Hugo wasted no time. He rushed down to the pool, where he saw Megara downing another glass of liquor.
"Why are you wearing something so revealing?" he asked.
Megara looked at him, giggling. "Hey handsome,you look cute can I have your number?
"No," he said, "but you look drunk. Are you okay?"
"Why does everyone keep saying I'm drunk?" she flared, "I'm not drunk!"
Hugo quickly grabbed a head-tie from a nearby waiter and tried to tie it around her waist to cover her bikini. "Stop!" she snapped. "I'm here to have fun, and you're not going to ruin it!"
He backed off. "Fine. But you might regret this when you're sober."
The DJ switched the song to Lady Gaga's "Just Dance." Megara squealed like a child and ran to the dance floor. Laura and Jane shrugged at a worried Hugo before joining her.
Hugo tried to follow, but a group of girls blocked his path. He lost sight of the three girls and started to panic.
"Meanwhile, on the dance floor, Megara continued to sway with a guy who had his head on her shoulder, pulling him close. The guy's hand roamed over her body, but his casual touch turned to a pale, frozen stillness when he came face to face with an angry Uriel.
'Get your hands off her right this instant!' Uriel growled, and the boy scrambled backward, fleeing the scene.
Megara turned, a look of confusion on her face as she watched the boy run off. 'Oh, no, wait, where are you going? I was just having fun,' she said in a soft purr before turning to Uriel. 'Why did you chase my dance partner away?'
Uriel grabbed her arm, pulling her close. 'He's not your dance partner. He's a pervert who wants to screw you over at the end of the party,' he said angrily.
Megara simply giggled. 'You're so handsome, much more than him, so you'll do,' she admitted, throwing her arms around his neck.
A smile crept onto Uriel's face, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. They began to sway to the slow rhythm of Ed Sheeran's "Perfect."
'You look incredible, Megara. I never knew you looked this good,' he whispered softly in her ear.
She chuckled at his words. 'I thought you wouldn't come to the party.' He whispered in her ear. "But here you are dancing with me. Hugo might just be jealous.
Megara looked at him awkwardly. 'Are you serious? Who'd miss such an amazing pool party?' she asked, and Uriel's face fell. 'I haven't even tried out the pool yet.'
'This doesn't sound like something the real you would say,' he replied, twirling her around.
She looked at him, a sheepish expression on her face. 'Excuse me? Are you saying I'm not real? Don't even say I'm drunk, because I'm not.'
Uriel zipped his mouth with his finger, pretending to throw away the key. 'You'll never hear that from me again,' he said.
Just then, the MC announced that it was time for the pool party to officially begin. Megara squealed with excitement, grabbing Uriel's hand and pulling him with her as they both ran into the pool, splashing water at everyone.
'This is amazing, isn't it?' she yelled.
He nodded, a grin plastered on his face.
'I heard that Uriel, the biggest jerk of Royal Von High, was hosting this pool party. I had to come because I had no other options,' she said.
Uriel creased a brow, watching her swim. 'Oh, is that so? Tell me more about him,' he urged, a playful smirk on his face.
Megara giggled, putting a hand over her mouth. 'Don't worry, I won't tell him,' Uriel assured her.
'He's an arrogant brat, and that's not all. He makes everyone do his bidding without even struggling,' she remarked.
He nodded, surprised by her statement.
'He is just too annoying. Can you imagine? I even texted him, and he had the audacity to announce it to the entire school on the radio!'
Uriel shrugged. 'I don't think he mentioned your name, did he?'
Megara shook her head.
'Maybe he isn't all that bad,' Uriel said, trying to defend his alter ego.
Megara huffed, rolling her eyes. 'You must be joking. This guy literally lives to torment me. It's like he enjoys bullying the weak... Wait a minute, why do you look just like him? Are you his brother?'
'No, I'm not,' he lied.
She swam closer, their noses almost touching. His breath hitched, and she immediately pulled back.
'Yeah, sure thing,' she said, her suspicion fading. 'I don't know your name yet. I'm Megara, and you?'
'I'm Schneider,' he lied again. 'We should get out of the pool. You're shivering,' he pointed out.
He held out his hand to help her out of the pool, and she took it. He led her to a lounge chair where Pedro, ever the attentive one, was waiting with a towel. Uriel took it and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"Pedro, go have fun. I didn't host this party so you could be on guard duty," Uriel said, a hint of a smile in his voice. "That's only for school."
