As soon as I saw James and Charlotte practically glued together, I knew it was time to make myself scarce. Wandering back to the beer pong table, I caught Dan and Thomas deep in their game. Thomas was a little too focused on something across the room, but as soon as I showed up, Dan's face lit up.

"Evelyn! How's your first 'real' party?" he asked, grinning.

I shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Trying to get the hang of it, you know."

Dan and Thomas both laughed. "We'll get you on the table soon enough," Dan said, smirking. "But maybe you need a drink first?"

"Maybe," I replied, and with a quick wave, I ducked inside. I managed to avoid some random hands trying to reach out as I passed, muttering, "Could you not?" as I poured myself a cup of something that was supposedly vodka and orange juice. Figuring the party might look better from somewhere quieter, I slipped out the front door, following a small path around the house until I found a little fenced-in garden with a swing. Perfect.

I sat down on the swing, taking a sip of my drink and letting the sounds of the party fade. This was supposed to be fun, but all I could think about was how wildly different everything here was from what I'd known. Lost in thought, I didn't notice the gate creak open until it clicked shut, and then, of course, I saw him: Alex.

"You hiding out here?" he asked, strolling over like he owned the place, which, knowing him, he probably did.

"Just... taking a breather," I said, trying not to roll my eyes. "But thanks for noticing."

He smirked, leaning casually on the swing next to me. "Too much party for you already?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Nope. Just a little quieter out here. Not that it's any of your business."

He shrugged, looking almost amused. "Fair enough. I'll just leave you to... whatever this is." Then he stopped and glanced at me again, his smirk fading a little. "Max is busy, by the way. If you're wondering where he went."

I raised an eyebrow. "Busy, huh?" I replied, already guessing what he meant.

"Yup," Alex said with an air of indifference. "With a girl, one he probably won't remember the name of tomorrow."

My lips tightened, and I stole a glance at him. He was watching me, clearly curious about how I'd react. "Does he do that a lot?" I asked before I could stop myself. "I mean... you don't do that?"

Alex gave a small, smug laugh. "Are you asking if I just kiss random girls for fun?"

"Something like that," I replied, my eyes narrowing. "Because you guys don't exactly strike me as saints. Especially you."

"Oh?" he said, his smirk widening as he tilted his head. "You think I'm a... playboy?"

I paused, debating whether to hold back, but decided he probably wouldn't let it go. "Look, Alex, you're rich, popular, practically a celebrity here. Every girl at this party probably knows who you are. It's not exactly a wild assumption."

He leaned back, crossing his arms with a small chuckle. "Well, I can't blame you. But no, not really my style. Despite what you think, I'm not on a constant hunt. Not every guy has that... 'mating season instinct,' as you put it."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Right. I'll believe it when I see it."

"Think what you want." He shrugged, seeming completely unaffected. Then he tilted his head toward me, his gaze thoughtful. "What about you? Any scandalous secrets you're hiding?"

"Scandalous?" I said, giving him a sarcastic smile. "Oh, definitely. You know, secretly ruling the underworld from my small dorm room. Really living the high life."

"Is that so?" he replied, grinning. "You don't strike me as a crime lord, though. You're a little too... straightforward."

I rolled my eyes. "Glad to know I'm that easy to read. Though that's rich coming from the guy who practically put on a disguise to sneak into a party."

He raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't sneaking. I was... observing."

"Oh, sure," I replied, sarcasm thick. "Observing. Because there's no way you could've 'observed' from, you know, the middle of the party like a normal person."

"Normal is boring." He shrugged, looking unfazed. "Besides, I was looking for some place a little less predictable. People here, they're all... well, a bit too easy to figure out."

I took a sip of my drink, nodding slowly. "Yeah, they kind of are. Maybe it's the whole 'everyone here has money and a reputation to protect' thing?"

He chuckled. "Or maybe it's because they're all so used to getting what they want. Life doesn't surprise them."

I tilted my head. "And you're different?"

He gave a small smile, as if enjoying the question. "Maybe a little. I don't go around kissing anyone I want just because I can. It's... uninteresting."

