*continues*
She ignored me,
distracted by a parking
space on the edge of
the road. Granted, it
didn't look large enough
to even fit one of those
tiny cars they drove
over there in France, but
it was a space
nonetheless. Luckily,
Venice's car was pretty
tiny too, and by some
miracle (or lack thereof,
in my opinion), she
managed to ease into
the spot.
"Yes!" Venice beamed
triumphantly. "Bow
down to my driving
skills, ye mere mortals."
"I'm bowing, I'm
bowing." I stared
nervously at the giant
black Hummer in front
of us. "Ok, let's go."
"Now you want to go in
faster."
"I'm just getting
claustrophobic." I
stepped out of the car
and was instantly
bombarded with the
smell of alcohol.
I blinked, staring at the
chaotic scene in front of
me. Take all the noise
and people and alcohol
from every party I've
ever been to, multiply it
by ten, and that's what
it looked like right now.
It's like a teenage
movie party scene on
steroids. All the lights
were on in Stan's huge
house, and I could see
the shadows of drunk,
Hot teenagers in
every one of them. In
fact, there were so
many people they
spilled onto the vast
lawn.
As I watched, a barely-
clad girl in teeny-tiny
shorts and an even
teenier top raced past
me, shrieking with
laughter, with a
shirtless guy in hot
pursuit. A bunch of
people were doing body
shots on the hood of a
car, of all places, while
couples made out
furiously everywhere.
I gulped. If this was
what the party's like
outside, I can't even
begin to imagine what's
happening inside. Or
rather, I didn't even
want to imagine what's
happening in there. I
was in way over my
head.
Venice, apparently,
didn't think so.
"Oh, thank god we
managed to beat the
worst of the crowds,"
she breathed, grabbing
my hand and dragging
me toward the house.
"We did?" I asked
skeptically. It sure didn't
look like it, but hey,
what did I know? I was
a Stan Hoffman party
virgin.
We managed to make
our way through the
crush in the living room
and outside again to the
pool area, which was
slightly less congested.
Probably because
someone had already
thrown up in the pool.
I stood in the corner for
a moment, surveying
the scene. Not a single
person looked sober, or
even semi-sober. I
discreetly checked my
watch: barely 11. Great.
That meant we
wouldn't be leaving for
a good two hours, if I
was lucky. I don't
usually drink that much,
but I had a feeling
there's no way I could
get through this night
completely sober
without tearing my hair
out.
"Hey, V, why don't we
go get some drinks?" I
suggested.
"That's the spirit!" She
beamed. Then, gazing
over my shoulder, a
mischievous smile crept
over her face. "Actually,
why don't I go get the
drinks? It'll be easier
that way. You just stay
right here." With that,
she hightailed it back
inside.
I stared after her,
puzzled. "Don't get
drunk and pregnant!" I
yelled, rather belatedly.
"A valid concern at
Stan's parties," an
amused voice noted
from behind me.
Whipping around, I
found myself facing a
very cute, sandy-haired
guy I didn't recognize.
Ah. No wonder Venice
was so quick to leave.
I felt my cheeks flush
with embarrassment.
God, I must have
sounded like someone's
mom just now. "Oh…hi,"
I said awkwardly.
"Hi." His smile widened.
"I'm James."
"Maya."
"I know."
When I shot him a
quizzical look, he
shrugged. "I asked a
couple of my friends if
they knew you," he
explained.

*continues*
"Who are your friends?"
I asked curiously.
He gestured to a group
of guys working on a
keg on the other side of
the pool. I have
absolutely no freaking
idea who any of them
were.
"Apparently, everyone
knows who you are,"
James explained.
My face fell. "They do?"
I asked nervously. Either
James was lying or I've
been completely
delusional for the past
year.
Sadly, I suspected it
might be the latter.
James laughed. "Cheer
up, it's not the end of
the world. I've never
seen anyone look so
sad about other people
knowing her."
Ha! He knew nothing, I
tell you, nothing.
Besides, "sad" is not
exactly the word I
would use to describe
what I'm feeling right
now, which is…well, I'm
not even really sure.
Suddenly, I just realized
something. "Do you go
to Valesca?" I asked.
"Nope, and damn proud
of it. No offense," he
added quickly.
"Believe me, none
taken," I said dryly. "So
where do you go?"
"La Terra," he
answered, naming a
high school in the next
town. "My family used
to live here but they
moved when I was
little, which is just as
well. Valesca isn't really
my type of scene."
"A guy after my own
heart," I joked.
He smiled. "I certainly
hope so."
While I blushed and
racked my suddenly-
frozen brain for a witty
response, a commotion
inside the house
thankfully interrupted
me, and both James
and I turned to see
what all the fuss was
about.
I was surprised to see
the procession of
Scions, and Adriana; the
former rarely ever
attended open parties
like this one and
preferred to fly to New
York to go clubbing at
the latest hotspot. I
was even more
surprised to see Roman
and Carlo were
conspicuously absent.
"Ah, the famous
Scions," James
commented.
"You know who they
are?" I asked as I took
a step to the side,
partially shielding
myself with a giant
potted plant.
"I think everyone in the
tri-state area knows
who they are," he
remarked wryly. A brief
shadow passed over his
face, but it disappeared
so quickly I wondered if
it had ever been there in
the first place.
"Wonderful." My week
just keeps getting
better and better.
At that moment,
Venice ran up, beer
sloshing over the sides
of the two red plastic
cups she held in her
hands. She didn't seem
to notice. "Maya! Guess
who's here?" she cried,
her desire to gossip
apparently outweighing
her desire to give me
and a total stranger (to
her) some alone time.
"Big Foot?"
She shot me a you're-
so-weird-sometimes
look. "No. The Scions!
Well, half of them
anyway." She handed
me one cup and gave
James the other one.
"I'm Venice, by the
way," she said,
beaming.
"Hey, I'm James," he
said easily. "Why don't
you have this drink?" He
held out his cup.
"Oh, no thanks. I'm not
really a beer person,"
she explained. She gave
me a sly smile. "I see
you've met Maya."
He shot me an amused
look. "Yes, I have."
"Don't you just love her?
She's my best friend.
She's amazing! She's so
smart, and she's really
pretty too, don't you
think?"
Venice may not be a
beer girl, but she had
definitely imbibed some
alcohol before she came
back. "Venice! What are
you doing?" I hissed
under my breath,
mortified.

