Information.

It's a sacred matter. One single piece executed a story or fabricated another. Media circles migrated with any information they could get their hands on and threaded it into a believable lie for the public. The paparazzi were the piranha while I was bait thrown in to get chewed into bits. My only lifeline was my lawyer, but with my money being withheld, I didn't have the resources to do much.

Today, I gained incredibly important knowledge, but as always, it came with a dreadful side. My lawyer educated me that the paparazzi attained a reasonable price in order to abandon the case. However, to afford all three paparazzi's demands, I had to put my dream restaurant on the back burner until I raised enough money to revamp it.

But if I went to jail, who knew when I would be able to invest in a restaurant. It's like a flip of a coin. Any result wasn't perfect, but a margin better than the others. My lawyer said I had until the end of the week to pay them or they were going forward with the trial. If only I could ask Davina for advice.

I very much could ask.

But I didn't want to tarnish her relationship with Milo; he's one of the few adults who remained a guiding presence in her life. How am I supposed to take something else away from her? The only parental figure in her life.

Davina and I were supposed to select tiles, clothes, and patterns for the restaurant, but the motivation trickled down after hearing the news. What's the point of acquiring it if the building could be canceled project? I could ask Davina to borrow a bit of money. She wouldn't even hesitate to lend me some.

But I wanted to do a good deed in my life. I was already taking her roles, her jobs, her reputation; I couldn't take her money, too. If I had to choose between the two, then so be it. The universe had a peculiar way of working itself out, even if it seemed nonexistent.

Only the universe could know...

However, I'll pay devoted attention to any signals from the universe, minor or massive. Anything mattered. The smallest hair strand could be the final straw on the camel, the ultimate decision on which path was the correct one.

The doorbell rang when it swung open. "Bean sprout?"

Tingles spread through my body like a sugar rush. "D? I'm in the back."

In the back of the restaurant, there was an oval-shaped office overwhelmed with broken gadgets and random sheets of paper. My back ached as I shoved every piece into a garbage bag, but even with that, I couldn't see the floor.

A slither of a laugh sneaked past my lips as Davina popped in, almost falling on her ass. But with my spidey senses, I wrapped my arms around her back, keeping her from colliding with the floor.

"D, who told you to wear heels?" I asked.

Her enchanting smile shined through. "I didn't expect the restaurant to have cracks and dents in it. Why didn't you buy something that required less work?"

I shrugged. "I wanted to build it from scratch. It has important things like ovens, refrigerators, freezers, grills. It's just the interior and exterior that needs a new shiny coat. I will appreciate the restaurant more if I pour my blood, sweat, and tears into it."

Her fingers traced an outline of a heart on my cheek. "I love the way your eyes smile while talking about it. That's how I know you're making the right decision."

I pretended to nibble on her cheek. "You're the most beautiful girl in the world. Have I forgotten to tell you that today?"

Davina's cheeks mimicked the colors of cherries. "I think it's the tenth time today, but I'm not complaining. But you are wayyyy cuter."

I stifled a laugh, resting my forehead against hers. "D, you're literally committing a crime by being this fucking beautiful. We have switched roles since Halloween, and I'm sorry to say I have to arrest you for attacking my heart."

She rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't I be arresting you for making me fall in love with you?"

"No, no. That's cheating to copy what I've already said," I teased, leaning down and placing a feather-like kiss on the corner of my mouth.

She snorted, smacking my chest gently. "I'm not copying!"

"Sure, you aren't," I replied, jokingly.

Davina threw her head back, and I took the excuse to suffocate her neck with kisses, nibbles, and a light, innocent suck. Slowly, I made my way up her jaw, making sure to cherish every inch of her skin with affection and a tiny sprinkle of lust. Her body trembled under my touch, and I would be lying if I pretended like it didn't make me want to take this further.

Like on the desk behind us.

It's pretty fucking tempting.

A stranger cleared their throat. "Umm..."

My eyes widened as I almost snapped my neck to glance at the doorway at my familiar friend, hiding his messy hair in a beanie. "Declan?"

He rubbed a hand over his chin. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but I texted you this morning..."

Realization dawned on me. "Right, but I didn't expect you to come today."

"I was pretty clear in my message," Declan deadpanned.

I gave him the death stare. "All you said was where is my restaurant located. Nothing in there says I'm going to visit."

Declan blinked, silence filling the room. "If I asked, wouldn't it be logical to think maybe I'll head over? Even as an adult, you fail to use common sense."

I scoffed. "It is not common sense! Tell him, D. He's the one in the wrong."

Davina's hair concealed her face, hiding the obvious result of my kisses as she awkwardly glanced between the both of us. "Declan... you were pretty vague. How is Ambrose supposed to assume you would show up? But I would've entertained the idea of you showing up if I received that text."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side!" I protested, hitting my chest with the palm of my hand.