"'Uninteresting'," I echoed, grinning. "You're sounding dangerously close to romantic."

Alex let out a low laugh. "Don't get carried away. I just have standards. And honestly, most people around here don't meet them."

I raised my eyebrows. "And what would it take for someone to meet them?"

For a second, he just looked at me, a spark of something almost playful in his gaze. "Guess you'll just have to find out." He gave me a slow, almost daring smile. "What about you, Evelyn? Not really into this party scene?"

"Let's just say it's a little... different from what I'm used to," I replied, avoiding his eyes.

"Well, you seem to be adjusting well enough," he replied, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "For a girl who 'hides out in garden swings,' anyway."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "And you're not hiding?"

"I'm keeping you company," he replied smoothly, giving me a playful smile. "There's a difference."

"Right," I said, sarcastically. "Because you just had to come all the way out here to keep me company."

"Maybe I did." He shrugged, glancing toward the door as if considering leaving, then looked back at me, his expression softening slightly. "Maybe I figured you'd be out here, hiding from the chaos."

"Or maybe you just wanted an excuse to get away from the party," I teased, giving him a smirk.

He let out a laugh, conceding. "Alright, maybe a little of both." Then he paused, glancing down at his hands before looking back at me. "Do you always try to avoid crowds?"

"Not usually," I replied, thinking. "But tonight's a lot. I mean, you all seem so at home here, like it's normal."

"After a while, you learn to... ignore the noise," he replied. "The parties, the people... it gets old. But every once in a while, something different happens."

"Like what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He shrugged, a half-smile tugging at his lips. "Like finding someone out here who doesn't quite fit in, either."

I snorted, leaning back on the swing. "Sounds deep."

"Sounds like drama," he corrected me, smirking.

"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow, curious about what he meant.

He leaned back against the swing's chain, looking at me like I was a bit naive. "Look, Evelyn. Around here, people get bored-dangerously bored. So they latch onto drama like it's entertainment, or oxygen, or something. They thrive on it because there's not much else to keep them... interested."

"So... you're telling me everyone here just lives for rumors and petty gossip?" I asked, a little skeptical.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," he replied, matter-of-fact. "It's how they pass the time, keep everyone on edge, and control who's in or out. One slip-up, and suddenly you're the headline. It's how people get dragged down here, Evelyn. Drama keeps the hierarchy alive."

"Hierarchy?" I laughed a little, though his intensity unsettled me. "You make it sound like some kind of royal court."

He shook his head. "More like a wolf pack. And people around here are just waiting to sink their teeth into something." His voice softened, the smirk dropping slightly. "So... you don't have anything to hide, right? Nothing these people could dig up? Because believe me, they'll find it if you do. That scholarship of yours? That's already got you on their radar."

My laughter faded, replaced by a chill. "Are you... warning me?"

He studied me, his expression unreadable. "I wouldn't call it a warning. More of a suggestion. Be careful who you call a friend here. Some people are worse than they seem."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I blurted, still a bit confused. "You barely know me, Alex. Why... be nice to someone like me?"

He gave a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. "Nice? Don't get confused, Evelyn. I'm not being nice. Just polite."

"Right." I watched as he stood up, running a hand through his hair. He seemed so sure of himself, so at home in this twisted hierarchy he described, and I couldn't help but wonder how much he'd been part of it-and how much he'd contributed to it.

He turned to go, but paused, looking at me over his shoulder. "Just remember-keep your guard up. You don't know these people, not really. And most of them would love to see someone like you... fall."

Then he was gone, disappearing through the fence, leaving me alone on the swing. His words echoed in my mind, a mix of cryptic warnings and unsettling truths. I felt myself spiraling into overthinking, wondering just how dangerous this place could really be-and whether I was even prepared for it.

Sitting alone in that small garden, I realized that beneath the grandeur and privilege, this world was darker than I'd thought.

And shit... I had to get back to that hell.

I was about to step back into the house when a hand shot out, firm and stopping me in my tracks. I followed the arm up to see Alex's face, his jaw set, eyes intense.

"Don't go in," he said, his voice low and clipped.