Pedro nodded and walked back to his chair.
Megara, drying her hair with the towel, spotted a citrus punch bowl. With a renewed burst of energy, she practically leaped to her feet and headed straight for it. She grabbed two glasses and poured a generous amount of punch into each, handing one to Uriel before quickly downing her own.
"Mmm, this is so good!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Schneider, this is the best drink ever!"
Uriel chuckled, taking a sip of his own punch. "Haven't you had punch before? This is a pretty standard recipe."
"As a matter of fact, I have," she said, giggling sheepishly. "And it was today."
He reached out and gently ruffled her wet hair. "You're a really funny and interesting person, Megara."
"Yes, I am," she replied with a playful grin, already pouring herself another glass.
The morning sun streamed into the room, bathing it in a golden light. A single beam fell on a hand, revealing Megara's sprawled form on the bed. Her golden dreadlocks were splayed across her face, and a thin line of drool trickled from the corner of her mouth. The chirping of birds and the rhythmic tapping of a woodpecker echoed through the room, stirring her from her deep sleep.
With a soft hum, Megara kept her eyes closed, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin. She reached out, fumbling for her phone on the nightstand, when her hand brushed against something unexpected: another hand on the bed.
Her eyes shot open. A throbbing headache pulsed behind her temples. "What the hell? Oh, shit! Oh, shit, I'm late!" she groaned, her gaze darting around the room until it landed on a leg peeking out from under her blanket. "Ahhh! It's a human leg!"
She flung the blanket back to reveal Lacey, who instinctively pulled the covers over her head. "Lacey, wake the fuck up! You're in my room!" Megara said, nudging her cousin.
Lacey stirred, swatting her hand away. "Go away, pipsqueak!" she mumbled, burrowing deeper into the sheets. "I'm not going to school today. I want to keep partying."
Megara groaned in frustration. "Ugh, what a fool," she muttered, throwing a pillow over her face. "Wait a minute...the party...the party yesterday!" she shrieked.
Lacey shot up in bed, her blonde hair a disheveled mess. "Can't a lady get some sleep around here?" she complained.
"Get out of here, this isn't your room," Megara said. Lacey finally got out of bed. "Wait, Lacey, do you know what happened at the party last night?"
"I don't know, maybe you can ask your friends," Lacey replied with a shrug before walking out and slamming the door behind her.
Megara grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. She reached for her phone and saw a long list of missed calls to Uriel on WhatsApp. Tapping the play icon on a voice message, she braced herself for what she might hear.
A slurred voice began to play. "Uriel, you're such a big jerk! Do you know how much you stress me, huh?"
Megara cringed.
"Asshole! You better not let me catch you, or I'll skin you alive myself, you little brat!"
She felt her face burn with shame. Swallowing hard, she pressed play on the next message.
"You big fool! What's taking you so long to reply? You think because you're handsome no one can touch you? Or because you're rich, you can bully me?"
The next message began: "You better think again. I wish I had spit in your coffee so you'd end up dying from spit poisoning, hahahaha! Is that even a word? Anyway..."
She listened in horror to the rest of the messages, realizing she had called Uriel and spoken to him for nearly six hours. "Oh my god! Uriel is going to kill my friends," she whispered, her hands shaking.
Just then, her phone rang. It was a group call from Jane and Laura.
"Hello?" she answered, her voice barely a whisper.
"Hello, Megara? Have you seen the school forum?" Jane's panicked voice asked.
"No," Megara replied.
"What do you mean, no?" Jane's voice became even more horrified. "Do you not remember what happened last night?"
"No I don't remember it's like someone took them out. Megara replied flatly.
Laura sighed. "Don't worry, just come to school, and I'll tell you about it."
The call ended. Megara reluctantly opened the school forum. There it was: a video of her in a bikini, stumbling through a "swimsuit fashion show" against Amaya. Another video showed her hanging onto Uriel in the pool and again in his car.
"Oh my gosh!" she screamed, dropping her phone as embarrassment washed over her.
Minutes later, Megara raced down the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the silent living room. She saw her uncle, Lucas, and her aunt, Millicent, seated on the couch. Next to Millicent, Lacey sat with her head bowed, looking utterly miserable. Megara knew she was in for the scolding of her life. She tried to tiptoe past them, hoping to slip out the front door unnoticed, but her uncle's stern voice stopped her cold.