*continues*
"Yeah, she's beautiful,"
James replied, giving me
another smile.
I coughed nervously,
unsure what to say.
"Haha…um, well…
actually, I just
remembered I have to
go somewhere…well, it
was nice meeting you!"
Before he could say
another word, I'd
already grabbed Venice
and hightailed it inside
the house, losing
myself in the
fortunately large crowd.
Unfortunately, I was in
such a hurry I didn't
notice I had also
hightailed into someone.
The unexpected force
caused my cup to tilt
over, and I watched in
slow-motion horror as
the sticky brown liquid
splashed all over a very
expensive-looking shirt.
I slowly lifted my eyes
from the stain, up, up,
and straight into the
face of none other than
Parker Remington.
Oh shit.
********************
*
"Chug! Chug! Chug!
Chug!"
Adriana watched
impassively as a slightly
heavyweight guy in a
too-small Abercrombie
polo finished off the
last of the giant keg in
the Hoffmans'
backyard, cheered on by
his equally drunk and
rowdy friends.
"You know, that's
actually pretty
impressive," Zack
remarked, finishing off
his own drink, which a
simpering sycophant
had brought over just a
few minutes earlier.
"Yeah, if this were the
Frat Olympics 2010,"
Adriana said, rolling her
eyes. On any other
night, this party would
be pretty fun—great
music, free-flowing
liquor, and tons of
people, which meant
tons of cute guys. The
only problem was, she
wasn't here to find a
guy right now, she was
here to find a girl. For
Roman.
"Where did Parker
disappear off to?" she
wondered aloud,
scanning the yard. They
had been mobbed by a
frightening pack of
drunk, Hot girls the
moment they arrived,
and Parker had
somehow gotten 'lost'
in the midst.
Zack shrugged. "He's
probably—"
"Ohmygod! Someone
just spilled beer all over
Parker Remington!"
someone screamed.
Everyone froze for one
second, before they
abandoned what they
were doing to cram
themselves into the
living room, eager to
witness the drama that
was about to go down,
and curious as to who
was unlucky enough to
offend a Scion so early
in the year.
"Well, there's your
answer," Zack said,
chuckling. "This, I gotta
see."
Despite the crowds, he
and Adriana had no
trouble making it to the
edge of the circle,
where Parker and a girl
who had her back to
them stood. The
renowned playboy did,
indeed, have a huge
dark stain on his shirt,
and surprisingly, he
didn't look particularly
upset.
When the girl turned,
Adriana immediately
saw why. It was the
girl she'd met in the
bathroom a few days
ago, Maya. She didn't
know why she
remembered her so
clearly, but there was
something about her
that stuck out from
Valesca's preening
socialites-in-training.
Despite Maya's delicate
appearance, she
seemed to emanate a
vibe that indicated she
wasn't one to let
herself be pushed
around, which Adriana,
who herself was no shy
wallflower, appreciated.
Besides, it was clear
Parker wouldn't be so
quick to impose any
sort of social pariah-
dom on the poor girl--
she was gorgeous. Even
Zack, who was
normally pretty laid-
back when it came to
expressing his opinions
about the opposite sex,
let out a low whistle.
Parker, not looking
terribly upset, was
saying something, but it
was hard to hear, since
everyone had formed
the circle at a
respectable distance
from the two.
Adriana decided to take
matters into her own
hands, but before she
could, she was
surprised to see her
brother step forward.
"There's nothing to see
here," he said firmly.
And with those five
words, the crowd
reluctantly dispersed,
though more than few
cast surreptitious looks
in their direction.

shaxee cum nd update

Shaxee,you are doing great,I just had time to read ur update now.. Wonderful

amiablejudy:
Shaxee,you are doing great,I just had time to read ur update now.. Wonderful

thanks dear

Wow, the story rocks!

*continues*
Zack was about to
make his way over to
Parker and Maya when
Adriana laid a hand on
his arm. "Wait," she
said, tilting her head
towards a tiny redhead
who was barreling
towards the duo at an
alarming speed.
"Maya!" the girl cried,
her gray eyes the size
of saucers as they
darted between her
friend and the huge
stain on Parker's shirt.
"Wh-what happened?
Are you okay? You're—
you're not going to be
expelled, are you?"
"Not if I have anything
to say about it."
Adriana watched,
intrigued, as a good-
looking, sandy-haired
guy stepped up behind
Venice, staring directly
at Parker.
Then, as if the scene
couldn't get more
dramatic, the front door
opened and who should
come in but Roman and
Carlo?
Well, Adrianaa thought.
This will be interesting.
********************
***
"Um…uh…" I was
speechless as I just
stood there, taking in
the damage I'd done to
a shirt that probably
cost more than an
average person's
monthly rent. A shirt
that belonged to Parker
Remington, no less. I
was painfully aware
that the rest of the
party had stopped and
everyone was pointing
and whispering, but I
couldn't focus on
anything except for the
fact my life was pretty
much over.
"I'm sorry," I finally
managed, desperately
searching for a place to
set down the offending
and now empty cup.
Unfortunately, the
nearest table was
about twenty feet
away. "I'm really, really
sorry. I didn't mean to
spill it—it's just—I'm a
bit—well, I was in a bit
of a hurry so I just
rushed in here and I
didn't see you and
there's so many people
that it just accidentally
spilled—"
I knew I was rambling
incoherently and
embarrassing myself
even more than I
already had, but I
couldn't help it. In my
mind, I could see my
chances of getting into
Stanford, or any other
good school, disappear
in a puff of smoke.
The whole time, Parker
just watched me with
an inscrutable
expression on his face.
When I finally fell into
silence, awaiting his
next words with a
Texas-sized pit of
dread in my stomach, I
somehow felt even
more humiliated that I
was basically groveling
in front of someone for
something as minor as
spilling beer over him. I
mean, yeah, if it had
been anyone else, I still
would have apologized
and tried to help him
clean up, but the
situation was only
exacerbated by the fact
Parker's a Scion. This
time, I felt my cheeks
heat up with shame
and anger at myself for
being too much of a
coward to stand up to
the Scions' dictatorial
rule.
"Well, this wasn't part
of my plans for
tonight," Parker
commented, lifting his
sticky shirt away from
his defined torso, which
was clearly outlined
through the soaked
material.
I braced myself,
wondering how to tell
my mom my chances of
getting into a top 10
school were non-
existent now.
"But it certainly isn't the
end of the world."
Oh god. I was going to
end up working at
McDonald's for the rest
of my life, subsisting on
welfare—wait, what?
"What?" I blurted.
I heard someone say
something in the
background, and out of
the corner of my eye, I
saw the crowd that
had been watching us
miraculously break up,
but I was so
overwhelmed by the
hope that was coursing
through my veins I
couldn't quite focus on
anything else.
Parker laughed, flashing
me his signature
charming smile and the
accompanying dimples.
His green eyes sparkled
mischievously. "It's just
beer," he explained. "I
won't die."
"But I ruined your shirt,"
I protested. I couldn't
believe I was actually
encouraging him to be
mad, but this didn't feel
right. I mean, last year,
I'd seen someone get
kicked out of school for
stepping on the back of
Carlo's shoe. Besides, I
was still convinced
there was a catch here
somewhere.

