The Dinner Party

***"How is everything I've heard... real?"***
This piece of *Evie and Mya* literature is outdated and is scheduled to be rewritten or tweaked in the future. Please note that some events currently depicted will be heavily altered or removed when said content is updated. Read at your own risk of discombobulating the series canon in your head!
And spare yourself from Av's old writing, please.
"I'm not there yet!"
 This page contains ***major spoilers*** for the series. If you're not caught up, stay back! Av's not gonna be too thrilled if you react to spoilers prematurely...

## The Dinner Party

### Director

Potato Flakin

***The Dinner Party*** is the fourth episode of *The Adventures of Evie and Mya* in Season 3, and the twenty-fourth overall.

## Synopsis

Harlow and Ivanna invite the other girls over for dinner, which causes more problems than intended. However, when the inconceivable happens, the girls are left in a terrifying standstill.

## Warnings

### Content Warning

*This episode contains mature language, blood, gore, violence, and predatory behavior. Viewer discretion is heavily advised.*

### Disclaimer

*The Dinner Party is not meant for children under the age of sixteen due to the depictions of predatory behavior in this episode. If these kinds of depictions make you uncomfortable, do not read the episode and navigate away from the page as soon as possible.*

## Transcript

*The episode opens at Hollowleaf Mansion's dining room. On the right stairwell sits a teenaged girl, lost in thought, her eyes clouded over.*

*My relationship with my grandparents is unbreakable. And Evie can't see that? We're almost always on the same page, and yet she just despises Harlow and Ivanna...*

Those words were the only ones that circled in Mya's head as she sat on the stairwell, her head in her hands. Since the squabble with the other girls, she had felt lost.

Sure, the girls were *definitely* in the wrong for shaming her grandparents and her. But aching pierced her heart - aching to have them back.

It hadn't even been a day, and Mya had been missing the sweet chuckle of Evie's laugh, Winter's playful demeanor, Amira's spunk, and even though she was nowhere close to forgiving her, Daniela's soft-hearted self.

*I made no mistakes, but I feel... Disconnected. How can I fix this?*

"Mya?" Harlow asked gently, sitting down next to her. "Are you alright? You seem lost."

"I wish I could feel better right now, but I can't," she responded. "I'm still thinking about the fight with the girls, and... I just want them back with me." After a pause, she added, "They need to see you're good people too."

"Hmm... That certainly *is* quite a conundrum." He hugged Mya, brushing her bangs aside and ruffling her head. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll fix this as soon as possible."

Harlow turned to the dining room, looking at the dining table and its neatly-organized, polished brown chairs. Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind - a *wicked* one. A smirk formed on his face.

"Ivanna!" He called. Ivanna came dashing from the living room. "Yes, darling?"

"Prepare to go to the store tonight. We're holding a *dinner party*."

Mya jumped up like a bolt of lightning, charged with brand new energy. "A dinner party? No way!"

"*Yes* way," Harlow commented. "Inviting the girls over for dinner is a *splendid* idea. We make them the *best* food in the family, hold a grand feast, do so much more... Oh, it's something to *die* for."

"There's no way it'll backfire, Mya. It'll be *glorious*!" Ivanna chimed in.

"Can I help write the invitations? I'm *really* good at cursive," Mya begged.

Harlow smiled, chuckling, and he rubbed Mya's chin. "Sure, honey. Let's go to the living room."

As he followed her, he turned to Ivanna, a devious grin now on his face. He rubbed his hands together.

"Oh, this will be *more* than just a dinner party."

**SEASON 3, EPISODE 4 - THE DINNER PARTY**

*Splosh!*

Evie watched as a small stream of water trickled onto one of her mother's frangipanis. Its petals dripped with liquid that splashed onto the soil below, turning it into a darker shade of brown.

*First frangipani, down. Now onto the second.* She went to her bookshelf and had just started pouring water in them when she heard Opal call her name.

"Evie! You have mail!"

"Mail?" She questioned, walking up to her mother. "I hardly get mail... What is this about?"

"I don't know. You're going to have to open the letter."

She grabbed the vanilla-colored letter and tore it open with her finger, picking up a pink piece of paper with delicate, silky purple handwriting on it.

*Dear Evie,*

*You are invited to dinner this upcoming Saturday at the mansion! We'll have food, fun, and something to see. Please dress fancily.*

*Love, H & I Parker + Mya*

"I'm *what*?" Evie was shocked. The Parkers and Mya had *invited her* over for dinner *at their place*. And she had to *dress fancily*.

"Nope, count me out," she muttered. "I don't like fancy dresses. I don't like feeling fancy. I certainly *don't* like the Parkers."

She tried to walk away, but Opal summoned her back. "Honey, I'm sorry. But you should go. What if Mya's trying to make amends with you, and this is the way she's doing it?"

Evie sighed, knowing she had a good point. She and Mya had gotten in a brutal spat that ended in disaster and Mya abandoning her and other girls for her grandparents. Maybe the side effects of their squabble had kicked in, and she was returning to her common senses.

Opal put a hand on her shoulder. "Do this for your girlfriend, Ev. It'll make her happy."

Evie gave in, and nodded. "Okay. I'll go. But *don't insist* I dress fancy, cause god knows what I'd do if people were calling me royalty."

Amira collapsed on her living room sofa, putting on her earbuds and listening to her music playlist, shutting her eyes peacefully.

You fell asleep in my car I drove the whole time

But that's okay I'll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine

I'm driving here I sit

Cursing my government

For not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement

"Ami! There's a letter addressed to you!"

At the sound of her grandmother's voice, Amira sat up, startled; her earbuds falling out of her ear. She ran to the kitchen, meeting her grandmother there. "A letter? For me?"

Dahlia ripped the envelope open, picking up a pink slip of paper. She and Amira read it carefully.

"The hell? Harlow and Ivanna want me to eat dinner with them and Mya?" She inquired, shaking with suspicion. "Something about this is screaming a bunch of *no* and *this is probably danger*."

