"I hate this weather."

Eve lowered the briefcase. Outside, it was She could only imagine the current state of her hair. She had cut it herself the previous night. It was botched and messy and her. Students pushed past her and methodically avoided crossing over The Cavalier. The bell was a second away from ringing, deducting the first class. Hers was Mathematic II: An advanced course. She had done well in the exams. Homeroom had been plenty awkward. Everyone already knew one another from elementary and/or were becoming fast friends, and she was still the awkward, lonely girl in the corner.

The second bell chimed. The warning bell. By whatever miracle or coincidence, Eve finally found the room number. A few students were waiting outside the classroom door, but at the sound of the warning bell, they either waved goodbye to their friends or entered their classrooms. Outside the Mathematic II door was two boys.

One had dark blonde hair, which was similar to her coloring. Hazel-green eyes. His school-issued tie was knotted wrong. His whole right arm–even his fingers–were covered in tattoos. Colorful things. Butterflies and koi fish and chesspieces. They were in the midst of a conversation.

The boy beside him had dark hair, which swooped mostly into his eyes. A leather jacket. Chunky, clunky boots. No tie, which definitely warranted a uniform violation. Eve found herself staring at him in particular, and when he turned to her, she was startled by his eye color. An immaculate, intense blue. Her stomach churned and she looked away.

"Alright, that was the last bell. I'll be seeing you, Caleb. Don't be stupid."

"Tch. Heed your own advice, K.O."

The blonde sauntered down the hall, laughing. Eve lingered without a clue why.

Caleb stared at her, then.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Why?"

He shrugged a shoulder, half-smiling. "I can't ask…?"

The teacher opened the door, shouting so loud, his nostrils flared. "Unless, you're aiming to fail this class the second time around, Mr. Borriello, I suggest you actually participate in the other forty-four minutes of it."

Once upon a time, Caleb was a lightheart. Nothing affected him. He raised his hands in defense and followed after their teacher with an exaggerated sigh. "I'm coming, I'm coming." Eve smiled after them, then scrutinized the hallway Caleb's friend had disappeared in. Only he hadn't.

At the end of the hallway, Caleb's friend remained. Watching them. Quizzical. Suspicious.

"God, my feet are killing me."

"Maybe you shouldn't have packed so much."

"Well, maybe, you should only speak when spoken to." Eve sneered.

Sundance lifted one shoulder in a feeble shrug, snatching his knapsack off the tarmac. Most of his injuries had healed since the battle with Ophelia. His eye was still swollen shut, and one of his shoulder had a nasty crook. But otherwise, it would take another few hours and/or a day for him to heal completely.

"I think we should've taken the earlier flight." Sundance noted, following Eve when she trekked forward without him. She wasn't in the mood to talk. Not that she ever was. She still had on the same beanie and sunglasses and sweatpants from the flight. "It was boring without everyone else, you know."

"You think a lot of things, Sundance."

"Where is everyone else?"

"I don't know."

"Do you care?"

She didn't answer.

They waited outside for their luggage in silence. A majority of it belonged to Eve. He heard Phil smarmily joke most of it was probably shoes.

Eve checked the time on her phone. "Dammit, where's Sindri?"

Sundance considered replying, but didn't. He watched the traffic of people. Eve released a huff. After a few terse minutes, Sindri's car arrived. Sundance was delighted to see him. Sindri stepped out of the car to greet them and was stunned by the sight of Sundance. More-so, his injuries

"Wait. What happened to you? You have a black eye. Do you want to see a doctor–"

Eve stepped around them, opening the trunk of Sindri's car to shove her luggage in. Her teeth were clenched in another sneer. "He's fine."

"Eve, get real. Have you seen his face? That's not okay–"

"Well, do whatever you want. Just drive me home." she snapped, walking back around to the passenger-side and aggressively forcing open the door. Without awaiting a response, she slammed the door and returned to her phone.

Sindri frowned. He lifted a hand to Sundance's shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Sundance waved him off. "Yeah, Sindri. I'm fine! I just hit my face on a slab of rock, I swear!"

Sindri didn't look entirely convinced. Nonetheless, he nodded. "Okay."

A week later, Caleb caught Eve outside of class. He hadn't acknowledged her since. He'd trimmed his hair, so it didn't swoop so much into his eyes. He was also wearing his uniform tie.

"So I hear your name's Eve."

"You're correct."

Caleb smiled. "I like you."

Eve startled backward. "Wait, what?"

"Relax, not like that. I think you're very pretty…and I–" Caleb said, fumbling, then fiercely cut himself off with a handwave. "Sorry, this is weird. You can go."

But when Eve opened her mouth, she found herself fumbling as well. "No, it's not. Really. Go on."

