Chloe Whittaker,

Please tell me you are NOT getting involved with them, even indirectly. I never thought you'd fall for the glitz and the glam of the fucked up in crowd at Arlington. Don't you DARE even think about associating with them, Chlo. Please.

Not after what they did to me.

Monica.

False eyelashes were never my thing.

I'd been battling with them for at least ten minutes when my mother walked through the door, tittering dramatically as she came to my aid.

"Now why would my daughter be putting on false eye lashes at five p.m. on a Saturday night? Another party?"

I couldn't roll my eyes, she had my face held captive as her thumb strategically moved my eyelid in place. Instead, I let out a little sigh, to let her know that I totally didn't need her prying. "Yes, a party."

"Two parties in two weekends. What a social butterfly you're becoming," she said with a smile. Since Dad's return only days ago she'd been especially giddy, only making me feel worse with the knowledge that it wouldn't last long.

"What can I say, it's senior year," I said with venom.

"Are you still missing Mon?" Mom asked. "You know if you're not coping well we can go and talk to someone. I was on the phone to Melanie Pennington the other night—"

"I'm fine, Mom," I insisted. Though my tone was rude, I was appreciative of her concern, really. It was just misplaced.

"Good, honey," she said. She fanned my face for a few seconds before I heard her step back. "There. All done. Now, what are you wearing?"

I cast a glance to the black lace dress on my bed, and she stepped over to ogle at it while I started framing my lips with a deep purple liner.

"Is that boy picking you up?"

"Which boy?"

"You know which boy. The Bishop," she said knowingly.

I groaned. Gossip spread through the parents of Arlington Prep almost as fast as it did through its students.

"I'll leave you be. But be home at a reasonable hour," she reminded, before leaving the room and waggling her primped eyebrows in my direction.

***

William was punctual as always, his car idling outside my house at exactly six o'clock. After our late night drive the night before, I was slightly nervous as to how things would settle between us. Our relationship was slowly growing more and more comfortable, especially when it came to the things that we shared, and I couldn't afford to not monitor it carefully.

"You look nice," he said as I entered his car.

"Thanks," I said skeptically. "You too."

"You ready for tonight?"

"I guess so," I said. But in truth, I wasn't. My stomach kept churning sickeningly over the apple I'd eaten on my way out of the house.

"You posed that as more of a question than an answer," he pointed out.

"I guess I just don't know what to expect. Especially with Lola."

"Well, no offence, but you got yourself into this," he said, but his words were countered with a reassuring smile.

We pulled up at Li's house - the same house that had hosted the party last weekend. All of level one were meeting here before traveling together to the party, and Will was planning on leaving his car behind for the night behind the safe enclosure of the tall iron gate.

I stepped out of the car, the thin heels of my Louboutins sinking into the lawn. Will saw my struggle and stifled a smirk as he held my elbow for support. Cursing, I pulled the annoying – if gorgeous – hindrances out of the ground and followed him up the drive to the front door.

He didn't knock, instead the door opened for us and a doorman stood in waiting with a tray of champagne flutes. We each took one politely before following his gesture to the outside deck.

We were the last to join them. They were all sitting around a large glass table, each of them dressed to the nines. I was glad to see the dress I'd suggested on Maddy, and I was also glad that I seemed to blend in with my high heels and elaborate clutch. It had all seemed so silly when I left the house.

Li's house was as lavish as it had been the weekend before. Large, ornate pots dotted her back garden and exotic looking plants framed a huge pool. The whole setting was straight out of an interior design magazine. Her mother must be as bored as mine was to maintain the place.

Will and I occupied the two remaining seats. Ironically, he was next to Francis, while I was across from Lola – the pair we had been discussing just the night before.

"Drink up, Chloe," Lola said with excitement as Francis became preoccupied in conversation with Will. It was strange, the front they clearly had to hold despite the hate that must be secretly simmering between them.

The corners of my eyes creased in replacement of a smile as I downed the champagne in my glass. It had been a small serving, only enough to look fancy, but it seemed to satisfy Lola. There was a broad grin on her lips, glistening with glamor. Perhaps she was hoping to get me drunk enough to spill my secrets.

She didn't have a chance.

A caterer had another glass in front of me in seconds, and I smiled thankfully to them. My attention quickly shifted to listening to the conversations around me, either looking for one to join or for one to eavesdrop on. But none of them held much interest. No, it was much too early in the night for secrets to be divulged.

"There is no way that could be true," Piers said to Li and Sophie in front of him.

Sophie nodded animatedly, sipping from her glass. "It's true. Your brother's seeing her I swear it."

Piers' pale features were torn between displaying amusement and embarrassment. "Yo, Maddy. Tell your little sister to stay away from my brother."

Maddy, who had been murmuring a conversation with Zach besides her, turned and scowled at Piers. "There's no way my little sister would ever think about going near your brother."

Piers raised his eyebrows. "Well, apparently they're getting it on. Let me know if you want to do the same."

Maddy outright laughed while the other girls scrunched up their noses with disdain. The guys chuckled, and then everyone seemed to simultaneously take a drink.