*continues*
Parker shrugged. "It's
just a shirt, I have
plenty."
"So…you're not mad?" I
asked cautiously.
"Of course not. How can
I be mad at such a
beautiful girl?"
Coming from anyone
else, the line would be
corny as hell, but there
was something about
Parker that made
everything he said
sound smooth and
charming.
"Maya! Wh-what
happened? Are you
okay? You're—you're
not expelled, are you?"
I turned to see Venice
rushing toward me,
wide-eyed and panicked.
I was about to tell her
that yes, everything
was fine, but before I
could get a word out of
my mouth, James
suddenly materialized.
He looked decidedly less
laid-back than before,
and in fact, his mouth
was set in a grim line as
he stared Parker down.
"Not if I have anything
to do about it," he said
quietly.
"Really? And what are
you going to do about
it?"
The blood ran cold in my
veins. I would recognize
that voice anywhere.
Venice gently tugged on
my arm, and I
robotically took a step
back so that James
was facing Parker and
Roman by himself. I
saw Carlo move over to
stand next to Zack and
Adriana. I don't
remember seeing them
arrive on the scene, but
I shouldn't be surprised.
They always moved in
a pack.
"I'm not going to stand
here and let you push
Maya around just
because she
accidentally spilled beer
on you," James
declared, even though
he was looking straight
at Roman now.
Roman's eyes narrowed
and his gaze moved
slowly, methodically
from Parker's shirt, to
me and Venice, and
back to James. "I don't
think you're aware who
you're talking to,"
Roman said. His tone of
voice had changed. It
was casual, almost
cavalier, which
frightened me more
than if he'd been
screaming and raging.
"Oh, wait, I forgot, I'm
talking to the mighty
Scions," James said
sarcastically. "How
stupid of me. I should
be bowing and scraping
before you right now,
shouldn't I?"
I exchanged a horrified
glance with Venice.
What are you doing? I
wanted to scream at
him. I didn't know
James that well, but he
was a nice guy, and I
couldn't even bear to
think what's going to
happen to him after
tonight.
"Maybe if you did that
right now, I might be
inclined to show some
mercy in dealing with
you," Roman declared.
I felt myself bristle at
his choice of awards. He
really did sound like
some medieval king
talking down to his
servants.
Apparently, James felt
the same way, because
he didn't back down. "I
don't think I need mercy
from the likes of you,"
he responded, clenching
his hands into fists.
"You and your friends
think you can do
anything just because
you're rich, but let me
tell you something,
money can't buy you
dignity, or respect."
"I wouldn't be too sure
about that." Roman's
lips curved up into a
cruel smile. "Especially
when you wake up one
morning to find out your
parents just lost their
job."
James' nostrils flared.
"Don't you dare pretend
you know anything
about my family!" he
roared, raising his fist.
Venice let out a small
yelp next to me, but I'd
had enough.
I quickly grabbed James'
wrist and forced it
down. I'd noticed Carlo
had gotten ready to
defend his friend and
knew James would not
be the winner.

what is parker up to? thanks for d update shaxee

*continues*
That's enough!" I cried,
stepping in front of
James.
"Maya, what are you
doing?" Venice
whispered urgently
from the sideline.
I ignored her, and lifted
my chin, gazing into
Roman's stormy orbs.
For the first time, he
looked taken aback.
"Now you listen, and
you listen good," I
began fiercely, fueled by
over a year of
suppressed anger that
was bursting to be let
out. "I don't care that
your family founded
this stupid town and
this stupid school, I
don't care how much
money you have in your
trust fund, or how
everyone else worships
you just because you
happen to be lucky
enough to be born with
good genes and into a
rich family. I am sick
and tired of you bossing
everyone around like
they're your servants!
They're not, and even if
they were, you should
at least treat other
people with some
respect! You have done
absolutely nothing by
yourself to earn
anything you have!"
"Maya," Venice
squeaked, her face
whiter than white.
I knew I should stop,
but I couldn't. I'd already
dug myself in too deep,
and I was on a roll. The
words came out so
easily I was barely
aware I was even
saying them. "Nothing
gives you the right to
threaten other peoples'
lives and futures the
way you do!" I
continued. "Who are you
to determine who gets
expelled or whose
parents will lose their
jobs? You're just a
teenager, for Christ's
sake! Stop acting like
you're god, because
you're not! As far as
I'm concerned, you're
nothing but a spoiled,
tyrannical brat who
throws a temper
tantrum anytime
something doesn't go
your way!"
I was panting by the
time I finished, and it
was the only sound in
the room. The rest was
dead silence.
Everyone—Venice,
James, the Scions, the
people at the party—
just stared at me in
shock.
I swallowed hard, hit by
the urge to bolt. Though
I'd felt free and relieved
when I was reaming
Roman out, I now felt
suffocated.
Without waiting for a
response, I pushed my
way through my mass
of frozen classmates
and sprinted through
the door, not stopping
until I'd reached
Venice's car. I leaned
against the driver's
side, where no one
could see me, and
closed my eyes,
breathing deeply. The
fresh night air felt
soothing against my
heated skin, but I still
felt like I was about to
throw up.
I couldn't believe I just
did that. A year of
forcing myself into
anonymity, all down the
drain in one night. But
still, at least I had my
dignity intact. I knew if
I'd just let it go on the
way it had back there
without saying
anything, I'd regret it
for the rest of my life.
It was about time
someone stood up to
the Scions, and if
colleges wanted some
lemming with no
backbone, well, I guess
they weren't the right
ones for me.
"Maya!"
I looked up to see a
distressed Venice.
"Ohmygosh, I'm so
sorry," she cried,
throwing her arms
around my neck. "This is
all my fault! If I hadn't
—if I hadn't made you
come tonight, none of
this would've
happened!"
"No, it's fine," I croaked,
patting her awkwardly
on her back. "It's not
your fault. This was
bound to happen
anyway. I've held my
tongue too long." I
inhaled deeply and
stood up. "Besides, it'll
be ok," I said with
forced cheer. "I'm not
some prissy little thing.
I can handle whatever
they throw at me."
She just stared at me
worriedly.
I bit my lip. "Is it that
bad?"
"Well, I don't really
know," she admitted. "I
mean, I ran out here
after you as fast as I
can, but the party's
definitely over, that's
for sure."
We both looked at the
house, and sure enough,
people were starting to
stream through the
doors.

