Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Nine

...

"Can you believe we have to go back to a shitty high school just to make up credits? We already know more than high schoolers; we graduated, after all!" one person lamented, rolling their eyes dramatically when a few people snickered in response.

Beau shifted in his seat, wondering if it was worth using his power to get them to shut up. Deciding it wasn't, he tugged out a pair of headphones from his bag and put them on, turning his music up loud to drown out the noise from the complaining students.

He didn't give a flying fuck if he had to go to high school every Friday to make up credits. He was attending the University of Maxville to learn, and if the best teachers were at a high school, then he expected the university to make sure they got the education they were paying a premium price for. Besides, he was sure that Grant and Jewel had gone to Sky High - wherever it was, he couldn't actually find the location online - and Beau wanted to see where they'd gone. Maybe the American high school would have photos of their seniors or something? He could see what they looked like last year and try to start a conversation about Jewel's hair or Grant's clothes, or something, anything.

Ugh, Super Jesus, he sounded so lame! Talking about their hair and clothes? Why not just wear a shirt that said "please love me?!" in neon colours, for fuck's sakes?

Forcing himself to close his eyes, Beau missed the confusion from the others around him as the bus drove off the main highway and passed several 'Road Closed' signs. Eventually, there was enough movement and someone actually tapped him to look through the window, and Beau opened his eyes just in time to see them driving off the edge of an unfinished road...

"Fuck!"

...

Principal Powers looked at the group of college students that had arrived, most of them pale or green at the unexpected drop and flight up to the school. She wondered if she could hold in her laughter until she reached her office, a twitch already on her lips. "I do apologise for the unexpected journey. I did inform the Dean that rocket-powered buses were required for a reason. I mistakenly assumed that the information would be passed along. Well, it's over now, and you know for next time," she said briskly, turning around before she smiled too widely. "Come along, we've a busy day ahead!"

The college students followed, crowding together like lost puppies, and several still trembling. Principal Powers ignored the curious high schoolers pressed against the hallway windows, watching and whispering. She couldn't even berate them since the teachers were right next to their students.

"The seniors have their study group with the juniors this morning. We have a few housekeeping things to cover, and then I'll take you to meet them," Principal Powers said, leading the college students through to the detention room, the door closing once they were all inside. "This is our detention room. Some of you with continual powers will notice that you cannot power up here. You're welcome to try," she offered generously, several people obviously attempting to power up and failing.

The ones who hadn't been pale before paled now, and Principal Powers waited until she had every single students' attention.

"While you are here, you are representing the University of Maxville. There are several rules in place that you need to follow to ensure that not only you learn, but also that you don't disrupt my students."

Several students were reminded of a mama bear, the ferocity in her tone and gaze making them swallow hard. Every single student realised then and there that it would be deadly to disobey the woman in front of her; despite her designer suit and stylish appearance, Principal Powers would destroy them if they hurt one of her students.

"There are also a few more rules to ensure you don't fall off the edge of the school," Principal Powers added with a bright smile, laughing gently. "If you have an issue with heights, please stay away from the edge of the school, and for those who don't have an issue, please note that you have signed waivers that exempt the school, students, and staff for any injuries you sustain while ignoring our rules. There are booklets on the table listing all of the rules, please read them carefully."

A few students looked around for the booklets, one student grabbing the pile and handing them out, eager to please the terrifying woman. Principal Powers smiled genially and waited until everyone had a booklet in hand.

"You should have received your schedules by now; if you have any changes to your curriculum, please inform Mr. Medulla. I'll introduce you to him shortly. First, I want to explain three very important aspects of Sky High's education: the first is that powering up outside of class is not allowed, unless there are extenuating circumstances or someone has been granted permission by myself or another staff member. The second is that bullying is not allowed, inside or outside of the school. This includes sexual harassment. If you are found to be bullying another student, you will be kicked out of the program and fail your Hero course. Not to mention, you have to deal with me."

Glad that most of them straightened up at the consequences - no one started the University of Maxville's Hero course with the intent to fail, after all - Principal Powers smiled, and continued, "And the third is Save the Citizen. It is our version of Physical Education where students are allowed to play against each other with their powers: one side Hero and the other Villain. It is a way to ensure problem-solving, quick thinking, and allows students to practice using their powers in a controlled environment. You are permitted to play, but only if invited by the reigning champions, and I trust you will keep your powers at a suitable level for the other students. Any questions?"

"How do you stop them from powering up and killing someone?"

"Has anyone been killed?"