There was the clink of glass against glass as Li attempted to catch everyone's attention. Her eyes were winged with liner and her lips a red that demanded attention, pulled in a smile that could have been mistaken for kind.

"Alright everyone, limo will be here in ten!"

At this, the girls sat up from the table to use the bathroom, and I followed their lead on instinct. We all filed into a black marbled bathroom, its counter wide enough for Sophie and Lola to hoist themselves up onto the marble surface. Sophie busied herself with fidgeting with the straps of her heels, and Maddy and Li fished makeup from their purses. I did the same, finding my lipstick.

"I can't believe Piers thinks it's funny to keep hitting on me," Maddy was saying as she fanned mascara over her lashes.

"Oh, honey, nothing's new," Sophie said in a rather condescending way. "He's always subtly trying to get with anything that has a heartbeat."

"Well it's gross," Maddy reaffirmed, popping the lid back on the mascara bottle and folding her arms over her chest.

"Did you pick up the stuff?" Lola asked. Her ruby lips were a contrast to her bold black eyes and her golden caramel hair was deathly straight to her chin.

"Maybe, maybe not," Maddy said devilishly.

Lola rolled her eyes, and I could sense the shift in Maddy's demeanor as she sobered up from her harsh gaze. Her voice was sharp as she reconsidered her answer. "Yeah I have it."

"Good" Lola said, her expression brightening warmly.

We exited the bathroom shortly after to join the boys waiting in the large foyer. I couldn't help but admire William standing to the side, his broad shoulders accentuated in the Tom Ford blazer he wore. All of the boys seemed to ooze money with their clothing brands, their outfits completed with polished shoes and sparkling watches.

I'd only ridden in a limousine once in my life, and it had been on my way to a cousin's wedding. Tonight was a little different. The ten of us were squished into a backseat designed for eight, our thighs pressed against each other and glasses of champagne handed from one to another as we settled in for the journey.

My bare thighs rested between Will and the car door. I'd been the last to file on, leaving me on the edge, and almost in William's lap by the time the others had taken up their room. There were whoops of joy and loud, animated laughter. The group was lightly tipsy, with just enough alcohol to warm them up for the night ahead.

My insides were convulsing slightly as I churned over my game plan for the night. I needed to eavesdrop, especially as the night became late. I needed to know who spent one-on-one time with who, who people were getting in bed with, and where everyone would return to sleep for the night.

I also needed to avoid whatever danger the girls were involving themselves with.

I didn't realize how much my body language was conveying until William's hand landed on my knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. The touch was light – and dangerously careful – but enough remind me that I needed to put my mask back on. I gave him a thankful smile, his jade eyes seeming to tell me more than his words could have.

I couldn't even recall the name of the cashed-up private school kid who owned the mansion we arrived at. All I knew, judging by the noise emanating from the house and the colorful lights leading a path to the back garden, was that it was exactly the kind of party I was expecting.

Clearly, the host had spent loads of time ordering decorations and organizing an endless stream of alcohol. The group of us made our way past the Japanese garden and straight to the huge front door, avoiding the side fence where it looked like general party guests were supposed to go. I guess we were VIP.

A hand clenched around mine, and for a moment my heart did a little somersault, my mind instantly jumping to William. But, it was Maddy, her fuchsia lips pulled in a broad smile.

"You should dance with me tonight," she said. "None of the other girls will do it until they've gotten too drunk."

I laughed nervously. "I don't think I could dance without enough alcohol either."

"Oh, you'll be fine!" she said loudly, swinging our hands between us like children.

We went up a winding set of polished ivory stairs and into a busy room, one side of it lined with plush white sofas and the other containing gaming tables for foosball and pool. It was crowded with people already, all seeming a little misplaced in their glamorous cocktail-wear, leaning over and balancing cues.

"You know, I used to do ballet," Maddy said. "I really don't know why I stopped."

My mind was still busy processing things. Level one was already scattering, a few of the girls sauntering towards a drinks table which held a hefty crystalline centerpiece. The guys, who seemed to know a large group of boys by the foosball table, gravitated towards the games, blending into a sea of crisply ironed shirts and well-fitted trousers.

William stayed by my side with Maddy. Of all of level one, I was strangely comforted by these two the most.

"You can let your girlfriend roam free, Will," Maddy said, snaking an arm possessively around mine. "You won't have to guard her. It's her first proper party with us, after all."

William looked hesitant, and his expression never softened as he gave Maddy a tight-lipped smile. He nodded in the direction of a group of unfamiliar boys "I guess I'll go and say hello then."

He rested his hand across my waist for a mere moment, his eyes connecting with mine for just a handful of beats. His touch lingered just long enough to let me know he wouldn't mind returning to my side within a second if I needed him.

The reassured feelings which softened my shoulders were both a blessing and a curse.

AN: Sorry for the late-ish update. This chapter turned out super long. So long in fact that it was worth three. So, here's a double update! (the third won't be too far away). Thanks so much for reading!