*continues*
Get in the car, I'll drive
you home," Venice said.
I quickly made my way
around the car and
slammed the door shut.
I had barely put on my
seatbelt before we
were already halfway
down the road.
"Thanks, V," I said
gratefully, leaning my
head on the headrest.
"You're the best."
"Hey, what are friends
for?"
When we pulled up in
front of my house, she
gave me another hug.
"Listen, just know I'll
always have your back,
ok?" she whispered.
"Whatever happens
Monday, I won't give up
on you."
I smiled for real this
time, feeling unbearably
touched. As I got out,
she added, "And Maya?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm really proud of you
tonight. I wish had as
much courage."
As I lay in my bed that
night, her words still
echoed through my
mind, and I resolved not
to bow down to Roman
or any of the other
Scions. To hell with
what they'll do to me—
whatever that may be.
The more I thought
about it, the more I
was convinced I'd done
the right thing. My
parents had always
raised me to stand up
for what I believe in and
to not let others push
me around; it was
about time I made
them proud. Besides, I
comforted myself with
the thought Roman Fiori
and his ilk would get
what they deserved
sooner or later.
I drifted off into a light,
fitful sleep.

Plaitex:
what is parker up to? thanks for d update shaxee

thanks dear! Stay update! I might update tomorrow

Nice one shaxee..... I could just keep reading..... #StillIRead

almacherish:
Nice one shaxee..... I could just keep reading..... #StillIRead

thanks dear

Update pls oh!

CHAPTER FOUR
I'm a survivor, I'm not
gonna give up
I'm not gon' stop, I'm
gonna work harder
I'm a survivor, I'm
gonna make it
I will survive, keep on
survivin'
~"Survivor" Destiny's
Child
"That's four games in a
row!" Zack crowed,
raising his arms
triumphantly in the air
and nearly jabbing
Parker in the eye with
the pool stick he was
still holding in his hand.
"Who's the man?"
"Whatever, Perry,"
Parker said, tossing his
golden brown hair out
of his eyes. "I guess
you're paying me back
for the what? Six
thousand times I've
beaten you before?"
"Yeah, right," Zack
retorted, his spirits not
seeming the least bit
dampened by Parker's
reminder that he usually
was not the Michael
Jordan of pool, to say
the least. "You're just
mad because you owe
me your custom Rolex."
Parker laughed. "Dude, I
don't care about the
Rolex. I have a dozen of
those things. My
grandparents send me
one every Christmas."
"Still." Zack set his pool
stick on the ground and
leaned his weight
against it, glancing at
the opposite end of the
lounge. Carlo was
lounging on the couch,
deeply engrossed in
Grapes of Wrath, his
favorite book. Roman
was standing in front
of the dartboard, where
a cluster of darts neatly
punctuated the center.
There were so many
they spilled out of the
bull's eye and into the
surrounding ring. Zack
couldn't see Roman's
face, but he was pretty
sure there was an
angry scowl on it.
Like anything else is
new.
"Hey, Rome, you wanna
play? We can do
doubles," he called out
hopefully.
The four of them had
been hanging out in
Roman's game room
(one of the dozen or so
rooms that made up his
wing of the Fiori
mansion) all day. They
had started off hashing
and rehashing last
night's shocking events,
with Roman getting
progressively redder
and angrier each time,
until Zack, Carlo, and
Parker all threatened to
jump off the balcony if
they didn't talk about
something else.
From that point on,
Roman had basically
just either sulked in the
corner, no doubt
planning the demise of
that poor girl, or venting
his anger at the
dartboard. The other
three had amused
themselves with the
endless entertainment
the game room
provided, but it was
hard to enjoy
themselves when their
friend was being such
an obvious downer.
Roman didn't answer;
instead, he ferociously
hurled yet another dart
at the board. It went
whizzing through the air
and precisely pierced
the tiny area between
two other darts.
Parker and Zack
exchanged glances.
"Maybe we should start
drinking," Parker half-
joked, even though it
was barely four in the
afternoon.
"I'll get the vodka,"
Zack, taking the joke
literally, offered
helpfully, starting to
make his way over to
the fully stocked bar in
the corner.
Before he could take
two steps, Roman
turned and stormed
over. As the others had
predicted, he was
scowling.
"Who does that girl
think she is?" he
demanded to no one in
particular. "To have the
nerve to talk to me like
that? Doesn't she know
who I fucking am?"
Parker yawned, bored.
He'd already heard this
rant at least thirty
times by now. "She's
hot," he commented,
completely ignoring
Roman's previous
statement.
Zack nodded
enthusiastically in
agreement.

