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AN/ I know its been a while. Just trying to get my education on, so forgive me. Since you may have forgotten some events thus far, here's a brief summery:

A girl called Eden wakes up one morning in a room too beautiful to be hers. She finds out she is in bed with Xavies Kadiou, a rich guy who she absolutely hates and she claims should hate her back. After having to escape out of his room when a woman name Rosalie shows up, Eden is utterly confused by how nice and attentive Xavies acted towards her. Riding back home in Xavies Limo she finds her comfort food and is even more petrified as to what is happening. At home her roommate and girl pal Sarah isn't surprise when Eden tells her about Xavies. They both discover that Eden can't remember what has happened for the past six months.

Eden goes to school and runs into Xavies, after he forces a kiss on her and she screams at him that she hates him, he announces that they're married. The idea is so disturbing on Eden that she runs away from him claiming that was not the way it was suppose to be. Eden tells of how in the beginning, six months ago, she left her fish village to come stay in the city. She received a scholarship to attend a paramount university thanks to a business man she'd never seen called Mr. Bookter. After refusing to stay at the house of Mr. Bookter's partner, Eden finds an apartment in the city when she meets Quinnn and Sarah, the locals. Abel, Sarah's older brother, is trying to manage the family and their restaurant while their uncle is in the hospital very sick. Their troubled with money issues. Then it seemed all their troubles were answered when Quinn brings home an unbelievable amount of money. Abel is disconcerted by it accusing Quinn of gambling to get the money. All seems fine until one day six incredibly, beautiful guys show up in the restaurant. Eden is rattled by the one the rest call "X" for how abusive he acts and speaks. It's when Quinn shows up in the restaurant that things turn from odd to deadly. The redheaded X or Xavies lives up to what Eden calls him, "the Devil".

All right, hope that helps. Go read now ;)

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“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress.”—Napoleon Bonaparte

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Chapter 5: “Snitch”

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What was I doing?

The question came too late. Suddenly the redhead was coming at me. He was a vehemently, strong bull and I was the flimsy red cloth being waved helplessly in front of him. There was no where to turn, I was stuck to my spot and those eyes; those brilliant jade eyes were piercing menacingly into my head. I thought, oh girl you’ve gone and done it now. Didn’t I know better than to make a person like him angry? I gave a yelp as one of his hands lashed out and closed over the collar of my shirt and the other rose to strike me.

“You, stinking whore—”

“Stop, she didn’t mean it!” I heard Quinn bark from behind.

Xavies seemed to freeze for only a moment. His face twisted into a crude smirk while he glanced back at the nervous Quinn.

“Oh, so she’s your whore.” He barked deranged and threw me to the ground.

My eyes squeezed shut when my butt slammed hard onto the rough floor. Disbelief framed my mind. I wasn’t the type of person to look for trouble. I didn’t have a backbone. So, why did I do that to the scary, crazy guy? I didn’t understand it, then and still don’t now. That person hadn’t been me at all. My stubborn spirit laughed with glee over my confusion.

When I opened my eyes and shoved the questions to the back of my mind I was staring at Xavies standing over Quinn again. He stepped back, then violently holstered Quinn up and shoved his knee into Quinn’s guts. Sarah screamed in protest as Quinn cried out in pain. My inside twisted with fear and dread. In that moment I thought this man, this so called notorious bad boy son of a politician was going to kill Quinn.

He didn’t. He let Quinn slip back down, told him to shut up, and then turned his attention back on me. Quinn clinched in pain and coughed out spit and blood from his lips. I stared up at Xavies realizing I couldn’t breath. Instead I wheezed from fear. He bore his jaded eyes into my head in pure disgust. I wondered if he would kick me like he did Quinn. He bent slowly over me and took hold of my hair, harshly pulling my head back. I let out a yelp and was shock when I saw how arouse his eyes got by my scream. He was sick in the mind, wasn’t he?

