Something about the sound of certain things set Nora's mind in motion. A piece of paper ripped apart. The brush of wind through the trees. Snapping twigs. Clicking pens.

Today's sound was the steady tick-tick-tick of Tessa's car as she turned into the school.

Songs were like a recipe. They required certain elements—lyrics, a melody, emotion—and the rest could be altered to taste.

It was little pieces—sounds, beats—that gave a song it's own unique quality.

Nora collected words—but she also carried a digital recorder around to help collect sounds. Because she was always writing, always working, and always in motion, the recorder served two purposes. One, to collect sounds. Two, for those moments when a melody sneaks into her ear and she didn't have time or resources to add it to sheet music.

Tessa knew about her quirky tendency to gather sounds. Which was why once they parked, her only response to Nora's request was a single raised eyebrow.

With the driver's door open and the left turn signal on, Nora hit the record button on her handheld device and waited a minute. Tick-tick-tick-tick.

She hit the stop button. "Thank you."

Tessa gathered her large leather purse and closed the door. She hit the lock button on her keychain. "You, my dear, are one of a kind."

Most of the sounds she collected never made it into the songs because of the background noises. It was extremely hard to record normal day-to-day sounds without something else in the background. But there was a rather large collection of sounds in her music app that she used for the recorded songs. All she needed was the natural sounds as a reference.

Nora glanced at her phone. Shit. "We have to go."

The two of them booked it to class.

❄❄❄

The afternoon before Ariel's party, Grumpy flicked his wrist and sent Nora's lyrics across the room. "I'm not singing that drivel."

Nora pressed her lips together and counted. And counted. Her frustration wouldn't dissipate. She'd spent her entire week coming up with the melody, those lyrics, and recording the instrumentals for it all so that it would be ready for today's recording...just to have Grumpy throw her sheet music across the room. "You have to sing it."

"I'm not singing some mushy crap. Give it to Tara or Pete. Or Garth."

It's not for Bashful, Dopey, or Sleepy, she thought, it's for you.

Patience, Nora. "I thought we'd try something different this week."

Grumpy sneered. "My fans don't want different. They expect a certain type of music—not emotional bubblegum pop."

She barely resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. "First, it's not bubblegum, it's a ballad. Second, your fans need to know you've got another side. That you're not always this grumpy, too-cool-for-school, I-vandalize-for-fun type of person."

Grumpy shook his head and walked out of the booth. "You have two days to come back to me with something. You hear me?"

The studio door slammed shut behind him.

Nora slouched into the chair at the control board and threaded her fingers into her hair. She'd spent the entire week putting this song together only to have it thrown away. And now she had to somehow pull together another piece in two days?

Her stress levels spiked. There was no way. She'd have to eat, sleep, breathe another song out. And somehow she was also supposed to go to Ariel's party tonight?

Her gaze blurred. She pressed her palms to her eyes and took a deep breath. And another.

You can do this. You can do this.

❄❄❄

Tessa made Nora wear a high necked maroon crop top and tight black jeans to Ariel's party. If the party wouldn't make her uncomfortable, her outfit would.

She didn't mind when Aces showed a little skin. She just didn't like revealing her own. Not that she was overly modest or worried about someone seeing too much of her, but showing skin made her feel vulnerable. She didn't trust any of these kids enough to want to be vulnerable in front of them.

And, okay, so it really wasn't that big of a deal. The shirt hit the top of her belly button, but that still left an inch long patch of skin exposed. It wouldn't be that bad if her Acemark wasn't so close to the area. The last thing she needed was some kid seeing the ugly winding birthmark on her back near her hip and then telling the whole school about it.

Acemarks were different for each Ace. They were a private piece of each individual that was top secret and never shared with any one other than the Ace destined for each person. Nora wasn't sure when Acemarks turned into such a secret thing or if it was just something that was always a thing, but she could understand why. It was a vulnerable piece of each Ace. When an Ace's mate sang to their Destined, the Acemark confirmed the connection and even glowed for some people.

