A few weeks pass without a single incident. Life almost seems … normal. Well, I’m still being treated like an outcast, but the whispers and looks are starting to die down. In fact, some people now even seem scared of me—like I’m some kind of psychotic bitch. I guess blowing up the King of school’s car will do that for your reputation. If there’s one thing you can count on—whether it’s on Earth or I guess on Eden, people always get bored.

Raph seems to be avoiding me completely. Which is good, because I sure as hell am avoiding him, too.

Still, I see him on campus several times and I’m not pleased to learn that we share more than just a few classes. Each time I see him, he either has Layla plastered to his side or some other girl or girls, plural. Good. Because it just reminds me that I hate him.

Gym class is one of the few classes that Dani and I don’t have together. I’m running late to the lesson because it’s swimming today and I have no idea where the pool is, although Dani tried to give me directions as we were both leaving first period chemistry. Her second period class is in the opposite direction, otherwise she said she would’ve shown me the way.

The girls’ locker room is empty when I finally find the gymnasium where the pool is located. Great, I’m late.

I yank open my gym bag and root around inside for my black, Regency-issued uniform swimsuit. I hurriedly strip down and pull on the black Lycra one piece. But something feels off.

I catch a reflection of myself in the locker room mirror and I swear I almost scream.

The black one piece is not exactly a one piece anymore. There are massive cut outs across my midsection and ass, so that it’s basically a bikini—a very crudely put together and very revealing bikini. With all the body parts on display through the ruined swimsuit, I might as well be naked.

My vision slowly turns to red as I gape at my reflection in the mirror, knowing exactly who would be responsible for something like this.

I make to take off the suit but then I think twice. Fuck them. Fuck them all.

I march through the locker room and I’m feeling deathly calm as I push open the double doors leading to the indoor swimming pool.

The lesson hasn’t yet started and the class is gathered at the edge of the pool nearest to the door. Conversation comes to a complete halt and everyone turns to stare at me. Every damn person.

Keller’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Lance’s mouth drops open and next to him, Baron’s stunned expression is almost comical. There is nothing funny about how I feel in that moment. Nothing.

The expression on Raph’s face is equally serious, though, those blue eyes burning like twin flames as they track my movements.

It’s Layla who catches my attention, as she walks towards me, her black swimsuit perfectly intact.

The gleeful look on her face only makes my temper burn hotter.

“Do you like my little present, slut?” she asks.

“God, why am I even asking? Of course you do—you probably miss walking around half naked. Too bad I don’t have any cash to throw at you right now, but you’re such a whore, that you’d probably be happy to suck off all the guys here for free.”

I’m so angry, I can’t even see straight and when Layla lets out a vicious laugh, I can feel it shredding away the last of my self-control.

“I can’t believe you actually wore it—you really are a shameless whore. Just like your mother—you filthy human bastard.”

I lose it then. My intention was to come here and give these fuckers a piece of my mind but Layla’s words make me lose my shit. In fact, everything about her smug little face does.

I pull my fist back and punch her squarely on the mouth.

There’s a round of gasps and the room erupts with movement, but I don’t register any of it.

“You little bitch!” Layla screams, clutching her bloodied mouth.

She lunges for me and someone shouts, “Cat fight!”

I dodge her easily, then throw another punch. This time my fist lands squarely on her throat and she’s choking and gasping for air as she hits the tiled floor.

I jump on top of her then, straddling her as she thrashes underneath me.

“Don’t you ever talk about my mom, you fucking bitch. Ever.”

She’s screaming as she’s trying to claw at my face. The entire class is gathered around us now, and I can hear people calling out, but I can’t make out a single word through my rage. I think I see the teacher standing there, but he does nothing to stop the fight, which is typical of this place. The rules don’t apply to the Dynasty heirs.

“Get off me, you crazy whore.”

I land a punch to her perfect little nose and I feel wetness on my knuckles. Blood.

