Jaya turned to see Caterina stalking in, already dressed in a belted cream sweater and black pants, her feet clad in suede boots. Her makeup and hair were perfectly done. “What time did you have to wake up to look like that at four o’clock in the morning?” Jaya asked.

Caterina smiled coolly as she got herself a cup of espresso from the machine at the counter along the far wall. “I didn’t go to bed at all.”

“Oh.” Jaya scooted over as Caterina came to sit with her on the settee. She paused. “Wait. You and Rahul…?”

Caterina eyed her with disdain. “Rahul was nice to dance with, but he is not the kind of boy I date.”

“Hmm.” Jaya hid a faded smile behind her coffee cup.

“He is not,” Caterina said, a little too stridently. Then, composing herself, she added, “So. Something happened with Grey.”

Jaya felt her entire body contract painfully at the mention of his name. She didn’t bother to ask Caterina how she knew; people like Caterina had their ways. Taking the time to smooth down her expression, Jaya said, still staring straight ahead, “Yes.” Tears fell from her eyelashes, but she made no move to dry them. She was tired of pretending to be impeccable. “Alaric was updating Kiran on everything I did.”

“But Alaric doesn’t know—” Caterina stopped, her eyes wide.

“What?” Jaya asked, putting a hand on Caterina’s arm. “Are you all right?”

“It was me,” Caterina said, looking pale.

“What?” Jaya said again, stiffening.

“I… I was so mad at you, and I told Alaric a whole bunch of things about you and Grey, some of which I didn’t even know were true, like that you were dating and that it was really shady that you were in all his classes.” Looking stricken, she continued. “I didn’t think anything of it. I was just venting and—God, I cannot believe that asshole! I’m so sorry, Jaya.”

Jaya let out a breath. “You know what? It was mainly my fault. I can’t really blame you for venting, just like I can’t blame Alaric and Kiran for acting how their natures dictate. I really did want to hurt Grey at first, and if I hadn’t had those intentions in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.” She filled Caterina in on everything that had happened back home, before St. R’s, and the plan she’d formulated.

Isha came upstairs in a robe in the middle of Jaya’s recounting, her hair still rumpled, and sat on the couch beside her, laying her head on her big sister’s shoulder.

“Family,” Caterina said, smiling a little at Isha. “One would do most anything for them.”

Jaya nodded. “Yes.”

Caterina studied Jaya’s face. “So what’s the plan now?”