"You say you're different, but deep down, you're still part of us. You'll always come back, Gabby."

Gabriella's eyes narrowed, her voice laced with defiance. "I may share the same blood as him, but I'm nothing like him or any of you."

Aiden scoffed, but his words lacked their usual bite. "We'll see about that."

With that, the twins walked away, though Gabriella didn't miss the lingering glances they shot over their shoulders. Once they were out of sight, Allison exhaled, the tension leaving her posture.

"You handled that better than I would've," Allison said, looking at Gabriella with a hint of admiration.

Gabriella shrugged, the intensity in her expression fading. "I'm just done letting people try to control me."

Allison nodded in understanding, and for the first time, Gabriella felt a small, unspoken bond forming between them.

[...]

With Gabriella standing watch, Allison kneels by Aiden's motorcycle.

She twists a small, copper WIRE between her

fingers and gets to work pulling out the bike's fuse.

They had decided to get revenge on the twins.

"just because we are working together doesn't mean we're friends" Gabriella reminded her

Allison smirked, glancing up at Gabriella from where she crouched by Aiden's bike. "Trust me, I haven't forgotten. But even you have to admit, this is pretty satisfying."

Gabriella rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe a little."

Allison pushes the start button and the bike ROARS to life

Gabriella gets on, placing her hands around the grips, Beside her, Allison points to the left pedal "Okay, you kick that down and press

the clutch with your left hand to put it in gear This is the front brake and this is the throttle"

The engine REVS as allison points to the right pedal "And that's the back brake. For stopping. So try not to crash"

Allison takes a picture with her phone and clicks SEND.

Allison stuffed her phone into her pocket, her expression turning serious. "I know we're not friends, but... I'm glad we're on the same side this time."

Gabriella hesitated, the usual sharpness in her gaze softening for a moment. "Let's just say, I have a newfound appreciation for people who can stand up for themselves." She looked away, as if shaking off the moment. "Now, let's get this started."

[...]

ENGINE ROARING, Gabriella tears down the corridor on the motorcycle.

She soars past the locker room, heading right for Aiden who comes hurtling down the stairs.

Gabriella hits the brakes, SKIDDING towards him

Aiden grabs the handlebars, stopping the bike short. The tires SCREECH and SPIN, kicking up SMOKE "you know Gabby it you wanted a ride you could've just ask"

Gabriella smirked, her eyes glinting with defiance as she looked up at Aiden, unfazed by his grip on the handlebars. "Please, Aiden. If I wanted a ride, I'd go for something a little more... challenging."

Aiden's jaw clenched, trying to keep his cool as he leaned closer, his smirk wavering just slightly. "You think you're funny, don't you?"

"I think am revengeful"

Feet jumping up onto the seat, Gabriella flips off the bike and right over Aiden's head.

She lands just as the hall fills with teachers and students.

Blake pushes through the crowd in time to see Aiden turning off the bike, engine sputtering to silence "You've got to be kidding me. You know this is going to result in a suspension?"

They accepted for Aiden to have a fuming look on his face but for some reason it was an amused one.

He looked at Gabriella who was standing with Erica, Scott, Isaac, Allison in the crowd of students and murmured under his breath "yea I definitely missed you Gabriella"

Gabriella raised an eyebrow as she overheard Aiden's comment, She turned to look at him, meeting his gaze with that same defiant spark. "You've got a funny way of showing it, Aiden."

Blake shook his head, his arms crossed, clearly exasperated. "This is insane. Do you really want to get suspended over this?"

Aiden's smirk remained, though he didn't look like he was in a hurry to get into trouble. "What can I say? It's a little exciting."

Erica raised an eyebrow, exchanging a quick glance with Scott and Isaac. It was clear there was something unspoken between Gabriella and Aiden, and Erica wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Did I miss something?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and amusement as she watched the interaction.

Gabriella shrugged nonchalantly, though the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Nothing new. Just some school rivalry... and a little fun."

Scott chuckled, watching the two of them closely. "Seems like there's more to it than that, though. You two have this... chemistry, like you can't decide whether to kill each other or kiss each other."

Isaac snorted, clearly entertained by the idea. "Yeah, I'm with Scott. Looks like you've got a thing for drama, Gab."

Gabriella shot them both a look, her expression sharp. "You guys are way off. Aiden just likes to think he's got the upper hand. I'm just here to make sure he knows who's really in control."

Erica wasn't entirely convinced. "Well, whatever it is, I can tell it's not over yet."

Gabriella's smirk widened as she watched Aiden, still lingering near his bike, looking like he was fighting off a grin. "Oh, trust me, it's far from over."

[...]

Isaac stood on Gabriella's doorstep, his usual confidence a little shaken as he knocked. When the door swung open, Gabriella's eyes narrowed in surprise at the sight of him standing there.

"Isaac?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Isaac shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "I need a place to stay. Derek kicked me out."

Gabriella blinked, her surprise quickly turning into concern. "What why?"

Isaac's eyes flickered to the ground. "He said he doesn't need me anymore...he has cora now."

Gabriella's expression softened, her gaze turning sympathetic as she took in Isaac's words. She stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. "That's... rough," she said quietly, her voice filled with empathy. "You don't have to explain. You can stay here as long as you need to."

Isaac hesitated for a moment, clearly not used to being offered help so freely. But the weight of everything—Derek's rejection, the constant struggle to find his place—pressed down on him, and he let out a slow breath. "Thanks, Gabby. I didn't know who else to turn to."

Gabriella nodded, her expression reassuring as she closed the door behind him. "You've always had a place here, Isaac. Don't worry about it."

Isaac looked around the house, the familiarity of it offering him a small amount of comfort. "I just... I never thought it would end up like this. Derek was the one person who kept telling me I had a future, that I mattered. But now..." He trailed off, frustration and sadness evident in his voice.

Gabriella's eyes softened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You do matter, Isaac. More than you think. And you don't need Derek to tell you that. You're not alone in this."

Isaac gave her a small, grateful smile, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. "I really appreciate this, Gabby. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Gabriella offered him a reassuring smile, her voice steady and firm. "Don't worry. You're not going anywhere. You're here, and that's all that matters right now."

Isaac nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe, just maybe, things could get better from here.