."

Mr. Kiley nodded. "Any friend of Brynn's is a friend of mine. You two have fun. Dinner should be served soon."

He bid them farewell and turned back to the men he had previously been speaking to. Brynn smirked at Jonathan.

"What?" he asked.

"'Any friend of Brynn's is a friend of mine.' Oh my god, he loves you," she snickered.

"How do you know?" Jonathan questioned.

Brynn gave him a look that read 'Isn't is obvious?' "My dad hates all of my friends for the most part. You won him over."

Jonathan let the information sink in. How had he done that? He wasn't even trying to be likeable.

All of a sudden, Brynn grabbed his wrist. "Let's go outside."

"O-okay," he squeaked. He stared in confusion at her hand wrapped around his wrist. She led him across the room and outside.

The smell of salt water smacked him in the face. Jonathan's knees were weak all of a sudden and he had to convince his legs to keep moving. They felt as though they were filled with lead.

A bar had been set up outside and Brynn was pulling him to it. She ordered a strawberry daiquiri and Jonathan ordered an ice water. Once they had their drinks, she walked to the railing and looked out at the boats.

They stood quietly. Brynn chewed on her straw and Jonathan slowly sipped his water. He watched the waves lap against the side of the boats. The rocking boats hypnotized him and the outside world no longer matter.

He felt something poke him in the side. "Hmm?" He broke out of his daze and looked at her.

"I said we should take one of those boats," she repeated.

"That's considered stealing," he chastised.

Brynn rolled her eyes and turned so her back was facing the water. "It'd be relaxing. Just lying on a boat in the middle of the ocean without a care in the world. I'd like that."

"I'm sure you would," he said.

"Maybe I'll do that after college. I'll steal a boat and live at sea."

"Do you even know how to manage a boat?"

"No, but I'm sure it's not that hard."

"Sure," Jonathan sarcastically agreed. "What do you even want to do after college? And no, stealing a boat doesn't count."

Brynn stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't know. I think I'll become a photographer and take pictures for magazines. I could travel around a lot. And steal a boat."

"When the police begin to question who stole the boat, I'll be the first to rat you out," Jonathan teased. He was enjoying this. Carefree conversations with Brynn were easy. Unconsciously, he moved closer to her.

"You will do no such thing, Jonathan Crane," she warned with a serious look in her eyes. "Or I'll never speak to you again."

"Is that so?"

"You can bet your bottom dollar."

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He looked down and studied the melting ice cubes in his drink.

"And you want to be a big, fancy psychiatrist," Brynn said in a dramatic tone. "I can see it now: you'll have a big office with plush furniture and everyone will tell their friends, brothers, sisters, and cousins to see you. You'll have a line out the door."

"Really?" Jonathan asked in an amused tone.

She nodded excitedly. "Oh yeah. They'll open up to you, tell you their whole life story and you'll ask them—" she paused and cleared her throat before mimicking Jonathan—"And how does that make you feel?"

He snorted. "Will I be seeing you as a patient?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I'd probably bore you with all my problems."

"I don't know," he admitted. "You always have something entertaining to share."

"Okay, well when I'm released from prison for stealing the boat, I'll come see you," she joked. "You can teach me the ways of the good."

"Brynn, I doubt you'll ever learn the ways of the good," Jonathan exclaimed. "And who's to say I'm so good?"

She scoffed. "Jonathan, you're about as innocent as they come. You're a fruit cake."

"A fruit cake?!"

Brynn laughed so hard she knocked her drink over the edge of the balcony and it shattered onto the ground below. Her giggles turned to howls and she nearly fell over from laughing so hard. Even Jonathan got a good laugh out of it.

"There's something wrong with you," Jonathan laughed.

"Why is everything so funny?" she hiccupped. "I'm not even drunk!"

"I'd hope you wouldn't be."

They spun around and saw a stony faced Mrs. Kiley. Brynn looked down at the ground and her cheeks flared bright red.

"Hi, Mom," she said breathlessly. She pushed her hair out of her face and blinked back tears. "Great party."

Mrs. Kiley gave Brynn a warning look, causing her to shut up. She then turned to Jonathan. He held her gaze, unwavering.

"Hello, Jonathan," she said coolly.

Jonathan nodded. "Mrs. Kiley."

They stared at each other for a moment longer. Brynn sensed the tension and looked anywhere but them. Finally, it ended and Mrs. Kiley took a step back. "Dinner will be served shortly."

She walked back inside. Brynn had a smile on her face although she looked embarrassed. She looked over the edge at her shattered glass again.

Jonathan clucked. "She seemed thrilled to see me."

Brynn shrugged. "She has to entertain her guests. She would have stayed longer and talked had she not been hosting the party."

Jonathan highly doubted that. It was pretty obvious to him that Mrs. Kiley disliked him.