Caleb released a deep breath. As if words were a physical exhaustion. "I would…I'd like to see you outside of school. Is that okay?"

Eve paused. She had no idea why. Caleb was staring, awaiting her answer. It was only casual. A casual hangout. Her stomach was continuously twisting. "How old are you?" she asked, after a pause.

"Sixteen."

Her throat constricted. He was a junior, then. She was only fourteen. He was only two years older, which wasn't much of an age difference, but still. It was a horrible revelation. She thought of her parents in that moment. Of her father, ironically.

"Do you know I'm only a freshman?"

Caleb snorted. "Okay, you're getting annoying now. Yes, I do."

So he did. Caleb tapped his wrist, gesturing toward an imaginary watch. After a single moment, Eve finally nodded. "Okay."

"How was your trip?"

"Fine."

"What did you do?"

"Slept in."

"Did you hear Caleb's in the hospital? It was on the news. They found him near your hotel, actually."

Sundance jumped to attention at that. He awaited Eve's answer. Sindri brought Caleb's name for a reaction, but Eve's response was practically rehearsed. "Really. How interesting."

"Before we go home, I'm going through the Wendy's drive-thru. If that's okay. I haven't eaten all morning because I was helping a friend move into the Tokyo U dorm."

Eve sighed. Sundance threw his hands in glee. "Yay!"

Sindri ordered himself and Sundance a burger and fries and two sodas. And despite Eve's protest, he brought her a coffee, which he soundlessly handed to her. Eve took a sip and placed it in the cup holder.

Sundance gasped. Both of them turned to him. Their resemblance couldn't be less uncanny. Whereas, Eve was blonde, blue-eyed, and short-tempered. Sindri had dark hair, hipster glasses, and was ironically mellow. Once upon a time, Sindri was a tattooed, chubby, would-be rebel child with a penchant for stealing and (attempting) to hotwire cars and motorbikes. Now, he was a tattooed, skinny, overly-studious bookworm aiming for a teaching degree. If only Sundance had seen him then.

"Eve, you didn't even thank him!" he crowed, offended.

Sindri quietly snickered, then turned back to the road. "Yeah, she doesn't really do that."

"Thank you for the hot coffee I didn't even want, Sindri Miroashi. I only just burned my tongue, but there's no problem in that."

Sindri rolled his eyes. "Anytime, darling sister–wait, is that Kazuya Oshiro?"

Eve raised her sunglasses to look. Waiting outside their apartment complex was a familiar sight, indeed. Tattooed up to the neck, blonde and a gaze sparkling with contempt, was Kazuya Oshiro. Eve swore quietly and Sundance chastised her.

Eve chose her look carefully. A long, cap-sleeved orange dress, which clashed awfully with her hair, and straw sandals. Thinking back, it was probably a fashion disaster. She and Caleb met at the local park, which she'd figured was a decent location. At the benches, overlooking the duck pond. The day was exhaustingly hot. Listened to music via her phone. She showed him all her favorite songs. He listened to them all without qualm.

"Eve," Caleb said. "Can I tell you something weird?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Do you ever wish you could go back to the beginning?"

"Wha…what do you mean?"

Caleb looked away, embarrassed. "Never mind."

"No, you can't just drop it!" she protested, reaching for his hand. He stared at her hand over his, then met her gaze. She withdrew it as if stung. "Can you tell me what you meant?"

"I don't think I even know. It's stupid. Sometimes, I wish I was young. Well, younger. I wish I could go back to the simpler days. You're young, so you probably don't understand and that's nice. Life was just easier. Now, when I wake up, I have nothing to look forward to. When you're young, it's endless. Even the little things. Pancakes, school dances, family dinners." he said, offering a dry laugh. "Sorry, I think I'm acting crazy and…yeah, you can just ignore me."

Eve blinked. "So you've lost your motivation."

Caleb folded his arms behind his head and leaned back, huffing a great sigh. "I guess that's a partial analyzation."

"I want to be yours," she promised. He reopened one eye, listening. "Your motivation, that is."

"I'd like that."

"Good."

Eve faced him to continue the conversation and Caleb slid a hand to her neck, kissing her so spontaneously, she tried to pull away. He took it as an invitation and came closer, holding her face secure. It was an indescribable awkward and she kept her eyes open. It probably lasted twenty seconds. And when they broke apart, he looked pleased.

She released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Let's get something to eat."

Kazuya Oshiro was Caleb's best friend. He lived in Tokyo Heights and was a tattoo artist. His family also happened to own a series of apartment complexes, including the one Caleb lived in, which was why they got away with everything. Kazuya and his wife, Minori, had known Caleb since elementary school. Minori and Kazuya begun dating around the same time she and Caleb had. But due to different circumstances, Eve and Caleb's relationship was considered slightly taboo. Minori never liked Eve. Not that it was a big deal to her. She didn't like her either.