I feel something shift in the air then, something gathering. My eyes dart to Layla’s hand where a ball of flame is building. Shit. It’s then I remember exactly what I’m dealing with here. I may be able to hold my own in a fist fight, but these people aren’t normal people—they are fucking gods and this girl is about to incinerate my ass.

I feel a pair of strong arms pull me back, just as the ball of flame is about to turn into a flamethrower. My back hits a solid wall of muscle and I hear Raph’s voice from behind me.

“Layla, put the fire out.”

I’m too shocked to register that Raph is intervening on my behalf, and my shock is mirrored in everyone else’s faces.

Baron doesn’t seem too surprised, but Lance and Keller are both looking at Raph as if he’s the one standing there practically naked.

Layla scrambles to her feet and she looks furious.

“Are you kidding me—you’re sticking up for this bitch? Have you lost your goddamn mind, Raph?” she screams. The fire is out, but she’s lunging for me again. Something in Raph’s eyes makes her stop short.

“Don’t fucking touch her, Layla. I swear.” His voice is deathly calm, but I know that that’s when he’s at his most dangerous. Everyone here seems to know it, too.

My whole body is shaking with adrenaline and I think that Raph must be able to feel it, because his arms tighten around me momentarily and I think I must be imagining it.

“What the fuck is going on here, Raph? You started all of this—you hate this whore!”

He ignores Layla and takes the towel from around his neck, draping it over my body.

Her words snap me into action then. Because she’s right—Raph did start all of this. He’s the fucking King of this place, he put the label on me, he made the promise to make my life a living hell. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would even be happening. So what if he just stopped his bitch girlfriend from flame throwing my ass. He probably only did it because he wants to get the killing strike in himself.

Fuck him. Fuck them all.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” I shout as I push Raph away. “I don’t need your help. All of this is your fault in the first place. So, just leave me the fuck alone.”

Raph looks stunned and his eyes darken to a midnight blue. He looks angry, though I couldn’t care less.

Turning on my heel, I walk away from the mess.

* * *

“What the hell, Jazmine?” Dani whispers. We’re in the library after classes, studying for tomorrow’s trigonometry test—it’s one of those times when I wish that Eden wasn’t so similar to Earth. I mean who would’ve thought that you could move to a whole different realm and still have to take the same exams?

But Dani doesn’t seem to be interested in passing tomorrow’s test, she’s more interested in grilling me about my earlier fight with Layla instead.

“I’m not saying that Layla doesn’t deserve it. God, if anyone here deserves a punch to the mouth, it’s definitely her. But she’s the queen bee for a reason—she’s going to kill you, Jazmine. Like gut you from head to toe and eat your insides for breakfast.”

I grimace at the mental image.

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Dan.”

“Although, she’s only the queen bee because Raph’s always had her back … but now I hear he’s backing someone else.”

She looks at me pointedly, and I duck my head to pretend to study the formula on the page.

“Are you fucking him?”

My head snaps up as I stare at her wide eyed. Totally stunned at her choice of words.

“What? Of course not!” I hiss back. I’m blushing so furiously, that Dani starts eyeing me curiously. I don’t like it.

“Wait—you’re not a—”

I say nothing as I go back to pretending to analyze the formula in the textbook.

“Oh my god. You are! You’re a virgin?”

Dani is staring at me wide eyed.

“Well, if you must know, I am.”

“How is that even possible? I mean look at you,” she replies.

I let out a long sigh then.

“I told you I moved around a lot. Not exactly ideal for dating or forming any attachments. Add to that my many trust issues …” I trail off.

“And anyway, since when are you such an expert?” I mutter.

Dani just smirks at me in response.

“Hey, I may be a friendless loser around here in Regency but I’m in a band, remember—I get up to all kinds of things off campus,” she replies with a wink.

Now I’m the one to look at her in shock.

“Kidding. But my first time was with a guy from my last band. We dated for a year back in sophomore year but long distance relationships are too hard to maintain,” she adds.