Not that showing an Acemark was a big deal anymore. Lots of kids did it now—even going so far as to plan their outfit around the birthmark on their wrist or ankle. Which was fine. She didn't have a problem with it. It just wasn't something she herself wanted to do.

Nora liked to keep personal things close to her. Very close. Her Acemark. Her leather song journal. Anything that held the true essence of who she was was for Nora alone.

Tessa squealed and launched in for a hug when Nora opened her front door. "I knew it! You're hot!"

Despite all the stress bubbling under her skin, laughter burst from her lips. "What?"

Her best friend had a goofy grin, her deep red lipstick bright against her white teeth. " Girl, you've got more under those t-shirts than you think."

Nora winced, "oh Creator. I'm a cliché."

"What?"

She dropped her shoulders. "Nerd-turns-hot. It's a cliché."

"You're a cute cliché." Tessa grabbed Nora's arm, "come on hottie, we're late."

Ariel lived close to Nora in the subdivision a few blocks over. It was hard to get ritzier than their own neighborhood, but Ariel's made it an art form. Lots of kids from Jostlin lived in this area—money came from money and as there were only so many wealthy neighborhoods around the Academy, lots of folks moved to put their kids closer to the school. Not that the distance mattered—most kids got rides from friends or had their drivers drop them off. And when you're already paying for a chauffeur, what was a little distance?

Ariel's family lived in a modern two-story home tucked among the trees on their estate. The house, to Nora, looked as if the architect wanted to stack rectangle boxes on top of each other. The home featured a cobblestone driveway, alternating glass walls, and dark tones.

Tonight, the house was very much alive and crawling with Jostlin students.

Not even inside yet and her head already pounded. Was it too late to turn around?

Tessa pulled open the glass exterior door. Someone had left the navy metal door behind it open so anyone could walk in. Nora tried not to wince, already imagining someone sending an object—or worse, themselves—through that glass.

Then she thought about all the work she did for Ariel and mentally shrugged. Ariel's family could afford a replacement. And every Jostlin student knew the caveat for these kinds of parties: party thrower beware—host at your own risk.

They stepped up the rust colored cobblestone driveway, their boot heels clicking against the hard stone. Nora crossed her arms tight to her chest, as if the harder she clenched her arms the warmer she'd be. "Next time—fashion or not—I'm wearing a jacket."

Tessa parted her long chocolate hair in the back and pulled it forward so it draped over her shoulders. "Trust me. You're not going to want to carry around a jacket once we get inside."

The door steadily thumped against the frame, glass shaking, the huge bass radiating from inside. She immediately recognized the drum beat—it was a remix of a newer Kamree Philips' song.

Nora winced. Music was meant to be enjoyed. At this volume, this music would make them go deaf. And then how would they enjoy any other music?

They walked in through the open front door and straight into a wall of heat. Jostlin Academy's elite—hardly any Scholars, Nora noticed—lounged around the foyer, down the long hallways, and back into the living room.

Nora spotted Dopey back by the kitchen, his arm leaning on the marble countertop, head tilted down toward a small girl she vaguely recalled from her Abilities 202 class. Gabriella Dillyons. Obviously from the front door she couldn't tell what they talked about, but whatever it was made Pete's eyelids lower. He stepped up closer, almost pasted to her body.

He really liked whatever she was saying.

Tessa's fingers found Nora's elbow. Her mouth moved.

"What?" Nora yelled back. Holy Creator these speakers were loud.

"I said, let's go get a drink," Tessa called back.

They maneuvered through sweaty, swaying bodies and over misplaced furniture to the kitchen. Someone had dimmed the lights. If you weren't paying attention, you could follow the wrong "friend"...or blindly drink the punch.

Nora put a hand on Tessa's wrist as she moved to get a cup of the punch. "Let's find some unopened bottles. I bet there's some on the back porch." The cold would keep them chilled easily—no coolers needed. "I'll be right back."

Outside, a large metal barrel sat on the frozen concrete next to the patio furniture set. Huddled around it, a group of kids laughed and cheered as two guys held another upside down over the keg.