*continues*
"I mean, she can't
possibly fucking think
she'll get away with
that," Roman continued.
"I need to teach her a
fucking lesson."
"I'm kind of surprised I
haven't noticed her
before, though," Parker
mused thoughtfully,
obviously a little put out
that a girl had slipped
past his radar like that.
"Maybe you're losing
your touch," Zack
offered innocently.
"When I'm done with
her, she'll regret the day
she ever stepped foot
in this town!" Roman
rambled on. His
monologue seemed to
be making him feel
better, since his face
was no longer a fire-
engine shade of red, but
his eyebrows were still
drawn together so
fiercely he could
probably re-kill an army
of vampires with just
one look.
"That'll never happen,"
Parker stated
confidently. "I think I've
found myself a new
goal."
"You mean conquest."
Parker looked offended.
"I do not have
conquests, I have…
fleeting girlfriends."
"Euphemisms," Zack
scoffed.
Neither noticed that
Roman was now glaring
directly at them. "ARE
YOU EVEN FUCKING
LISTENING TO ME?" he
roared so loud Zack
swore he saw the
glasses at the bar
rattle a bit.
There was silence as
his friends stared
blankly at him.
"No, not really," Zack
finally answered
earnestly.
Before Roman could fly
off the handle again,
Carlo spoke up for the
first time. "Why are you
getting so worked up?"
he asked, not even
looking up from his
book. He was leaning
leisurely against one
arm of the couch while
his feet were crossed
on top of the other arm.
"Just do what you
usually do."
"But he doesn't usually
do anything," Zack
pointed out.
"Exactly."
The meaning behind
Carlo's words had
obviously already
registered with Roman,
and his eyes narrowed
thoughtfully. "You're
right. Why would I
trouble myself dealing
with her when I can let
everyone else do it?"
In previous cases, of
course, the other
Valesca students had
taken it upon
themselves to get rid
of anyone who
offended the Scions.
There was no reason
this time would be any
different.
Roman's lips curved up
into a small, triumphant
smirk. "She won't last a
week."
********************
********************
********************
********************
********************
********
Well, D-Day was here.
Surprisingly, I didn't feel
particularly different
than any other school
day as I trudged
toward school, basking
in the warmth of the
sun against my skin and
letting it comfort me.
But then again, that
could be because I
dreaded going to school
every day anyway.
As I neared the school,
however, my calmness
left me little by little. I
could feel about 10,000
butterflies fluttering
away in my stomach,
my heart felt like it was
going to jump out of my
chest, and I might even
possibly throw up. It
didn't make it any
better that Venice had
contracted the flu over
the weekend and
wouldn't be able to
come to school today.
Although, now that I
think about it, it might
be better if she wasn't
here for the carnage
that was about to
ensue.
When I arrived at
school, the parking lot
was empty. This might
be due to the fact I've
arrived a full hour and a
half early.
Ok, fine. I'm a bit of a
coward, but what else
can I do? I've used up all
my courage for the
month Saturday night,
and now, I wanted
nothing more than to
hide away in a place
where no Valesca
student would ever,
ever go to: the library.
I stepped cautiously
into the building,
relieved but unsurprised
to find the halls empty
save for a lone janitor.
It was the earliest I'd
ever come in here, and I
was suddenly struck by
how beautiful the
interior really is when
uncluttered by the
masses of students.

*continues*
The floors were pure,
unveined Italian marble,
decorated with a giant
forest green-and gold
falcon school crest. The
"lockers" were built into
the walls and looked
more like high-tech
cabinets; instead of
clunky, ugly combination
locks, they were
secured by a small
biometric pad where
you press your thumb,
thereby eliminating any
need to memorize
anything to get into the
precious space
(considering the
extravagance of the
items some kids threw
in their lockers,
'precious' takes on a
whole new meaning).
Above them hung oil
portraits of the school's
many illustrious alumni,
and enormous, glittering
crystal chandeliers
replaced fluorescent
lights.
Suddenly realizing I was
in a bit of a stupor, I
shook my head and
mentally kicked myself
for buying into
Valesca's superficial
perfection, even if it
was only for a second.
I made my way into
one of the wood-
paneled elevators and
pressed '3', staring at
myself in the mirror.
I was wearing the
female version of
Valesca's uniform: a
short-sleeve, white
button-down shirt
under a fitted green
blazer with the gold
falcon on the upper left
side, a green and gold
plaid skirt, and my own
black ballet flats. The
school's handbook never
specified a specific shoe
for the uniform, except
that it had to be black,
brown, and
'appropriate,' whatever
the hell that meant.
The guys' uniform was
the same, except with
more masculine tops
and green slacks
instead of skirts. They
also had to wear green-
and-gold striped ties. All
the uniforms were
custom-made by Dolce
& Gabbana, but I hated
them. They made me
feel constricted,
conformed, and the last
thing I wanted was to
look anything like my
classmates.
Of course, the only
students exempt from
the uniform rule were
the Scions. And Adriana,
I added silently, thinking
about the gorgeous
dress she'd worn
yesterday. I still hadn't
quite made up my mind
about her yet: she was
obviously cut from the
same mold as her
brother and his friends,
and indulged in the
same ridiculous
privileges, but she also
seemed…different,
somehow. I couldn't
quite put my finger on
it, though, and it was
driving me insane.
The elevator let out a
low, musical ping,
announcing the arrival
at my destination. As
the doors slid open
silently, I took a deep
breath and pushed all
thoughts of the Scions
out of my mind. It didn't
really matter if Adriana
was different or not.
It's not like we'll ever be
friends. We just didn't
come from the same
world.
Since the library, which
contained practically
every book you could
ever think of,
dominated the entire
third floor, I could enter
it directly from the
elevator. I stepped into
the giant,
hushed,bookworm's
paradise, the silence
enveloping me like a
warm blanket on a cold
winter night. I breathed
in the comforting smell
of leather-bound books,
and managed to muster
up a smile to flash at
the elderly librarian.
Passing by the checkout
counter and the bank of
computers, I made a
beeline towards my
favorite nook in the
western back corner,
which consisted of a
simple armchair and
small table but had a
picture window that
provided the best view
of the school's
undeniably gorgeous,
landscaped grounds.
I settled comfortably
into the chair and pulled
out my favorite book,
Grapes of Wrath. I've
literally read it at least a
hundred times but I
never got tired of it.
The next hour and a
half flew by, and all too
soon, the bell signaling
the start of class rang
shrilly, rudely jolting me
from my book. A tight,
familiar knot instantly
formed in my stomach,
and I felt myself freeze
in my chair. I knew I
should get moving, but
my muscles wouldn't
listen to me. It was like
I'd been spontaneously
paralyzed.

