Winter and Jax walked side by side under the guise of a school tour. When they entered the pool sector, Winter found herself speechless. Each angle and curve was symmetrical and perfect, like it had been modeled after ancient Greek architecture. The light hit the pool in such a way that made it look like fairies danced across the water. "What do you think?" Winter could only stare. Jax walked toward the edge of the pool, rolled his pants up and sat down, she followed suit. Winter broke the silence first, "Who's Luca?" Jax played with a loose shirt string, "His name is Lucas not Luca. We've been together since we were both brought here. He's my closest friend." When Winter didn't say anything Jax went on, "He's always had my back in a fight and taken the blame for things I've done without hesitating. He's never let me down, not once." Winter smiled, "That sounds nice, having someone who's always there." Jax considered Winter for an instant, "You don't have anyone like that?" Winter tossed her head back slightly and sighed, "I never had time to make a friend." He playfully knocked his shoulder into her, "Well you have one now."
Winter absentmindedly sloshed her legs in the water while she considered asking Jax about what happened between him and Sam before deciding against it. "Why is the pool your favorite place?" "I like to surround myself with things as beautiful as me." "The truth." Jax's eyes became downcast and his posture caved in, "When the school was founded, my parents enrolled me immediately. New surroundings, new people, no going home. That can weigh on a kid. Unintentionally, sometimes intentional, I would find trouble. To escape it, Lucas would bring me here." Jax stood, brushing himself off, "We should be heading back now, lunch is almost over."
Winter and Jax were on their way back to the classroom when Brenna appeared, hazel eyes glaring at her. Winter felt a sharp tug on her arm as Brenna pulled her close, in passing whispering, "I warned you Knight." Jax barely caught the interaction and Brenna smiled innocently at him, batting her lashes prior to sashaying away. Winter had developed a steel resolve concerning how she would handle the ice queen. Jax crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation but Winter just shrugged. "Are you going to ask me to keep it from your friends again?" "Hardly. Or rather, I've already told them." Jax failed to keep the curiosity from his face. "Not all of us keep pointless secrets Jax." Jax paused for a minute, "I don't think there's such thing as a pointless secret. Every secret has its reason."
By the time Winter made it back to her classroom lunch was over. Layla grinned at her, "You and Jax seemed to have gotten close." Winter raised her eyebrows, "He's practically a lost puppy following me around." Mandy chuckled, "It's rare for Jax to be so friendly with someone." "He seemed friendly enough with you guys." Layla played with a charm on her bracelet, "Well yeah that's because we've known each other for years." Winter glanced at them, "Wait, you two have been coming to school here since the opening?" Mandy corrected her, "We've been living here. Everyone has." Layla looked at Mandy, "Our parents have always been preoccupied with their own lives, their money, their power, so they sent us here." Mandy added on, "Anyone you ask will have the same story. We all grew up together. Everyone except you." Winter furrowed her eyebrows, "There hasn't been a new student since eleven years ago when the school opened?" Layla nodded, "You have to be five years old to be enrolled. You're the first transfer student the school's ever allowed."