...since when did this turn into a university party?

She'd been to a few high school parties and knew a general basis of what to expect, but this...this blew the others away. There were a lot more kids at this party, a lot more alcohol, and no sign of that letting up. And it all had to do with Eli Leonger standing at the edge of the patio chatting to a rather large group of friends.

Nora snagged two closed bottles from one of the open cases right next to the back door and retreated back inside.

In her back pocket, her phone buzzed.

Oh no.

She'd set her phone to notify her when there was activity on any of the profiles she monitored. Thankfully, her phone had been silent until now. She scanned the crowd, her gaze finding Bashful and Sneezy in the corner by the front door. They both were too busy giggling at another student using one of Ariel's curtains as a toga.

How had he even gotten that off the curtain rod?

"Nora!" Tessa tugged a boy behind her, "have you met Ziggy?"

Ziggy was a sophomore she'd seen during passing periods in the halls. The only reason she'd found him familiar was because of his dark curly hair...and the camera he carried around.

Not too many people on campus didn't know about Ziggy Ulbright.

He gave a boyish grin, "hey."

Behind his shoulder, Tessa wiggled her eyebrows. Nora frowned at her. Was she...was she trying to set them up?

Ziggy got closer and shouted near her ear so she could hear him over the bass. "What year are you?"

"Sophomore," Nora called back. Same year as Ziggy and Ian. But she wouldn't tell him that. She didn't want him knowing she knew who he was.

And she did. Know exactly who he was, that is. Ziggy may walk around the school and the kingdom with a camera taped to his side, but that wasn't the only reason she knew him.

He was also a part of Ian Leonger's core friend group.

Ian Leonger. His name alone gave her butterflies.

She'd had a crush on Ian Leonger since grade school when he'd been in her group on a science project. Not that he remembered who she was or the project at all, but Nora sure as hell did.

Her crush wasn't logical. She knew that. Ian already had his Destined mate, Havana Green, who'd been his close friend since the start of high school. And as much as Nora was jealous of Havana, she couldn't hate her. Anyone who'd met Havana could see, within moments, how nice she was. She was possibly the kindest soul in all of Jostlin. Ian being the second kindest.

He may be completely off the board, but her heart hadn't yet understood that.

"A Sophomore?" Ziggy perked up, his hand curling around the small camera as if ready to hit that record button. "How have we not met?"

Tessa took her unopened beer from Nora and twisted off the cap. "Nora's a Scholar."

"Do you know your Focus yet?" Ziggy asked.

Around Senior year, Academy students are expected to "Focus", which is a way of softly declaring what they wanted to do with their future. Kids who Focused on dance usually went to a University wildly known for their dance program. Just as those who Focused on art or science found a University that would help them succeed in those areas.

She hated the idea of Focusing. It cost so much money to go to Universities. More than she sure as hell could afford. At this rate, she knew for a fact Mallory wouldn't be paying for her extra schooling. She barely wanted to pay for Nora's tuition now.

To her, Focusing would be pointless. She wouldn't be going to University. But she didn't have the balls to tell anyone else that.

No, she would have to succeed on her own, without the extra schooling. It was possible—there were a few people who'd never gone to college. Even wildly known people, like Kamree Philips. It was harder, but still possible.

Nora traced the edge of the bottle's label with her thumbnail. Instead of answering, she shrugged. Then gestured to Ziggy's camera. "That's a nice Markson 5200."

Ziggy's eyes lit from the inside as if her comment had just opened a treasure chest and not a new subject matter. "You know what it is?"

She did. She helped Felicity record some of her music videos—which mostly consisted of the camera sitting on a tripod while Felicity mimed the words—using the same camera to do so. It was great with motion and had a fantastic picture.

Her phone buzzed again.

Nora pulled it from her pocket and frowned down at it. Devon has posted a new photo. The screen notification read.

Shit.

"I'm sorry, excuse me," she half yelled. Then, waved her phone at Tessa in response to her single eyebrow raise.

