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Thalia Lively

If I could, I'd ban school from happening on Mondays. I woke up unwillingly to the sound of my alarm clock, make me force my hand to jump out and slam it into silence. I groaned, sitting up even though all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. I rubbed my eyes until they focused properly then shoved my hair into a high bun. I glanced at the window, noticing it was yet another gloomy winter day.

After finishing up in the washroom, I looked through my clothes for an outfit but was met with Nathan's hoodie that he gave me during one of our first encounters. I stared at it sadly, and then that sadness morphed into anger because all I wanted to do was talk to him and be with him but he was pushing me away. I forced my gaze away from the hoodie and grabbed a different sweater along with some black jeans then shut my closet door. I looked in the mirror just before exiting my room and tired eyes stared right back at me, but I was more emotionally drained rather than physically.

I sighed then shut my room door and descended down the long set of luxurious stairs. Sometimes I look at the house, then I look at myself and think about how out of place I am here. This neighbourhood is filled with insanely expensive houses and thinking back to my old house, that I'm starting to remember the more I compare the houses, it's a huge difference. I remember my family being wealthy, but we never put that money into large spendings.

I smiled to myself as I began to remember small details form the past, and even the smallest ones impact me. I walked into the kitchen, seeing Nonna sitting there with her glasses on and a book in one hand and a tea in the other. I walked over to her, kissing her cheek then grabbing a water bottle with a few snacks for school.

"Good morning," Nonna greeted me.

"Morning, Nonna." I replied. I took a banana with me as I finished up in the kitchen and started making my way out. "I'll see you later, love you." I said back to her as I finished tying up my shoes. I heard a muffled 'love you' coming from the kitchen as I opened the front door and was met with blinding white snow. I grimaced as I covered my eyes, clearly not being prepared for that. I walked over to my car but was stopped by an over energetic Riley.

"Tal!" She yelled from across the street, also standing beside her car. "Come, let's go together." She suggested and I looked back at my car that I haven't been in for a while. I'm always being driven by someone in the group, and I just haven't been out because of the weather in general.

"No, you come here." I argued and she looked down at her car, apparently having the same thought process as I did. After a couple seconds she shrugged than ran towards my car, but not before checking the always clear road. There are rarely any cars driving down this road at this time, mostly everyone living here were adults and children. I'm confident that Riley and I are the only high schoolers on this road since no one else is driving at this time for school.

We both entered my car and shut the cold air outside. "I love winter and all but it's too fucking cold for me right now," Riley complained. "Mother Nature, I just wanna talk." She added and I chuckled at her as I turned on the heat. After we both settled, I drove out of the driveway and made my way to Satan's on earth hell; East Wing High.

"So um," I broke the comfortable silence. "When you left yesterday, Austin and Ethan came over, and Emmett did too a little later on." I started off with, and as soon as Emmett's name was mentioned, I could tell she was fully listening now. "And when he came he looked really, I don't know, just off. He was really pale, and looked so tired. Austin called him out on it but Emmett said it was because he was hungover and tired. I just thought I'd tell you since none of us really believed him." I informed her and looked over at her expression which was drowned in worry.

"What's that supposed to mean? Thalia, I'm telling you something's wrong. I can feel it in my gut but he won't open up about anything, I don't get it. We were doing so good and now I don't think so anymore." My heart clenched at her situation, Riley is honestly the most caring person ever and seeing her so worried over Emmett made me want to get to the bottom of this immediately.

"Ethan and Austin looked oblivious to his situation so I don't think they know anything either. Since Emmett won't open up maybe Carter knows something?" I suggested.

"About that," she turned to face me. "I was on the phone with Emmett last night, I called him back after I came home from work. It was a short conversation, he was just asking me how I was doing and if I had a good day. Near the end, I could hear Ethan and Austin arguing in the background but like a serious argument and it seemed like it was targeted towards Emmett. They were talking about how Carter and Nathan went completely MIA and Emmett won't tell them anything. I guess they were mad that they're being kept out of the loop, but I don't know the whole story, just that part then he ended the call." She explained what she had heard and I couldn't help but get an unsettling feeling build up in my gut.

