We had nothing in common. Sometimes I wondered how we could possibly be related.

“I can tell my dad. He’ll believe me.” Normally my father wasn’t top on my list of confidants. But I couldn’t tell any of my friends. Most of them were stressed-out by broken nails and crash diets. Seeing the Netherworld would scar them for life. I would never be the same after barely surviving it—that was for sure.

“No, Sophie,” Luca insisted, and my temper flared, but he spoke before I could tell him how much I hated being told what to do. “No one’s supposed to know. People would freak out. The less the general public knows about the Netherworld, the better off we’ll all be.”

“But it’s just my dad.” And I had to tell him something. How else was I going to explain being out all night, and coming back covered in grass stains and my own blood?

“It’s not that simple. There’s more to this than what you saw last night. A lot more. It’s not just the Netherworld. There are things here—in our world—that you don’t know about yet. Things like me. Like you. I don’t know what you are yet, but you’re more than you think you are. And what you’ve seen is just a fraction of what’s out there. Don’t tell your dad yet. At least wait until I’ve had a chance to tell you what I know, and a chance to figure out what you are.”

I nodded slowly. Luca couldn’t give me the answers I’d wanted twelve hours ago—he couldn’t tell me what happened to my mom—but at least he wanted to tell me something. Something about me. Something he thought was amazing and extraordinary. I wanted to know what he knew, and suddenly I wanted to keep it to myself, just for a little while, so it could be our secret. Something no one else knew. Something special.

People called Kaylee special, but what they really meant was “special.” In that straitjackets and padded walls kind of way. She wasn’t special like Luca thought I was special. She could never handle what I’d just seen and done. She wasn’t stable enough.

“Okay,” I said finally, and his smile burned a hole right through me.

“Tonight? Dinner and Netherworld talk? You can ask anything you want.” He lifted both brows, trying to tempt me. But he’d had me before he even opened his mouth.

“Yeah. But I have this stupid family dinner with my uncle and cousin tonight. After that?”

“Sure…” But before he could ask for my phone number, someone called my name.

“Sophie?” I turned to see Peyton getting out of her car. Which was when I remembered that we had an early team practice, because of the competition. And that I’d left the box of new uniforms in the middle of the science hall.

“What the hell happened to you?” Peyton demanded, stompingtoward us with her duffel strap over one shoulder. “Your dad called my mom, and neither of them believed I didn’t know where you were, and Mrs. Foley’s pissed that you just disappeared yesterday. You are in so much trouble, and there’s no way you’ll be voted team captain now. People want a captain they can depend on, not someone who ditches her team to roll around on the ground all night with some strange guy.” Peyton glanced pointedly at my dirty clothes and tangled hair, and I knew what she was seeing, and what she was thinking.

And I didn’t give a damn.

I’d just survived monsters, and bloodthirsty plants, and an entire world full of bizarre and terrifying. Peyton didn’t even register as a threat anymore.

“Okay, let’s keep this in perspective,” I said, as she gloated, secure in her imaginary victory. “We’re talking about dance team captain, not Captain America. Even if you win, all you get is a little gold pin on your letter jacket. It’s not like you saved the world. It’s not even like you saved the day. It’s a pin, and a footnote in the yearbook. Beyond forgettable, in the grand scheme.”

Peyton squinted at me, like she always did when she was pissed, and I considered reminding her that frown lines start forming in adolescence. She opened her mouth to yell, but I spoke over her.

“But none of that matters, because you’re not going to win. You’re not even going to run, because if you do, I’ll tell the whole damn school about you and Beth’s boyfriend, and you’ll be too busy trying to scrape the world ‘slut’ off your windshield to run a decent campaign.”

Peyton stammered for a second, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. “You backstabbing little bitch!” she spit finally, and I laughed. I couldn’t help it.

“Yeah, I guess I am. You should keep that in mind the next time you ask me to turn on my best friend. Also, you might want to sleep with one eye open.”

“Or what, you’ll talk me to death?”

“No, I’ll come into your room in the middle of the night with an electric razor and a grudge. Or maybe I’ll put bleach in your shampoo. Or bronzer in your foundation. Or hair removal cream in your eyebrow gel. I know your habits and your routine, and I’m feeling pretty damn creative.” And…victorious. “There’s no telling what I might do.”

“Right. You’re going to sneak into my house and give me a malicious makeover while I sleep.” Her tone was sarcastic, but her words lacked bite.

I shrugged. “I cut Laura’s hair off at the scalp, and I actually like her.” True, I hadn’t known what I was doing and had no plans to ever do it again. But Peyton didn’t need to know that.