Chapter 4

PAST 

GRAYSON’S POV:

The cafeteria was a whirlwind of sounds when I walked in. Laughter and yells and the occasional thuds of trays hitting the tables echoed around me, and I tried my best to ignore the chaos.

I spotted my friends sitting at our usual table near the window, pushed a little farther away from the other tables. Josh had claimed it back in sophomore year, calling it “prime real estate” and insisting it gave off main character energy. We’d let him have that win. Arguing would’ve been pointless.

Josh was mid-story, arms flailing around wildly like he was auditioning for a play. He was sitting with his feet up on the table. Nathan threw a grape at an unsuspecting freshman, and I watched as the boy flinched before scurrying away, eyes wide with fear that looked a little too exaggerated.

And then there was Theo. 

He was leaning back in his chair, headphones slung around his neck, a lazy smirk on his face as he listened to Josh.

He looked up when he felt me approach. He offered me a nod. I nodded back. Theo was the only one in our friend group—besides me—who didn’t thrive in the chaos. Who didn’t seek attention like the other two did. Who preferred silence over the din of high school.

Theo had been the unofficial ‘mother hen’ of our group ever since junior year. He was the one who kept Josh and Nathan’s pranks in check, who knew how to read my moods like a script, and who knew when to keep everybody out of my way.

“Oh, hi,” Josh said when I stopped in front of the table. I pushed his feet down and he scooted over, making space for me.

“What did Jameson want?” Nathan asked, beating Josh to it.

I rolled my eyes, plucking a half-eaten apple from Josh’s tray.

“Nothing,” I said, noticing the way Theo’s eyebrow immediately shot up. The bastard was too quick in clocking my lies. “He was just being annoying.”

“About ninety-eight?” Theo asked, earning a snicker from Nathan.

“Yes. Told me a ninety-four was impressive, too. Like I don’t already fucking know.”

Theo’s smirk grew, and I gave him a look, silently telling him not to push it. He shrugged, letting the topic go.

“I’m still telling you,” Nathan said, eyes landing on the other end of the cafeteria. I followed his line of sight and found Selene. 

I held back a groan. It was only a matter of time before she started haunting my nightmares as well, at the rate things were going.

She was sitting alone at the far end of the cafeteria, earbuds plugged in both ears. Her lunch sat untouched in front of her. Instead, she had a leather-bound book cracked open, brown eyes crinkled at the edges as she read through it. Her lips moved ever so slightly, like she was tasting each word, savoring it before swallowing.

“One month in and still no friends,” Nathan muttered. “She’s practically begging to be made a target.” 

“No,” Theo said firmly, looking very done.

“Come on, Reed,” Josh whined. “It’ll be harmless.”

“We’re seniors,” Theo said. “Bullying isn’t considered cool anymore, Maddox, for fuck’s sake.”

He turned to me. “Vexley, a little help here?”

I chewed the apple, my thoughts spiraling. I couldn’t stop thinking about Jameson’s words.

I wasn’t failing anyone; it was true. Or at least that’s what I told myself. But I still needed to stay at the top, no matter what. If distracting her made the climb easier, then maybe it wasn’t such a terrible idea.

I shrugged.

Nathan hooted too loudly, causing heads to turn in our direction, but we ignored them.

“Seriously, Grayson?” Theo asked, looking very close to throwing his tray in my face.

“You old asses can stay here if you want,” Nathan said, fist bumping Josh as they got up. “We’ll be back before you can miss us too much.”

“No way am I letting you both go harass that poor girl unsupervised,” Theo said, a sigh lingering in his words as he followed after them.

“And you,” he said, turning to me. “You started this. Now get off your ass and help me control them.”

“You don’t need my help keeping those idiots in check,” I said, already thinking of emptying Josh’s lunch tray, but Theo's glare was so intense I found my legs working on their own accord as I followed the three of them to where Selene Hale sat.

The crowds parted as we walked, Josh and Nathan leading the way, and Theo and I falling a few steps behind.

“You look rattled,” Theo said, voice just low enough to keep it between us. “I can see it all over your face.”

“I’m not that obvious, Reed,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Yes, but I can see it.”

“You’re a pain in my ass, that’s why.”

“Mhm, true,” he said, grinning obnoxiously up at me. “So, what’s wrong? Why are you suddenly saying yes to their deranged plans?”

I shrugged. “The new girl is competition.”

Theo’s eyebrow shot up. “She is? I thought the ninety-eight was a fluke. Beginner’s luck.”

I shook my head. “She’s smart. Annoyingly so.”

“And you want her out of the game because you’re threatened?”

I chose not to react to the way he worded the sentence. Mostly because I wasn’t in the mood, and mostly because he was right.

“And this is how you want to take this?” He asked, eyebrow arched.

“It’s harmless fun, Reed,” I said instead, quoting Josh.

I repeated that in my head until I could almost believe it.