"Shit. I really thought she was going to tell the truth, but she fucking lied." Jordan looked at Ari with a face of  complete and utter hurt.

"I knew it. She's trying to save her own ass. It's a bitch move, but I don't blame her."

"Fuck you." They spit out, angry at the fact that she would take her side.

   "I'm starting to think you actually want to fuck me." She got closer to them, feeling the tension in the air. She knew what she was doing. This was all too familiar. 

   "Not in a million years. Not anymore. And you've said it too." Jordan spoke, knowing it was a complete lie. 

"Okay ouch. And I know. But we can't just keep getting away with saying that every time we say something the other doesn't like. I mean we've hung out more in the past few days than we have in years."

"So no more saying it? Either of us?"

"Deal. But I can still say I hate you." She looked up at them, slightly smiling.

 "Is this the first time you're finally admitting it?"

"It is, out loud atleast."

"Then I guess we'll agree to hate each other." They went to the bottle of vodka and grabbed two shot glasses.

"Sure you don't want one shot?"

"You know what. Fuck it."

Jordan was about to pour the shot when they decided to switch forms, knowing that their male form had a higher tolerance for alcohol.

They were now towering over her as they poured the shot, their male form slightly taller.

"I feel like I've never actually seen you physically switch forms." She was fascinated in them, in both forms, the way they just switched without any effort.

"You have. Twice. You just don't remember either time."

"Two times?"

"I'm counting when we fought Luke as two times." They lied, not ready to tell the truth.

"Okay then. Now I've actually seen it."

"And you won't see it again, because we're not going to-."

"Alright whatever. I've gotta go before Athena starts to think you've killed me. She knows where I am and she'd be willing to fight you."

"Like she could ever-." Ari cut them off again.

"Bye." She laughed, about to head out the door before they stopped her.

"I'll walk you back over to the other building. With everything going on it's just a safety precaution."

"I don't need you to protect me."

"I'm not trying to protect you." The lie spilt out of their mouth, being the last of the many lies they've told this night. "I'm being nice."

"Jordan Li, nice? That's something I never thought I would hear."

"Yea come on. Don't get too used to it." They started walking, a little too fast for Ari to catch up.

                                ✯★⁂★✯

Ari couldn't help but stay awake that night, thinking about how Jordan Li wasn't much different than her. A person that never felt truly seen by another person, someone who was constantly overlooked just because of who they were and their powers.

There was always her brother, but in the last few years they hadn't gotten along. It was like this complete switch up after the car situation. It was like he viewed her as a monster, or at least that's what she thought. He just wanted her to stay away from the media, and to be her, just her. The lovable sister that he used to know, the one before the alcohol, and before she killed her friends.

So he stayed away as much as he could, hoping that his fame wouldn't go over to her, hoping she could just be herself and not worry about a rank, but now she had a taste of the top ten's and he felt like he had failed as her brother. Because ultimately he felt at fault for Luke's spiral, the thing that made her so popular in the first place.

When she finally went to sleep she didn't have any dreams to remember in the morning, she didn't have anything to give her hope or comfort. She didn't even have that person yet.

She was still the same girl she had always been. She was alone. And being alone in her own thoughts never went well. Ever.

It's what started her uncontrollable powers.

But it's also what got her into Godolkin. Underneath that shy facade, tears, and the good girl act she has something stronger, the power and strength just waiting to be released from her.

She can't see it yet, in fact only a few can, but she'll soon be a force to be reckoned with.

She just needed something, no someone, to guide her. Even if it was just by accident.

Now she's hopeless. Still, after letting the thought of others, the thoughts that she was weak take over. She felt like how she always did. Alone and nothing.

    She wanted to run to someone close to her, but there was no one to go to. No one except for the one person she hated most.

✯★⁂★✯

   From the beginning Athena had decided on one goal for her freshman year. She wouldn't get in any relationships. But she would soon find out that it would be harder than she ever dreamed of.

   For the most part she was going to start the year staying away from people, other than Ari. Until the club. In the few days that passed Athena had been practically attached to Marie's hip.

  She liked being around her. She liked that she was quiet at times, but would always let you know she was there. She liked her jokes and the way she talked to her like she was the only person in the room.

They were meeting for coffee, an idea Athena came up with.

"I'll get your coffee, what do you like?" She asked , treating this like a date, even though it was just two friends getting coffee at the time.

"Um.. I don't know. What do you like?" Marie responded, not having a chance to drink fancy coffee like that in years.

"I love lattes I could get you one of those."

"I'll take one." She smiled, happy to be with someone who wouldn't get mad at her.

Athena ordered the coffee, picking something she knew Marie would like.

When she got back to the table they decided to sit at she handed her coffee.

"I hope you like it. Otherwise I just made a huge mistake."

Marie tried her coffee, her eyes widening at the taste of it. "That's amazing. I seriously forgot they made coffee like this."

"I've heard this coffee shops the best one on campus."

"Then I'm glad we're here."

"Now that we're here there's actually something I wanted to talk about." Athena suddenly got serious.

"Really, what?"

"There's gotta be a way for you to claim that Ari was never there to fight Luke in the first place."

"But she was there." Ari reminded her, not wanting anyone else to not get the credit they deserve.

"She doesn't need the pressure of being in the top ten."

"How am I supposed to do that? I already had my interview and everyone saw her outside." Marie sat up, fixing her posture.

"I don't know. We can figure it out. she's just really going through it."

"Is she okay?" She looked genuinely concerned, even though she still had a grudge against her and the others.

"She'll be fine eventually."

"I'll try. I really owe you anything. You stayed with me, and you stuck up for me."

"You didn't deserve that Marie. You saved that girl, and almost got expelled for it."

   "I hope you're right about protecting Ari. If she finds out you put me up to this she might be pissed."

    "I'm willing to let that to happen if it means keeping her safe. She doesn't need it."

    "I believe you." Marie took a slow sip of her drink, before giving Athena a compliment."You're a good friend."

"So are you Marie." Athena looked at her with soft eyes, and placed a hand on hers. It was almost as if there was a spark between them. Something that instantly bonded the two girls.

  They continued talking over coffee, before they had to leave.

  While walking together outside they passed Marie's roommate Emma sitting with her mom at picnic tables, not in good terms she passed her with only a quick glance.

  Cate was the next person they saw.

   "I have to talk to Cate you can go on." Marie said not wanting to be a burden.

    "It's okay I'll wait for you."

    Marie smiled, the only thank you Athena needed.

    "Cate."

    "Marie."

    "I haven't seen you since..." Marie said implying Luke's death. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. Luke was so nice to me."

    "You mean until he went berserk? But thank God you single-handedly stopped that monsters 'murderous frenzy.'"

    "You saw the interview."

     Cate nodded, and Marie had the thought to sit down, signaling to Athena to as well.

    "I'm sorry. I know Luke wasn't-."

    "No that's just it. You didn't know Luke." Cate cut her off. "How funny he was, how much he loved his family. But shades of gray don't sell like black and white, do they?"

    "I really am sorry." She said, before leaving.

    Sorry was just a word, she wouldn't be able to take back what happened, but she hoped it made Cate see that she didn't want everything to plan out like it did.

   She could do nothing else but walk off with Athena.

   "Don't feel bad. You couldn't have done anything." Athena reminded her, knowing that the situation was difficult all around.

    "I lied at that interview."

    "Sometimes you have to lie. Sometimes it's necessary for yourself." Athena paused, referring to Ari with her next words. "Or for someone else."