She massaged my messy curls as if I was a kitten, yet I leaned into her touch. "Bean sprout, I am. But you guys are halfway through your twenties and still fight like immature teenagers. You guys kept bumping heads because of Lana, but that isn't an issue anymore, so what's the deal?"

Declan sighed. "You tell me."

Annoyance trickled through my bones like blood dripping down a bloody nose as I released an angry groan. "Are you kidding? I hated this idiot long before I found out about Lana's massive crush on him. He's always made me feel less, always laughed at my lack of knowledge, an-."

"At least you can admit, you're stupid," Declan stated, blankly.

The ticking timebomb was seconds away from deconstruction. "Sometimes I wonder how Lana and any other girl on this planet could find you attractive. It's a crime. Go ahead, D." I playfully nudged her shoulder. "Arrest him."

Davina blinked, confusion laced over her features. "This conversation took an interesting turn... I cannot arrest him for being attractive however, I could against my own personal law call revenge on anyone who ever hurt Ambrose."

My mind dismissed everything after the word attractive, which only left me with one very critical question. "D, do you find Declan attractive?"

Her eyes squinted. "What does that have to do with anything?"

I gasped, dramatically, clutching my chest as it physically throbbed at this discovery. "This is the ultimate betrayal. I just don't get it."

A slight chuckle left Declan's mouth. "It's better if you don't question it. Wouldn't want you comparing yourself to me."

My eyes narrowed into murderous slits. "You are just enjoying this aren't you."

"I am."

"Bean sprout, obviously, you're the only guy in my eyes and way sexier than Declan, but if you're asking in general... Declan is attractive," Davina said, her lips inching to curl into a grin.

I closed my eyes, and put my hand in her face. "We might have to reconsider this relationship," I stated, only lasting three seconds in character until I broke into hysterical laughter and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and I instantly grew the urge to devour her in every sense possible. But Declan wanted to be a cock blocker today.

"Anyway, why are you here?" I asked.

"I'm hungry," he said, quite emotionlessly.

My eyebrows scrunched as my eyes narrowed. "If you hadn't noticed, I'm not open for business."

"Yeah, clearly," he grumbled. "But I'm hungry."

"You have two hands so go cook for yourself or I have a better idea buy takeout food," I mocked childishly.

"For a second, I thought the fighting would stop," Davina said, picking her hair into a ponytail. "I'll whip something up, the grills work and there's a grocery store, right next door. Can you guys survive until I come back?"

Declan and I made eye connect, lingering long enough for anyone in the right state of mind to grow uncomfortable, and we both nodded.

Being alone in a room with Declan hasn't been this awkward since the day I congratulated him on his wedding. Sometimes I wondered if we could've been friends if it wasn't for the Lana rivalry that I mainly created. Or at least Declan liked to act like I did. He pretended to be so high and mighty, acting like I didn't make him insecure at least once.

Our paths clashed because of Lana, but I wondered how much of a bigger snob Declan would be if it wasn't for her. I hated the guy. Alot. But anyone with two eyes spotted the development in Declan's personality, it's clear as day the amazing effects Lana had on him. It might've taken me five years, but I finally realized they were a perfect pair.

Well... almost.

His track record would be better if he hadn't made Lana cry so many times.

"You and Davina make a good couple. It's about time you found someone," Declan stated, sipping on his water bottle.

His statement shocked me to the core. "Yeah... she's one of a kind. I'm extremely lucky to have someone like her in my life. Just like you're with Lana."

Declan's expression softened in an almost vulnerable state. "I thought so too... but not lately."

My heart seized up. "What do you mean? Are you guys fighting? Don't tell me you're making her cry again."

He sighed, removing the beanie from his hat and allowing his damp hair to fall over his forehead until he forced his fingers through it and pushed it back. "No... I think it's me."

I placed my hand on his forehead, checking his temperature, but then I remembered I wasn't the fucking doctor. "Are you sick in the head? You're a doctor! Take some medicine and go back to normal."

"No. I'm not sick." Declan stared at the floor. Seriously, why the fuck does he always do that? "I haven't been sleeping well, though."

My eyebrows tangled together as I ran through a million possibilities of what could have Declan feeling this way. "Okay... What is it, then? Are you not sharing the full story? What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "I don't even know myself. Why do I act the way I do towards Lana? I feel so irritated every time I see her. It doesn't make any sense." His face dropped in his hands, rubbing it aggressively as a groan mixed with roar departed from his lips. "Ever since Dara... He's been hanging around her constantly like a way of throwing it in my face."

My mouth dropped to another universe. "Holy shit!" I brutally collapsed into laughter, clutching my stomach and wiping away the tears leaking from my eyes. "You really don't get it?"

There have been two different things I wanted to experience in life.