Dahlia hugged her granddaughter, kissing her on the cheek. "You don't have to go, Amira. Whatever you decide, I won't complain."

Relieved, Amira nodded. "Thanks. But, I will go if Winter says she'll go. Ain't no *way* I'm letting my girlfriend get welcomed into a freakshow."

"Dani! Someone's mailed you!"

Hearing Rex's voice, Daniela ran from her bedroom to the living room in a split second. "Mmm? What's going on?"

Using a letter opener, Rex slit the top of the envelope and pulled out a pink piece of paper, examining it.

"Those Parkers and Mya want you to join them for dinner..."

Daniela gasped. "D-Dinner? Around H-Harlow? No... I'm afraid that's a hard pass."

Rex raised an eyebrow, baffled. "Why don't you want to eat around him?"

Too late, Daniela remembered that she had personally chosen not to tell her mother about Harlow's advances on her, out of fear she wouldn't believe her at all.

"Dani..." Rex started.

"Scratch what I said... I'll go. Do I have something fancy to dress with?" She swallowed down all of her fears. Was it just paranoia, or fear driving her thoughts? Yet, if her friends got this letter, she *had* to go with them.

*There's no way Harlow would try making a move on me.*

"You're in luck, darling," Rex told her. "I have my old blue high school blazer still in my closet. It should be a *perfect* fit on you! You're going to look so pretty!"

Daniela blushed. "Say no more."

"Winter! *Winter*!"

Upon hearing Mya call for her, Winter bounded out of her bedroom, meeting up with her in the hallway. She was surprised to see Mya looking at her so jovially, as they had kept away from each other since the fight.

*She's been so distant. Even when our parents said we should start acting more like sisters instead of rogues. Why is Mya so excited?*

"You've gotta read this!"

Winter snatched a pink paper from Mya's hands, scanning its text. Her eyes widened, and she shot her sister a hard glare.

"So, you want *me* to eat with *you* and *your grandparents* at their mansion?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Eating there was going to be *impossible*! Harlow and Ivanna weren't people she liked, and worst of all, they had been changing Mya's character into someone unlikeable.

"Please come!"

"No-"

Her phone buzzed. *Ugh, what is it?* Winter pulled it out of her pocket, noticing a text from Amira. *Hey, did you get a strange letter inviting you to dinner at Hollowleaf?*

*Yeah*, she responded.

*Well, I'll go if you want to go, Win. I wouldn't want to have you be alone.*

Winter smiled warmly, and like a switch, she changed her mind. "Never mind that. Amira's going, and I'm going to go with her."

"Good." Mya beamed. "I can't wait to see you there." She dashed inside their bedroom, and Winter sighed.

Now, she had to clear *her parents* - when it was clear they were uncomfortable with anything relating to Harlow and Ivanna.

She slowly made it into the living room, letting her sub-consciousness guide her to her parents. "Mom. Dad..."

"What is it, honey?" Asked Nita.

"The Parkers want me to eat dinner with them and Mya tomorrow night."

"**THEY WHAT**???" Both questioned at the same time.

"Winter, you *cannot go*," her father sternly told her. "Harlow and Ivanna are suspicious people. Who knows if they're cooking up some kind of plot in that mansion."

Winter clenched her fists in frustration. "Amira's going, and I don't want her to be *alone* there! I have to be with my *girlfriend*! Just let me!"

"No means no, Winterlyn," Patrick replied, using her full name, catching her off guard. "You're staying here."

"Pat," Nita soothed. "You're being overprotective. Just let her go. And besides-" She glanced around nervously, as if something was about to ambush them that very second. "You remember what Harlow and Ivanna told us. If we-"

Nita stopped. She had almost revealed *too much*. Winter looked at her in confusion, her ice-blue eyes searching her.

"Forget I said anything," she rasped, her knuckles pale. "You can go. Just be safe for us, okay?"

Winter nodded. "I'll be safe. Just don't dress me in fancy clothes. I'm not no prom queen."

The next night, the girls prepared for the dinner party carefully and elegantly.

Evie looked in the mirror, brushing out her shoulder-length black hair. "Looking perfect," she told herself. "No need for a dress."

Winter looked in her own mirror, making sure her short cut was smooth and refined. She smiled happily, and headed to the living room.

At the Fleckenshire residence, Dahlia slicked down Amira's short hair, brushing it out nicely with a comb.

"My, you look amazing tonight, love," she murmured.

"Naturally hot for my girlfriend."

Dahlia chuckled. "Oh, Amira. Sometimes your spunkiness gets me."

In her bedroom, Daniela brushed out the two strands of her hair hanging over her ears, then slicked her buntail down, making sure it was tied tightly. She smiled, and her reflection, only radiating joy, looked back at her. She had now adorned her mother's blazer, a royal blue with a pink undershirt and glimmering red bow fastened on top.

"Do I look pretty, mom?" She called to Rex, who sat on her bed.

Rex moved toward her, hugging her. "Yes. You're absolutely *perfect*, honey."

Daniela thought she was going to cry tears of joy. Her mother had hardly ever called her perfect.

"You really think so?"

"Hell yeah." Rex kissed her on her chin. "Let's get ready to join the other girls."

Meanwhile, at Hollowleaf Mansion, Harlow tightened Mya's bow on her chest, smoothing her hair and gazing at her fondly. "You're stunning, Mya. Absolutely stunning."

"Thanks, Harlow."

He patted her on her head. Then, much to her confusion, he kneeled down, a more serious look appearing in his hazel eyes. "Mya, this dinner party means a lot to you. But I have to ask something of you before we start this great feast."

Mya shivered hearing her grandfather's deep, regal voice. "Yes?"

"Be *kind* to our guests tonight. No hot-headed, petty squabbling like I saw the other day. It is in a Heartley's code to present *kindness* and *sympathy* to loved ones. Clear?"

Mya nodded. "Yes, Harlow..."