*continues*
Out of the corner of my
eye, I saw the librarian
cast a half-curious, half-
disapproving glance in
my direction, but I was
so immersed in my
panic I didn't care. I
know everyone who
hadn't witnessed mine
and Roman's
showdown Saturday
night—and that number
was small—would've
definitely heard about it
by now, and I wasn't
looking forward to their
harassment, which,
judging from past
cases, was inevitable.
Slowly, I placed my
book into my backpack
and reluctantly trudged
toward the elevator. My
finger hesitated over
the down button, until I
pressed it firmly,
quickly, before I could
change my mind. The
doors immediately
opened, looking
suddenly like the gates
of hell.
By the time I reached
the second floor
hallway, it was fairly
empty, and I was
relieved to find that
despite the frequent
dirty looks and
whispering, no one
outright confronted me.
When I burst into my
English class a few
minutes later, the
teacher, Mrs. Lavinsky,
was in the middle of
instructions for her end-
of-the-term paper.
"—minimum of twelve
pages, double-spaced
—" She broke off when
she saw me. "Miss
Lindberg, you're late,"
she said pointedly.
"I'm sorry," I apologized,
blushing. "It won't
happen again."
"I certainly hope not."
She signed and waved
me towards my seat.
"I'll let it slide this time,
but next time I'll have
to give you a written
warning."
I nodded meekly,
embarrassed. I've never
gotten a written
warning before, and
Mrs. Lavinsky is actually
my favorite teacher. I
knew she did not have
an easy job. The rest of
my classmates could
care less about the
class and were always
giving her attitude. I
hated having to
disappoint her, too.
I slid into my seat and
instantly felt something
cold and slightly wet on
the back of my skirt.
What the—I stood up
hastily, and everyone
behind me burst into
laughter. Bewildered, I
looked down at my
seat and saw, to my
horror, smudged blood-
red paint, which had
been drawn roughly in
the shape of a circle on
my chair.
"What's going on?" Mrs.
Lavinsky asked sharply.
The rest of the class
continued laughing, and
I felt a red flush slowly
creep up on my cheeks,
no doubt matching the
stain on my skirt, which
for all the world looked
like a period stain. Their
intention, no doubt.
I was furious, but I
refused to let them see
it.
Is this the best they
can do? I fumed silently.
How immature could
they possibly be?
"Class! Settle down
right now, or each and
every one of you will be
serving a week's worth
of detention," Mrs.
Lavinsky snapped.
The laughter died down
a little, but there was
still the occasional
snicker. Everyone's eyes
were still trained on me:
hard, mocking,
relentless.
I set my jaw and
straightened up a bit.
No way would I let
them see me sweat. No
way in hell.
"Miss Lindberg, turn
around," Mrs. Lavinsky.
I slowly obeyed, glaring
at my classmates, who
were staring at me
with malicious
amusement.
"My goodness!" Mrs.
Lavinsky pursed her
perfectly rouged lips in
consternation. She took
out a pad of paper and
quickly scribbled
something on it. "Here,
go to the student
affairs' office and
change," she instructed,
handing me the note.
I accepted it
wordlessly, and she
shot me a sympathetic
look. With a jolt, I
realized she knew
exactly what was going
on here, but couldn't do
anything about It
because this was
Valesca and it sucked
ass.
Story of my life.

Nice story...but try and space ur work well

Eiyah, poor gurl

*continues*
Make it quick, because
we're going over some
important material
today," she added.
"Ok," I mumbled.
Instead of going to the
student affairs' office,
however, I headed
toward my locker,
where I always kept an
emergency backup
uniform. I'd never had
much use for it until
now.
When I reached my
locker, I pressed my
thumb on the biometric
pad, and the door
unhinged with a soft
click, the loudest sound
in the deserted hallway.
When I swung it
completely open,
however, a shrill scream
pierced through the
silence. It took me a
moment to realize the
scream had come from
my own mouth, as I
stared, horrified, into
the cold eyes of the
coiled-up snake in my
locker.
********************
********************
********************
********************
********************
******
Adriana sat cross-
legged in an
overstuffed armchair in
the library,
Dostoyevsky's Crime
and Punishment lying
open in front of her.
She'd decided to grab
sushi for lunch and had
come back sooner than
expected, so she'd
decided to get some
reading in. She'd read
Crime and Punishment
before, of course, at
boarding school, but
she'd enjoyed it and
didn't mind paging
through the long novel
again.
Usually, she would've
hung out in the lounge
with Zack and the rest
of them, but she was
too disgusted right
now.
A small crease formed
on her smooth brow as
she thought about this
morning's events. She'd
heard about the paint,
the snake, the
shredded gym clothes,
and the tossing of
Maya's math notes into
the toilet, among
countless other 'pranks'.
Other than the snake—
which had been deemed
the non-poisonous kind,
thank God—they were
all relatively harmless,
childish tricks, but that
didn't make them right,
nor did it make them
any less distressing.
Adriana was kind of
pissed none of the guys
had said anything yet.
Of course, she knew
they rarely—no, scratch
that, they never
interfered with Roman's
power trips, but still.
She knew Parker had at
least some interest in
the girl, so wasn't that
some incentive to at
least attempt playing
knight in shining armor?
Frowning slightly,
Adriana uncrossed her
legs and slipped her
feet back into her flat,
jeweled Giuseppe
Zanotti sandals, a
personal gift from the
designer himself.
Of course, Parker
wasn't exactly the
knightly type. Knights
didn't exactly go around
seducing innocent—or
not-so-innocent, in
some cases—girls.
They certainly didn't
sleep around so much
they had to go into
surrounding towns to
avoid the possibility of a
second-night stand,
which might be
construed as—God
forbid—a "relationship"
in Parker world.
Adriana let out a small
huff, slightly
disgruntled. Come on,
Adri, get back to the
task at hand, she
ordered herself.
She tapped one foot
thoughtfully on the
ground, the sound
muffled by the plush
Persian rug, and
resumed analyzing the
situation at hand.
Adriana knew she could
always do something to
diffuse the situation a
little though granted, no
one except Roman could
stop the abuse
completely. In fact, she
was already trying to
come up with a way to
make life a little easier
for Maya. She liked the
girl, for some reason.
Adriana definitely
admired her for
standing up to Roman
like that; it had proven
Maya was no shy
wallflower, that she
actually had some
sense in her head, unlike
most of the preening,
air-headed socialites
Adriana was constantly
in the company of. More
than everything else,
though, Adriana sensed
a kindred spirit in the
other girl.
As she was scrolling
through ways she could
help, however, a sudden
thought occurred to her,
and she sat up
straighter, wondering
why it hadn't occurred
to her before. God, it
was so obvious! With a
little triumphant laugh,
Adriana decided to not
do anything. Yet. While it
may help in the short
run, in the long run…

