"We're going out." Ollie demanded, and I looked at her quizzically as I peaked over my book.

"I told you we'd go to a club remember?"

To be honest, I had completely forgotten about her telling me that.

"Oh." I said lamely, putting my book to the side.  "We're still going?"

Ollie rolled her eyes. "I'm pretending I didn't hear that." She dramatically flung my closet doors open, rifling through my clothes.

"I can't deal with you," she said, showing me my maroon flannel shirt and my dark green genie pants. "How many pieces of baggy clothes do you have?"

I stuck my tongue out at her. "What's so bad about them?"

She huffed. "I won't answer that. But tonight...you're wearing something that hugs your skinny little frame."

She finally tossed me a few pieces of clothing, and I held it up to see what she had given me. 

"Seriously? Tight leather pants? I don't have the ass to pull this off."

"You have the legs."

"I really don't, and imagine how hot it'd be."

Ollie sighed as she went shoveling through my clothes—both the ones I brought and the pile that was already here when I got here.

After much debating and compromise, we finally settled on a lace-up halter crop top, a tight burgundy skirt, and a surprisingly comfortable pair of strappy ankle heels. 

Ollie looked quite proud of me as our limo pulled up in the underground garage of the headquarters. "Take us to Wild Light, please." 

The driver grunted and started driving out of the  garage, and entered the lush forest that surrounded the Shadow Legion Headquarters. I was surprised to see that only after 30 minutes of driving, the amazon-like jungle faded away to a vibrant tropical city. Restaurants and boutiques flashed by, and I was so thankful to see other people—normal people—that didn't even have a clue they were only half an hour away from the nest of a major criminal spy society. Just people, enjoying the warm evening breeze, out to have fun. I felt myself relax for the first time in a while, and actually excited to have a good time. 

I was looking through the window when I spotted a familiar object that made my heart stutter. 

"Wait, stop! I need to get that." I almost yelled, to which both Ollie and the driver jumped.

"Jesus, what?" Ollie looked at me like I had gone crazy. I looked at her sheepishly and pointed to a little store selling lotions and shampoos. Our driver parked close by and I almost ran out the car to grab the shampoo I saw through the window. It was the exact same brand and scent shampoo that Kyle used in his apartment. The lemon and mint and sage smell, the scent that Kyle often teased me about when he caught me breathing in him, the scent I would remember when I fell asleep in his arms. I grabbed a huge bottle of the shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a big tub of body butter as well, and Ollie cocked an eye brow at me.

"What is your obsession with this smell?" 

I just shrugged and went to the cashier to pay for all that was in my arms, as the lady at the cashier also looked at me a little strangely. When we got back in the car, I opened the body butter and inhaled the scent, taking a generous amount and spreading it on my arms. I pretended I was in his apartment again, in his bathroom, using his shampoo for the first time after I had been kidnapped by the Legion during the Halloween party. I was so scared then, but I would do anything to be back there.

"It smells nice, but damn, get a room." Ollie complained, making me laugh and put the lotion away.

We pulled up at a night club, Wild Light, and it was true to its name. There were cool flashes of lights around the entire building, and house music was booming even from outside. I could tell Ollie was ready to get drunk and break out some dance moves in the way she smiled and nodded her head to the beat of the song. In a way the music was infectious, and it put me in the mood to dance my not-so-coordinated dance moves. 

When we stepped in, everyone seemed to know Ollie. The people dancing, the DJ, the bartender, everyone.

There were so many young people, packed and dancing in the loud, electric room. I noticed some people glanced up at me and Ollie, and then I noticed I actually recognized a lot of them.

"Are a lot of these people from the Legion?"

Ollie grimaced a little, "the bad thing about living in a jungle is everyone comes to the closest city for a night out."

I started to feel a little self conscious that people would notice me and judge me. Ollie saw my expression and ushered us to the bar.

"The usual for me, Dan." She told the bartender, and she looked back at me.