Harlow searched her, sensing something more she was hiding deep within. "Mmm... Mya. Something else is troubling you."

Mya looked away shyly, blushing. "I miss Evie's company, and I want her back... But I want to prove to her that I'm not being brainwashed. I want to make this night *special* for her."

"Special, you say? Well, I can help with that." Harlow moved up to Mya's ear, and whispered in a very convincing tone, "Be bold. Daring. Go above and beyond to show your undying love for her. Push your boundaries and push every button you have to go to that next level. And perhaps, offer her a *dance* she *won't forget*?"

Mya jumped up. Harlow's idea was *spot-on*. A dance was the perfect way to show Evie that she still deeply loved her. Evie would be smitten. She'd melt in her music choice, melt in her movement, kiss her gently like the autumn breeze... Oh, how she couldn't *wait* to do it!

"I promise to uphold this family's honor, Harlow." She bowed.

"That's a good girl," Harlow praised. "Come, now. We have preparations. Remember what I said, Mya - *push your boundaries*."

Ten minutes after, the girls arrived at the path leading up to Hollowleaf Mansion. At night, the mansion glowed with golden light, and small, wisp-like lights dotted the way up to the manor. The girls followed them. While Evie and Daniela walked calmly, Winter and Amira made it more fun for one another by becoming frogs and hopping along from light to light.

The two giggled and laughed, and Evie shot Daniela a glance. Daniela glanced at her.

We are the new Americana

High on legal marijuana

Finally, they reached the mansion doors, and knocked. The doors opened, revealing Mya, who was wearing her vest from the school party. Evie was surprised. *That brings back good and bad memories... Bittersweet.*

"You're here!" Mya exclaimed. "Oh, I'm so happy to have you over!" She shook Evie's hand, noticing her lack of a fancy outfit. "You didn't dress-"

"Fancy isn't my thing," Evie muttered, and she walked ahead of Mya.

Raised on Biggie and Nirvana

We are the new Americana

Winter and Amira walked in, hand-in-hand. "Hey, sis," Winter greeted. "Sorry for our lack of fanciness, couldn't find anything but our own swag."

"Damn right," Amira added. Mya raised an eyebrow, not knowing what they meant. Then, she turned to Daniela, and her jaw fell.

Daniela was the *only* one that, to her, understood the assignment. She wore a royal blue blazer with a soft, light pink undershirt and a ruby-red, *glistening* bow fastened on the collar.

"Whoa, Dani..." Her outfit was *breathtaking*.

"I know, right?" She squealed. "I'm so happy Rex had this. It fits me so well."

She walked ahead, joining the other girls as Harlow and Ivanna appeared from the kitchen, dressed in their normal attire.

"Welcome, girls!" Greeted Harlow. "We are preparing dinner right now. Feel welcome to take a seat anywhere you like, and get comfortable." He gazed at Daniela, locking stares with her, and Daniela looked away awkwardly, her skin bristling.

"Dinner will be done in fifteen minutes. You heard Harlow - get settled!" Ivanna said. She and Harlow went back inside the kitchen.

The girls found their seats, and sat down. Mya bounded ahead, sitting in the chair facing the doorway. Evie took the chair nearest to her, while Winter sat on her left, and Amira did the same on Winter's left. Daniela took the farthest seat on the left side of the table, facing Amira and setting her head down, trying to get lost in her thoughts.

Harlow peered out from the kitchen, his face lined with curiosity. "If one of you lovely ladies don't mind, we need a helper in the kitchen..."

"I'll he-" Amira was then abruptly cut off by Harlow, who had his eyes on one girl. Very *hungry* eyes.

"Daniela. Would you mind helping us out in here, *darling*?" Daniela cringed, hearing the way he emphasized "darling." But she knew he wouldn't let her say no, and so, she followed him reluctantly, unease building inside of her.

"Something feels off," Evie whispered to Winter, who shot her a glance indicating that she agreed.

Daniela walked into the kitchen slowly, each step feeling like she was going at the pace of a snail. She relaxed upon seeing how wonderful the kitchen looked, with plants hanging down from the ceiling, spices gathered neatly on a wooden shelf, and the kitchen appliances all neatly located within a step of each other.

Hiding her other worries, she brought herself to smile. "How can I be of help to you guys?"

"Please do get basil from the fridge," Harlow ordered her, his head tilted to the side. This baffled Daniela; what was he *doing* looking at her like that?

*He wants to make sure I do it, I guess.* She turned around, opening the fridge and grabbing the basil, which rested on a small tupperware containing leftover salad. An "I" was marked on it. *Huh. Guess this is Ivanna's leftover salad.*

As she picked up the basil, she suddenly felt *someone's* smooth skin brush up against her blazer, and she jumped back in surprise. She turned around, but nobody was behind her, and Harlow and Ivanna were chatting about something in a low whisper near the dishwasher, which was a few feet away from her.

For a moment, Daniela wanted to think that *Harlow* was the one that rubbed against her, seeing that he had interest in her. But no, that was crazy. Harlow wouldn't dare try to touch her without her consent again. She shrugged it off as the air conditioning, and handed Ivanna the basil.

"Thank you, Dani," she praised, and sprinkled the basil onto a delicious cheese pizza, which made her mouth foam with saliva, and she licked her lips. "Is that for us?"

"No," Ivanna responded. "It's for Mya, and *Mya only*. As she is our granddaughter, she deserves the best food from us."

Daniela frowned, slightly angered by her statement. Harlow and Ivanna were treating the other girls as *inferior*, and worst of all, they were spoiling Mya and giving her things they couldn't have. *No shock she acts like a selfish brat around Christmas time.*

"Then what's for us?" She questioned, partial revulsion lining her words. Surely they *had* food for them?

Harlow took her by the shoulder, guiding her to other sets of food cooling off on the countertop. "Finely cooked steak with green beans, angel hair with pesto, spaghetti with a notable lack of meatballs, and one grilled cheese sandwich."