My rebellious spirit resurfaced and my mouth opened. Words came out, but I did not hear them or remember saying them once they had left my mouth. I don’t know how to make sense of such a claim, but it was the truth. Xavies eyes widen in response to the words and his anger grew. His face cringed and he threw his head back to let loose a long, slimy salivated spit at me. It nailed on the edge of my lips and I felt the slick, stickiness of it there.

“You piece of trash! You think you’re better than me? I’ll be damn the day some common slut spits on me and gets off scoot free!” He bellowed before pulling out his knife and attacking my long locks.

I let out a wail to join in with the screaming Sarah was already doing. Before my eyes and despite my protest I say the shreds of golden strand shedding down from my head.

“Alright, that’s enough, Xavies!” one of the twins came to our side and pulled Xavies off me.

I realized he was the one that was supposed to be holding Sarah back because while he was restraining the lunatic redhead, Sarah ran to my side in tears.

“Si, what do you think you’re doing?” Xavies barked at the guy

“You said you wanted to scare that wimp, fine, you did. This girl isn’t part of the plan.”

“Do you want me to cave in your eyeballs? Didn’t you see what the whore did to me? Didn’t you hear what she said to me?” Xavies demanded.

I couldn’t believe how deranged the redhead was. Suddenly he wanted to attack his friend too? There was something wrong with him. I wondered why I was the only one who saw it.

“Si is right,” One of the other guys claimed. “This is starting to get too stupid for my taste. Beat up the boy and let’s go.”

“Besides, Rosalie told us not to be late. You know how she gets.” Another added.

I watched as Xavies scowled at me still in a fury. I couldn’t believe how easily he got upset. Then he turned around to Quinn and donned on a satisfied grin.

“You’re fortunate I have other engagements, boy. I’ll be back for my money soon, next time you better keep your whore where she belongs…” he glanced back at me and his diluted grin got wider, “…in bed.”

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Sarah ran the comb one last time through my new haircut. I stared back at the skinny, bruised boy in the mirror and sighed bitterly. One side of my cheeks was black and blue and my short locks made me resemble a picture I once saw as a young child of Peter Pan. Peter Pan with a bad perm, that is. Although Sarah had done a great job cutting my hair to fix the damage done, I couldn’t forget the anger of that redhead who had sliced it off.

So that was what the wealthier half of the city was like. The idea of having to deal with people like Xavies at the university gave me frightful shivers. But Sarah assured me not all of them were like that. After all Mr. Bookter was wealthy too and so was Mr. Serhon, but they were nothing like Xavies. There was hope for me yet at the school.

Quinn told us later about why Xavies and his friends had come looking for him. It turned out the money Abel questioned Quinn about, came from Xavies.

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“Why didn’t you tell us the truth, Quinn?” Sarah angrily snapped at him. “Do you see what your stupidity has done to us?”

Quinn flinched back from the angry girl and threw his eyes to the side. “I’m sorry. I only wanted to help the family. He was loaning money and I thought—I mean he has so much money to began with I didn’t think—”

“You’re right, you didn’t think.” Abel quietly growled. “You should have realized it was a trap.”

“What do you mean?” I had asked confused.

Abel turned toward me almost startled. He must have forgotten I was in the room. His angry eyes soften once settling on me and the hardness in his voice disappeared. “This isn’t the first time Xavies Kadiou and his friends have come into our community and offered to loan money.”

I felt sick in my stomach at the thought that what had happen in the restaurant had happen to others in the neighborhood. “Why would they do that?”

“They know people around here can’t pay back what they take.” Abel explained. “They want to live out fantasies of being mobsters so they set these people up. They really don’t care who they beat up just as long as they beat someone up. It’s a game for them to—” He suddenly paused.

I met his eyes and he looked guilty and frustrated all at once. “I…” he paused and turned away from me, “I’m sorry about what happened to you. That should have never—”

I smiled knowing that he regretted not being in the restaurant to fight off Xavies. “It’s okay Abel. It’s not your fault.”

He looked back at me and stared for a while until Sarah broke the awkward silence. “So, what are we going to do about this?”

“Yeah, the cops weren’t any help.” I blurted out remembering their reaction when we went to the station to report the incident.

