NINE

LEO

“Come here, you little punk!” Milo grabs me in a headlock, but I twist out of it and sprint toward the truck, laughing.

It’s tradition by now—every morning, we all pile into the same ride, head to the packhouse, get ready, and roll out to school together.

Even though we’re basically neighbors, we’ve been doing this for so long it just feels normal. We joke with Luna Sage all the time about building an extra wing onto the twins’ floor and letting us officially move in. Honestly, we’re halfway there.

What I didn’t expect today was how glued Selene was to Aria. I mean, all day. Even in classes they don’t share, she somehow found a way to be nearby.

That’s when I realized something else—Aria’s in a lot of my classes. Which is weird, considering she’s technically a year below us. How I’ve been this blind for an entire week is beyond me.

“How long’s Aria been in advanced classes?” I asked Milo as we stepped into the cafeteria, dodging the usual crowd of people trying to pull us into pointless conversations.

Navigating lunch is like running a gauntlet. Half the student body wants something from us—attention, approval, access. The perks of being born into high-ranking families, I guess. It's exhausting.

Most kids here act like sitting with us earns them some badge of honor. That’s why the five of us mostly stick together. Fewer problems. Less drama. Safer all around.

People like to pretend they’re your friend, then twist your words, sell your secrets, or spread lies. We’ve had more than one rumor start just because someone overheard the wrong thing. And don’t even get me started on girls claiming things that never happened. So yeah—walls up, trust low.

“Not sure,” Milo said, shrugging. “Why?”

“She’s in, like, half our schedule. I only noticed today. We’ve been back a whole week. That’s kinda messed up.”

Milo narrowed his eyes. “Seriously? Which classes?”

“All the core ones—English, Math, Science, History. She’s not in Leadership or Battle Strategy, but once I saw her in Math sitting near Selene, I started noticing her everywhere. It was like… unsettling. Like she’s been in my blind spot this whole time.”

Milo groaned. “Don’t tell me you’re crushing on my sister now. I swear, I can’t take that. She’s too soft for your nonsense.”

“I’m not,” I replied firmly. “But I’m not gonna lie—your sister is hot. Even if she tries to bury it under baggy hoodies and that shy act.”

He groaned louder this time as we grabbed our trays and made our way out to the back patio. The weather’s still decent, so we’re milking every second of fresh air while we can.

“What’s your plan for Selene?” Jade asked between bites, grinning like a wolf with a secret. “Clock’s ticking. Bonfire’s tonight.”

“Relax, I’ve got it under control,” I said confidently. “What you should be worried about is how none of us—not even her own brother—noticed Aria sneaking into our classes like a ghost.”

We spent the rest of lunch tossing theories around. I tried making eye contact with her in Science, and again in History, but she was either really invested in her notebook... or purposefully dodging me.

I’d hoped Selene might help bridge the gap, but for now, I need another angle. Something better than awkward stares across the classroom.

As the bell rang, we dumped our trays and headed back inside, the hallway already buzzing with pre-bonfire gossip.

“She going to the bonfire?” Milo asked.

“No idea,” I said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if she magically disappeared before it starts.”

Jade snorted. “Or maybe she’s already ten steps ahead of you.”

I didn’t say anything. I just kept walking, but something in my chest shifted.

Aria’s not just flying under the radar.

She’s choosing to.

And now that I’ve finally noticed her, I don’t think I can stop.

As fate would have it, Aria and Selene were deep in conversation with the three people we absolutely can’t stand at this school.

All five of us let out a collective groan. Just our luck.

Still, this might be my only shot to invite Selene to the bonfire tonight, so I square my shoulders and head in their direction.

I glance behind me, relieved to see the guys falling in step. If I’m going to deal with these clingy attention-seekers, I’m glad I’m not doing it alone.

“Hey, guys!” Raven’s voice cuts through the air before we even reach them. Of course she spotted us first.

I’m halfway convinced she’s got some kind of sixth sense—or a tracking app just for our locations. The second we’re within five feet, we’re hit with fake smiles and overly eager eyes. I swear they pop out of nowhere like glitter-coated piranhas.

Aria looks a little thrown off, cheeks flushed, while Selene’s got that barely-there frown that says she’s trying not to snap. I can’t tell if she’s irritated with them… or us.

Either way, I tune out Raven’s sugar-sweet voice and focus straight on Selene.

Whatever’s going on, I’m here for her. Not the drama.