"Megara, stop right there," he commanded.
She froze like a deer caught in headlights, then slowly turned, offering a nervous, fake smile. Her aunt couldn't hide her fury.
"Do you know what you did wrong?" her uncle asked.
Megara nodded sheepishly. "I got drunk."
"Exactly," he said. "You and Lacey were brought home at two in the morning, both of you completely wasted. You were cursing at some boy named Uriel and singing at the top of your lungs, disturbing the entire neighborhood."
Megara's face flushed with embarrassment, but Lacey, finding the situation amusing, let out a laugh. Her dad's eyes narrowed.
"Shut up, Lacey," he snapped. "You're no different. You were half-naked and made a fool of yourself in front of Hugo and Uriel. You wouldn't stop babbling."
The name "Uriel" caught Megara's attention. "Uriel was here?" she asked, stunned.
"Yes, he was," her uncle confirmed. "And he's the one who personally carried you to your room because you refused to let him go. You kept calling him Schneider..." He trailed off, shaking his head, and Megara felt a wave of mortification wash over her.
"Thanks to Uriel and Hugo, you two even made it home safely," her uncle concluded, his voice softer now. "Otherwise, you might have ended up as food for the birds of prey at that party."
Megara hung her head, biting her lip. Her uncle's scolding felt just like her dad's, and the regret gnawed at her. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, but her aunt, Millicent, shot back with a scornful look.
"Will 'sorry' save Lacey?" she fumed. "You're useless!"
Lucas gave Millicent a sharp look, a silent order to stop. He then turned to Lacey. "Lacey is responsible for her own actions. Megara is not to blame for this."
Lacey gasped. "That's not fair! Megara was supposed to protect me!"
"You told me to stay away!" Megara retorted, and Lucas's fury returned.
"Quiet, Lacey!" he thundered. "Get dressed for school. You are not skipping class."
Millicent tried to intervene, but Lucas was unyielding. He announced their punishment: they were not allowed to leave the house for a week or go shopping. Lacey leaped to her feet. "Dad! How am I supposed to look good for Evans if I can't go to the spa?"
He turned to her, a cold glint in his eyes. "I will personally cancel your credit card to make sure you don't."
He then instructed Priscilla to give the girls their hangover tea and lunch boxes. As Lucas turned to leave, Millicent shot a furious glare at Megara before rushing after her husband.
Megara and Lacey took their lunch boxes from Priscilla. "Have a nice day at school, Megara," Priscilla said warmly.
"I will," Megara replied with a smile. She stormed out, leaving Lacey to follow. Lacey, dressed in her sleek black and gold Shinhwa High uniform, raced after her. "Megara! Wait!" she called out.
Megara stopped on the third step, turning to face her. "What?" she asked. "Did you come to finish what your mother started?"
Lacey shook her head. "No. Did i... really get naked yesterday?"
Megara sighed, shaking her head. "I don't remember, but thanks to the party and our behavior, we're grounded for a week."
Lacey groaned, remembering her father's words. "What are we going to do about this?" she whined.
"Why are you asking me?" Megara shot back. "We're enemies. What can enemies do for each other?"
Lacey scoffed. "My mom will talk to my dad for me."
"Brat," Megara muttered, getting into the car.
As their driver pulled away, Lacey leaned in. "How do you know Uriel? Nobody can get close to him."
"He's just a schoolmate," Megara said.
Lacey shook her head. "I don't believe that. Uriel never lets anyone touch him except Aliyah Norman, his first love."
Megara was taken aback. "How could a monster like him have a first love?"
Lacey rolled her eyes. "It's something a poor girl like you wouldn't understand. You're not in the elite circle like us."
"Shut your mouth," Megara snapped. "Let the air be clean for once. It's not bad to be born poor, but it's bad to die poor. You shouldn't look down on anyone."
Lacey simply rolled her eyes. "Whatever. That's just the story of your life."
LATER AT SCHOOL
The driver dropped Megara off. She quickly put on her sunglasses and a purple beret, hoping to hide her face, but was surprised to see the hallway was packed with students. They were all talking and laughing, as if no one was in class.
She slipped inside, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Why wasn't anyone in class? The air was filled with whispers, and she saw hands rapidly typing on phone screens.
Purple princess: She has the energy to come to school after the drama she pulled yesterday.