Also: Kazuya and Minori were prime gossipers. When Kazuya and Minori first started dating, Minori had a pregnancy scare, confessed her fear to Kazuya, and he dumped her. Shortly after, the rumors that plagued their relationship expanded. Pregnant/married a billionaire/wanted Caleb's money. Started by them, most likely.

Sindri didn't make a move to avoid Kazuya. Though Sindri offered to help with her luggage, Eve refused and followed with it singlehandedly, looking and feeling completely idiotic. Last time she'd seen Kazuya, she ran to his apartment in The Heights after a colossal argument and slept in for three days straight on his couch. His wife had no problem kicking her out.

Sindri approached Kazuya with a comfortable smile. Sundance followed after him, bouncing on his heels, in an equally great mood. "Kazuya, it's been awhile! How are you? How's Minori?"

Kazuya gave a great laugh. "We're both great, thanks! You're off probation now, right? Get back on the scene, bro. It's been too long! Who's the kid? Your godchild or something?"

Sundance blinked. Probation?

Eve managed to muffle a laugh into a cough. She'd be lying if she didn't get silent satisfaction out of her brother's past sins. At probation, Sindri was stuttering. "Um, yeah. Maybe. Something like that. Come on, Sundance. Eve, you coming?"

Immediately, Kazuya's tone changed. No more laughter. All seriousness. "Actually, I need to talk to her. That's the point of my little visit."

Sindri backtracked at Kazuya's change of tone, suspicious. So did Sundance, matching Sindri's step. Eve rolled her eyes. "It's fine, guys. It's fine."

After watching them into head into the building, Eve faced Kazuya. "What do you even want?"

"You slept on my couch for three days and that's the thanks I get?" Kazuya retorted. "Your boyfriend's in the hospital."

Eve scoffed. "So I heard."

Kazuya narrowed his eyes. Once upon a time, Kazuya had been a delight to be around. He reminded Eve of herself now. Bitter. "Nice show of compassion." he said. "And what the hell were you doing on vacation? Glad to see where your priorities lie."

"Is that your business?"

"Actually, it is, because my best friend is in the hospital–"

"Please, you liar. If he's such your best friend, why aren't you sitting in the hospital with him now? Also, since you enjoy getting personal, I'll share some." Eve said, tearing off her sunglasses, blue gaze blazing. "I barely saw you when I was forced to sweep him–drunk, high, I don't even know anymore–off the carpet for three straight years and was forced to monitor him in his sleep, so he wouldn't choke to death. Clean an apartment that was never mine and pretend to ignore what you called a "momentary indiscretion." I only saw you when you were taking him to high school parties. Mind you, both of you should've been in college."

"Shut up, Eve. You and I both know he always had that habit. How do you think your relationship came about? Secondly, I told you to stay with him because he is ill."

"Stop saying that! No, he's not!" she shouted, personally stung by his statement, eyes wide. A few passerbys turned at the sound. Kazuya turned to them, then back again with an expression she couldn't analyze. She wondered how they looked to them. A married couple. Friends. Strangers. "Just...don't."

"Whatever, it's really not my business," he answered, neutral. When Eve tried to respond, he lifted a hand to stop her. "I just want you to go see him. Please. He…I'm worried. Please."

Eve expected her chest to hurt. Expected an automatic burst of sympathy or tears or something. Kazuya's strained expression did nothing for her. "Maybe," she said, heading inside without further comment.

A week later, Eve found an unmarked CD shoved in her locker. In lieu of lunch, she carried it to the library and listened to it on the computer on the lowest, safest volume. Twelve songs. Every song she showed to Caleb yesterday. All meshed together in a post-summer mix. She dug into her bag for her earbuds, plugged them into the computer, and listened to the mix until the end of her designated lunch period, infatuated.

It was a dream.

She had to tell Caleb.

She had to–

After she left the library with the CD safely tucked inside her bag, she noticed a new commotion. Students were whispering behind their hand. Laughing. Loudly gossiping.

"Oh my God, that's her…"

"Seriously? She isn't even that pretty."

"Hopefully, the lifelong humiliation is worth ruining a two-year relationship."

Eve looked around and found nearly every gaze on her. An ugly side-effect of celebrity. She forgot where she was going. What classroom was hers. Girls were giggling manically, side-eyeing her from behind their phones.

And at the far end of the hallway, Kazuya grabbed Caleb's shirt and flung him to the floor to the sight of a delightful crowd of students. Caleb was wide-eyed. Terrified. Fumbling to block his face. "You have a girlfriend!" he shouted.