One was winning over the girl of my dreams, which somehow managed to work out in my favor. But the other... Oh, the other was just for my pure amusement. It was a simple request. Something I wanted to go down since the days when I used to like Lana, and that was Declan experiencing jealousy.

Jealousy was a disgusting disease.

And it's about time a genius, like Declan, had suffered through it.

His head tilted. "What?"

Jumping to my feet, I stepped over to Declan, launching an instant attack on his forehead with my pointer finger. "You are seriously the biggest idiot in the world! How could you call yourself a genius?"

"You understand something I don't?" Declan's eyes darkened, causing my finger to retreat in fear. "That's a first."

Disregarding his offense comment, I replied, "You're jealous." Declan did a double-take. "It's just plain jealousy."

Disbelief soaked in his face. "Me? Jealous?" He chuckled, his shoulders shook an inch. "Of that guy? No way. Besides, I'm not you."

I flicked his head. "Idiot! I'm telling you! Everything adds up to that conclusion. You're upset because they're spending quality time together like how you guys did in high school... And you're afraid of the outcome. Listen." I pounded my chest. "Thanks to you. I'm a veteran of jealousy. And as a veteran, I can vouch for it. You're jealous of Lana with that guy." A tiny spurt of chuckles escaped from my lips as his eyes glanced over in realization. "Even a genius isn't immune to jealousy."

"I'm back with goodies!" Davina shouted. Our heads darted in her direction, four bags hanging from her arms. "I wasn't sure what cuisine we were in the mood for, so I brought a little bit of everything."

Declan abruptly jolted from his chair. "I-I have to get going."

With her eyebrows brunched together, her eyes flashed towards Declan's body, halfway through the door then back to me. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

"Just helped a fellow idiot discover something new." I smiled, smugly.

She narrowed her eyes. "Well, Lana would sure be glad to hear her two best boys are besties now! You know, a little birdie told me that some people ship you and Declan."

I nearly threw up in my mouth. "Who? I shall banish them from this world for even speaking that out to the universe."

Davina pretended to have a key on her lips and locked them. "My lips are sealed."

Rolling my eyes, I pivoted in her direction to help with the load and dumped them onto the half-broken wooden countertop. "What do you feel like eating? I'm sure I could whip up an Ambrose specialty with these ingredients."

"Ummm. Surprise me!" Davina's eyes shined.

As I took a peek in the groceries bags, Davina's ringtone sounded through the walls, and she ran over to grab it. Her blue-green irises glimmered with anticipation while her mouth slightly quivered. "It's them. The producers for the part of Isabel!"

My eyes widened. "Answer it!"

"Okay." She took a deep breath and went outside.

My entire body tingled. This could be Davina's big break, proving everyone wrong. I could prove Milo wrong. Show him how our relationship wouldn't negatively affect her because those producers wouldn't be idiots.

There's no way.

But my face instantly dropped when a sulky Davina walked back in.

Please... let her be playing a prank.

"What did they say?" I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat.

She licked her lips. "They gave the part to Ryler."

My insides clenched. "Well, it's their fucking loss. You will get a better part and prove all those suckers wrong. I can see it."

But my encouragement was a failure. Davina slipped in a chair, her shoulders lightly shaking as she covered her face with her hands. It didn't take long for the soft sobs to depart from her lips and tore me into bitty tiny pieces. Instantly, I jumped over the counter and sank to my knees right beside her, caressing her back.

"Sorry, it's so dumb. It isn't even my first time being rejected, but I really thought I had it," she whimpered. "I really did."

"It's not dumb. You have every right to be upset about this, Davina. Don't invalidate your own feelings like that. I won't stand for it."

Her soulful eyes pierced through mine, clearly missing a sprinkle of her glow. "It's seriously so stupid. They only gave the part to Ryler because I've been in some controversy lately. I wouldn't be as upset if I lost it to someone better than me, but I lost it because of something so stupid."

Guilt gnawed at my chest. "It's their loss, baby. I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry that I acted out and ruined everything for you."

Davina's finger bumped against my lip. "Don't say that. It's not your fault. I would never ever ever blame you for this. I'm just upset at the world for being so unfair."

My hands fell under her butt, and I lifted her, plopping her on my legs. With a heavy heart, I watched Davina lean the side of her head against my shoulders.

"I just want you to remember that you're fucking perfect." I stuck my finger underneath her chin, making her face me. "You don't deserve to be treated any less than fucking perfect. So if they so happen to call back and offer the part, you reject them. Because they don't deserve Davina Dialaurentis."

She began shaking her head.

"Don't argue with me."

"But-."

"You have to promise, D."

She pouted. "I doubt they would offer the part anytime soon, but fine. I'll reject them."

Ahhh some Declan and Ambrose bonding!! How awkward would it be to walk in on D and Ambrose kissing? Hopefully Ambrose talk some sense into Declan... let's see

Love you guys!! Can't wait to read your comments ❤️!!