Reese Hale's Perspective

If there was one thing that Reese knew about his best friend, Kaden, it was that he never missed a rehearsal. It'd been two weeks since sectionals, and ever since, the captain of the Oracles had been acting funny. Kaden had become more secretive, more spontaneous, and a lot less strict. He'd arrived late to rehearsals or left early, but he'd never missed a rehearsal. Until now, apparently.

Reese, tugging on his sweatshirt's collar, eyed the clock suspiciously. It was a quarter past noon, and the rest of the Oracles were beginning to sense that something was up. Reese weaved through the other boys and left the room, already dialing Kaden's number when he reached the silent school hallway.

"Hello?" Kaden's voice on the other side was a relief to Reese.

"Thank god," Reese exhaled. "Where the hell are you?"

There was a shuffling sound on the other line. "Something came up, I'm sorry. Lead rehearsal or don't, it doesn't matter to me."

Reese's eyes bugged out of his head. "Are you feeling all right, Kaden? Do I need to call you an ambulance?"

Kaden laughed. "I'm feeling fine, Reese, now I really have to go. See you later."

"Wait, Kaden—" Reese sighed as Kaden hang up the phone, off doing who knew what. Reese leant against the wall, lost in thought. That was, until the sound of heels echoing through the hallway snagged his attention. Reese looked up and found himself staring at someone he had 1) never seen before and 2)  would very much like to again.

The girl had golden hair that reached her shoulders in delicately placed waves. Her eyes, jade like a cat's, pinned Reese in place as she met his gaze. She wore high-waisted jeans and a crop top, her hands stuffed lazily into her pockets as she came to a stop. Her ruby lips stretched into a feline smile, and whatever power this girl had suddenly made Reese's heart start to beat faster.

"Reese Hale, as I live and breathe," The mystery girl said, her voice enchanting. "Pleased to finally meet you."

Reese, ever at a lost for words, managed to sputter, "Hey."

The girl smirked, glancing around the empty hallway. She peered through the window on the door into the Oracle's rehearsal room, where a game of ninja had been initiated. "And the legendary Oracles. My, my, what a day."

Reese blinked. "Do I know you?"

The girl turned to look at him, her jade eyes luminous. She drew a manicured hand out of her pocket, holding it out for Reese. "Imogen Cadwell."

Reese shook her hand. "Reese Hale."

Imogen's eyes glinted impishly. "Knew that already."

Reese felt his cheeks flush. "Right, of course." He cleared his throat. "Can I help you?"

Imogen stepped away to investigate the contents of a display case. "That depends," She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Have you seen Tessa Brennan anywhere lately?"

Reese resisted the urge to laugh. "Not since sectionals. Why would I see her around here?" He waved a hand around his school's hallway, one that the leader of the Muses definitely did not frequent.

Stepping back over to him, Imogen shrugged. "Because she never showed up to rehearsal today and I had an inkling that you and your babbling band of buffoons might have kidnapped her."

"Excuse me?" Reese said, taken aback.

Imogen smirked. "You heard me." She mused. "But I suppose that's a matter to take up with your captain, Kaden Gray. Is he here?"

Reese shifted his weight, suddenly uncomfortable. "Actually, Kaden isn't here either."

Imogen's eyebrows arched in surprise. "He isn't?" Reese shook his head. "Where is he, then?"

Reese shrugged. "Beats me."

Imogen furrowed her brow, then widened her eyes as if a revelation dawned on her. "Oh, I'm not sure I want to be right about what I'm thinking about."

"And that is?" Reese asked.

Imogen met his gaze with her enchanting eyes. "I think I know where both our captains are."

~~

And that's how Reese ended up on the subway with Imogen Cadwell, utterly confused but entirely okay with it. The blonde girl was typing away furiously on her phone, and Reese stood next to her as the train jostled its way through New York City.

"I'm surprised I haven't seen smoke from your phone given how much you've been texting," Reese tried for a joke.

Imogen looked up, a weak smile on her lips. "I'm asking my friend to help me track Tessa's phone."

Reese knit his eyebrows together. "What, who can do that?" He knew that Kaden was pretty good at techy stuff, but who knew that the Muses had a hacker too?

"Dale Alcander," Imogen responded, and Reese blinked.

"These names mean nothing to me," Reese said, gripping the handrest of the subway as the train swerved.

"She's on the Muses," Imogen waved her hand in dismissal, then exclaimed giddily. "Yes!"

"Good news?" Reese asked.

"Incredibly," Imogen beamed. "Dale pinged Tessa's phone and she's in Central Park right now."

A jumbled up announcement blared from the train's speakers and it became to slow to a stop. Imogen weaved her way through the other passengers, and Reese hurried to follow. "What does this have to do with Kaden?"

As the doors hissed open, Imogen smirked up at Reese. "If I'm right, then you'll see."

The duo hurried from the subway station up into the city, and began their short walk to Central Park. They entered the park, and Reese was seriously baffled at how fast Imogen could walk down trails of varying materials in heels.

"Keep up, blondie," Imogen called, eyes glued to her phone as they reached a fork in the trails. Imogen looked up from her phone and back down, before choosing a direction and heading down it.

Reese made a face. "We're both blond!"

Imogen waved a hand, but Reese jogged to catch up with her. This was going to be his workout for the day, apparently.

"So what's this theory of yours anyway?" Reese asked, looking around at all the families and couples and people populating Central Park.

Imogen glanced around. "You'll see."

"But what if you're wrong?" Reese asked.

"I am hardly ever wrong," Imogen flipped her hair over her shoulder, and Reese laughed. Her attention snapped up at him at that. "What's so funny?"

"You," Reese said.

Imogen's eyes widened. "I'm funny?"

"Well, not funny," Reese tried. "But cute."

Imogen blinked and turned away, and maybe it was a trick of the light, but Reese thought he saw a blush on her cheeks. Before he could say anything, he and Imogen had reached the Reservoir and Imogen made a noise like a yowling cat.

"What?" Reese looked around wildly.

Imogen grabbed the lapels of his blazer, dragging him into the tree-line nearby. They hunkered down behind a bush, and Reese felt a pang of adrenaline rush through him. "What?" He hissed.

Imogen pressed a finger to her lips harshly, urging him to be quiet. When Reese begrudgingly clamped his lips shut, she jerked her finger in the direction they had come. And Reese couldn't believe what he saw.

Sure enough, there was Kaden Gray walking past, dressed casually in jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. He was smiling, and Reese was wondering what was making him so happy, when a girl followed him from behind and slid her hand in his: Tessa Brennan.

In harmony, Reese and Imogen made the same strangled sound, before clamping a hand over their mouths and ducking. Reese's heart hammered in his chest; Kaden was on a date with Tessa?

They waited a moment, then Imogen carefully peaked out from the bush. "The coast is clear, let's move!" Reese reached out and stopped her to Imogen's alarm.

"How did you know?" Reese wondered.

Imogen smirked. "I'm practically an expert at this stuff. Besides, there was a rumor going around that Kaden and Tessa made out at sectionals but I can never tell with Nova, so I didn't think much of it. Now are you going to come with me, or not?"

"Come with you where?" Reese asked. "I'm assuming this is the end of our little adventure."

Imogen's smile brightened. "Well, I was thinking it could end with an ice cream and a trip to the Met since it's just down this way, but if you want me to leave you among the shrubbery—"

"No!" Reese exclaimed, and Imogen's eyes glinted like she'd won a prize. "I mean, sure, that'd be fun."

"Then let's go," Imogen said. "Because if Kaden and Tessa can get over their rivalry, I'm sure we can follow in their footsteps."