"The games only last for five minutes; no high schoolers have enough control to kill someone in that timeframe," Principal Powers said. "Now, if that's all, I'll introduce your teacher for this program: Mr. Medulla."

Everyone was distracted by the man's large head, most of them forgetting to question the Principal about the absurdity of Save the Citizen; people could die in less than five minutes, after all.

As Beau and the others followed the Principal to the seniors and juniors' combined study session, he realised that Principal Powers hadn't actually answered as to whether someone had died in the Save the Citizen games.

...

"Becky, if you don't sit down, I will turn you into a cube."

"Geez, Hayley, I'm just stretching."

"Cubing you."

"No!" Becky said, quickly sitting down.

She was still muttering under her breath when Principal Powers opened the study hall door. Usually, some students worked or stayed home for the study session, choosing to come into school only when their first class with a teacher began. Today, however, the study hall was packed, everyone curious and watching the newcomers.

Principal Powers supposed she should have expected this, though she tried not to show her frustration on her face. There was hardly enough room for the college students to stand, let alone sit and study.

"All right, as there seems to be an abundance of students, let's do this in the gymnasium. Come along," Principal Powers said, herding the college students back out into the hallway and towards the gym.

The study hall practically exploded behind them, students almost falling over each other to get to the gymnasium first. Craig snickered, grabbed his friends' hands, and teleported them all there.

Principal Powers opened the gymnasium doors, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Craig and his friends already there, Zach glowing in the semi-darkness. "Mr. Forge! What have I said about using your power outside of class?"

"It was an emergency, Principal Powers; we were going to be crushed otherwise," Craig said, eyes wide and innocent.

Zach laughed into the crook of his elbow.

"And Mr. Brighton, stop glowing this instant. We have lights for a reason."

"Just trying to save electricity, Principal Powers."

She pursed her lips at his response and focused her attention on turning on the lights.

Beau watched the small group curiously, intrigued as to how they didn't seem to recognise Principal Powers as a threat when she so obviously was. One boy was looking at him intently, like he was staring into his soul - or perhaps reading his mind? - and Beau looked to the girl beside him, her hair wild like she'd been caught in a hurricane. There was a tall, brooding, dark-haired boy, his arms wrapped around a redheaded girl who was stroking his arm like she was showing her claim on him. The tall blonde boy who glowed was holding the hand of a black boy beside him, a folder held in his arms and looking like he wanted to add them all to it like a collection. A tall Asian boy with long black hair was looking over the shoulder of another black boy with dreadlocks, who seemed to be more interested in his phone than the students across from them, though the way his eyes flicked over every so often had Beau reassess his initial judgment. The first boy who'd spoken - Forge - was a redhead covered in freckles, and damn it, he was cute.

Beau tried to dismiss the thought because he still really liked Jewel and Grant, and wanted to get closer to them, but he also wasn't the kind of person to deny himself things in life, especially when they were so beautiful. He could just look, Beau decided, looking over the tall and lithe redhead with heat in his eyes.

Craig's eyes widened as he listened to the thoughts of the college newcomers, and more specifically Beau. He recognised him from Jewel and Grant's descriptions, and his suspicion was confirmed when Beau had thought about his girlfriend and boyfriend.

Dude, he likes you, Jewel, and Grant. That's rare.

Glowering at Donny when he heard his voice in his head, Craig reached out to flick his nose. Fuck off.

Donny just wiggled his eyebrows and grinned back at him.

Craig couldn't say or do anything because the rest of the juniors and seniors arrived, Becky looking like she'd run a marathon and was expecting one of the college kids as a prize.

"How'd you get here so fast?!" she demanded, glaring at Craig and his friends.

Hayley sighed, rolled her eyes, and turned her friend into a cube.

"Miss Braque," Principal Powers said, a warning in her tone.

"This is a bad decision," Hayley muttered under her breath, even as she undid the Becky cube.

"Hayley! You know what that does to my hair," Becky muttered, combing her fingers through her hair to try to tame the wild mess it had become.

"Yes, I do. Shut up, Principal Powers is trying to talk."

Principal Powers raised an eyebrow at Becky when she looked to her abruptly, her cheeks red. "Thank you, Miss Braque. I was going to get the college students to introduce themselves and their power. I would like volunteers for buddies - " she said, Becky immediately raising her hand, " - and study partners to help these new students to catch up to our curriculum here at Sky High."

Becky winced and lowered her hand.

"You don't have to be both," Principal Powers added, swallowing her amusement when Becky's hand shot up again.