They had laughed at us when they heard the names of the people we were accusing. It seemed the name Kadiou was more powerful to them than establishing justice. I shun to even remember the officers laughing face and their threats to throw us in jail if we came back to falsely accuse a Kadiou.

“I’ll figure something out.” Abel told us all. “In the mean time, Quinn, you better stay indoors for a while.”

“Do you think they would really beat him up again?” Sarah asked and I caught the glimpse of sincere concern seeping from her voice.

“I’m sure the other guys just wanted a good show, but Xavies Kadiou—”

I gasped at the thought and they all turned their eyes on me. I blushed and smiled sorry for the attention.

“Eden,” Quinn called me. “I’m sorry that you got hurt because of me.”

I tried to laugh it off. “No, I shouldn’t have spat at him.”

Sarah laughed. “Speaking of which, where did you learn that from? Here I thought you were such a sweet, innocent lady! Did you see his face?”

She laughed harder and the rebellious spirit inside me joined in with her. But the strange thing was I swear it was laughing hard enough for everyone to hear.

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When I stepped on to the campus of Edgemont I felt I had entered into a completely different universe. Edgemont stood like a mountainous castle upon green pasture. It had statues and pillars striking out of the entrance building that held clustered of students beneath it. The stairs that ran up to the doors of the entrance were large and wide, shooting out from both side of me and seeming as if they would never end.

I don’t want to say the wealthy people had a different light about them but they did. I was overwhelmed by the crowds of students greeting and chatting happily to each other. I felt so ill-prepared and out of place among them. Despite being dress like them, thanks to Mr. Serehon sending me a bunch of clothing from top department stores, they held an air only common of someone who was use to wealth.

I quietly walked through the students trying to look as inconspicuous as I could. I found this easy until, after staring at my feet a good walk away from the entrance door I ended up walking into a body. I stopped and gasped when I looked up. Stupidly I hadn’t been expecting to see someone in front of me, although I had heard the person grunt in response to the collision.

“Oh, I’m…so…sorry.” The young man whispered pulling his glasses nervously down his nose.

He looked up at me and his mouth dropped. “Wow, you’re tall.”

I flushed at his comment and stepped away from him to hurry off, embarrassed. He noticed my flushed state and his face turned red.

“I’m s-sorry. I didn’t mean it as an offensive term.” He uttered from behind. “I tend to say dumb things sometimes when I’m in front of pretty girls and I blabber like a dork and don’t stop—ha, like I’m doing now. I should probably stop talking now, shouldn’t—”

“Pretty?” I asked cutting him off. That was the first time anyone had referred my features as being pretty. I gazed in alarm at the thin young man. His dirty-blond hair was a bit tossed about and his gray eyes were huge behind his glasses. He didn’t fit much into the profile of the other wealthy student I had seen. He held on tightly to a seemingly heavy briefcase and his pants were heavily wrinkled. I noticed the coffee stain on his winter-blue vest and decided he stuck out as badly as I did. We were both intruders in Edgemont.

Suddenly he was blushing profusely and his chest began bursting up. I dropped my books in panic afraid that I had done it again with my eyes.

“Are you all right?” I asked concerned.

He nodded and pulled out an inhaler. After a couple of long in takes he let out a sigh. “I’m so embarrass right now.”

For some reason I found his expression funny and laughed. He reminded me a bit of Quinn’s quirkiness when we first met.

“Is this your first year?” he asked me relaxing after witnessing my smile.

I nodded no longer intimated by him. “Yes. I’m here on a scholarship.”

Both our eyes widened because it was not my intention to confess that to anyone.

“Really?” He asked surprised. I shot my eyes away. Why did I tell him that? Even if he looked out of place like me, how could I blurt it out like that? I didn’t want to become too personal with anyone.

“I have to leave.” I said trying to pass him, but his enthusiasm caught me off guard.

“I’m here on a scholarship, too! I thought I was going to be the only one.”

I thought he was joking, but his face looked too sincere. “I’m Prestigious,” he announced. I thought I heard him wrong until he rolled his eyes. “I know, weird name, but my parents are eccentric. What’s yours?”