"So Carter and Nathan are both just gone, and Emmett knows something but Ethan and Austin are being kept out of the loop? I don't get it, what the fuck is going on? Riley I'm getting nervous, I feel like this isn't going to end well. Remember when Nathan disappeared that one time, I wasn't this nervous over that. I still felt like he was okay and just needed some time away and to himself but this is different." I poured out my thoughts to her as I reach the school parking lot. "And then also the whole Emmett situation doesn't make sense, why wouldn't he tell Ethan and Austin? There has to be something or someone making him keep quiet." I added.

Riley thought to herself about the situation as we got out of my car. I locked the doors then we made our way to the front of the school.

"Emmett knows something about what Carter and Nathan are up to, or where they are but he won't tell anyone. Emmett's also being shady and distant, and was turning pale yesterday so either something wrong health wise or he was nervous enough that it started showing on the outside. Nathan's been completely disconnected from you, no one's heard from Carter and Ethan and Austin are just as clueless as we are." Riley summarizes. I nodded along to her main points then I remembered a vital point that Nathan told me.

"Wait, none of this would be happening for no reason." I said while we stopped at my locker. We still had a few minutes before class so I spent the rest of this time connecting the dots. "Nathan's pushing himself away from me because of Victor, but Victor comes out of prison in two weeks, remember James said January 30th? That must be his release date. Why would Nathan and Carter disappear two weeks ahead of time? Unless what Victor had said to him on the phone has something to do with it..." I trailed off then looked at her curiously. "Do you know Darren Romano?" I asked her and earned a nervous nod from Riley.

"How do you know him? He's been gone for almost two years." She replies with a question.

"Nathan told me about him and how Victor and Nathan both worked for him when he was here. I talked about him with Ethan and Austin yesterday too, and even they were scared of him. They told me about Nathan's unknown bond with Darren but also they think that he's gone forever, something about people thinking he's either dead or locked away. What if he isn't dead or locked away? What if he's back?" I theorized. "I mean think about it, Darren's holding something against Victor who comes out of prison in two weeks, and Nathan's one of the few that's on Darren's good side. Plus from what I've put together is that Darren's a powerful guy and he can control things under the radar of police. There's no way that Darren hasn't heard about Victor's obsession of ruining Nathan in every way possible. I'm just saying, what if Darren's back? And is working with Nathan?" I took a long shot guess.

Riley's eyes grew wide as she thought about it. "This definitely isn't going to end well if that's the case, I'm serious Thalia. Nathan may be on his good side but after you hear about the things Darren's wiling to do to get his way, you wouldn't want him anywhere Nathan. Ethan and Austin have every right to fear him along with everyone else. I've never seen him but I've heard his name almost everywhere I go." Riley warned me and the unsettling nerves kicked back in.

"Maybe Nathan isn't just pushing me away, maybe he's pushing the guys away too." I thought about it. "That's probably why Ethan and Austin aren't in the loop of things. From how Nathan phrased it the last time we spoke, he refused to have anyone else involved by himself. He stills beats himself up over the accident and I don't think he wants history repeating itself." I said as we walked through the halls. "The farther we all are from him, the safer we'll be, I'm guessing was his thought process."

"But why only leave Ethan and Austin out? Emmett and Carter can know but they can't? I don't get it." Riley inquires.

"I'm wondering the same thing," I commented. "Maybe Emmett and Carter found out about it without Nathan even wanting them to be apart of it. Or maybe Nathan needed someone to know and stay here with us, aka, Emmett could be keeping us away while Nathan's out doing god knows what." I attempted to guess Nathan's plan.

"I feel like a detective." Riley randomly states and I give her a lazy smile.