She wondered if she could make Becky keep raising and lowering her hand if she kept changing her statements.

"We will organise buddies and study partners after the introductions," she said, Becky's hand lowering yet again.

Hayley - and Donny - snorted. "Calm down, you look desperate, Becks," she said, taking her friend's hand.

"Thank you. Please, step forward and introduce your name and power. You're welcome to demonstrate, if you'd like," Principal Powers said, indicating for the first student to step forward.

Beau realised that he was the first student and cursed silently. "I'm Beau. I mesmerise."

"Yeah, you do," Becky said.

Hayley wished that Super Jesus would answer her silent prayer just this once and make her friend shut up.

"What's mesmerise?" one of the students asked, frowning.

"I attract people."

"Damn straight."

There was a soft pop! and Becky was a cube again. Principal Powers pretended that she hadn't seen Hayley's use of power.

Beau sighed and turned his power on like a switch. Everyone immediately took a step forward, and he turned it off again before they could get too close. "Literally."

Principal Powers coughed, wishing she could take back that moment, the complete lack of control over her own limbs and what she thought was desire. It hadn't been real but, somehow, that didn't make it any better. "Thank you for the demonstration, Beau. Who's next?"

Ignoring the other's names and demonstrations - they'd already gone through this on their first day in the Hero course, after all - Beau returned his attention to the first group, hoping he hadn't disgusted them with his power display. As he watched them, Beau was confused to see that they didn't even look surprised by what he'd done, the redheaded girl talking with her boyfriend softly.

"Thank you, everyone," Principal Powers said, far too soon. "Miss Barque, please undo - "

Becky was human again in a second, her hair a complete and utter mess. She made a high-pitched noise of frustration, stalking out of the gym without looking back. Hayley rolled her eyes and followed after her friend. Beau doubted he was the only one relieved to see Becky go.

"Yes. Well. Are there any volunteers for buddies or study partners?" Principal Powers asked, smiling at the Sky High students.

Donny flicked Craig's elbow, making him jerk forward.

"Thank you, Mr. Forge. Any others?"

The rest of their group put their hands up, some of the other juniors and seniors raising their hands, too.

"Thank you for volunteering your time. Mr. Forge, as you volunteered first, you can choose."

"Beau, please," Craig said, shifted so his blush wouldn't show, though he heard Donny's cackle of laughter in his head.

Asshole.

Beau tried not to think of the cute redhead saying his name or pleading. He failed, spectacularly. "Thank you, uh, Mr. Forge?"

"Craig. I'm Grant and Jewel's boyfriend," Craig added, the words practically blurted out.

Beau almost fell over at their names and the realisation that he'd been right about their other boyfriend being hot.

"Mr. Forge, I think that's a little more information than people need," Principal Powers said.

"It's all right, Principal Powers. I just tripped on my shoelace," Beau lied, stooping down to retie his laces.

Principal Powers just nodded and continued on to the others standing by Craig. "Who was next?"

"I can offer to be a study partner, Principal Powers. I just need to rearrange my timetable to allow for more space on Fridays," Ethan said, unfolding his binder and then folding out another flap.

"Mr. Damsale, you need to ensure you don't take on so much that you burn out. You're already working on the school paper and the yearbook committee," Principal Powers said, rejecting his offer as gently as she could.

"I call dibs on Gala," Zach called, waving to the girl with silver and red hair.

The girl with silver and red hair waved back, looking amused. She was standing with four other college students. They'd introduced themselves as triplets and twins, all with the same surname and all with varying shades of wildly-coloured hair. They had all said they had darts as a power, and while no one knew what they were actually talking about, no one wanted to question them after Beau's display.

"You can't call dibs on someone, Zach. They're people, not a prize to be won," Layla said.

"You can't win prizes by calling dibs on them," Zach argued, grinning.

"Dibs on Freya," Ry said in the silence, Layla shaking her head even as Freya laughed.

"I'll partner with Hagen," Adam said, waving to the boy with silver and purple hair.

"I'll be happy to partner with Iris," Layla said, smiling at the girl with hair that looked like a colourful fire with reds, oranges, and purples that somehow worked.

"Juno," Warren said, nodding briefly to the girl with blue and yellow hair, colours that would rival Heidi and Zach's neon clothes.

"Any others?" Principal Powers asked the group, raising an eyebrow at them, even though the students they'd mentioned seemed amused instead of insulted.

