“You know, other teenage siblings try and avoid each other. They stay in their OWN rooms even.” Harry glares at Harper who has once again made herself at home in his space.

“I need to talk to you. It’s not like I’d ever find you in the main house.” She snaps. He waits for her to continue. When she doesn’t, he sighs.

“Well?”


“I’m throwing a party.” She says, getting up off the bed. She’s looking him right in the eye which means she’s worried she shouldn’t be throwing a party. She’s faking confidence. Harry smiles. At least she’s faking confidence in a way that will be fun.

“Mom and dad are gone for the weekend. People are coming Friday.”

“You’ve already invited people?” He’s surprised. He’d assumed she was coming to him for...not permission really but validation that this was a decent plan. When she nods to say she has, he can tell she hasn’t yet.


“What about Hannah?” He asks. Their little sister would be home for the weekend too.

“She’ll be fine. Only people she knows would be here. And she goes to bed before people would even show up.”

“I’m in. But...I don’t want to take the fall if mom and dad find out.” He warns. She nods.

“I know. I’ll own this.”

They both know Harry will still be the one on the hook but he appreciates the thought.


“Hey, are you going to Harper’s party Friday?” Angela asks, plunking herself down in front of me in the library. She’s grinning from ear to ear.


“I’m not sure if you recall but I’m grounded. Until Saturday.” I give her a look and she pauses but she’s practically wiggling with excitement.

“Omg, just talk about the party. It’s fine.” I say. She looks ready to burst.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that going to party feels like...I don’t know. It’s just been awhile. Remember when I dressed up as you at Meadow’s party?” She laughs and I shake my head. No one had been fooled.


“Maybe you could ask Violet for a night off? I mean it’s the LAST night you’re grounded. Surely she’d let you off.”


“No way.” I don’t want to take advantage of Violet. She’s sweet. She probably WOULD let me off a night early. But I’d never ask. I deserved to miss a party. And it wasn’t a huge loss for me. Angela is looking at me but she’s clearly daydreaming about the party, not waiting for me to explain myself.


“I think Harper is like...my friend.” She states randomly after a moment. I look at her carefully for a moment. And she’s looking right back, waiting for my reaction. Back home, Angela struggled with friends. She’d had plenty of people she’d hang out with. Go to parties with. None that I would call a real friend. She always seemed to choose the wrong people. She’d never really admit that of course. This was as close as it would get.

“She seems nice.” I say, sharing my approval and she smiles.


“You guys going to Harper’s party Friday?” Anthony asks, appearing out of nowhere.

“Don’t be rude. Lil is still grounded.” Angela tells him. He looks embarrassed for a moment and I roll my eyes at my sister who grins.

“Are YOU going?” I ask. “I thought you were also grounded?”

“Yeah, my dad doesn’t really care. I was only really grounded for like… a day before he lost interest in trying to keep me in the house. Besides, he’ll be on nights.” He shrugs. “Maybe you can sneak out. Might be weird, Harrrrrrry will be there.”


Angela’s eyes go wide and she looks from Anthony to me. I hadn’t mentioned anything to her about Harry. There really wasn’t anything TO mention.

“What does THAT mean?”

Anthony laughs. Apparently these two are giddy with party brain. Angela turns back to me.

“It’s nothing. He’s just kidding.” I glare at him. Angela doesn’t buy it but we are interrupted by yet another person making themselves at home at our table, asking about the party.


“Did I hear you say there’s a party?” I turn towards the unfamiliar voice and I’m looking at the newcomer as he settles in comfortably beside me as if joining a group of old friends. His dark hair is styled perfectly and I imagine he spent way too many minutes in front of the mirror.

“Not your kind of party, Ken.” Anthony states flatly and when I look over I can see all of the giddy has disappeared. Anthony very clearly is not pleased with the new company. Angela gives a subtle cough and is ogling him from across the table.


“Oh, any kind of party is my kind of party, right, Kinz?” He says. It takes me a moment to realize that ‘Kinz’ is another guy standing at the side of the table. I hadn’t even noticed him. Ken and Anthony are just staring at each other. Anthony looks mad, Ken looks smug. I lean back and watch quietly.

“Well, I’d have to talk to Harper, but I’m sure you could get an invite. She said everyone is welcome.” Angela chirps, grinning madly at the two boys. I nudge her with my foot under the table. I don’t know what’s going on here, but there’s something.


“I didn’t realize we had another set of twins on PI.” Ken says, changing the subject. He’s looking at my sister like a wolf watching a rabbit and I’m suddenly on board with Anthony’s glare. Angela giggles and leans forward. I look closer and realize that the two boys ARE also twins. Kinz, still standing is a bit less coiffed but they are definitely twins.

“Been awhile since we partied with twins, huh, Kinz?” Ken says with a wink. Gross. He’s still staring at Angela and one look at Anthony’s face tells me I’m right to feel protective. The brother standing beside me chuckles but doesn’t say anything.


“Well, we were just finishing up here.” I state, getting up. Anthony follows my lead, grateful for the escape. It takes Angela a moment but she gets up as well.

“It was nice to meet you….” He waits for a name as he looks at me. I don’t respond.

“Angela, and that’s Lilith. Nice to meet you.” She’s all manners and giggles and I swear the brothers are practically salivating. She even lightly touches Kinz’ arm. I was going to need to talk to her about first impressions and reading the room.

We head into the hall and Angela dashes off to class before I can say anything.


“Who the hell was that?”

“The rich kids.” He states with a sigh. His face is still tight.

“What does that mean? The rich kids?I haven’t seen them before.” Our classes are small, there’s no way I’d missed them. That didn’t mean they weren’t at school but still.

“They come like half the time. They travel the rest of the time. Everyone is grateful for the time they’re away. They’re not good people.”


He takes a deep breath, as if to shake off his annoyance at the encounter.

“You sure you can’t come to the party?” He asks again trying to regain his energy from earlier.

“Very sure.” I still haven’t gotten much of an explanation of the guys in the library but I let it go for now.


Angela can’t wait to ask Harper about Ken and Kinz and the party. She’d had her eyes on Harry for awhile, but she’d heeded Harper’s warning and stayed back. And she was glad for it too since it seemed her sister also had an eye on him. Now she had TWO new boys to investigate.

When she mentions the names casually, Harper’s eyes snap up and she pauses.

“Damn, I was hoping they’d be gone longer this time.” Harper mumbles.

“They’re cute though, right? They were asking about your party.”


Harper snorts, “They won't’ come to my party. Trust me.” She says. “Those boys don’t stay on the island one second more than necessary and they certainly don’t socialize with the locals.”

“What do you mean? They don’t live here?”

Harper shakes her head. “They’re off the island. On the private island. I’m not even sure it has a name. They have to be registered for school, so they technically go here. But only sometimes.”

Angela thinks for a moment and remembers the seeing the island off in the distance. There were only two homes there. “Large” didn’t even come close to describing their size.

“Could I invite them though? Like...if they wanted to come?”

Harper laughs again. “Sure, you can invite them to the party but don’t hold your breath waiting for them to show up.”