"What's going on?" I tried to lean around him, catching bits of the scene inside. It wasn't just the music-there were shouts and screams, not exactly the happy, party-kind of noise.

A guy standing nearby leaned over, his face lighting up at the chance to spill the tea. "Oh, Francesca found out Avery's been screwing her boyfriend, and she went off," he snickered. "Whole Pink Elite's falling apart right now."

Ah, yes. The infamous "Pink Elite." Apparently, they didn't actually wear pink, just claimed the label as some kind of regal marker. Like they had exclusive rights to a color and their own drama series. I shook my head, taking it all in when Alex muttered something under his breath, sounding almost... concerned?

"Did you say... Dan?" I asked, a little more alarmed.

Alex ignored my question and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the door. I didn't know if I was more confused or irritated by now.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, pulling back. His grip tightened, but he still didn't answer, and instead pulled out his phone, glancing at the screen before picking up.

"Maeve? ... Yeah, we're outside." His jaw clenched. "Dan's in it too? Seriously?" He sighed, looking over his shoulder at me. "No, I'll get there in a second, I've got Evelyn. ... Yeah, I know, I know. I'll figure it out." He clicked off, slipping the phone back in his pocket.

I yanked my hand out of his. "Are you going to tell me why we're wandering around the back of the house?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Because Dan's in trouble. He's fighting. Or, trying to."

That shut me up for a second. I let him lead me through a side gate, winding our way past hedges until we hit the backyard. The scene was just as chaotic back here. Maeve, Julia, James, Thomas, and Charlotte were clustered near the patio, watching the house. When Alex and I reached them, he finally let go of my hand, though not before I caught Charlotte's look-a quick, narrow-eyed glance at our linked arms.

But then my attention was drawn to the commotion inside. Max was there, trying desperately to hold Dan back from lunging at a guy who was, quite literally, twice his size. Dan was throwing wild punches, all elbows and fury, while Max wrestled him back, clearly exhausted. Around them, a ring of people stood with their phones up, not one of them making any effort to help. If anything, they were laughing, like it was prime entertainment.

"Oh my god, is he insane?" I whispered, watching Dan flail against Max's grip.

"Pretty much, yeah," Maeve said dryly, standing beside me. She gestured to the other side of the room, where Francesca and Avery were, quite literally, ripping each other's hair out. One of them shrieked, and the sound cut through the music, leaving a ringing in my ears.

I turned to Maeve, wide-eyed. "Is this... normal?"

"Welcome to a Kingsford party, Eve," she laughed, like it was all one big inside joke.

I scoffed, still not quite believing my eyes. "I was expecting bad dancing and maybe some spilled drinks, not... whatever this is."

Julia chuckled. "Trust me, this is pretty standard. Something dramatic always happens when Francesca's involved."

Just then, Max looked over and spotted us through the window. He waved frantically, his eyes practically pleading for help. I looked around our group, thinking surely someone would jump in. Alex caught Max's signal and turned to us, snapping into action.

"Stay here," he ordered, looking at all of us before he dashed back into the crowd.

James raised his cup, taking a long drink and then exhaling as if this was his entertainment for the night. "So... we just wait for the rest of the trainwreck to finish?"

Maeve shrugged. "Pretty much. Besides, Alex is probably the only one who can drag Dan out of that without someone getting punched."

"Glad it's not me in there," Thomas muttered, crossing his arms.

I watched, torn between fascination and horror, as Alex finally made it to Max and Dan. Dan was still raging, trying to throw punches over Max's shoulder. Alex slipped an arm around him, practically lifting Dan off his feet, and finally, the two managed to drag him out of the scuffle, where he was still fuming and pointing at the guy.

"Guess they didn't get a good video of it this time," Julia said with a half-smile.

I shook my head, trying to make sense of it. "So... Francesca's group is falling apart, Dan's in a full brawl, and everyone's just... watching?"

"Pretty much," Maeve said, not missing a beat. "You get used to it."

I looked back inside as Alex reappeared, finally letting go of a now-breathless Dan, who slumped against a wall. Alex glanced over at me, his expression exasperated as he muttered, "This was supposed to be a party."