Daniela almost wanted to spit at his face, now even more disgusted. For a seemingly *grand* dinner party, this was the definition of food you would find at a *wedding*. *Or a birthday party at one of those dumb birthday arcades.*

"And did you even bother to *check* with the other girls to see if they were okay with eating *that*? Are you sure that they're even going to *eat*-"

"Oh, *simmer down*, Dani," Harlow said far too smoothly, his eyes calm and persuading. He walked toward Daniela, backing her into the fridge, a cocky and mischievous look in his hazel eyes.

Alarmed, Daniela's skin boiled, and she raked an amber gaze onto Ivanna, pleading for her to do something to get him away. Adult men made her *uncomfortable*. Didn't she make that clear to Harlow?

"Harlow!" Ivanna lightly scolded. "Let Daniela breathe, and help me grind up this chocolate for the dessert later."

"Yes, dear." Harlow faced Daniela, giving her an apologetic nod, and he went back to Ivanna's side. The two kissed, and while they were busy, Daniela saw her chance and ran back out to the dining room, butterflies fluttering in her chest cavity.

"How did it go, Dani?" Winter asked.

"It was more *O.D.D* than anything," Daniela muttered, taking her seat and pulling her blazer tightly around her. In a low whisper, she revealed, "They're going to spoil Mya with basil cheeze pizza. On the other hand, we're getting steak, noodle pastas, and a depressing grilled cheese sandwich."

"*One grilled cheese*?" Evie exclaimed. "They didn't bother asking us about what *we* wanted! I'd eat my mom's food over this," she added in contempt. She *despised* her mother's Vietnamese food, but it would taste better than a grilled cheese sandwich. Cheese upset her stomach.

"Is that it?" Amira shared a dumbfounded look with Winter, their brown and blue eyes showing how appalled they were. "I was expecting biscuits, more meat, more veggies, something more grand than just *that*."

"Are you kidding me?" Mya said, her face bearing a huge smile. "We are going to be served! It's going to be great!"

*Yeah, I wish,* Winter thought. *At least you're happy, Mya.*

Evie rested her chin on the table, her dark green eyes dull. Seeing that Mya was glancing back at the kitchen, she pulled out her phone, entering her contacts with her parents.

*Mom, dad, I think I'm going to head out. This dinner party went more awry-*

"Evie!" Mya whispered to her. "Hide your phone. Harlow and Ivanna wouldn't want you on it. It's disrespectful!"

Evie rolled her eyes. *Since when did you feel entitled to tell me I can't vent to my parents?* She hid her phone in her back pocket, masking a scowl on her face with her arms.

Without warning, Harlow pranced out like a high horse, giddy and radiating positive energy. "Ladies, *dinner* is *served*." He bowed, and Ivanna held a plate with four slices of pizza on it. She handed it to Mya.

"First, for our lovely granddaughter, cheeze pizza lightly seasoned with basil." Mya licked her lips, and morphing into a hungry wolf, she gobbled the pizza down like it was nothing. Ivanna also handed her a glass of milk that was lying on a nearby table. Winter cast an eye on it immediately, her blood roaring in her ears.

That milk could be *spiked* with sleeping meds, for all she knew.

But Mya swallowed, and it become evident that she wasn't drugged. She continued eating and drinking the milk happily.

Harlow went back to the kitchen, grabbed a bowl, and set it down in front of Daniela. "For the royal one, we offer angel hair with pesto and butter, seasoned with red pepper."

*Pepper? I don't like pepper...* Daniela reluctantly took her fork, and ate a bite of the angel hair. Damn, it was actually quite good. *Okay, not as bad as I originally thought.* Her nose began to burn from the pepper.

Ivanna headed to the other side of the table, setting a gray bowl next to Amira's hands. "Madame, I now serve you some spaghetti in tomato sauce and cilantro. No meatballs."

*Hmm. Not bad. But my grandma can do better.* She grabbed her fork, twirling her spaghetti around in it, and it moved as gracefully as a ballerina dancer.

Ivanna grabbed a plate, and set it down next to Winter. "You have been served perfectly-cooked steak with green beans." Winter stared down at her dinner, her tastebuds taking off and fleeing for the next island near Washington.

*I don't even eat steak, what the hell?* She was about to reject the plate, but then noticed how happy Mya was, laughing at Ivanna's direction. She couldn't ruin that happiness, and sucking her doubts up, she began to dig in.

"And finally," Harlow concluded. "Evie. You get a very prized dish - one grilled cheese."

He set down the grilled cheese in front of Evie, and she curled her left hand up into a fist, struggling to contain her fury.

"Do I get anything else," she asked through gritted teeth.

"No," Harlow bluntly responded. "Savor the cheese on that sandwich, you will enjoy that it is pepperjack."

*Pepperjack?* Evie wanted to rip Harlow's eyes out. What kind of fool would serve her this? Mya turned to look at her, her leaf-green eyes sympathetic.

"Just try it!" She encouraged. "It's probably more delicious than you think."

Hesitantly, Evie took a bite from the sandwich, chewing it. It felt like she was eating *sandpaper*, and she almost wanted to spit it back out and storm off. But no, she didn't want to humiliate Mya. Her stomach growled, so she kept eating, trying to combat her hunger.

Daniela was halfway done with her angel hair, and had put another bite in her mouth. Her nose was itching from the pepper, and she sniffed.

She began to chew the noodles in her mouth. *Okay, just three more bites and then I should be-*

She cut herself off. Her noise was itching, itching very bad. She was being tickled by an invisible feather. Her insides froze up, and in that moment...

"*Achoo*!" She sneezed, sending some of the chewed-up noodles right in Amira's face. Amira winced, and Winter looked at her in confusion.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Daniela quickly apologized, her cheeks turning red. "Too much pepper on the noodles." To her relief, Amira chuckled.

"It's fine, Daniela. Don't sweat it." She wiped the noodle paste off of her cheek, and kept eating.