SZA fan: She's got a good body hidden underneath that skin, xoxo.
Leslie Uriel's wife: She has stolen my husband (crying emoji) bahhhh
A group of girls swarmed Megara, their voices a flurry of questions. "What gym do you go to?" one asked. "What's your skincare routine? Your skin is amazing!"
Megara, completely taken aback, quickly explained that she didn't go to a gym, but trained at home with her father. As for her skin, she said she didn't do anything special, just focused on staying hydrated and eating healthy.
The girls didn't believe her and pressed in closer, but suddenly, Jane and Laura appeared. "Disperse," Jane commanded, "or we'll personally gouge your eyes out." The crowd scattered instantly, not daring to argue.
Megara let out a deep sigh of relief as the last of the crowd dispersed. She clutched her chest, her heart still pounding, before slowly removing her sunglasses. "Where are the teachers?" she asked, her voice a low murmur.
Laura shrugged. "In a heated discussion in the conference room. It's hilarious—we're getting a free day to wander wherever we want." She laughed, a bright, slightly nervous sound. "The troublemakers are going to ask her so many questions they might just succeed in killing her.
"Let's go to the library," Megara suggested, "but first, I need to know everything that happened at the party. My uncle is furious and grounded me for a week."
Jane and Laura exchanged sympathetic looks. "My dad almost flared at me," Laura admitted, wincing. "Thank goodness for my nanny, or I would have been in big trouble." She leaned in eagerly. "Did Hugo make it to school?"
"He couldn't," Jane said, shaking her head. "Huge hangover."
The three friends stepped into the elevator, which carried them silently up to the library. Once inside, they each grabbed a book and found a quiet corner table. They huddled together, heads bowed, and Laura began her recap. "If you want to know what happened," she whispered, her voice conspiratorial, "you need to listen closely."
FLASHBACKS TO YESTERDAY AT THE PARTY.
Megara giggled, gulping down a second glass of punch. "I'm entitled to drink at this party," she slurred, "I'm a Royal Von High student!"
Before she could reach for another, Uriel grabbed her hand. "No more," he said, his voice firm. He swung her over his shoulder, ignoring her protests. "Hey!" she shrieked, slapping his back, but he didn't flinch.
He deposited her in a lounge chair just as Hugo rushed forward, slightly shoving Uriel aside. Hugo grabbed Megara's hand, pulling her to her feet. "Let's go," he insisted.
Megara stumbled back, flinching away from his touch. "I don't know you," she said, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You can't take me anywhere."
"Megara, it's me. Hugo," he said, his voice strained.
She giggled again. "Hugo? My best friend!" But she didn't move. Instead, she swayed back toward Uriel, wrapping her arms around his waist. "He's Schneider," she told Hugo. "My husband. We're already married."
Mischief glinted in Uriel's eyes as he held her close, a subtle smirk playing on his lips. He met Hugo's furious gaze, an unspoken challenge in his stare. Hugo's hands clenched into fists, but he resisted the urge to fight.
Laura and Jane, seeing the storm brewing, left their dance partners and hurried over. "Megara, come on," Laura urged. "Come off Uriel."
"He's an asshole and he isn't here," Megara declared loudly, pointing at Hugo. "But Schneider," she said, hugging Uriel tighter, "He is an absolute angel. I'm going to get a priest to marry us!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd. Someone shouted, "What a lunatic!"
Megara glared at them. "Shut your mouths! Stay away from my Schneider, he's taken!"
"You're going to regret this when you wake up," Uriel whispered to her.
She put a finger to his lips. "Don't say that. My father will let us get married. I have the money to fund the grandest wedding."
Hugo turned to Laura and Jane, his expression one of disbelief. "What happened to her?"
"She drank a full cup of tequila," Laura replied.
Hugo froze. He turned back to Uriel. "Did you know she was drunk?"
"Yes," Uriel said, a challenging edge to his voice. "And what's the problem?"
"You shouldn't take advantage of her," Hugo said.
Uriel laughed softly. "Wouldn't you have done the same if she was calling you her husband?"
Hugo had no reply.
Megara swayed on her feet, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I'm going to use the restroom. Be right back."
Jane and Laura followed her. In the women's restroom doorway stood Amaya and Tanya, both dressed in orange and beige triangle bikinis, blocking their way.
"Excuse us," Laura said politely. "We need to use bathroom."