"You want to go get some dinner?" Brynn asked, breaking the brief silence. The look in her eyes asked him to forget about her mother's steely demeanor. Jonathan nodded and followed her inside.

They sat at their own little table far off from the rest of the party. Brynn wasn't in the least bit interested in making small talk with her parents' guests and Jonathan was glad for that. These people seemed like the type he would strongly dislike. He could practically smell the hubris in the air.

As he looked over the menu, Jonathan's eyes bulged out of his head. The prices were ridiculous. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and nudged Brynn. She looked at him over the top of her menu.

"I can't afford a single thing on this menu," he said quietly. His cheeks were red with embarrassment. He should have known that something like this would happen. Of course the Kileys would host a dinner party at one of the most expensive restaurants in town.

"My parents will pay for you," she said like it was no big deal.

"Brynn—"

"It's fine. They're paying for me so they'll pay for you."

He sighed. "I'll order something small." At the moment he said that, his stomach gurgled loudly.

"Jonathan—don't worry about it. Get whatever you want."

He gave up and looked over the menu. The waiter came, took their orders, and left. Jonathan took another sip of his water and looked around the restaurant. People ordered their meals and talked to those seated closest to them. Mrs. Kiley laughed at some joke Mr. Kiley made. Cadence was entertaining a group of older women and seemed relaxed. Jonathan's flitted back and forth between the four of them. Brynn was nothing like them—she preferred to be away from the crowd, something she hardly ever did. Was she shy around these people? Or did she simply not care about what they had to say?

"You're observing," Brynn interrupted his thoughts. She sipped daiquiri out of her new glass.

"You're really different from the rest of your family," Jonathan said, going straight to the point.

"How so?"

"For starters, you look nothing like the rest of your family. I don't see any resemblance between you and them. And you act nothing like them. You're not entertaining your guests and chatting their ears off like your sister."

Brynn sat quietly and Jonathan wondered if he had offended her. She sat up straighter in her seat and bunched her napkin up. "I don't know. I don't know what to say around those people."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't interest them. Whenever I try to talk to them, it's awkward and forced. They want to talk about college, politics, or polo—I'm not interested in any of that. If I try to talk to them about my interests, they usually zone out. That's why my parents bring Cadence to the parties. She's the perfect example of a socialite—she's smart, pretty, interesting. I'm none of those things."

"That's not true," Jonathan said quietly and nearly choked on his tongue. Had he just admitted to her that he thought she was pretty and smart and interesting? He waited for her to give him a funny look or leave.

She didn't catch it or she ignored it. "Please. They've labeled us, you know. Cadence is the Pretty Kiley, the Smart Kiley, the Kiley Who Is Going to Do Great Things. I'm the Other Kiley. My parents know that their friends label us as that but they choose to ignore it. They still push me to be like her. They want me to go to med school or law school. Unfortunately for them, I'd probably lose all my cases and accidentally kill all my patients."

Jonathan nodded. "Do they know you don't want to be those things?"

"They know I don't want to go into those fields. They also know that I want to have a job that's artistic and creative but they think it's a phase. My parents don't understand why I want to be a photographer and why I don't want a job that would make loads of money. But, come on, look around. These aren't the type of people I want to be surrounded by for the rest of my life. I'd probably hang myself."

"So what are you going to do?" Jonathan asked. He found himself interested with her case and was trying to think of ways to help her.

Brynn shrugged. "I guess I'll just end up doing whatever I'm good at. I'm going to get loads of crap, believe me. Then I'll probably be labeled as the 'Unfortunate Kiley With Mental Problems.' Because why on earth would someone give up this life for a job that isn't very stable and unreliable? That's the question they'll all be asking," she told him.

Their food arrived and the conversation was put on hold for a few minutes. Jonathan brought it up again as Brynn cut into her meal. "So you really don't care if you end up with a middle class life and job?"

"It doesn't bother me that much. Obsession over money is stupid. It controls our lives," Brynn mumbled.

"You're surprisingly humble for someone who's had such a luxurious life," he said.

Brynn looked up and studied him for a second. Her dark eyes looked conflicted. She looked back down and continued cutting her food. "Yeah, well it hasn't always been this way."

Before he could ask her what that meant, a woman approached their table and tapped Brynn on the shoulder. Instantly, Brynn's face lit up.

"Mind if I sit?" the older woman asked. Her light blonde hair was pulled back in a neat bun and she wore a simple, yellow sundress. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties.

"Of course," Brynn exclaimed happily. "This is my friend, Jonathan Crane. We attend Gotham University together. Jonathan, this is Adele Worley. Her company's merging with my dad's."

They exchanged formal greetings. Adele turned to Brynn and patted her hand. "I haven't seen you in forever, darling. What have you been up to?"

Brynn rolled her eyes. "School has taken over my life. I get out for break in a few weeks."