"Nah, Principal Powers. We're good now, thanks!" Craig quipped, grinning broadly.

Turning her attention to the rest of the students, Principal Powers allowed the remaining college students to be paired with study partners and buddies from the rest of the gathered seniors and juniors.

"Thank you for your time, everyone. Now, please return to study hall and continue your work. Or start it," she amended, doubting that much work had been achieved before she'd arrived.

The students all filed out, the college students making their way to their new buddies and study partners. At least some of them would be easier to spot than others, Principal Powers mused, the triplets' and twins' multi-coloured hair obvious even in the crowd.

...

"Welcome to Sky High!" Craig said, grinning broadly and trying to keep his attention from focusing solely on Beau.

Jewel and Grant were right: he was sooo pretty!

"Hey, shift, would you? I don't want to be stabbed by the Darty McPoisons over there. They're like a 5-pack of deadly McNuggets," Adam said, nudging Craig.

"What did you say?" Freya asked, eyes narrowing.

"We're friends of Honey's. Adam already knew everything about all of you by the end of the assembly on Wednesday. Well, almost everything," Layla amended, looking between Craig and Beau with a grin.

Beau's cheeks went red at being caught staring at Craig, and forced himself to listen to the conversation properly. "You knew our powers?"

"Yeah. My man does the best computer stuff. He's like one of those hackers in 90s movies, except better," Craig said, grinning.

"I'm taking that compliment, but it could've been better, dude," Adam said, rolling his eyes.

"Why did you tell him to shift if he hasn't shifted?" Juno asked pointedly, and kind of annoyed that they knew her powers but she didn't know theirs.

"Huh? I have shifted. Ohh, you mean externally. Yeah, I don't have to do that anymore. I'm totally stopping your powers. Go on, try to shift," Craig said, grinning broadly.

Hagen was talking with Ethan about his binder and study schedule, but looked over when his sisters made several noises of frustration. "What's wrong?"

"We can't use our power, duh!" Iris snapped.

"Oh. Okay," Hagen said, returning his attention back to Ethan.

"You've gotta try, Hagen. C'mon, you're stronger than all of us," Gala said, batting her eyelashes at him.

"No."

Iris groaned. "You suck."

"Ellan son raros," Juno said, a whine to her voice. (They're weird. Spanish)

"Tu tambien," Freya replied. (So are you.)

"Gracias por el cumplido," Craig said with a flourish, Juno turning red when she realised they all understood. (Thank you for the compliment.)

"I told you to be careful about who you bitch about, don't look at me for sympathy, Ju," Iris said, rolling her eyes at her twin.

Juno poked her tongue out at her.

"You speak Spanish very well, Craig," Beau said, smiling and hoping he didn't look creepy without his power. He knew everyone liked him better when his power was in play, so Beau felt awkward and clumsy without it.

"You think so?" Craig asked brightly, smiling back at him, the cutest damn blush on his cheeks that Beau had ever seen.

"I'm out. I forgot which one of you I picked as my buddy, but I'm leaving," Adam said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"I don't think it actually matters, so I'm leaving, too," Freya said, standing and following Adam out of the study hall. "Can you show me where the bathroom is, please?"

"Oh, ditto," Gala said, hurrying to gather her thing and follow Adam and Freya.

"Does he always leave at random times?" Beau asked Craig curiously.

"Yeah... Well, not always random, but... uh," Craig coughed, blushing again and not sure how to explain his friend's sixth sense when he was thinking about sex. Or, in this case, making out with Beau, or holding his hand, or just hugging him. Beau looked like he'd be a good hugger with broad shoulders and big hands. And now he was thinking about what else those hands could be doing.

Donny took a spritz bottle out from his bag and sprayed Craig from across the table.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Craig exclaimed, Beau's eyes wide at what had just happened.

"I'll help you clean up. There's a bathroom nearby, yes?" Beau asked, standing and offering Craig his hand.

"Yes."

"Remind me to thank Honey later, Wendy?" Donny asked, grinning at her as Beau and Craig left.

She rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her Mad Science formulas.

"You don't mind if I steal it?" Hagen asked Ethan, taking a copy of the blank timetable.

"I mind if you sell it, but stealing it is okay," he replied, grinning.

"What if he steals it and then sells it?" Zach asked.

"Then I'd mind; he's still selling it," Ethan said.

Zach thought about it for a second and then nodded.

"Have you finished your Communications for Hero Support essay?" Ethan asked Zach as Hagen took out a pen to fill in the timetable.

