I didn't eat breakfast with my friends that morning. I had opted for a two hour workout, a bagel, and a ten minute head start to class so that I could pick my seat and possible get some answers out of Grandpa Joe about the Circle.

He never answered my questions fully- some information was still highly classified. He told me what he could though, in hopes my thirst would be quenched. Six years of questions and you'd think he'd understand that I wasn't stopping.

I walked quickly, finishing off my bagel and wishing I had grabbed some milk.

When I started to turn the corner, I saw my grandparents standing very close and talking very urgently.

They didn't notice me and I slowly and quietly crouched down, praying my knees didn't pop and give me away.

"There's been a flare up in Ireland," my grandmother whispered, "Cammie and Zach are already on their way to investigate." Grandpa Joe grabbed her arm and turned her more towards the wall they had been facing.

"This is not good. The Circle has a score to settle and if they are not done, all of these kids are in danger; Abigail and Matt are in danger." I was so focused on the conversation that I didn't hear Matt come up behind me. He touched my shoulder, causing me to flinch but with a flick to the head, I relaxed. He leaned over me, hoping to hear a little better.

"This school is the only safe place for these kids. That's why we did the exchange. We needed these kids to be monitored and safe and here they all are. Gallagher Academy cannot be breached Rachel, not now." My grandma rolled her shoulders and stood up a little straighter.

"We believed that last time and the castle burned to the ground Joseph." He held his hands up in surrender.

"I know…I know."

My grandmother rested her head against the stone wall. "I will protect these kids with my life; the Blackthorn Boys included. But don't think for a second that anyone inside these walls are safe, not entirely."

She smoothed her shirt out and started to walk towards us.

"Not when so many of their parents are responsible for weeding out Circle members."

Matt and I straighten in unison and hurriedly backed up a couple of steps. He threw his arm around my shoulders and laughed loudly, causing our grandparents to stop walking.

"I told you he was going to do that," he squeezed my shoulders in the universal sign for 'work with me'.

I jabbed his side gently and replied, "Whatever, you still let him take a shot at your poor defenseless sister."

That earned me a grin from him and we 'accidentally' bumped right into our grandparents.

"Good morning," I smiled. They both smiled at us.

"What did you hear?"

Just like that, our cover was blown. "How did you know," Matt demanded. "Your skirt shifted against the stones as you stood up," Grandpa Joe nodded to me then looked at Matt, "I also heard you flick her head with your….ring finger? That's an odd one to use."

Matt threw his hands up in defeat. "How are you so good at this?" Grandpa Joe just laughed but I stared straight into Grandma Rachel's eyes.

"How much danger are we in?" We heard people coming down the hall and she moved to leave but I grabbed her arm. "Don't lie to us grandma," I lowered my voice, "We know who the Circle is and what they want."

"We all know what they want Abigail," she gently removed my hand from her arm, "The only thing that matters is that they won't get what they want. Ever." She cupped both of our faces in her hands. "Not as long as we are alive they won't."

With that, she and grandpa left us.

I turned to Matt.

"You know what this means," I whispered as people began to pass us.

"It won't be easy," he ran a hand through his hair; "they already know that we know."

I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes.

I heard Rylee's peal of laughter, followed by Derrick's and the rest of the group.

"We get everyone in and we make a plan. We use Jason to hack and unlock files and we use Kodi's connections to piece everything else together." I pushed off the wall but Matt took hold of my arm.

"Abby…we don't need to do this. We already know what they want. We don't need to actively seek them out." He dropped my arm.

"I know we know the threat. They want us simply because we are Goode's. Mom wouldn't have let her family just fight her fight. This is no longer just about our parents. They want us Matt; we need to be knowing and ready for when they come."

He took a step back from me.

"You want something to happen just so you can prove yourself don't you?" I didn't respond; I only held his gaze.

"Abigail Goode, do not throw away your safety over this ridiculous obsession of needing to prove yourself."

I had never seen my brother look more like out father in our life; stern and holding me with a green eyed-glare.

"I need to be informed."

"No."

My eyes widened at his anger.

"No, what you need is to be a kid while you still can. What you need is to be a junior and spend times with friends and enjoy life. What you need is to be alive Abigail." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair again. "I will not lose you to pure stupidity Abby. You're my sister and one of my best friends. What would mom and dad say if they knew what you wanted to do?"

Someone cleared their throat and we turned to see our friends standing behind us.

"Sorry to interrupt," Jason studied our faces carefully, "but it's time for class."

I didn't wait for any of them as I headed towards C.O.W with Mr. Smith.

"So what did you and Matt argue about?"

Grace laid herself across the practice dummy and gave me a small smile.

"It wasn't an argument," I grunted as I spin-kicked the dummy and then paused to look at her, "and it was between Matt and I...not you."

Anyone else would have been offended or even upset. Grace just took it as a challenge.

"Oh, touchy-touchy huh?"

"Look Grace, back off okay? I'll tell you when I want to tell you." I started to walk away but she stepped in front of me.

"I know you better than probably anyone else besides Matthew Goode. I know that he said something that hit home and I know there's more than that conversation that's eating at you."

"I said it was between Matt and I, Gracelynn," I snapped and pushed her aside, "So hop off."

I should have never turned my back. I felt her foot connected with the side of my ribs and I fell to the ground.

"Let's fight it out shall we? Since you're too upset to talk?" She pouted and I never felt more enraged in my life.

"Leave me alone."

"What's wrong? You're mad because Matt called you out on your self-preservation of your non-existent legacy? You're angry because you haven't done half the stuff your mother and father have and now you're just reaching for anything? Or is it because Jason finally turned his attention to someone else?"

I swung before I even realized I did it.

My fist connected with her jaw and her head snapped to the side. I immediately wanted to apologize but I was in too deep know. I was still seething.

The boys were across the gym but I saw Matt look down at his hand and clench it, like he felt the pain. Anger always seemed to connect us somehow. I looked back at Grace with a murderous gleam in my eyes.

"You shouldn't have kept talking."

With that I snapped.

I threw myself forward, foot already aimed for her head. She ducked and moved to sweep my leg out from under me. I jumped and aimed a punch for her stomach. When I connected, she doubled over in pain but managed to get in a punch to my cheek.

"I guess it runs in the family huh? Stealing the affection of your best friend's love interest?"

Grace laughed humorlessly.

"Yeah well at least when we want something, we get it. Unlike you- you're too afraid to go after something. Unlike you, I don't worry about a legacy to uphold because I am my own person."

I lunged for her again, snarling.

I heard Jason yell our names and the boys ran over to stop us from killing each other. We were both using moves on each other that we had no business using and it was only when I finally pinned Grace with both of my legs pining her thighs together and an arm twisted painfully behind her back did she stop fighting against me.

I pushed off of her and rolled onto my back, breathing hard- but my anger was gone.

She rolled over and touched her lip tenderly before breaking out in a smile.

"It's been a while since I've seen Angry Abby."

I couldn't help but smile too hoisted myself up. I held out a hand and she pulled herself up.

Grace hugged me tightly and whispered, "Jason's yours Abs. If you want him that is? I've just been flirting harmlessly; there's someone else I want."

I pushed my hair out of my eyes. "I appreciate it."

She licked her lip where the blood had already dried. "I let you win by the way."

She very well might have but I shrugged and said, "We can always have a rematch."

"You're on." She faced me squarely and added, "I didn't mean any of it Abby. I just wanted to help you work the edge off."

"I know Gracie. I didn't mean it either."

I heard Lane mutter something along the lines of "Females are crazy" which caused the rest of us to laugh.