Amaya smirked, turning to her friend. "Tanya, are sluts allowed to use the toilet?"
"No," Tanya replied, reaching out to touch Megara's hair.
Megara slapped her hand away. "Move," she said, her voice a low growl. When they didn't, she shot them a hard, menacing glare before shoving them aside.
They both shrieked. "You ugly duckling! You slut! You have no ethics! How could you? Do you know how much this costs?"
Megara ignored them, walking into a stall. When she came out, she looked at the two girls with a disgusted expression. "Who invited stray dogs to this party? Don't they know they belong in the trash?"
The color drained from Amaya's face. "Do you know who my father is?"
"No," Megara shot back. "But I know who mine is—I'm the daughter of Black Agate. And I'm not making a huge noise about it."
Tanya tugged on her friend's arm. "Amaya, let's just go. Our families will have to pay for our ignorance."
Amaya scoffed. "Who'd believe a country bumpkin is the daughter of Black Agate?"
"If you don't believe me, go ask Uriel," Megara replied, her voice dangerously calm.
"Change schools and reapply somewhere else," Amaya said, a final threat in her voice. "You're tearing the entire Z3 apart."
"I'm not quitting," Megara said, her eyes flashing. "If the Z3 is so important, you can have them. Who needs tacky boys anyway?" With that, she stormed out of the restroom, leaving them speechless.
Megara returned to the lounge chair, and Uriel shifted to make room for her on his lap as they watched the partying crowd. Hugo seethed, furious at his friend's behavior.
Just then, Zack walked over, looking shocked to see Megara and Uriel sitting like a couple. "Did you find a dance partner like I suggested?" he asked Uriel.
Uriel didn't reply. Hugo, his anger boiling over, cut in. "Shut up, she's drunk!"
"Drunk people don't lie," Zack countered calmly. "I'll have Sadiq take them home when they're ready." He then bolted into the crowd, leaving them behind to search for his next "prey."
The MC's voice boomed over the speakers, "It's time for the bikini fashion contest!" Cheers filled the air as contestants from different schools lined up. Megara watched from her seat until Amaya approached her.
"Aren't you going to compete?" Amaya sneered. "Don't you respect the party's tradition that all schools should compete?"
"What's your problem?" Megara asked, her voice laced with annoyance. "Do I have an unfinished business with you?
"I just want to see if you're bold enough to win against me," Amaya said with a defiant smirk.
Megara laughed but then snuggled closer to Uriel's neck. "I'm not in the mood to compete."
Amaya's face flushed with anger, but she kept her composure. "Perhaps the Z3 aren't going to let this slide. We honor our traditions." The crowd began to chant, "Compete! Compete!"
Megara stood up, her gaze fixed on Amaya. "What do I get if I win?" she asked.
Amaya's chest puffed out. "If you win, I'll bow to you and admit I'm weak and useless. But if you lose, you have to walk out of this party naked and change schools."
"Watch your mouth!" Hugo yelled, stepping forward. "That's not your decision to make. It's up to the Z3." He turned to Uriel. "Are you going to let her get away with this?"
The crowd fell silent as Uriel stood up. "Amaya, the decision is yours for now," he said, his voice cold and commanding. "But if you lose, you'll be bullied, no matter where you are. Miss a day of school, and the problem doubles. Change schools, and I'll still bully you until I'm satisfied."
Amaya tried to protest, but it was no use. The competition began.
Megara won, earning a flower wreath and a crown. As Amaya bowed to her, she suddenly shoved Megara into the pool, hoping to drown her. But Uriel dove in, pulling Megara from the water. He ordered the guards to take Amaya away.
Jane and Laura ran to their friends, while Hugo looked on, more worried than anyone. Megara, shivering and wet, looked up at Uriel. "I won! I want to go home with my cousin, Lacey," she said.
Uriel wrapped a clean towel around her and carried her to Sadiq's waiting limousine. Hugo, his face a mask of fury, carried Lacey, who was loudly cursing at him in her drunken state.
"Shut up, you're making a scene," Hugo told her.
"If you talk to me like that, I'm going to have my boyfriend Evans beat you up!" she yelled.
Hugo chuckled. "You mean the Evans who's nowhere to be found?"
"You're a loser!" she shot back. "You don't know how to get what you want!" He almost dropped her in shock.