*continues*
Just as ideas scrawled
themselves across her
mind so quickly she
barely had time to
comprehend any of
them, the elevator
doors pinged open, and
Adriana looked up,
surprised. She'd thought
she was the only one
who ever came into the
library.
Her perfectly shaped
brows rose in interest
when Maya burst in.
Well, wasn't this an
intriguing coincidence.
Maya was dressed in an
egg-yolk-stained
uniform. Actually, her
top definitely had more
than egg yolk stains—
there was some red
stain that was probably
tomato, and some
darker blotches. Her
glossy dark hair was
disheveled and she
looked absolutely
furious, but underneath
the anger Adriana
sensed the slightest bit
of weariness.
When she saw Adriana,
though, she froze.
There was a beat of
silence. Finally, Maya
spoke up.
"So, what are you going
to do?" she asked, her
jaw set.
"I'm going to continue
reading my book,"
Adriana replied matter-
of-factly, without
batting an eye. She
didn't let so much as a
hint of her interest
show.
"If you're going to
throw anything else at
me, you might as well
do it now," Maya spit
out. "The lemmings are
on a roll."
Hmm. Feisty. "Did you
just call me a lemming?"
Adriana asked rather
interestedly. Now, that
was a first. She tried
her hardest not to
laugh.
"As far as I know,
anyone who's at Roman
Fiori's beck and call
would be classified as
such," Maya replied
coolly, with far more
dignity than anyone else
who had just been
socially crucified would
have.
Now Adriana was
slightly offended,
though you could never
tell from looking at her.
"I'm Roman's friend, but
hardly at his 'beck and
call,' as you call it." Her
eyes swept over Maya.
"Besides, even if I did
choose to join in this
little…game everyone
else is so actively
engaged in, I would be
far more subtle." Her
tone was wry but
truthful.
"So are you?"
Adriana cocked an
eyebrow.
"Part of the 'game,'"
Maya clarified
sarcastically, placing air
quotes around the last
word.
Adriana smiled slightly,
returning to her book.
"You would know if I
was," she said, not
looking up again.
A moment later, she
felt Maya take the seat
across from her. The
two stayed there in a
simultaneously
comfortable and
awkward silence until
the bell rang a little
later.
Adriana leisurely stood
up and gathered her
belongings. Maya was
already halfway to the
elevator, though
Adriana didn't know
why she was in such a
rush. She certainly didn't
have anything to look
forward to.
"Don't let them get to
you," Adriana advised
almost off-handedly as
she slung her purple Miu
Miu tote over one
shoulder. "I know you're
strong enough to get
through this."
She almost winced at
the cheesiness of it.
Good going, Dr. Phil, she
thought, but she was
much too confident to
be embarrassed.
Besides, it was true.
Her instinct was almost
never wrong.
Maya stopped, her back
still facing the blonde.
"You don't know me at
all."
"Maybe not," Adriana
agreed lightly.
"Nevertheless, it's
about time someone
stood up to Roman."
This time, Maya spun
around. "I thought he
was your friend," she
pointed out almost
accusingly.
"He is." Adriana gave a
carelessly elegant
shrug. "But that doesn't
mean I don't want to
see him taken down a
peg or two."
Or ten.

hmm. Looking forward to what this duo are upto. Shaxee, thanks for the update

Shaxee, compliments of the season,this piece is still electrifying.All the way dear

amiablejudy:
Shaxee, compliments of the season,this piece is still electrifying.All the way dear

thanks dear

*continues*
Well, that makes two
of us."
Adriana's delicate, bell-
like laugh tinkled
through the library. "I'll
be honest. I like you
Maya, and I can tell you
if you can withstand
what those…lemmings
—" Here, she let a smile
escape. "—are dishing
out right now, you'll find
it'll be worth it in the
end."
Maya smiled grimly. "I
doubt there'll be a prize
waiting for me."
Adriana's smile was
suddenly imbued with
mischief, matching the
sparkle that lit up her
aqua eyes. "That
depends on how you
define prize."
********************
********************
********************
********************
********************
******
Roman was very, very
pleased. Things were
going exactly according
to plan. That girl didn't
stand a snowball's
chance in hell of
surviving the rest of
the week. And that bit
with the snake, that
had been genius,
especially as it turned
out Maria or Martha or
whatever the Bleep her
name was is deathly
afraid of snakes.
He twirled a glass of
whiskey
absentmindedly around
his finger as a self-
satisfied smile tugged
at his lips. One of the
best things about being
a Fiori was you got
everything you wanted
without having to do
any of the dirty work.
"What are you so happy
about?" Parker asked,
leaning back in one of
the lounges plush
couches and propping
his feet up on the slate
coffee table, which had
been imported from
Barcelona just in time
for the start of school.
The hottest of-the-
moment interior
designer was hired to
completely overhaul the
Scions' school sanctuary
every summer; this
year's had gone for
rustic but sophisticated
chic.
Roman himself didn't
give a shit whether the
fireplace should be
marble or brick, or
whether or not the
throws were Ralph
Lauren, of even if there
should be any throws in
the first place. Parker
was the only one out of
the four who seemed
to give a shit, so he
was usually the one
who handled all the
arrangements.
"Nothing," Roman
responded
automatically.
Parker didn't say
anything; he just
waited.
As predicted, Roman
elaborated a moment
later. "Just thinking
about how that girl's
faring," he admitted
smugly. "The snake
was genius."
"You, my friend, have a
serious case of
schaudenfreude." Parker
motioned to the
bartender, who
immediately hurried
over with an ice-cold
soda. Unlike Roman, he
didn't believe in drinking
in the (early) afternoon.
Roman was so
delighted that Marisa
(Maria?) would be out of
his sight and
sufficiently punished
that Parker's wry tones
didn't even dampen his
unusually high spirits.
"So?" He downed the
rest of his whiskey.
"You say it like it's a bad
thing." He looked around
the room, finally
noticing the conspicuous
absence of his other
friends. "Where's Carlo
and Zack?"
Parker shrugged. "I'm
not their babysitter, but
if I had to guess, I
would say Adriana's
giving them an earful
right now."
Roman smirked. He'd
known all about
Adriana's plan to scope
out a suitable candidate
for the challenge
Saturday night;
unfortunately for her,
he'd already heard
about the party and
only pretended not to.
Besides, Carlo had been
oddly distracted that
night and didn't put up
much resistance when
Roman decided to go to
Stan's house.
He settled comfortably
into his seat, secure in
the knowledge that he
was, after all, Roman
Fiori, and nothing
significant happened in
his town without his
knowledge or consent.
********************
********************
********************
********************
********************
**********
A week had passed,
the longest, most
miserable, most
paranoid week I had
ever endured. By the
third day, I had
developed an almost
masochistic attitude
towards the other
students' abuse. I no
longer went to school
early, nor did I hide out
in the library. I refused
to take the pity of the
few teachers who tried
to discreetly help me.