Amira raised a forkful of spaghetti to her mouth, and starting chewing it, savoring the taste of the sauce. Then, she bit down hard on something squishy - and *meaty*.

*Huh? A meatball?* Amira continued to chew it, and tried to swallow. Her throat tightened up, and she wheezed, trying to get the stuck meatball out of her throat.

"Ira?" Winter questioned worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just. That. There. Is a. Meatball. In. My. Throat!" She choked out between wheezes. Winter held her steady, and whacked her hard on the back. Finally, the meatball went down Amira's throat, and she collapsed in relief.

"Thanks, Win."

Winter nodded, and turned back to her steak, but Evie caught her attention instead.

"Didn't Harlow and Ivanna say they put *no meatballs* in Amira's spaghetti?"

Winter gasped. "You're right!" She whirled around to face Harlow and Ivanna, but their gazes failed to betray anything.

Sighing, she stabbed her steak with a fork, and started chewing it. But it tasted like nothing. Absolute nothing.

Winter's heart dropped. *They undercooked it! Were they trying to poison me?*

She almost wanted to roar at Harlow and Ivanna for their poor cooking, but seeing Mya happy, she kept silent, only staring at her plate as if she couldn't eat any more.

Tension built in the room as the girls continued to eat dinner awkwardly. By now, Mya had finished, and she laid back in her chair, content. Compared to the other girls, she looked like a queen.

Evie took only three more bites of her grilled cheese, then set it down, disgust building inside of her. She regretted being here, and wanted to be out, but how could she leave when Mya was blocking her only source of contact?

Winter, not wanting to make herself ill, didn't eat a bite of her steak and only had the green beans, which were alright. She shoved the plate aside and rested her head on the table.

Amira had eaten nearly all of her spaghetti, not another meatball in sight, and she tucked her hand under the table, grasping Winter's hand.

Daniela finally took the last bite of her angel hair, swallowing and pushing the bowl forward. She sensed someone looking at her, and turned to Harlow, but he was glancing straight ahead, fixiated on seemingly nothing.

Bored, she glanced down, only seeing her black boots rubbing against the wooden floor. Suddenly, she caught sight of a pale-skinned, wrinkly hand moving toward her thigh - Harlow's hand.

*Harlow's* hand.

Like the sting of a bee, Daniela swatted his hand away, shooting him a glare filled with venom and distrust. Harlow shrugged, and stared at a picture frame on the wall. Daniela moved to the edge of her chair, her heart racing.

After five more grueling minutes, Ivanna got up. "Hmm. I guess you four aren't as hungry as we thought." She took their bowls and plates, and headed into the kitchen, with Harlow following.

"It's dessert time!" Mya claimed. "I bet it's going to be chocolate cake. That's my favorite."

Evie heed little attention to her girlfriend, and laid her chin onto the table, shutting her eyes. *Take me anywhere but this place.*

True to Mya's words, Ivanna wheeled out a chocolate cake, decked out in fudge frosting and chocolate sprinkles. "Dessert is served," she commented. Using a cake knife, she cut a slice out for Mya, and put it on her plate. She ate it like it was the time of her life.

On the other hand, the girls got much smaller slices of cake that looked rather unappetizing. Evie shoved it away, Winter merely poked at it with her fork, Amira didn't even stare at it, and Daniela shoved her plate over to Harlow, who took the cake and began to eat it.

"Uh, my apologies, Parkers. But it's late. We should probably get going," Evie said. She motioned for her friends to get up, and they went to the door with her. Hiding her disgust and unease, she added "Have a nice night. We're going to go home."

"Go home?" Harlow scoffed. "Go *home*? Oh, you haven't even witnessed the great *spectacle* of the night. Nobody's going home yet."

His tone unsettled the girls, and his presence unsettled them more as he went to the doors, locking them shut.

Once he moved away, joining Ivanna back in the kitchen with Mya, the girls shared whispers between one another.

"I'm *really* creeped out," Amira whispered to Daniela. "This is the most insecure I've felt since *Shetani*. And that's saying something..."

"I don't blame you. Harlow terrifies me. I don't like when adult men pay attention to me," Daniela responded, her amber eyes containing only troubling emotions.

Then, the lights in the dining room dimmed, startling the girls. Ivanna stepped out into the dining room, pride on her face. She had an announcement to give.

"As you may know, we intended for more fun to occur tonight during this wonderful dinner party. And on one request and suggestions from my husband, we will have a moment of *courtship* between two lucky ladies tonight, complete with music from a very talented artist."

The girls didn't respond, and only glanced at one another blankly.

"With that being said." Ivanna cleared her throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, Mya Heartley!" Mya stepped out from the kitchen, followed by Harlow, and she gazed admiringly at the crowd in front of her.

This was *her night*. This was her *show*. She was in control, and no one was taking that away from her.

"Tonight, I want to do something very special with a girl that I love and treasure dearly. I want to invite her to do something with me that is bold, and will show how much undying love we have for one another. I know she will accept, and we'll fly away in the night tonight!" She proclaimed confidently.

She stepped forward, and laid her eyes on only one girl, the one girl who had done so much for her, the one girl that helped her realize she wasn't straight, and the one girl who was the cherry to her pie.

"Evie."

Evie gasped, her skin growing hot. What did Mya want to do with her?

"I invite you to dance with me."

Evie's face twisted. She wanted to *disappear*.

If there was one thing she knew, she hated dancing, and didn't know how to properly dance. To add insult to injury, Mya even knew this. She'd known for *years*. Another thought then made her feel even more sick and twisted - Harlow had *encouraged* her to do this.

That man already creeped Evie out enough. She wanted to run, but her feet were glued to the floor, and no words came out of her mouth.

"Ev, come to me," Mya called, her eyes full of pride.

Reluctantly, Evie moved up to her, turning to her friends, who looked worried for her.

