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7

"Speak." I tell him once the engine comes to life.

"My mom has been having these episodes, one minute she is okay, the next when she sees any woman or girl she turns into something else like she has seen a monster." Andre replies.

"Oh," Is all i can say as I finally understand why she was hostile towards me. I am glad there's no bad blood between us, and pray for her recovery.

"The doctor said she will be okay." He adds.

"I'm sorry if I triggered another episode." I apologize.

"You didn't know."

"Yeah, and you shouldn't have been rough with me." I say.

"I'm sorry about that."

The rest of the journey we talk and I don't tell him about my abduction or the fact that Quinn knows. Men are so oblivious, he doesn't even notice the bruises the make up failed to hide.

We find a crowd at the school's parking lot. As we drive by I notice Quinn's Lamborghini. It is in a bad shape, on the ground there are broken glasses and other parts of the car. Andre finds an empty spot where he parks. Students glance at me as we walk past them towards the student center we're the Deans office is located.

"What happened over the weekend?" Andre asks.

"Something terrible happened."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Definitely but now let's see how much trouble Oliver is in."

We find both Oliver and Quinn waiting outside the Dean's office. Courtney is seated next to Quinn. Ryan on the other side. Lee and Jermaine are standing leaning on the wall. Oliver is seated at the furthest end alone. The group of friends stare at us as we walk past them.

Oliver sighs in relieve when he sees me. My tongue is itching to call him out and asks him if he crazy for fighting Quinn. Instead I sit beside him and throw my arm around his shoulders. He groans in pain. He has busted lip, his left eye is swollen and his nose looks like it bled. I can't see Quinn's condition since Courtney and his friends are blocking his face.

The secretary to the Dean sticks her head on the door. "Quinn Nickel and Oliver Black." She calls out their names and goes back.

When Quinn stands up, I almost yelp. His face is unrecognizable. He walks with a limp. Oliver's state is bad but Quinn's worst. How did Oliver manage to do that to Quinn? He's slender with no muscles.

" You have no idea what both of you did." Quinn says to us.

"What you gonna do, Ride on daddy's name to intimidate us?" Oliver baits him.

Quinn makes a move like he wants to charge at Oliver I immediately stand up, between them. I also don't realize Courtney had joined him.

"They aren't worth it, babe." She says to him. And I roll my eyes. Quinn walks in first and Oliver follows. I am left in a stare battle with Courtney. "I should have known SOS kid was your brother and you are nothing but a wanna be." She spits.

"Are you done?" I ask bored.

"I won bitch, he is all mine. We are getting married in five days." She sighs.

"I never knew we were in a competition. He was all yours from the start. I only had sex with him. Just great mind blowing sex. That was the only thing I can stand about him."

She clicks her tongue and flips her hair, "Any woman would be lucky to have Quinn."

"Are trying to convince yourself or me. You sound unsure." I agitate her.

"I still won." She turns to walk back to her friends. I scowl at her back and sit beside Andre who looks confused.

"Quinn found out about my identity." I whisper at him.

"Oh shit!" Andre suddenly stands up. "Fuck it." He curses. "Did you tell him?" He is slowly getting angry.

Ryan and his friends have their full attention on us.

"No." I state.

"Then how did he find out. Do you know this will cost us everything." He is now shouting at me.

"Calm down you are creating a scene." I say in a hush voice.

"Did he tell anyone else?" He doesn't even listen to me.

"I don't know." I say.

"This is tragic." He rubs his temple. "I have to go." He says.

"Where?" I ask worried.

"To fix this." He is apprehensive.

"Please don't do something stupid." I shout at him. He walks away without looking back.

After some minutes Ryan joins me.

"Hey?" He asks uneasy.

"Hi." I answer. I am in no mood to be friendly.

"May I." He points at the empty seat.

"Sure." I shrug.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"I will be, soon after I know what happens to my brother."

"Students fight every day."

"Yeah. But not with one of the boards' son." I say.

"Quinn isn't vindictive to use his father's power to punish your brother harshly." I am surprised he is defending him, the last I checked they weren't in good terms.

"Let's hope so." I say just to conclude the conversation. I can guess the outcome of this case.

A long silence stretches between us before Ryan speaks again, " My mum still asks about you." He states. "She hopes you will visit soon." He adds.

I am just too exhausted, "I'm sorry but I don't think I will be visiting any time." I say. With all the mishap in my life I can't trust any other person.

Ryan is taken back by my honesty, his eyebrows raise in surprise, "Oh!" He stands, "I will just go sit with Lee and the rest." He leaves. My eyes lock with Lee's and I remember he sold me out to the magazines. He revealed I used to work at Chix xxx club. Lousy snitch.

I don't even realize Oliver is standing in front of me until he speaks, "Let's go." He states.

Quinn walks out after, he walks straight past his friends who follow him. Such an arrogant ass!

"What happened?" I ask him as we start to walk.

"I will make an appearance before the board in two days and they shall decide." He shrugs like it is not a big deal.

"You didn't have to beat him."

"I have put up with his arrogance and how he treats you for way too long. I just put him in his place." He proudly states.

I can't lie a part of me feels proud of Oliver. He fought for me and defended me. The other part is worried because I know it is unlike him to be irrationally violent. The mystery and stress surrounding the burned mechanic shop must be part of the reason why.

"I can fight my own battles."

"Have looked at your face on a mirror?" He turns to look at me.

As we walk towards where his car is parked I realize this is the first time we are walking publicly together in school. Students whisper as we walk by.

He pulls me to him and his arm automatically goes round my shoulders. We walk that way to his SUV. I feel comfortable that our relation is out to the public. And maybe it won't be that bad if the world knew the Cooper siblings were alive.

SOS means Students on scholarship

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