"What do you want? Blue Hawaii for your first week in Hawaii?"

"Uh, no. Alcohol and I don't mix well." I explained, and Ollie seemed a little disappointed, but didn't push. I asked for a ginger ale, and sat at the booth where Ollie had found. 

After draining her gin and tonic in less than three minutes, Ollie was ready to dance. She was pulling me onto the dance floor, already hitting some sexy dance moves I could never pull off. I saw people staring at her in awe and lust, and she pulled me closer. 

"Guys love this." She said, as she held me by my waist and moved her hips. I tried mimicking her moves, and after a while I felt myself getting more relaxed as I put my arms above my head and felt the beat coursing through me.

"You know that guy over there has been checking you out for a while." Ollie cocked her head to the back where a guy was leaning against a wall. He winked at me when our eyes met.

"No, I'm sure it's you who he's checking out."

Ollie groaned. "Babe. You're new in town, you look hot, and you've got an awkward-sexy thing going on. He's checking you out."

I flicked my eyes over to him again to see that he was still looking at me up and down. If Kyle looked at me like that, I felt like my insides were being lit up, like I was beautiful and sexy and he wanted to hold me as gently and tightly as possible at the same time. Even thinking about him looking at me like that made my breaths shallow and nerves electric. But when that guy looked at me, it made me feel gross. 

"Go talk to him." 

I snapped my head back. "What? No way."

"Why not? He's only a few years older than you. And he's pretty cute." 

She was right. He had to be at most a junior in college, and he had wild curly brown hair and (from what I could tell from far away and in the dark) relatively soft features. But that wasn't the problem. I was with Kyle, and I didn't want to flirt or check out anyone other than him. I tried picturing Kyle here. He would probably groan when I wanted to dance but do it anyway, and snatch away any alcohol that skimmed by my fingers. He would probably glower at any guys who would check me out, and hold me close by my hips to show guys like Mr. Curly Brown Locks that I was his. I wanted him here so much then that I had to force myself to stop thinking or else it would be too much. I was doing so well so far to shut off my emotions of homesickness.

"Earth to Cass. Don't overthink it. Go talk to him. It's not like you're interested in anyone."

I shook my head to clear out my thoughts. "Yeah. no."

"Fine, I dare you to go talk to him."

No matter how much I trusted her, I couldn't tell her I was still with Kyle. I frowned and tried to dare her back with something she would never do. I saw a creepy guy who had been looking at us for the past few minutes. He was probably in his 40's and seemed like he smelled like beer and piss and car grease. "Only if you make out with that creepy guy over there."

Ollie flicked her eyes to the man, and flicked me off. Without  word she walked over to him, grabbed him by the neck and planted her lips on his. The man seemed enthralled, but just as he was about to grab her ass she twirled away and walked back to me. "Satisfied?"

I thought my jaw would hit the ground. "Ew. Fuck, Ollie."

She stuck her tongue out, "Go talk to that damn guy. You're only young once."

I couldn't take it back now, she had just stuck her tongue inside a midlife crisis's mouth. There are some lines you can't cross back from. I took a deep breath and groaned.

"Five minutes. Go."

I muttered a curse and walked over to the guy, who seemed surprised to see me approach him. He pushed off the wall he was leaning on. 

"Hi." I said, and partly due to the nerves, my voice came out shy. I wanted to punch myself because I was aiming for a more bored voice.

"I didn't think I'd be lucky enough to have you come talk to me."

Thank Ollie, I thought, but just smiled with half my mouth. I realized he was about the height of Kyle, but there was no comparison in beauty. Kyle had those brilliant green eyes that were just so alive, but this guy had bloodshot eyes and bottomless pits of black. Not in the good, mysterious way, but like he had seen and been a part of bad things.

"You okay? You seem really tense." I looked at the guy and tried to smile.