"Perfect." Adele smiled. "We should meet up for lunch soon. You can tell me all about life. I miss talking to you."

"I have nothing exciting to share but I'd be thrilled to catch up with you." Brynn returned the smile. She then lowered her voice and asked, "Is my mother being nice?"

Adele groaned. She leaned back in her chair and gave Brynn a lazy smile. Jonathan wondered how long the two had known each other. They behaved like sisters or best friends.

"I can feel her eyes on my back as we speak," Adele whispered. She turned to Jonathan. "Mother Goose is not too fond of me."

"Join the club," Jonathan said dryly. It seemed like Mrs. Kiley wasn't too fond of anyone.

Brynn groaned suddenly. "Mother Goose is calling me over. I'll be back in a few."

Brynn stood and sulked over to her mother's table. Mrs. Kiley looked angry and spoke quietly to her youngest daughter. Next to him, Adele sighed.

"Madelynn is…difficult," Adele said carefully. "Don't be upset if you haven't won her over. Very few people can. Just be glad you're not on her hit list."

"Hit list?" Jonathan asked. He adjusted his glasses. "What'd you do? Smuggle Brynn some drugs?"

The woman chuckled. "If only it were that simple. We have history, unfortunately."

They looked over at the Kileys. Brynn had moved behind her father's chair and Cadence stood next to her. They were speaking to someone at their parents' table, it looked like. He studied the sisters carefully, looking for any form of resemblance. Cadence was tall and slim and held herself gracefully. She had a smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes as she listened to the man speak.

His gaze shifted to Brynn. She had her eyes trained on the man and a smirk on her face. She was short with a muscular frame. Jonathan had always considered her posture to be lazy but now that he thought about it, it was more carefree and relaxed. Something that the man said made her cock her head to the side and sink her teeth into her bottom lip. Triumph gleamed in her eyes. He must have complimented her.

He still could find no similarities between them.

"Are you two happy together?" Adele asked suddenly.

Jonathan's brows furrowed. "Pardon?"

"Are you two happy together?" she repeated. "You are together, aren't you?"

"What? Oh! No. Uh, no, we're not together," he said awkwardly. "We're just friends."

"Oh, sorry. I just assumed—"

"It's fine—" he cut her off. "Just friends."

"Well, she's a very good friend to have, let me tell you that. Brynn's a great girl," Adele said to him. She looked over at Brynn and her expression darkened. "For all the crap she's been through, she turned out well."

Jonathan looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

Adele's lips parted and she paused. Before she could explain what she meant, Brynn came back to the table and sat down. She smiled apologetically. "I had to talk to dad's partner."

Adele smiled. "I'll leave you two alone. Call me when you want to meet up, Brynn."

Brynn promised she would do just that and returned to her meal. Jonathan was still pondering over what Adele had said about Brynn turning out well. He was going to ask Brynn about it when he felt something on his leg vibrate.

Jonathan reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out. Immediately, his heart sank to the floor. It was Grandmother. Jonathan stood and excused himself.

He walked outside to the deck and took a deep breath. He opened the phone and answered, saying, "Yes, Grandmother?"

"I need you home immediately," she said, cutting straight to the chase.

Jonathan looked around. "What's the matter?"

"Do not question me, Jonathan. Come home immediately!" she exclaimed.

Jonathan nearly dropped the phone. His heart raced and he shakily replied, "Yes, Grandmother."

She hung up without further explanation. Jonathan looked out at the water which had grown rough. Waves splashed against the pier and rocked the boats. The sky had turned gray and looked as though it would start storming again.

Jonathan felt terrified. It had been years since his grandmother had ignited this kind of fear in him. He panicked; she knew something. Grandmother was always angry when she called but never that angry. Did she know he was with Brynn? That had to be it. Or maybe the police had figured out he put the snakes in Riley's car and were at his home right now?

Jonathan's palms grew damp and he fought the urge to tremble. He went back inside and tapped Brynn on the shoulder. She looked up at him questioningly.

"I have to leave," he said quietly. His Adam's apple bobbed and he looked around the room nervously. "Do you know where the nearest bus stop is?"

Brynn looked at him quizzically. Concern washed over her face and she placed her hand on his arm. "What's up, Jay? You look shaken."

He felt sick. Jonathan sat back down in his chair and stared at the wall for thirty seconds. Had he not been about to have a heart attack, he would have noticed her hand on his arm and been overcome by warmth. Right now, he felt as though ice water had been dumped over his head.

"Jonathan?" Brynn tried again. She suddenly took his hand and held it. "What's wrong?"

The gesture brought him back to reality. Jonathan cleared his throat and pulled his hand back. Brynn's cheeks flushed but she kept her eyes trained on him. He took a deep breath and said, "My grandmother just called and said I have to return home. Is there a bus stop nearby?"