Hugo gently placed Lacey in the car and turned to leave, but Megara grabbed his arm. "Come home with me or I'll cry and haunt you in your dreams."
"I'll go," Hugo said, "but Uriel can go back to the party."
Megara squeezed his arm tighter. "No. It's either Schneider Or I'm not going anywhere."
With no other choice, Uriel and Hugo climbed into the backseat, Megara sandwiched between them. She rested her head on Uriel's shoulder and began to sing loudly, her words a nonsensical jumble.
From the other side of the car, Lacey yelled, "Shut up! I want to sleep!"
"Get out of my room!" Megara shrieked back.
Uriel smiled, patting Megara's hair. "We're almost home."
Sadiq drove the car to the Shaw mansion. When they arrived, Megara's uncle rushed outside, having been alerted by the maid. But Megara refused to get out of Uriel's arms. "I'm married to Schneider! I'm not going in without him."
Her uncle gently patted her back. "Ouch," she whined. He told her to behave and get down, but she held onto Uriel like a koala.
Meanwhile, Lacey stumbled out of the car and kicked Hugo in the knee. "You fool!" she cursed. "You almost killed me!"
Hugo winced but said nothing as he carried her to her father. Uriel took Megara upstairs, gently patting her back until she was asleep. Only then did he leave.
FLASHBACK ENDS.
Megara was stunned, unable to process what Jane and Laura were telling her. A shriek escaped her lips, echoing in the silent library. A dozen heads snapped up, glaring daggers at her. Mortified, Megara ducked her head, muttering to her friends, "What the hell did I do? Uriel's going to kill me."
"Do you have feelings for Hugo?" Jane whispered, her eyes wide.
"No, of course not. He's like a brother to me," Megara replied, shaking her head.
"Then what about Uriel?" Jane pressed, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
Megara snickered. "Who could love a brute like him?"
A heavy weight seemed to lift from Jane's chest. She let out a soft sigh of relief.
"Are we here to gossip about relationships or cheer up our friend?" Laura interjected, giving Jane a suspicious look.
"I just had to ask," Jane defended. "The way Hugo looked yesterday, I thought he was going to kill Uriel."
"Please," Laura scoffed. "Hugo would die before he could do something like that."
"Stop!" Megara hissed. "You're only making this worse."
A wave of giggles washed over them before they settled back into silence, their heads bent over their books, studying for the upcoming exam.
THE THIRD FLOOR (Z3 PRIVATE QUARTERS)
Uriel couldn't tear his eyes from his phone, a smirk playing on his lips as he replayed Megara's voice message. The teacher's lecture faded into the background, replaced by a delighted chuckle. A hard glare from Zack, followed by a pointed gesture to the teacher, finally broke through his reverie.
Zack leaned over, his voice a low hiss. "Will you be quiet? I'm trying to study. I want to pass this exam, too."
"Fuck off and focus on your class," Uriel retorted, not bothering to look up. "You're always going to come in fifth place anyway."
Zack ignored the jab, instead urging, "If you want to make a call, go outside."
As Zack signaled for the teacher to continue, Uriel's attention was already back on his phone, now staring at a picture of Megara.
After the lecture, Zack turned to him again, his tone serious. "After all that went down yesterday, are you really going to mess with Megara's feelings? You know Hugo likes her."
Uriel didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Why isn't Hugo in school?"
"I couldn't get ahold of him," Zack replied. "But from what Sadiq said, his hangover from last night must be bad. His father wasn't too happy about it either."
Zack repeated his earlier question, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Are you going to ruin an innocent girl's life for your revenge just to get back at Hugo for what he did to Aliyah?"
Uriel's jaw tightened. "Don't speak about that again," he warned, his voice low and menacing, facing the large open window presenting a view to the school fountain. "Aliyah's death has nothing to do with Megara. I'm just testing what makes her interesting, nothing more."
"Be careful," Zack said, his eyes unwavering. "Don't do something you'll regret, or break her heart."
Uriel chuckled, the tension in his face easing. "When were you going to tell me that Sebastian Norman registered at school?"
"You were not in the mood to tell you anything," Zack said flatly.
Uriel nodded, a grim smile on his face.
"Be careful and show no weakness," Zack continued. "Sebastian is cunning and will try to destroy our group for what happened to his sister. He blames us for her death."
"I'm waiting," Uriel said, his eyes filled with a dangerous glint. "Come what may, I'd love to see the outcome."