*continues*
Instead, I went about
my business as best I
could, even though
there was never more
than a five-minute
break between the
harassment. It
happened everywhere
and at any time: in the
classroom, the DC, the
halls, the bathroom,
during school
assemblies and morning
announcements and
even while taking tests.
Just the other day, I
had been accused of
cheating and had gotten
my math test taken
away.
That had been hard to
swallow. I had always
prided myself on my
grades, but my
concentration was
slipping. That wouldn't
do. I suffered the abuse
because it actually
made me feel better
for the cowardliness I'd
been cocooned in the
past year, but I'd be
damned if I let Valesca
ruin my future, which
was why I'd refused to
surrender to the Scions.
I could tell my
resistance was baffling
to the others, who had
never had much trouble
driving everyone else
away.
Still, at least it was
Friday afternoon, which
meant there would be
two days worth of
reprieve until it all
started again.
I bowed my head,
letting the warmth of
the sun wash over me
even as a slight chill
signaling the near arrival
of fall floated through
the air, gentle but crisp.
It was getting hard,
hiding this from my
parents. I hadn't told
them what happened,
of course—I didn't
want them to worry.
Despite my best
efforts to clean myself
up before I went home,
they were getting
suspicious, and my
excuses were growing
flimsier and less
believable by the day.
Suddenly, I felt a
vibration in my bag, and
with a small frown, I
pulled out my cell phone.
An unfamiliar number
flashed across the
screen.
I was confused. No one
ever called me except
for my family and
Venice. I communicated
with my old friends
solely through emails,
Facebook, and text
messages, though
those had become few
and far in between.
"Hello?" I asked warily.
"Hi, is this Maya?" a
rather familiar voice
asked.
I hesitated. "Yes?" It
came out more like a
question than I
would've liked.
"Hey, this is James."
My eyes widened in
surprise. James? The
same James I'd met all
that time ago? Actually,
now that I thought
about it, it had barely
been a week.
God, it definitely felt like
forever, though.
"Oh, hi," I said, even
more confused. Why
was he calling me now?
"Um…how did you get
my number?" I
immediately wanted to
take back that stupid
question. Though it was
a perfectly reasonable
one, it also sounded
kind of rude.
James, though,
apparently didn't think
so. "I got it from my
friend who knew
Venice," he admitted
sheepishly. "I hope that
wasn't too forward."
"No…no, it's ok." I
cleared her throat. "So…"
I trailed off, hoping he
would indicate why,
exactly, he had called.
Luckily, he did. "Listen, I
just wanted to
apologize," James said
quickly. "For Saturday
night. I let my temper
get the best of me
and…well, I kind of feel
like you're only in this
predicament because
you wanted to—
protect me?" His voice
lowered a bit at the end
of the sentence,
uncertain.
I pondered this a bit. I
was surprised to find
his conclusion was, in
fact, right. I had
wanted to protect him,
because he'd been so
nice and down-to-earth,
which was ironic
because I felt like he
had wanted to help me
by going toe-to-toe
with Parker. At the
same time, though, I
had been motivated by
other factors to ream
Roman out. "You don't
have to apologize," I
assured him. "Trust me,
it's not your fault

Guys dont forqet to read my other stories on nairaland www.nairaland.com/2049910/numinous-book-1-novella#29231262

***CONTINUES***
I stopped. Something
he'd just said finally
registered. "Wait, what
do you mean by my
'predicament.'?"
James took such a long
time to answer I
thought he'd hung up.
Finally, reluctantly, he
said, "Well, what's
happening to you in
school right now would
be considered a
predicament…" His voice
trailed off.
"How did you know
about what's
happening?" I didn't
bother trying to deny it.
What was the point?
"Some of my friends
told me."
Yeah, and they've
probably participated, I
thought, feeling bad
right after. It wasn't
James' fault Valescans
were such assholes.
"Yeah, well, I'll survive."
I shrugged, even though
I realized he couldn't
see me. "I mean, it's
not—"
I broke off when I
noticed a distinct black-
and-electric-blue Ferrari
pulling up beside me. I
was so shocked I didn't
even notice when my
phone slipped out of my
hands and crashed on
the sidewalk, the back
cover and battery
promptly spilling out.
I just stood there,
stunned and paralyzed,
as the window rolled
down and Roman Fiori's
irritated face, half-
hidden by dark designer
shades, emerged.
"Get in," he ordered
gruffly.
I just stood there,
mouth agape,
wondering what the hell
is going on.
Noticing my lack of
response, the irritation
on his face grew. "Get
in!" he repeated, more
forcefully.
This time, I had
recovered enough to
muster up a fairly
strong and defiant, "No
way in hell!"
Before I could say
anything else, Roman,
obviously exasperated,
got out of the car,
gripped my arm, and
dragged me into the
passenger seat.
The residual traces of
shock were still in my
system, slowing me
down, and everything
happened so fast I
barely had time to think
before Roman peeled
away from the curb.
"What the Bleep do you
think you're doing?" I
demanded angrily,
having finally found my
voice. "Let me out right
now!"
He didn't even look at
me, that bastard. "Or
what?"
"Or…or…or I'll call the
police!"
He snorted, making a
sharp right turn. I let
out a small shriek as I
slammed into the
passenger side door.
Deciding it was better
to be safe than sorry, I
immediately buckled my
seatbelt.
"You and what phone?"
he asked, casting a
pointed glance at my
empty hands. "Besides,
it sure looks like you're
making yourself
comfortable in here."
"I am not making
myself comfortable, I
merely do not want to
die," I snapped. "Now
stop this car this
instant! I don't want to
be here!"
"Too bad," came the
detached reply. It was
followed by pounding
rock music that
drowned the car and
nearly deafened me,
and I noted with
resentment that
Roman controlled the
sound system through
buttons on the steering
wheel. No way would I
be trying to manipulate
those, not unless I
wanted us both to die.
As we sped through
town at breakneck
speed, however, it
finally dawned on me
that I was essentially
being kidnapped by the
heir to the most
powerful family in the
world, and there was
not a damn thing I could
do about it.
Did I mention I really,
really, really hate my
life?
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ME---------------------------
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Haha, I'm evil for
stopping there, I know
=p Well, what do you
think? Why did Roman
'kidnap' Maya?

Anyway, thanks to
everyone who read/ commented on the previous chapters!
You guys are awesome!
=D.