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A few days later, Marcus came home after running some errands and found Will and Carlton engaged in some hushed conversation. When they noticed him entering, their eyes lit up, smirking with mischievous delight—the kind of smirk that always preceded one of their "bad ideas." He set his bags down on the kitchen counter, watching as the two high schoolers moved toward him like vultures circling their prey.

"Marcus the Great! How's it going this fine afternoon?" Carlton greeted him with an exaggerated tone, the one he always used when he was gearing up to ask for something.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. "The answer is NO, guys."

"What do you mean 'no'? We haven't even asked you anything yet..." Will exclaimed, flipping his hat backward for effect.

"You haven't asked for anything yet, but I already know what's coming," Marcus replied, giving them a pointed look. "You're going to try to drag me into something."

"Come on, man, just hear us out!" Will urged, leaning forward with exaggerated charm.

"I don't want to hear it, Will. I'm not trying to get into any trouble." Marcus crossed his arms, firmly setting his stance.

Carlton and Will exchanged dramatic sighs, as if they were heartbroken by Marcus' refusal. "Well, I guess it's just the two of us going clubbing tonight, huh, Will?" Carlton sighed, his voice dripping with faux disappointment.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, stifling a small laugh. "I didn't realize they let minors into nightclubs these days.''

"Oh, we have connections, Marcus. But honestly, I don't even know why we're talking to you—you shouldn't even be listening to us," Carlton said, shrugging casually.

Marcus frowned. He didn't care what they usually got up to, but this felt different. He wanted to reason with them, to stop them from doing something dumb. "You shouldn't be doing this, guys. If anything goes wrong, or if Mister Banks finds out, you're going to be in serious trouble. And I'm not talking figuratively."

"My father won't know anything. It's just one night. There's a big DJ guest spinning, and we can't miss it," Carlton explained with a shrug, trying to brush off Marcus' concern.

Marcus shook his head. "That's a ridiculous reason. And I don't even know why you think I'd help you."

"Well, two main reasons," Carlton replied smoothly. "One, you have your own car, and our parents won't ask where you're going if they hear the engine start. They'll probably just think you're out at a party. And two, you're an actual adult and, let's be real, you're pretty good-looking. You'll attract a ton of girls, and we'll benefit too, obviously."

Marcus laughed internally. These guys were something else. Even if he said no, they'd probably find a way to get themselves in anyway.

"How do you know I won't tell Mister Banks?" Marcus asked, trying to sound threatening.

Will flashed a confident grin. "Because, from what we've seen over the past month and a half, you're no snitch. We know about that time you let me get away with eating Uncle Phil's sandwich. He thought he'd forgotten it, but you backed me up. You've got our back, Marcus."

Before Marcus could reply, Hilary entered the kitchen and noticed the three of them standing together, speaking in hushed tones. She narrowed her eyes.

"What are you plotting?" she asked, casually adjusting a curl.

"Oh, nothing," Will said quickly, clearly nervous. "Just talking about how Marcus is doing such a great job around here."

Hilary smiled knowingly and stepped closer to them. "You're a terrible liar, Will."

"I'm not lying, Hil!" he protested, though it was obvious he wasn't convincing anyone.

Hilary shook her head with a grin, her expression amused. "Whatever it is, I don't care. But..." she turned to Marcus, giving him a pointed look, "Just say no, okay?"

With that, she left the kitchen and headed into the living room, leaving Marcus to stew over his decision. On one hand, he didn't want to be responsible for babysitting two minors at a nightclub. But on the other hand, he knew that if he let them go alone, they'd probably get themselves into some mess, as they always did. In a way, he felt like it was his responsibility to keep an eye on them.

After a few moments of feeling the pressure from both Will and Carlton's hopeful gazes, Marcus finally sighed. "Fine. What time do you want to leave?"

Both boys grinned from ear to ear and started jumping in excitement. Marcus immediately told them to calm down. Will, trying to hide his excitement, spoke up.

"Let's say ten-thirty, next to your car."

"Fine." Marcus replied, trying to sound firm, even though he had a feeling this was just the beginning.

Their grins grew even wider as Carlton added, "This is gonna be epic!"

Marcus raised a hand. "Just so you know, this will be the first and the last time I do this." He gave them a stern look.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Will said, still grinning. "You're the best, man!"

That same night, Marcus was waiting for Will and Carlton in his car when he eventually saw them sneaking out through the back door. Both jumped in the car, and without hesitation, Marcus started the engine and hit the road. About half an hour later, they pulled into the parking lot of the nightclub, ironically named "The Daybreak." A long line of cranky girls and show-off boys snaked around the entrance, forcing the trio to wait another thirty minutes before getting inside. They almost melted under the heat when one of the bouncers decided to scrutinize Carlton's fake ID a second time, but they eventually made it through.

Marcus turned to them once they were inside. "Alright, before I let you do whatever you want, I've got two things I need you to remember: First, I'll be at the bar if you need me. We meet back there at two a.m., and we leave then, no exceptions. Second, and most importantly, don't do anything stupid, or I'll kick your asses. Got it?"

Will and Carlton nodded eagerly before blending into the crowd. Marcus did the same but immediately made his way to the bar. The waiter gave him a skeptical look when he only ordered a coke, but Marcus shrugged it off. He leaned back against the bar, watching the crowd dance and lose themselves in the music from the famous DJ spinning that night. Normally, Marcus would have been on the dance floor, but tonight wasn't about him—it was about keeping an eye on his two younger cousins.

He kept an eye on Will and Carlton, both of them dancing in their own unique ways, or trying to charm girls who didn't seem interested. Marcus couldn't help but laugh to himself, enjoying the chaos from a distance.

After a while, a tipsy girl who had been eyeing him for the past fifteen minutes approached. She leaned in close, touching his arm with a smile.