“So, there’s nothing going on between you and Raph?” Dani prods. “Not even a little kissing, groping, touching …”

I make a face which is meant to be a grimace.

“You mean apart from the fact that the asshole hates me and he’s likely going to murder me in my sleep one of these days?”

Dani waves her hand dismissively.

“You know I’m not entirely sure he does anymore—or if he did at all. You know what they say about love and hate …”

“No, I don’t,” I lie.

“Well, whatever is going on—”

“Which is nothing,” I interrupt.

“—just be careful. Getting in with the Dynasty heirs is a dangerous game. No one comes out unscathed.”

I let out another sigh.

Dani says nothing as she squeezes my hand. She’s looking at me like I’m a dead woman walking and every fiber in my body agrees with her.

* * *

Later that evening, Sovereign Hall is blessedly still as I walk through the golden double doors.

My fists are throbbing and I can see the bruises beginning to form around the open cuts which still sting like a mother.

Letting out a long sigh, I head over to the kitchen and open the double doors to the freezer. I grab a handful of ice from the ice tray and dump it in a tea towel.

I’m in the process of putting together a makeshift ice pack, when the front doors fling open. I stiffen at the intrusion and prepare myself for another confrontation, although this time, I’ll probably end up putting my hands out of commission for at least a few weeks, which isn’t ideal, given that I need them to paint.

But instead of Layla’s hateful face, I see Baron walk in. He’s laughing at something and is in the middle of throwing a comeback when I realize that he’s not alone. Raph is with him.

I consider getting up and bolting to my room. But why the hell should I? I live here, too.

Baron surprises me when he walks over and flashes me that wide smile.

“You kicked ass today,” he says and I feel my eyebrows arch. Baron’s been pretty decent to me the last few times I’ve seen him, but the Dynasty heirs have known each other since birth, so I would’ve thought that his loyalties would lie with Layla.

“Really?” I say tentatively.

“Yeah, sure. Seeing the two hottest girls in Regency rolling around on the floor in their swimsuits was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The excitement in his eyes makes me burst out laughing, despite the fact that his words totally gross me out.

“I think every guy in class sprang a boner. Hottest catfight ever.”

“You’re always so in tune about when the guys at Regency are getting boners—is there something you need to tell everyone?” I quip.

Raph, who has been standing in the entrance hall watching until now, walks over to us, and throws a smirk at Baron.

“Ha. Ha.” Baron replies, rolling his eyes.

I feel all laughter drain from my body and I’m suddenly on my guard again.

Raph had been furious the last time I saw him in swim class. I expect to see the same anger when I look into those impossibly blue eyes. But I think I see something like concern instead as his gaze falls on my swollen hands, which is ridiculous, because why the hell would he care? He hates me.

What he does then surprises everyone, including, it seems, himself. I can see the conflict raging in those midnight blue eyes as he takes both of my hands in his and presses the makeshift ice pack to my knuckles.

I feel like I’m two seconds from falling off my stool as I gape at him, and Baron looks like he’s about to keel over in shock.

The room is deathly silent and the air feels so charged, that it’s difficult to breathe.

Baron coughs and I turn to find him shifting awkwardly on his feet, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but here. Raph doesn’t seem to notice though, as he keeps his gaze locked onto my face.

“God, as much as I’m enjoying standing here choking on all this sexual tension, I think I’ll go upstairs and drill holes into my teeth—because that’ll be more bearable.”

Raph doesn’t say a word as he keeps the ice pack pressed onto my knuckles, and neither of us speaks as he takes out a first aid kit from one of the kitchen drawers.

I say nothing as he dresses the cuts on my knuckles, his expert fingers applying the antiseptic deftly and with surprising gentleness. I don’t move a single muscle, I don’t think I even breathe.

When he’s finished, he still says nothing as he walks away. As I stare after him, I don’t think he needs to.