“Eden,” I whispered and felt relieved when his grin widened.

“Oh, a man’s forbidden paradise.” He spoke wiggling his brows, “Intriguing.”

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Prestigious turned out to be very helpful. We ended up having only one class together, but that was alright since it was my last class. With his aid my first day had been great until I arrived at that last class. I froze at the entrance when I saw the five guys leaning against the wall in the distance swarmed by girls. My mouth could only drop in fear and disbelief.

They looked as ravishing as they had when they first walked into the restaurant, but it was hard for me to identify them as the same guys that had beaten on Quinn. Then I noticed one of them was missing, the redhead. I jumped frantically when someone tapped my shoulders from behind. I spun around, relieved to lay eyes on a Prestigious.

His face was in a detest scowl. “Please don’t tell me we’re going to have to cease our friendship because you’re another fan-girl of those guys.”

I followed his gaze to the five and immediately shook my head. “I’m anything but fans of those guys. I’m just surprise to see them here.”

Prestigious grinned relief. “I see you’ve encountered those guys before. Just be thankful you’ve never experience the narcotic pleasure of X.”

I gasped at the name. There couldn’t be a chance that guy was also in the class, could there? Prestigious trudge me away from the entrance as others started to enter. My fears were confirmed when a bustle of excitement rushed into the room thirty minutes after the professor had began speaking. I scrunched down in my seat when my eyes landed on Xavies. Prestigious noticed my actions and from the corners of my eyes I saw him grinning.

He had his hair pulled back and his hands stuffed into long trousers, wearing dark sunglass. A girl trailed after him carrying a tall shimmering coffee mug and books I had the suspicion belonged to Xavies as well. I was blown away when the Professor caution the girl on her tardiness, but said nothing to Xavies. My panic intensified when Xavies took a seat in the roll behind Prestigious and I. I spent the entire class time worrying that he recognized me, but towards the end of class I heard the deep sound of snoring penetrating over the professor’s lecture. I knew it was Xavies.

Needless to say I was ecstatic to leave the class immediately when it ended. Prestigious ran after me.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he inquired.

I shook my head. “I thought this school was so great, but I’m starting to doubt that very much.”

Prestigious laughed. “You don’t like Xavies Kadiou, do you?”

I shook my head. “Absolutely not, he’s a psychopath!”

Prestigious laughed harder at this. “You know what Eden? This is the start of a beautiful friendship.”

SurprisinglyPrestigious didn’t like Xavies either. Apparently He and I were the only members of the “I hate Xavies Kadiou Club” in the school. Everyone else walked around and treated him like royalty. It was a ridiculous display. Of course Xavies threw his money at them like candy. Or intimated the sense out of some to the point they would piss in their pants when he grunted. He was a tyrant, a dictator, he was—Napoleon. Pompous in getting his way and puffing up to make himself look big and powerful when he was really a diluted nutcase.I wanted to tell Sarah and the others about this, but in the end I decided not to. Quinn was on pins and needles hiding from the guy I didn’t want to add anymore tension in the house.

For a long time I had managed to remain inconspicuous to the five and Xavies. That is until that day we had midterm exams. The contract we signed was clear. The school didn’t tolerate cheating and those caught would face a detrimental consequence.

I had finished lunch and was walking to the pillars to meet up with Prestigious to walk to class together, but when I got there he wasn’t alone. I hid behind a wall and listened in terror as Xavies threatened Prestigious. His words of threat didn’t make any sense until he made prestigious hurry to class and I got there too late to question him. Even when I arrived I saw that Prestigious wasn’t sitting in our normal seats. He resided at a corner near Xavies avoiding eye contact. I watched him disturbed and confused at what was happening until we started the exams.

It was in the middle of testing when a loud sound reverberating ahead of me sounded. My eyes as well as everyone else swung to where the professor stood beside Prestigious.

“You know the rules mister Danes, caught cheating I see. Give me your folder.”