"Yes. I included the changes you suggested and I rewrote the second paragraph to make it flow better. Will you read it for me to check?"

"Of course," Ethan said, kissing his cheek and taking the offered essay.

"Warren, can you go after Craig and Beau, please? I don't think they've talked with Grant and Jewel about... this," Layla said. She'd been far too amused at watching everything to bother studying. She'd already finished her homework, anyway.

"Hippie."

"Please?" Layla asked.

Warren sighed and handed her his notebook. "You can check my Mad Science formulas, then. Super fucking Jesus, what did I do to deserve this?" he muttered as he left to the nearest bathroom.

Craig was blushing and couldn't bring himself to shift to hide his face, his heart pounding in his chest, even as Beau took several paper towels out of the holder and dried his face gently. He was muttering under his breath about Donny, things that Donny probably didn't deserve, but Craig just stayed silent. He didn't trust his voice right then.

The door opened, neither Craig nor Beau paying much attention, and Warren rolled his eyes and whistled sharply. "Get out of here; I'm not your chaperone. And talk to Grant and Jewel before you start anything, got it? They'll be at the Hive tonight, so don't you say you can't," he said to Craig.

"Are you really telling Craig what to do?" Beau asked defensively.

"I'm telling Craig what to do to avoid hurting people's feelings. Jewel would be pissed if you started something without her, and Grant would be upset if you didn't talk to them first," Warren said.

In the hallway, the bell rang to signify the start of the next lesson.

Craig inhaled and exhaled, nodding. "You're right. Uh. I'd better get to class. Thanks for helping me clean up, Beau."

"Super fucking Jesus," Adam groaned, turning at the doorway and leaving. "I'll use another bathroom."

Beau glared at Warren as Craig and Adam left, and Warren raised an eyebrow back at him. "You fuck up what Craig has with Grant and Jewel, and I'll kill you myself, got it?"

Beau's glare faded. "I'm not... I don't want to fuck anything up between them. I just... They like me, okay? Whether or not I'm powered up, and I like them back. I didn't even know Craig was with them, and I thought he was cute. I didn't want to ruin whatever I had with Grant and Jewel - even if it was just friends - and then he said he's with them, and..."

"Super Jesus. Breathe, Beau," Warren said, stepping into the bathroom and putting his hands on Beau's shoulders as he heaved for breath, his body shaking.

Warmth flooded through Beau, forcing his body to relax, and he breathed deeply. Shaking out his trembling hands, Beau straightened up, his cheeks red in embarrassment. "Sorry. I... It happens sometimes."

Warren shrugged. "You're not the first person I've helped with a panic attack. C'mon, we'll be late for class."

"Will... will Craig be there?" Beau asked hesitantly.

"No. He's a junior, not a senior. You'll see him at Save the Citizen this afternoon. Well, lunch before that. Grab your shit, let's go."

Still feeling shaky, but glad Warren wasn't making a big deal of his panic attack, Beau grabbed his bag and followed him to the Mad Science classroom.

...

"So, what are your actual powers?" Iris asked at lunch, opening her lunch and taking a bite of food.

"Was that a cricket?" Zach asked, blinking.

"Yes. Power, c'mon."

"You know ours," Juno added.

"So... your poison dart frog power leans more towards the frog side than shifters normally do?" Ethan asked curiously.

"Every question we answer, we get to know one of your powers, deal?" Gala asked.

"Fine by me. Why crickets?" Layla asked.

"Easier to transport than some of the other things we eat," Iris said.

"Plus they taste good," Juno said with a broad grin. "What's your power?"

"Flora," Layla said.

"Are you really frogs masquerading as humans?" Zach asked, munching on a carrot and pointing at them with the bitten-off end.

"We're shifters. Power?" Iris asked.

"I glow."

"We saw him in the gym, Iris. Goddamn it, you wasted one," Gala said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yeah. Shit. C'mon, what else?" Iris asked.

"Why the brightly-coloured hair?" Adam asked curiously.

"Have you seen poison dart frogs in the wild?" Freya asked.

"No, and that's not an answer."

"We're predators and we're brightly coloured to warn others that we can kill them," Gala said with a sharp smile.

"Like the Power Rangers," Hagen said suddenly, several people bursting into peals of laughter at his unexpected contribution.

"Hage, you're killing me," Juno groaned.

"I'm brighter than you are," he replied with a shrug, but grinned as he returned to his own spicy lunch of fire ants.

"Adam, power?"

"Acid spit."

