Since the beginning of this year when she returned to school looking slim and hollow, I knew a big chunk of her was missing, aside from her curves.

She’d become this mimicking of a person who bent to others’ views of what they thought she should look like.

The Kimberly I knew wouldn’t have followed others’ instructions about her life. She wouldn’t have looked at herself in the mirror and thought, hey, how about I become someone else?

I might have hated her more than before, I might have watched her through the window and contemplated how to fuck her life over and ruin whatever the hell she was trying to become.

But as I watch her now, and after I saw that shit earlier and heard what Kir said when he was frantic that she was with Jeanine, I’m starting to have a different thought altogether.

Maybe the fake behaviour isn’t her endgame.

When we used to play hide and seek as kids, Kimberly used to put a pillow in her bed and cover it. She said it served as her camouflage, something to hide her actual position.

Is all the fakery a camouflage, too?

She drops the fork, but Elsa urges her to eat more. Kimberly’s skin is pale, so her expression is usually naked for the world to see. She couldn’t hide the flustered emotions if she tried. Her cheeks redden and her ears heat under that mane of hair.

As soon as Elsa goes back to talking, Kimberly uses the chance to push the plate of fruit away as if it’s a contagious disease.

“I’m feeling guilty for leaving you alone,” Elsa says with a slight furrow of her brow. “I can’t wait to abandon this bed and return to school.”

“Me, too.” Kimberly smiles. “But you don’t have to worry about me. Ro and I have been having so much fun.”

I shove my hand in my jeans pocket and make a fist.

“You and Ronan, huh?” Elsa hits her friend’s shoulder jokingly.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like?”

“I don’t know. Aside from you, he’s the only one who’s taken time to see me.” Her head bows and the green-ish strands camouflage her expression.

“See you?” Elsa asks.

“The real me.” Her head lifts as a grin moves her lips. How can she have so much sadness in a smile? How could she fool me all this time?

“I don’t know about Ronan, but I’ll always have your back, Kim.” Elsa pats her hand in a motherly way. Kimberly must feel the same since she stares at Elsa’s hand as if she’s hit some sort of a jackpot.

“You see me,” Kimberly says with a low edge to her voice.

No, she doesn’t.

No one sees her. No one but me.

“Elsa, I –”

A hand wraps around my shoulder. I jerk backwards, ready to punch whoever interrupted my eavesdropping session.

Aiden.

Fucking arsehole.

He pulls me to a corner near the stairs, still not letting go of my shoulder.

I let him lead me away for no other reason than not to expose my extracurricular activities in front of his girlfriend’s room. His black hair is damp as if he’s been running wet fingers through it. Now that I think about it, when we first came over, Elsa was in the bathroom and –

Okay, I don’t need that image.

“What the fuck were you doing there?” Aiden snaps as soon as we’re out of the girls’ earshot.

“Passing by.”

“Funny, because I think I saw you standing there like a fucking pervert.”

I push away from him. “Elsa wasn’t naked this time.”

“You should thank your lucky stars for that.” He glowers at me. “And stop bringing up the other time before I fucking murder you.”

I lift a shoulder as I lean against the wall and cross my legs at the ankles. The other day when all of us spent the night at his house, I made Aiden believe I saw him at the pool with Elsa.

I didn’t, I spent most of the night outside a certain room. Still, I like using that bit against him to get a rise out of him.

Spoiler alert. I can be a dick.

“Why not?” I raise an eyebrow. “She was my girlfriend first, remember?”

Pretend girlfriend. The reason was to get back at Aiden for comforting Kimberly like a doting arsehole. Let’s just say the relationship lasted for a minute, and Aiden ended it with a fist to my face.

It was the first time he got violent, and I enjoyed every second of it.

“Fuck you, Knight.” He smirks. “You don’t get the privilege to have me beat your arse again. Try again in ten years.”

There went my plan.

“And stop fighting in those shady neighbourhoods. It won’t be long before Nash knows, and if he does, Coach will, too.”

“Aww, I’m touched.” I place a hand on my chest. “Your words just hit me right in the feels, mate.”

He continues staring at me with a blank expression, the way cats watch their stupid owners. At least, that’s how our cat used to watch us when I was a child.

Aiden has an impeccable poker face; it’s impossible to see past it or through it. I’m surprised he can see with it himself. His dark grey eyes are unfeeling and cold. While the girls find him attractive, they usually stay away because of his closed-off attitude and ‘fuck off before I kill you and your family’ aura.

The only person he shows a human side in front of is Elsa. Even that part of him is dark, but she’s also crazy since she kind of accepts the psycho the way he is.

“Fine.” I sigh when he keeps glaring. “I’ll be careful.”

“You know I hate repeating myself. I said to stop it, not to be careful. If Nash focuses on your sorry arse for a fraction of a second, he’ll figure you all out.”

“I didn’t know you loved me so much, King.” I tap my chest again. “My heart is about to explode.”

“You must be so lonely.” He shakes his head. “I’d pity you if I knew how.”

“Fuck you, King.”

“Stay out of trouble. I don’t and won’t be the only striker in the formation.”

Ah. There it is. The actual reason why he’s throwing lovey-dovey shit all around. It’s not that he’s worried about me, it’s that he doesn’t want to be stuck as the only striker.

Pretty sure he’d quit Elites altogether if the situation somehow ended up going in that direction.

I waggle an eyebrow. “Then maybe I should have Nash figure it out, huh?”

“Are you ready to add your father to that mix of people?” He dusts off my hoodie as if there’s something stuck in there. “How is Lewis’s campaign going?”

“Wonderful, thanks for asking,” I say with a grin, even though I want to punch him in the fucking face.

“If you punch, I’ll punch, Knight.” He shakes his head with mock sympathy. “I’d hate to break that nose when you have so many pictures to take for the election campaign.”

He steps back as I fist a hand to my side. I’m definitely going to a fight tonight. Fuck Aiden and Cole, fuck Coach and Dad. Fuck everyone, basically.

Fistfights are the only thing that allow me to blow off steam, and I need to do that so I don’t blow up from pent-up frustration.

Aiden sniffles me like some dog. “Try the icy mint next time.”