A concerned expression ran over Tessa's face, which made Nora immediately feel guilty. Nora couldn't tell her best friend about all the work she did behind the scenes. If Mallory found out she'd told anyone, she'd yank Nora from Jostlin so fast she'd get whiplash. So when Tessa'd asked about why Nora was occasionally glued to her phone, she'd lied and said that her grandmother on her father's side had cancer. That the notifications were texts coming in from her father's side of the family.

Her father didn't have any family. Nora had nothing left of her parents except for an aunt on her mother's side she'd never met.

She absently set her bottle on the counter of the kitchen and headed back outside. Her phone buzzed again. Another photo.

Holy Creator. Just what the hell was Grumpy doing?

When the photos loaded she took a quick glance and groaned. He'd uploaded photos of the party, while at the party.

She needed to find him. But first...

She logged into Grumpy's Musetunes profile and quickly deleted the photos before they could do damage. Not only to his career but also to his education. A bunch of underage kids drinking? That'd get quite a few of these kids expelled real fast, money or not.

Her brown leather boots crunched the snow as she took a lap around the house outside. The pictures showed Devon sitting in the snow and sipping at a beer. Happy, Nora's nickname for preppy cheerleader Celine Withers, had been in his lap, giggling like always.

They weren't on the back porch. Nora gave Eli Leonger and his crew a wide berth and headed back towards the pool house.

The lights were off, the blinds closed. A clear no-go zone for the kids here. Though if Nora knew high schoolers, it wouldn't stay that way. If they wanted to get into someplace, they'd sure as hell get in.

Happy's giggles led Nora around the back. The two of them were cuddled up against the back of the pool house, Grumpy's lips slanted across Happy's, the brown bottle dangling from his fingers.

Nora sighed. She wanted to go home. Maybe take a warm shower and let her mind wander. Write a verse or two. Put together a basic melody maybe. Not sit here at a party and babysit.

"Devon, what the hell are you doing?"

Grumpy lifted his hand, the brown beer bottle catching the moonlight as he saluted her. Happy laughed and curled closer, snuggled deep into Grumpy's heavy navy winter coat. "And the slave monger beckons," he told Happy.

Nora crossed her arms. "I don't care what you do. Believe me. But you have to stop posting pictures of yourself drinking."

Grumpy's head thumped back against the siding of the pool house. "'Do this", "Don't do that"," he said. "All you ever do is nag."

Happy giggled.

"I assume you want to stay at Jostlin Academy," Nora said through tight lips. Goosebumps peppered her arms and she shivered. The steady heat of the party indoors was finally wearing off. She crossed her arms tighter. "They find you with any evidence of alcohol or drugs and you can kiss school goodbye."

"Whatever," he muttered. Then, louder, "you can go away now."

"If you want your career—"

"I said, go away," he snapped.

Happy patted lazily at his chest. Her eyelids were half opened and Nora had no doubt she was halfway to euphoria town. "Don't worry, Dev."

Anger curled deep in Nora's chest. She didn't want to be here. She wanted nothing more than to tell Devon to go to hell and walk off into the snow.

What stopped her was the image of Mallory threatening to pull her tuition. Without that money she wouldn't be able to go to Jostlin—scholarships or not. And she needed to be here. This was her only chance to learn what she could about music and songwriting. Based on her current financial trek, she wouldn't have money for university, so this was it. Her only chance.

She'd have to salvage Grumpy's career. As much as she didn't want to.

"Just...give me your phone for a second."

"Why are you still here?" Grumpy snapped.

At least Happy had some smarts. She reached into his front jean pocket and pulled out his sleek phone, then lobbed it at Nora who scrambled to catch it in the dark.

He didn't have a password— a rather dumb decision on his part. It let her quickly log out of Musetunes and disable the app.

She would reset his password later and give him the new one when he was sober.

"Here," she tossed it back. "I'm leaving now. Goodbye."

"Whatever."

Nora blew out a breath and stomped off.