*Why* was Mya listening to Harlow? She could *not dance*. This was a dance in front of a *crowd* - her own friends and Mya's grandparents - and that feeling alone was suffocating. She smiled weakly, but it felt forced to her.

Evie wasn't happy, but she hid it deep down.

"Alright, Harlow!" Mya exclaimed. "Hit it!"

Harlow grabbed Mya's phone, appearing to be on her playlist, and he tapped the play button.

Nightmares creep while you and me repeat

This bittersweet heat is suffocating

Mya groaned in annoyance. "Hey! That's the wrong song!"

"Oops," Harlow mumbled, going to the next song on the playlist and hitting play.

At once, a more ballad-styled song came on, and Mya made her move. She circled Evie, weaving around her flirtatiously, her eyes brimming with affection and romance. She moved her face up against Evie's neck, kissing her there. The euphoria was gone. There was no conviction, and it only made Evie's skin crawl.

Te amo, te amo

She says to me

I hear the pain in her voice

Mya took her hands, raising them up over her head, and she spun Evie around. She shook, regaining her bearings. Mya pulled Evie into her body, then shoved her out, leaning back and expecting her to did the same. She did so, but lacked the coordination, and was wobbly on her feet. Yet her girlfriend did not care, and fell back into Evie's arms. Evie struggled to hold her weight, blushing, already feeling a wave of embarrassment crash into her with the force of the ocean.

Then we danced underneath the candelabra

She takes the lead

That's when I saw it in her eyes, it's over

Mya grabbed her wrists, yanking her forward while she pulled backward, initating a square dance. Evie followed her, her steps uncertain and wobbly. Her body was trying its hardest to stop functioning. *No. I have to do this... I have no choice.*

Then she said, "Te amo", then she put her hand around me waist

I told her, "No", she cried, "Te amo"

I told her, "I'm not gonna run away, but let me go"

"Mya! You need to stop!" Daniela called out to her, but her voice fell on deaf ears.

Mya put more determination in her strides. She let go of one of Evie's hands, but placed another on her back, and swirled her around.

My soul is awry

Without asking why, I said, "Te amo"

Wish somebody'd tell me what she said

Don't it mean I love you?

Think it means I love you

Don't it mean I love you?

"Woo Mya!" Ivanna cheered, and Harlow put a hand on her shoulder.

"That's our granddaughter."

Mya, beaming with pride, felt even more confident than she ever did. She stepped back, grasping Evie's hand, and weaved around her like a passionate snake, wanting every last moment to be sweet and savory. She flicked her hair back, attempting to draw Evie's attention onto her.

Te amo, te amo, she's scared to breathe

I hold her hand, I got no choice, uh

Pulled me out on the beach, danced in the water

I start to leave

She's begging me and asking why it's over

Evie nervously nodded, forcing herself to smile once again. Mya twirled her outwards, then twirled her back in, and the heels of their boots touched. Mya pressed noses to Evie, grinning warmly. But something was off to Evie.

This wasn't *real love*.

This was *desperation*.

Then she said, "Te amo", then she put her hand around me waist

I told her, "No", she cried, "Te amo"

I told her, "I'm not gonna run away, but let me go"

But what was Mya so desperate to prove to her by dancing with her?

Amira could sense the pain Evie was going through right now, and hid behind Winter. "I'm sorry, I just can't watch this anymore... I can't see a person I deeply care about go through this."

Evie, in a low whisper, brought herself to confront Mya. "My, I know you aren't doing this because you love me. You're trying to prove something to me!" She said as Mya pressed her against the dining room table.

My soul is awry

Without asking why, I said, "Te amo"

Wish somebody'd tell me what she said

Don't it mean I love you?

Think it means I love you

Don't it mean I love you?

Mya chuckled. "You're so silly, Ev," she whispered back. "I'm proving that I love you, and that our bond can't be broken."

She pressed her face closer to Evie, effectively pinning her against the dining room table, her eyes pools of admiration and fire. Then, as swift as a bullet, she grabbed a rose from a vase, and put it in her mouth.

Listen, we can dance

But you gotta watch your hands

Watch me all night, I'm moving under the light because I understand

Evie cringed. This was being taken too far. Her skin had turned inside out, and she felt like a part of her was withering away.

"Mya! Stop!" Winter pleaded. "Can't you see Evie's uncomfortable?"

Like before, Mya paid no attention to her, and only on the love of her life.

That we all need love

And I'm not afraid

To feel the love, but I don't feel that way

Mya backed up, the rose still in her mouth, and she took Evie with her, moving with grace. She grabbed the rose, waved it delicately in Evie's face, then threw it up into the air. She yanked Evie forward, expecting her to catch it in her mouth. Oh, how romantic it would be!

Instead, it fell on Evie's nose, and she held in an urge to sneeze. To Mya, it was still romantic.

"Excellent, Mya!" Harlow praised. "Show her what you got!"

Then she said, "Te amo", then she put her hand around me waist

I told her, "No", she cried, "Te amo"

I told her, "I'm not gonna run away, but let me go"

Mya nodded, taking the rose and putting it on her vest. She ran back to the wall, then, with a surge of strength, came barreling toward Evie. Panicking, Evie veered left, and grabbed her wrists, and Mya ran around her, and around, and around, then let go, twirling away and landing on the ground triumphantly.

Evie only looked on, humiliated, uncomfortable, and lifeless. Her dark green eyes pleaded with Mya, begging her to end it now. The song was almost over anyway.

My soul is awry

Without asking why, I said, "Te amo"

Wish somebody'd tell me what she said

Don't it mean I love you?

Think it means I love you

Don't it mean I love you?

I think it means I love you, I love you

Mya strode forward, wrapping her hands around Evie's waistline and swirling her around. She then grabbed her wrists, and her feet wobbled from under her, causing her to be partially suspended in mid-air.

Te amo, te amo

Don't it mean I love you?

The song finally ended, and Evie let go of Mya's hands, stumbling around in a daze and attempting to recover from the minutes of embarrassment she was just put through.