"That makes the both of us," I agreed. "I'm just guessing here by the way, I don't even know what's really going on. Darren could really be gone forever, who knows. I'm just trying to make sense of it all. All of you have become a second family to me and I can't just turn my cheek to this and let them handle it on their own just to 'protect me'. I don't need protection— we don't need protection. You're in this too, because of this whole Emmett situation, he could be involved too. We just need to know what the fuck is going on." I ranted angrily.

"I feel the same way," she confessed right after my rant. "Let's just get this day over with." She said, changing the topic and hugging me goodbye while heading to her first period class. I don't even want to go to English class, because I know Nathan won't be there to bother me during class, tell me stupid jokes, doodle on my paper, take my phone and play on it or spam my camera roll.

Like Riley said, I just want to get this day over with.

• • •

Riley and I sat at the café she took to me to when I first arrived here. We claimed the table in the left side and all the way at the back, mainly because the way the café was set up, this was the most isolated place.

"How's Nonna? Jenna's been asking about her too, apparently she hasn't seen her around lately." Riley spoke up after taking a sip of her coffee.

"Really? Nonna hasn't been home lately, I kept assuming she was with Jenna." I wondered. "She's been good, but then again I haven't spent much time with her since both of us are out of the house often." I answered her question while playing with my coffee cup.

"Mhm, yeah no she's hasn't been at the house." Riley confirmed the fact that Nonna hasn't been with Jenna.

"How's Mason?" I ask, weirdly forgetting she had a brother for a moment, but then again he's never around either.

"He's good, he's always working on school and his job so he's been busy." She answered. "When he's not doing one of those things he's either sleeping or chilling with Axel." She peaked up at me after saying Axel's name and I looked at her weirdly while laughing lazily.

"What?" I say oblivious to her point and she just gave me a look which made me shake my head at her. "Oh stop, you know it's not like that. I don't even know him, I saw him twice and briefly each time." I went against any thoughts she had containing Axel and I.

"And during one of those times, you were on his shoulder." Riley pointed out with suggestive eyebrows.

"And Nathan wasn't too happy about that, if you recall the whole scene correctly." I argue against her point. "There's nothing between Axel and I so don't even bother." I end the conversation but it seems that Riley had other plans.

"It might be too late for that," Riley admits with a nervous smile plastered onto her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask her, looking at her weirdly. Her eyes flickered to the door of the Café behind me and instantly I knew what she meant. I didn't even bother turning around, instead I glared a hole into the side of her head as she refused to meet my gaze. She called over whoever was behind me, and I had a pretty good guess on who it was, to our table.

"If you guys are just friends then this won't be awkward," Riley says quietly before they got to our table. "Mason had a day off today and so did Axel so why not hang out with big brother and his hot best friend that's into my best friend." She smiles at me then regrets it once she met my glare.

"Hey guys," Mason says, pushing his shaggy brown hair to side as he reached the table. He took off his jacket and sat beside Riley, smiling at me he did so and I returned he gesture. Then I looked to Axel who took the seat beside mine, seeing him nod at Riley as a greeting then his eyes flickered over to me. He smiled at me and if my heart didn't have a weird obsession with Nathan, I would've died on the spot from his smile.

"So what's up, anything new in your lives?" Mason asks us. Riley and I look at each other, replaying our previous conversation about a psychotic prisoner coming out soon, a dangerous billionaire that's disappeared for an unknown reason (and is possibly a mafia leader from my personal thoughts about him), and our dysfunctional friend group that's so hellbent on protecting each other that we risk our own safety for each other.

"Nope," Riley and I said at the same time, shrugging as we took a sip of our coffee. Mason looked at us weirdly but got over it within seconds.

"Mace, tell Thalia about your new girlfriend." Riley says excitedly, nudging him with her elbow as she did so. Mason moves away from her and looks at my shyly.

"We're not even dating yet," he mumbles.

"You might as well be," Axel spoke for the first time since he came. "Last night was saying something different." He teased him which made Riley grimace.

"Ew, I don't want to know about that." She declared, shutting down the subject. "Anyways, she's so pretty and funny, you'd love her." She told me and I nodded.