"Are your poison frogs coloured the same as your hair? Like, with my guinea pig shift?" Magenta asked eagerly. "I can show you, if you like? You might've seen me on the news. Or my action figure?"

Adam: she looked at Malik like this, didn't she?

Terrence: Malik's still pissed about her lusting over him.

Craig: I don't know if it's better or worse that she's lusting over all of them instead of Malik?

"Which question do you want us to answer?" Iris snipped.

"Ire, eat your crickets," Gala said.

Iris rolled her eyes and muttered, her tongue flicking out to catch another cricket.

"Uh, the first one. About your hair and frog shifts," Magenta said, turning an embarrassed shade of purple.

"Yes, our hair matches our shifts," Freya replied. "Since you just told us your power, what's your power, Craig?"

Craig, who was texting Grant and Jewel about Beau, looked over at his name. Realising Freya's question a second later, he grinned. "Carbon copy; I can look exactly like other people."

"Can I see?" Beau asked eagerly.

"Sure, who do you want to see?"

Seeing that Beau was floundering for an answer, Gala looked at Craig. "Just supers or citizens, too?"

"Anyone, I guess," Craig replied. "People usually want supers, but I could probably pull off Brian Anderson, too."

He shifted then, Brian Anderson smiling his award-winning smile and winking at the triplets.

Iris snorted, almost choking on a cricket. "You had to choose Brian Anderson? Juno's got a crush on him the size of Portugal."

"No, I don't! Shut up!" Juno said, her cheeks red.

"Ire, Ju, stop it. Do you want me to tell Pepe?" Freya asked.

Juno glared and sat down abruptly, scowling at both of her sisters.

"Who's Pepe?" Warren asked, taking Layla's offered apple.

"It's Freya's nickname for our father. She couldn't say Papi when we were young, and we all call him that now" Gala said. "Power?"

Warren bit into his apple, holding it in his mouth as his hand lit up with flames, the siblings flinching back at the sight and heat.

"Any other questions?" Freya asked.

"Want to go for a walk?" Justina asked.

"Sure."

Magenta hated how she'd got stupid cafeteria food again and her friends had all of their own containers of delicious food, which they'd finished since they didn't have to wait in a line for it. "I'm almost done!"

"Don't rush, Magenta; we'll meet you out there. We can't go far," Layla said with a light laugh.

Magenta had taken a mouthful of pasta and could only nod in response. She was alone at the table in a matter of seconds; even Hagen had left, who was obviously the most introverted and disinterested predator Magenta had ever seen. He'd barely even looked at her!

"So, why are you the strongest out of your siblings?" Adam asked Hagen curiously as they walked with the others around Sky High's grounds.

"I'm not the strongest; Juno was just pandering to me to get her way," Hagen said with a shrug.

"Hage is totally downplaying his own strength. We fight all the time and he wins every time," Iris said, rolling her eyes.

"People think he's stupid but he's, like, so totally secure in his own strength that he doesn't consider anyone else to be a predator," Juno said.

"And because he rarely talks, even to his own family," Gala said pointedly.

Hagen shrugged. "I don't have a lot to say."

"Not a bad thing," Warren said.

"I prefer to read," Hagen said.

"Have you read War and Peace?"

"Of course," Hagen said, then started on a detailed analysis of Tolstoy's work.

His sisters watched in astonishment when Warren replied with his own insights and Hagen actually looked impressed. Warren continued to talk, holding Layla's hand as they walked with Hagen.

"What do you think, Layla?" Hagen asked.

"I haven't read Tolstoy yet, so any thoughts I have would be derived from SparkNotes. I'm still struggling to make my way through Dumas; there's so much French politics. There are days when I barely understand American politics," she said, grinning.

"Bullshit, Lay. Your mother would've made sure you knew all about politics before taking you to a rally," Zach snorted.

"Just because I understand the system, it doesn't mean I truly understand politics. There's so much underhanded dealing that the system stops making sense if you examine it too closely," Layla said.

Warren squeezed Layla's hand gently at the memory of her mother, and she smiled at him warmly.

"Hurry up, guys! Craig's already on his third lap, and we've barely done one!" Justina called.

"Craig should've finished five laps by now, so he's slipping," Ry called back.

"I'm not slipping, I'm just waiting to bypass you; this is a smaller section of land," Craig said.

Ry looked from where Craig was walking with Beau to the expanse of grass beside them, and raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

"Shut up."

...

End of the hundred and twenty-ninth chapter.

Thanks for reading; I hope you liked it!