Brynn studied his face for a moment. "Let me drive you home."

"Brynn—"

"Jonathan," she said, her tone dangerous. Her black eyes grew darker and held his lighter eyes without wavering. Her tone softened a little and she said, "Please."

"Okay," he practically whispered. Brynn stood up and motioned for him to follow her. She led him to her parents' table.

"Cadence, I need to borrow the car," Brynn told her sister in a don't-mess-with-me-right-now tone. Her older sister looked up questioningly, saw the look in her eyes, and dug through her purse.

"How am I supposed to get home?" Cadence asked begrudgingly.

"Dad will take you."

Mr. Kiley looked up. "What's that?"

"Jonathan has to get back to campus," Brynn lied.

"I don't feel well," Jonathan added, hoping he sounded as bad as he felt.

Mr. Kiley frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. Was it something you ate?"

"I'm not sure."

"Get to feeling better, son. Did Brynn mention Conrad's graduation party? We'd love it if you came."

Jonathan's eyes darted to Brynn. She looked impatient.

"I hadn't mentioned it to him but I'm sure he'll come," Brynn said to her father. "We're going to leave now."

Mr. Kiley nodded and told him to take care. Mrs. Kiley offered him a forced smile and he nodded in return.

They left the room the dinner party was being held in and walked through the main part of the restaurant. Outside, thunder bellowed and dark clouds were moving in.

Brynn unlocked the car and Jonathan got in on the passenger side. He tried to calm himself down but it was no use. His nerves were on edge right now. Brynn pulled out of the parking lot, drove through the city, and headed for the highway.

They were silent for a long time. Brynn stole occasional glances at him. He stared straight ahead the whole time.

The only time they spoke was when she asked which way to turn. Soon they were driving towards his home. Jonathan told her to stop at the top of his street.

"Jay," Brynn said. She watched him carefully. "Call me if you need anything. Okay?"

He nodded. Jonathan slammed the door shut and started walking towards his house. His legs felt like Jell-O and he had a strong, wild desire to run back and catch Brynn's attention. He didn't want to go in there. He would rather jump into a volcano.

As he approached the house, he noticed an unfamiliar car parked out front. His brows crinkled. Who was here?

Jonathan reached his yard and stared at the house. Turn, his instincts told him. If only he could…

Jonathan forced himself to walk forward. Show no fear.

The front door was unlocked. Jonathan walked inside and looked around. "Grandmother?"

He walked into the living room. Grandmother was sitting in the armchair, staring straight ahead. Her lips formed a thin line. On the other side of the room, a petite, brunette woman stood with her back to him.

"What's going on?" Jonathan asked nervously.

His grandmother looked over at him and stared at him with such hatred he was surprised it didn't melt his skin off. The woman turned around and Jonathan's blood turned to ice.

"Hi, baby," she said sweetly.

Jonathan's breath hitched in his throat and he stared at her disbelievingly. No way…

"Mom," he said shakily.

. . .

A/N: Chapter 29! Woo-hoo! Three more chapters until freshman year is over! AHH I'M SO EXCITED! I'm so excited to write the next three chapters. I hope you guys are as excited as I am!

Thank you ShaydesofDarkness, x, Megan S Lox, JediWho, Descia, MidnightFedora, Shannon, Bane-of-Gotham, AlainHotCoco1, FieryLady36, RivalsAreAllies, MorraHadon, Yusuke, dEnIsE tHe StRaNgE, Roxie13, and Guest for all the reviews! Thank you anyone who added the story to their alerts! You are all amazing and motivate me so much :)

So Jonathan's mom is back in town… Leave your thoughts on that and what you think might happen.

GUYS! WE'RE ALMOST AT 300 REVIEWS! *SCREAMS* You know what that means?! Sneak peek! Unless you guys want something else. A Twitter page where I update about progress and give hints away or a Tumblr page? Or a sneak peek haha. But please, please, please let me know what you want to see! It helps a lot when you tell me. I could do a fun little scene that wouldn't show up in the actual story but would still be fun! I don't know haha. Leave your thoughts in your reviews because I would like to know sooner than later.

Go see Man of Steel RIGHT NOW! Henry Cavill is beautiful and Amy Adams was amazing. I really liked how they took their time with the relationship. It may have seemed rushed to some people but I thought it was just right. But seriously, go see it!

If anyone has PM'ed me lately and I haven't replied, I'm really sorry! I've been exhausted lately and super busy and that's why I haven't been replying. I'm going to sit down either Thursday or Friday and answer all your questions. I'm really sorry for the delay!

So I finished Sherlock, Hannibal, and season 7 of Supernatural (they don't have 8 on Netflix yet). Can anyone recommend really good fics based on those shows? Pretty please? :)

That's about it, I think. PM me if you have any questions about anything! I can't wait to hear back from everyone! Review please!