I watched in alarm as Prestigious shook his head in protest, and then I turned to Xavies who had an amused grin across his face. That was when I understood what had taken place earlier. The threats I’d heard from Xavies to Prestigious were to give him answers on the exam. I felt the sickening feeling of anger attack me and my rebellious spirit glowered out of me as Prestigious was led out of the room.

Prestigious faced losing his scholarship and being expelled from the school because he wouldn’t tell the Dean who he was giving the answers to. When I confronted him he shook his head in despair telling me there was no point. I wanted to tell him I knew it was Xavies that had forced him to cheat, but I didn’t. The rebellious spirit in me, however, couldn’t watch this happen again. I couldn’t let Xavies hurt another kind person I had met. I came home to find Quinn scared out of his wits because of Xavies Kadiou, there was no way that my spirit would let me stand back and watch that psycho , pompous, Napoleon do this again to a friend of mine.

I wasn’t thinking as my spirit led me to the Dean’s office. I entered the place with a feeling and manner I had never experienced. I wouldn’t let injustice prevail again because of Xavies. I told the Dean of how Prestigious was innocent and how Xavies had threatened him. I was so passionate in my speech when I had finished my chest and lips were not the only thing burning. I came out of the office feeling exhilarated since the Dean had said he would look into it. Then I ran into a familiar face. It was one of Xavies twins, the one with the braids. When we met eyes I knew he instantly recognized me. I panicked and rushed out of the office.

The next day Sarah showed me the newspaper. On the cover was a picture of Edgewood and Xavies and printed on the top in bold letters were these words:

Governor’s Son Faces Expulsion from Paramount University

I lost my breath. How in the world did the news hit the papers? After her initial disbelieve that I hadn’t told her the redhead devil (as she referred Xavies) went to the same school as I did, Sarah laughed and claimed that Xavies deserved it. I didn’t tell her I was the one who had told on him though. I didn’t tell any of them.

But when I went to classes that day I didn’t see Prestigious, the five, or Xavies. To say I was worried was an understatement. Then my fear manifested before me while walking through the campus. I didn’t have time to gasp when he slammed a hand on both side of my face and pressed me between him and a wall.

“Do you know what you’ve done to me, you slut?”

Xavies hissed at me not really seeing my face until I pulled open my squeezed shut eyes. His angry face dispersed in recognition and in that split second our eyes melted into each other.

“Y-y-you!” He shouted and I heard the sound of footsteps appear at our side. “What the heck is she doing here?” He questioned the people by his side.

I peered over his arm and saw the other five.

“Looks to me like she’s a student.” the bedroom eyes one yawned as if he wasn’t the slightest bit interested.

“How can she be a student? Wouldn't that mean she has money?” Another pointed out.

“Shut up! I don’t care what she is!” Xavies barked, and then spun back at me. His face was too close I could feel the heat radiating from it. “I know you’re the one who went to the Dean and got that nerd to confess my name. You don’t know what load of hurt you just asked for yourself!”

Were his eyes getting brighter, was his face getting redder? Or was it just the fear pumping through my head? Whatever it was my rebellious spirit bit at my mouth and I couldn’t control them anymore.

“You don’t scare me you…you—Napoleon!”

I heard snickers from the side from the other guys. “What the heck?”

“The Yeqonian Jallita (goldilocks) just called X, Napoleon.”

“I like it,” another said, I think Si the other twin because his voice sounded familiar from that day. “Napoleon the military leader from history, kind of suits you X.”

I tuned them out and kept going. “You have no concept of how you should treat others. You think you can dictate everything—everyone, but you can’t dictate me or my friends. I don’t care if you’re famous or the son of God. If you have a problem with my friends you have a problem with me!”

Xavies pulled back and smiled in a chilling anger at me. I blinked and swallowed the knot in my throat not sure whether to be afraid of his eerie smile or the words I heard come out of my mouth. It was an outer body experience. I could have been standing on the side listening to someone else speak those words. But it was me…I think.

“You’ve just signed your death wish, Goldilocks. You want a war with a Kadiou? I’ll show you what happens to snitches in my school.”

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