"Sorry. I've recently had a bad breakup." I said, hoping that would make him think I was clingy and emotional and make him leave. But it only seemed to fuel him more. He pulled out a small joint from his pocket and lit it. Instantly the distinct smell of marijuana invaded my nose.

"Is that pot?" I asked, and he nodded as he took a long drag. He then turned it towards me. I was tempted to take his offer. I've never smoked anything before, much less pot. But I was so curious of what it's like. And it would be so nice to have a moment of peace. I took it and pulled it to my lips when a hand slapped it away and they crushed it under their boot.

I looked up to see Niko, who looked beyond pissed. I didn't know what he was angry about, but it scared me.

"Why the fuck'd you do that?" The guy complained, and he sounded pissed too.

"Then don't offer my girlfriend weed." Niko demanded, and I looked up at him with a frown. I understand claiming me might intimidate the guy, but it was still unexpected.

Mr. Curly Hair looked triumphant for a second. "Your girl doesn't think that."

"Are you sure you want to argue?" Niko threatened, standing taller. 

A scared look crossed Curly Hair's face, and he raised his arms as surrender. I kind of felt bad for him; if an angry ex-boyfriend that had the body of a model on the cover of Men's Fitness, I would be pissing myself. But Curly Hair kept his dignity as he glanced at me for a second, looking annoyed that he had to get mixed up with a girl with a troubling boyfriend.

When he was gone, Niko turned fully towards me. "What in the world were you thinking?"

I felt intimidated by him, but I was confused why he was so angry with me. "It isn't a big deal, or your business, for that matter."

"It is every bit my business." He growled. I wanted to growl back just to see how he would react.

"How so?"

"Because you are going to bring the reputation of team A down." He hissed. 

"Bullshit. Trevor smokes pot, and no one gives a damn."

"Well, Trevor isn't the god damn heir to the Legion." His voice was low in the loud, busy room, but his voice was a slap in the face. Even though the Legion was always in the back of my mind, my true purpose was to convince everyone I would be the rightful heir, that I was capable of everything they put on me to gain their trust. In order to do that I would have to work my ass off and stay alert. 

Like Kyle had told me to be right when I was leaving, to stay alert. And smoking pot was the exact opposite of staying alert. What had gotten into me?

That was when Ollie came up to us with a new glass of gin and tonic. "Woah, what's going on here?"

Niko glared at Ollie. "Of course you're here. Why are you taking her to this place?"

"Excuse me?" Ollie looked pissed now and crossed her arms over her chest.

"This damn princess over here was trying to experiment with some weed."

"If she was, you have no say in what she does or doesn't do." Ollie retorted, but she looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Whatever. But you're going to thank me later, so you're welcome in advance." Niko glared at both of us and walked out of the club radiating anger.

I let out a defeated sigh and leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry for ruining the night."

"Oh, come one, you haven't. But I have to say I'm impressed. I was away for maybe five minutes and you go and get yourself mixed up with drugs."

"I'm a trouble magnet." I muttered, remembering when Mikey had told me something similar to that.

Ollie wrapped an arm around me. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

* * * * * 

"Alright, lean against the wall here, and act like a basic bitch."

"Ollie, can we not?" I whined as I looked into the threatening camera in her hands.

"No, I need a good picture for your instagram feed. This will be something we do every time you dress up, so get used to it."

My eyes widened by a fraction. Social media was a way I was going to get in touch with the Office, and therefore Kyle. Even if I couldn't see him, I wanted him to see me. And I was all dressed up, I wanted Kyle to see that. I could feel myself ease up and smile for the camera, arcing my back a little subconsciously.

"Oh, there we go. You like the thought of an audience."

I channeled all the emotion I wanted to convey to Kyle in my face, while lengthening my legs which Kyle had complimented me on.

"I think you should have pursued the career of modeling." Ollie told me as we were on the car ride back to Headquarters. She sifted through the pictures, and I had to admit she was right. I looked damn good.

* * * * *

Thanks for reading! Hopefully I can update the next chapter soon xxx