"Oh, Mya! Well done, my love!" Harlow exclaimed.

"You're the best dancer ever! Not even your mother could dance like that, and I've known her since she was a teen!" Ivanna added.

They clapped. The other girls did not. In fact, they were just as weirded out as Evie was.

"Evie, that was amazing!" Mya murmured, starstruck. She put her hand on Evie's cheek and kissed her, square on the lips.

Without warning, Evie shoved her back into a chair, revulsion lining her face. For the first time that night, Mya finally noticed that her face was red, and her eyes were welling with tears.

"Ev?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"**No**!" She spat. "You just **HUMILIATED ME** in front of your grandparents and *my friends*. I have told you many times over the years that *I don't dance*! And yet your smarty-pants grandfather encouraged you to be bold enough to embarrass me..."

"But Ev, I did it because-"

"***NO***!" Evie snarled, shocking Mya. "You didn't force me to dance because you loved me. You did this because you *wanted to prove something to me*!"

Shame scorched Mya as she realized the extent of how badly she hurt Evie. "I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice shaky. "I just wanted to prove that my grandparents were great, and show how fun this night would be... I'll do anything to make you feel better, I promise-"

Evie slapped Mya on her face, hard, much to the stunned disbelief of her grandparents and her friends. "None of your damn concern," she muttered, tears falling from her face, and she ran into the hallway.

Dismayed, Mya stared at the ground, and Harlow and Ivanna flanked her. "It's okay, honey," Ivanna reassured her. "She'll be alright. You did your best."

Daniela, Winter, and Amira were left by the door. This scene was already becoming unbearable, and by all means, they wanted out of it.

Daniela cleared her throat pointedly. "Uh, hey. Where's the bathroom? I need to wash my face."

Harlow turned a hazel gaze onto her. "Left stairwell, door on the left," he said. Daniela nodded, and headed up.

Harlow then whispered something into Ivanna's ear, and also followed Daniela up the stairs.

While Ivanna was distracted tending to Mya, Winter and Amira nodded at each other, and headed up the right stairwell.

"I wonder what's up here," Amira murmured quietly.

"No idea. Exploring wouldn't hurt," Winter replied.

The two held hands, walking on the wooden floor, and finding a door slightly ajar.

Amira opened it, and she and Winter walked inside - finding a small haven.

This room was *clearly* Mya's. The bed had pink sheets and fluffy white pillows, with plushies tucked in between, and a table with a big mirror on top. The room was spacious, also having a floor rug in front of the bed and a dresser containing more of Mya's things.

"It's like she moved here... This is her *den*," remarked Winter, who looked around in amazement.

"Nah," Amira retorted. "Mya isn't here, but we are, and therefore, this is now legally *our den*." She flopped back on the bed, sighing. "Cozy."

Giggling, Winter joined her, pressing her lips against her neck in a delicate kiss. She rolled away, laying her head back. In her upside-down vision, she noticed a glass door.

Curious, she jumped up and pushed it open, and gasped.

The glass door led to a balcony - a *stunning* marble balcony - peering out over the edge of the mansion. Outside was the beautiful Hollowleaf Forest and the mountains in the distance. The soft mountain breeze drifted toward Winter, lifting the tips of her hair upward.

The forest glowed in the moonlight and starlight, its dark green leaves whispering to Winter, trying to call her, as if they wanted her to frolic in all of its beauty.

She heard footsteps as Amira joined her, also stunned by the sight. "Wow... This is beautiful."

"And it's a moment only we can have. It's just me and you, underneath the shelter of the balcony... What else could I ask for?"

"I know," Amira whispered. She walked up to Winter, grazing her nose against hers, passion in her every move. She took her hands, shutting her eyes. "Close your eyes."

Winter obliged.

"Okay. Now, this is *our* space, and we can do what we want with it. Where do you imagine us?"

"Running freely in Hollowleaf Forest, following the starlight and laying down in the grass, our love blooming once more..."

"Good start. And maybe, we howl at the sky like wolves for fun, and we laugh at each other, and fall asleep there..."

"I want to fall asleep right in your arms."

"I want to kiss you underneath this balcony."

Winter opened her eyes, and so did Amira. "Really?"

"More than you could ever know," Amira said. She moved in, kissing Winter's lips, and Winter immediately kissed back. Bliss filled their veins, and ecstasy coated them like lavender as they continued to passionately and happily make out underneath the moonlight.

I'd like to tell you that my sky's not blue, it's violent rain

And in my world, the people on the street don't know my name

In my world, I'm seven feet tall

And the boys always call, and the girls do too

Because in my world, I'm constantly, constantly havin' a breakthrough (hmm)

Or a breakdown, or a blackout

Would you make out with me underneath the shelter of the balcony?

Meanwhile, Daniela had no luck finding the bathroom. *Ugh, why do they have so many doors?*

She tried another door on the left, but the room was dark, and did not have the shape of a bathroom.

Frustrated, she went to the next door, trying the knob.

Suddenly, a hand flew over Daniela's mouth, and she flinched in shock, trying to shake off her attacker, but she couldn't. She heard the *click* of a door opening, and she was thrown roughly into a brightly lit room.

Her vision slowly unblurred, and she found herself in the bathroom at last, pressed against the white tile wall.

But another sight was present in front of her - and Daniela thought her heart had plummeted all the way to the bottom of her chest.

*Harlow* was staring at her, a lust in his eyes so strong it was sickening.

Her heart began to pound, harder than the sound of a drum. Her anxiety picked up.

"Harlow. Back up," she weakly told him. "Please."

"Why should I?" Harlow said in response. "I couldn't leave someone as *beautiful* and *charming* as you."

Disgust reared its ugly head, and it took hold of Daniela, making her clench her fists. She bared her teeth at her captor.

"Harlow. I told you to *back up*." Her voice was razor-sharp, and her point was clear.

Despite this, Harlow refused to obey her.