"Where did Sindri go?"

Sundance had his sketchbook in his lap when Eve returned upstairs, looking hassled. He'd been drawing the pear trees outside their building from memory. "He said he needed to run back to his college for a minute. He forgot a book. Took the back stairwell."

Eve rolled her eyes. "Typical," she muttered with that same expression of bitter. "I'm gonna try to take a nap. I'm feeling horrible jetlag. Wake me if anything."

"Did you ever check in on the others?"

"Hmm?"

"Chainz, Ishimaru, Resh, Phil, Kyo, Lilja, Viola…"

"Yeah, no. Taking a nap now. Temporary goodnight, Sundance."

Sundance narrowed his eyes, snapping his sketchbook closed and bounding to his feet. Eve was not intimidated by the jump. "Why not?"

"Because we just got back. I don't have time to call, like, twelve people and ask them about their lives, knowing damn well they don't care about mine."

"Stop, Eve. You know, that's not true." Sundance chastised, eyes still narrow.

"Right. Like, I don't see how they see me and Caleb? The ungrateful, heartless, lonely blonde? I regret nothing more than involving other people in this when we could've obviously handled the Ophelia situation ourselves."

Sundance frowned. "Actually, we didn't…and probably couldn't have. Lilja and Viola helped counter their final spell." he noted. "I didn't want this to turn into an argument. I only wanted you to check on the others."

Eve released a lengthy sigh. "God, everything is an argument to you, Sundance. I seriously can't deal."

"Are you going to–"

"No, I'm not, okay? I'm not. You are not comprehending what I'm trying to tell you," she informed, voice raising with each word. "I do not care about the others. I care about Caleb. I've been in a three-year relationship with Caleb. I don't care about people who won't look at me again after this battle. Do you understand now?"

"Caleb doesn't even like you. At least, we do."

It was a vague dig. Sundance awaited her response. Eve stared at him, unblinking.

"I regret telling you that, too." she said, storming past him, back for the door. It slammed. This time, he had no motive to follow her, so he didn't. Sundance returned to his sketchpad, flipping to a new page, envisioned rivers and waterfalls and koi ponds, and brought charcoal to the page.

"Eve, wait!"

Outside the school gate, Caleb rushed over to her. Kazuya had been suspended for causing the fight. Caleb's face was partly swollen. He was carrying two ice packs, his school-issued briefcase, and a jacket. A mess, indeed. "Caleb, what do you want? I had a terrible day." she admitted, not in the mood for him.

"You…you hadn't–" he said, breathless from running. He laughed, clutching his neck. In the slanting afternoon sunlight, his eyes were the color of crystal. "Sorry, I'm not athletic. I like donuts. I ran across the courtyard like an actual crazy when I saw you. Did you receive the CD?"

"Yeah, I did, but you neglected to mention a girlfriend."

"I don't have a–"

"Don't say anymore. That'll just make it worse."

Caleb paused, but his smile remained. "You're very wise," he confessed. "We broke up months ago."

"Still not buying it."

"Well, that's your problem."

"Stop smiling. I'm serious." Eve instructed, crossing her arms, defiant. "Someone–I don't know, I don't care–found out about us. Not that there is an us. People have been calling me names all day. Not even the whispery, cough-into-hand kind. They hate me and I didn't even do anything to them. People are so…cruel."

Caleb offered a bleak shrug. "That's high school for you." he said. "So what did you think of the kiss? We haven't really spoken since."

"Are we seriously talking about this now?"

"Um, yeah? Is there no better time?"

"Never, preferably."

"Wow. Ouch." he replied, lifting a hand to his chest, vaguely unaffected. "I can make it up to you, though. Come to my place. Tomorrow. Before school."

For a whole minute, Eve was drawn into silence. "Absolutely not!" she protested, then refrained from cringing. She sounded like her mother.

"Are you going to detest everything I say?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, I get. That sounded a little creepy...but I want to see you again-"

"Hello, we go to school together."

"I mean, alone."

Eve froze. Her heart thrummed in response. She and Caleb stared at one another for a full moment. "Can I choose the place?" she asked quietly.

"I'll probably regret this, but sure."

The sky was a toneless gray. The birds had yet to return. Caleb's best friend was suspended. Other students were spreading cruel rumors and calling her names, but it would be okay. Eve grinned at the sight of him and couldn't wait for tomorrow.

So ends Chapter 28! We're going back to the beginning. Eve and Caleb were happy, friends were angry, and secrets were surfacing. This is going to be a 3-part/possible 4-part mini about Eve/Caleb and their relationship with their friends/family. I've been excited to end this arc and start the second one. I'm also going to be introducing a couple of new characters and personality changes. R&R!