"I'm sure I would, congrats on finding someone." I said genuinely to Mason who gave me a big smile. "But if she hurts you, just let me know. I'll have a... talk with her." I joked making him laugh loudly then nod at me, agreeing to my terms.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" An, oh so, familiar voice interrupted.

"Hey, E." I greeted him then moved over in the booth so he could sit with us. Just as Axel moved closer to me, to give Ethan a place to sit, Ethan shook his head.

Ethan held Axel in his place at the end of the booth and slid in front of him then placed himself in between Axel and I. "Hi," he smiled at me then nodded at Riley. "Kind of hurt I wasn't invited," Ethan says while Austin walks up to the table with a drink for him and Ethan.

"They didn't invite you for a reason," Austin went against Ethan. "I, on the other hand, am lacking an invite and I don't think that's right. I want to have a chat with the group planner." Austin said looking at all of us individually. I pointed towards Riley the same time Mason did, both of us ratting her out. Austin looked at Riley shocked, with his hand placed on his chest where his heart was. "You're either explaining or apologizing, c'mon." He sipped his drink.

"I'm sorry," Riley rolled her eyes with a smile soon creeping onto her face.

"I'm sorry, Austin. You need to make it personal, what kind of apology was that?" Austin called out her on her pathetic version of an apology. I chuckled in my spot as I drank the last bit of my coffee, enjoying this interaction. Everyone knew Austin was joking and it honestly made my day better with his light mood.

"I'm sorry, Austin." She corrected herself and looked at him directly which made Austin laugh then wink at her.

"There ya go," he says as he pulled up a chair from a table that wasn't a booth.

"I'm sorry, Austin and Ethan." Ethan interjected after downing his coffee during Austin's amusing attack on Riley. He looked over at Riley who groaned and leaned back into her seat.

"For fucks sake, I'm sorry Austin and Ethan. I forgot we can't go anywhere without bringing you two." She says, laughing slightly.

"Damn straight you can't go anywhere without us, what do you think this is? A democracy?" Ethan says making all of us burst out laughing at his reply.

"Is that because the rest of the boys are god knows where and you're just as clueless as we are," I whispered to Ethan, not making it look like I said anything important as everyone else carried on with another conversation.

"I have to talk to you about that, as soon as possible would be great." Ethan replied, his face serious and all trace of jokes gone. I felt nervous knowing Ethan of all people was taking the time to be serious.

"Do you want to leave now?" I asked him and he nodded in response. We both stood up, giving Axel the hint that we were leaving so he'd move from the booth and let us out. "Are you okay going home with Mason or something? Ethan and I have something to do." I told Riley, giving her a look that communicated the situation without me having to explain it. She understood and nodded, then gave me the look 'you're telling me everything right afterwards'. "It was nice seeing you again Mason," I smiled at Mason. "And you. Axel." I added, not wanting to be rude. I caught Axel's gaze and held it for a second, being taken back by his piercing blue eyes.

"I'll see you around?" Axel hoped.

"Probably not, she's really busy with ... school. Yeah school, tough luck man." Ethan answered for me, giving him a fake smile then literally dragging me out, not giving me time to put on my jacket.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Austin yelled from behind us, I'm assuming following us outside. "Fuck, you forget how cold it is outside when you're in the heat for so long." Austin continued then put on his jacket.

"Where's your car? Where can we go to talk?" Ethan asks and I nodding my head to the right side of the parking lot.

"We can talk in my car, it's private there." I replied, running into my car, with them behind my trail. I jumped into the front seat and turned to face Ethan who was in the passenger seat. "What do you know?" I dove straight into the topic.

"As much as you do. I went over to his house last night and he wasn't there, Bethany said he came home and packed a bag then left. He assured her that he was okay and he'll be back but she doesn't know anything either. I ran into his dad too so I asked him and even he didn't know which is weird because his dad always knows where he is, even if Nathan doesn't tell him. His dad didn't seem worried about it at all but that could just be because he's an asshole." Ethan told me the information he