Natalie

Chapter 1

"Do you wanna talk about what's bothering you?" Hunter asked, we were sprawled out on the lawn of Washington's College of Art and Sciences, soaking in the sun.

I wasn't sure if the men in my life were very observant or I was horrible at keeping a straight face. I simply shook my head, keeping my eyes on the soft clouds above. He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead. Hunter never pushed, he never felt the need. He was everything my mother warned me against but everything I wanted. Four years older than me, coming from an extremely privileged family and pursuing his dream in engineering. The perfect build up to a total asshole.

"Hey love birds, did you hear about Professor Simons?" Demitria asked us, sitting at our feet. I smiled at her disruption of our 'alone time'.

"Nope," I said sitting up to face her.

"Is there ever no drama in your class?" Hunter said, positioning himself behind me so I sat between his legs.

"That would defeat the purpose of a drama class, Ranger," Demitria always had the latest gossip. Her position as top bitch in the performing arts class kept her up to date with all the latest university news.

"You're studying music, you aren't even in the drama class. And stop calling me that," he said, pulling me back to rest against his chest.

"I still have more spies than you, Huntsman. Anyway, he's rumoured to be sleeping with Nicole."

"Who isn't sleeping with Nicole?" Ashton said, joining our circle, sitting next to Hunter and I.

"Pretty much the people in this circle and Jake Gyllenhaal," the two jokers of the group, Kai and Blaze joined us on my other side. Studying health sciences, they made our circle diverse.

"Tal I take it you and Hunter are showing up to Ashton and I's party," Blaze said slapping my leg playfully.

"No I have better things to do with my life," I teased. Blaze and Ashton were twins, and even if Ashton was one of the most mellow people ever, sharing a birthday with Blaze meant having a party of the century every year.

"Cool, I'll see you there. Hunter, I was thinking you could build me a contraption that brings me beer while I watch TV."

"I believe it's already been created. It's called a girlfriend," I elbowed his side as all the guys gave him high fives and praise.

"Hey guys, how is everyone?" The sweet-heart sat between Kai and Demitria. Aurora was of the sweetest people you could ever meet, so much that sometimes you couldn't help but be irritated by her inexplicable manners.

"Just fine, princess. How was class?" Kai asked, everybody knew he had a thing for Aurora. So did she, but she never encouraged the idea. Her studies in mythological creatures only made her naïve character more comical.

"It was really good, there's this creature called a valravn in Danish mythology. It's a bird spirit that eats the hearts of fallen soldiers to transform into a wolf. It reminded me of you, Demitria," she said sweetly. She was the kind of polite that you were never sure whether to trust, but she was funny.

"Burn," Ashton simply said with a silent laugh. Demitria smiled at Aurora, everybody knew to be afraid of a smiling Demitria except Aurora. She trusted her charms would keep her from harm, and even if it didn't; she knew everybody else would take her side in the conflict. That was the main reason Demitria didn't like her, another small factor was the fact that Aurora was a ginger and Demitria didn't trust gingers.

"Calm down," Ashton said to Demitria, "Aurora you're invited to Blaze and I's party. Tomorrow night at Rio. Eight- thirty."

"Thanks! I hope you guys are okay with money for a present."

"It's more than welcome anytime, princess," Blaze said with a wide smile. Showing off his deep dimples. Kai eyed Blaze at his use of Aurora's nickname.

I felt Hunter's chest vibrate from suppressed laughter. He found the subtle conflict in our group amusing, and I couldn't blame him. Putting this much people together with contradicting personalities could end in only two ways; complete genius or complete disaster.

Suddenly we heard a light slap as a sauce drenched chip hit Ashton in the face.

"You looked hungry, bro," Blaze said as he stuffed another chip into his mouth with a smirk.

Ashton leapt across the circle and tackled Blaze. They rolled around wrestling on the grass. Students frowning at us as they passed.

"Kick his ass!" Kai shouted to no one in particular, just spurring them both on as he laughed. Everybody else continued relaxing as we watched the brothers fight.

"Okay this is too good," Demitria said as she started recording the fight on her phone.

We were leaning more towards complete disaster.