"Hey, I'm Kelly. What's your name, handsome?"

"I'm Marcus," he said, trying not to sound too uninterested, but the girl definitely wasn't his type.

"I see you've been keeping the bar occupied all night. Don't you wanna dance?" she asked, her voice already slurring a little.

Marcus forced a fake smile. "No, I don't really dance. I'm just here because I'm supposed to get my friends home in one piece later."

"Okay, I get it. But we can talk, right?" she said with a high-pitched laugh that only made Marcus' patience wear thinner. "What do you think of the event?"

"It's... okay, I guess," Marcus answered, barely holding his attention.

Kelly's eyes widened, clearly not satisfied with his answer. "Just 'okay'? Oh, please! This place is packed, it's gonna explode! The music is amazing, and the DJ—whoever he is—is awesome! Plus, check out the VIP section, it's full of the LA golden youth!"

Marcus didn't bother responding. Instead, he turned to glance behind him where she was pointing, his eyes landing on the exclusive VIP section. It was a whole different world back there, filled with people lounging on plush couches, sipping champagne, and chatting like they didn't even belong to the same world as the crowd on the dancefloor. For a moment, he thought back to when he'd been one of those "golden youth" in New York, surrounded by wealth and privilege. His thoughts drifted as his gaze landed on her.

Hilary.

She was sitting across the room, right on Kyle's lap, looking straight at him. Marcus' heart skipped a beat. This was bad—really bad. Kelly suddenly excused herself to go to the bathroom, leaving Marcus alone. He watched as Hilary whispered something to Kyle and then pulled herself away from him. She started walking toward Marcus, her frown deepening as she neared.

"Please, tell me you're here alone, Marcus," she said, her voice a mix of pleading and anger.

Marcus knew he couldn't lie. "They would've gone anyway, Hilary. It was better for me to go with them and keep an eye on them."

"My God, I can't believe you let them drag you into this!" she hissed, frustrated.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't just tell your parents. They'd hate me for it."

"So what?" Hilary retorted, her frustration growing. "They're minors!"

Marcus, feeling defensive, glanced toward Kyle, who was now watching them from a distance. His gaze was cold, almost challenging. He shrugged it off, trying to keep his composure. "I can handle them. I've been looking after them just fine. We'll be leaving at 2 and nothing will have ever happened. Why don't you go enjoy yourself with your boyfriend?" He shot a look in Kyle's direction, his tone sharper than he intended.

Hilary's eyes widened at his words, and she looked at him as if he'd just insulted her. Her expression hardened. "Do not change the subject!"

Marcus, taken aback, raised his hands slightly in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry," he muttered, though the apology didn't sit right with him. "But don't worry. I've got it covered. You can trust me, right?"

Hilary's gaze flicked over her shoulder as she saw Kyle slowly making his way toward them. Her face shifted from frustration to something else entirely—something almost desperate, as if she was trying to push him away without saying it outright. "Please, Marcus, I need you to leave. You can't stay here."

Marcus furrowed his brow, confused by the sudden change in her tone. There was an edge of fear behind her words, but what bothered him more was how she seemed to be pleading with him, as if she was hiding something. He could've sworn she whispered a "I'm begging you" under her breath before Kyle reached them.

Kyle finally arrived after making his way through the crowd, and without a second thought, he slung his arm possessively around Hilary's waist, pulling her closer to him. The move was calculated, a way to stake his claim, and the way he looked at Marcus—a challenge, an unspoken warning—only made Marcus tense up.

"Are you gonna introduce me, or what?" Kyle asked, his voice oozing with arrogance, his eyes never leaving Marcus.

Hilary, clearly uncomfortable, forced a smile, but it was hollow. "Sure. Marcus, this is Kyle. Kyle, this is Marcus. He works for my father and helps Geoffrey around the house."

"Oh, so you're a butler?" Kyle sneered, his tone dripping with condescension.

Marcus clenched his fists, feeling his temper flare, but he managed to stay calm. "You could say that," he said, his voice tight with restraint. His eyes locked onto Kyle's, daring him to push further. But it wasn't Kyle's words that bothered him—there was something else in the way Kyle kept pulling. His grip on her waist tightened, and Marcus couldn't help but notice the subtle shift in Hilary's body language—how stiff she became under Kyle's touch, like she wanted to pull away but couldn't.

"What about you, man?" Marcus asked, the question more of a challenge than genuine curiosity.

Kyle shrugged dismissively, his smirk never wavering. "I do some business for my father," he said, his eyes flicking to Hilary as if reminding her of their connection. Then, as if brushing Marcus aside, he added with a tone not even hiding his insincerity "You want to come have a drink with us?"

For the first time since Kyle arrived, Hilary didn't even glance at Marcus. She avoided his gaze entirely, but when Kyle made the fake offer, Hilary's eyes briefly met his. The look she gave him was unmistakable—a silent plea, a "Please don't," clear as day.

Marcus didn't understand it. But the message was unmistakable: she didn't want him there. Not with Kyle, and not with her friends. That realization stung, but Marcus didn't show it. He nodded slowly, masking his disappointment with an easy smile. "Sorry, but I was just about to leave."

Kyle's lips curled into a smug smile. "As you wish," he replied, his tone cold and dismissive, clearly uninterested in Marcus' presence.

Hilary was looking visibly relieved. As they said their goodbyes, Kyle pulled her closer, kissing her neck in a possessive, deliberate motion. The sight twisted something in Marcus' chest, a mix of jealousy and anger rising within him as he turned away.

Something wasn't right. He could feel the tension between them, the way Hilary seemed to be caught between two worlds, but he couldn't figure out why. He needed to get out of there, and fast. He stormed off, determined to find Will and Carlton and drag them out of the club before things escalated any further. The night was over.