Instead, all of a sudden, he grabbed her wrists and slid her hands up against the wall, splaying her arms out. Any aggression Daniela had melted faster than sunlit ice, and tears formed in her eyes. She tried making a break for it, but Harlow's grip was too strong.

He laughed wickedly, smiling with the look of a madman, licking his lips.

"Oh, Dani... How foolish could you be to come here, knowing the way I feel about you?" He taunted. "You've made me realize that I've been having *cravings*. I've been wanting to do something I *shouldn't* do, and you were the perfect victim. Seemingly strong, but I know you well."

"No! You don't!"

"You *fear* adult men, Daniela. You fear when they come in contact with you and get close. But I'm different. You don't need to fear me, now... All I want you to do is to *obey* me." His voice tone became soft, almost more creepy. "This won't hurt one bit. Don't you trust me?"

"Harlow!" Daniela cried. "This is *wrong*! What you want to do will land you in *jail*, and you know the law and how messed up this is!" Tears fell from her face as she pleaded one last time.

"Don't violate me. I'm just a child. You're an elderly adult man. You know that I will not consent to you."

"Pah! Who cares about *consent*? In my world, *consent* doesn't exist!" He responded, a devious and cocky look on his face. "Love has no borders. And it'll allow me to do **whatever I WANT**!"

Without warning, he lurched forward, attempting to kiss Daniela on her neck. She gasped, and swerved to her left, missing him just in time. Harlow snorted, becoming more desperate to claim what he was longing to be his.

"Not going to play fair?" He told the petrified, shaken Daniela. "In that case, I'll get what I want another way."

Snickering, he concentrated his imposing, swaying hazel gaze onto Daniela, paralyzing her on the spot. Her body froze with tension, her eyes wide with trepidation, bulging with it. In that moment, Harlow made his move.

He took one of his hands and pressed it against her mouth, shoving her against the wall. Daniela tried to scream, but nothing came out.

Then, Harlow took his other hand, feeling her waistline. Like a venomous snake, he reached beneath her pink undershirt, his thin fingers crawling up her waist.

More tears fell from Daniela's face, and with horror, she realized something, something so earth-shattering and something so twisted, she thought she had just stared death in its eyes.

**ONE YEAR AGO**

*Daniela opened her eyes, blinking awake and finding herself sitting on the ground. "Huh? Where am I?" She questioned. She got up, seeing that everything around her was a glowing white.*

*Quickly, she realized that this was another dream.*

*"Hello?" She called out. "Anyone there?" Nervously, she walked forward, hearing the heels of her black boots hit solid ground.*

*"Yes," a voice suddenly told her. Startled, she glanced around, looking for the source of the voice. Nobody was there.*

*"Little one, I'm right here." This time, the shadowy figure of a man stood in front of Daniela, offering a shiny black hand to her. His eyes glowed in the void's light. "You could use some company while you're here."*

*Daniela smiled. She'd been suffering in her past dreams, alone, seeing gruesome sights no child should have been seeing. Maybe things were going to start rebounding. "Thank you, kind sir," she said. She took his hand, and while it was cold, Daniela began to feel at peace.*

*"You seem quite at peace for a kid so troubled." Shocked by how he knew her personal woes, Daniela glanced into his glimmering eyes. "How do you know that?" She inquired, an edge to her voice.*

*"I've been watching you for a while now. And it's perfect you've ended up in this dream... With me," the man responded vaguely in a snake-like voice. He snuck a hand to Daniela's waistline, pulling her close to his shadowy side. "You were way too perfect to pass up..."*

*Without warning, he placed a black hand over Daniela's mouth, and she tried to scream out, but it was muffled. She couldn't call for help now. Then, the man retracted his hand from Daniela's waist - and slid his hand up her shirt, grazing the skin beneath.*

*A terrible realization hit Daniela. This was not any peaceful dream.*

*This was a nightmare unfurling in front of her eyes.*

*"Let me GO!" At once, she kicked her opponent on his side, making him wince in pain. He took his hand away from her body, and seeing a way out, Daniela ran, and ran, and ran, the black figure in fast pursuit.*

*Her chest was heaving. Her heart was clawing inside her chest, desperate for air. She panted as she kept on going, determined to get away from a fate worse than death.*

*Then, Daniela hit a wall sharply, and she fell to the ground in pain. There was nothing but white space in front of her. She kicked at that space, watching as her boot struck an invisible wall.*

*Footsteps like horse hooves sounded from a distance, and they gradually got closer. Tears fell from Daniela's eyes. She tried to attack the invisible wall, but nothing about it changed.*

*There was nowhere left for her to hide.*

*"Come on now, Daniela," the man said. "There's no need to run away when you're right at home with me. Don't you just feel the pleasure in it all?"*

*"I'm not your toy! Don't take any steps closer to me, you sick freak. There's a fine line between consent and touch."*

*Hiding her fear, Daniela remained as determined as possible. However, the shadowy man gave a toothy grin.*

*"When you're in a dream, darling, those boundaries don't exist," he stated. "And that gives me free will to do whatever I want... Which means finishing what I started."*

*Daniela scrambled to her feet, fully pinning herself against the wall, horror in her amber eyes. Her body was shaking, her fingertips cold, her feet frozen. Any escape was fruitless now.*

*The void crumbled away, leaving almost nothingness. At once, the man made his move, using his slimy, shadowy black hands to pin Daniela's arms to the invisible wall. He pressed his body up against hers, breathing directly onto her face. She winced from the overwhelming mint penetrating the air.*

*Like the blow of a knife, the man delivered a searing blow to Daniela's midsection, and she screamed out, feeling her entire body turn inside out. She was breathing in extreme desperation. Exhaustion lingered in her body as she collapsed to the ground, managing to get up to her knees.*

*Fighting back more tears, she looked up at the man. "Why... Why did you do this to me?" She questioned, shaking.*

*"Oh, you were so enticing... I wanted all of what you had to offer me."*

*And with that, the man faded. Daniela was alone in a completely blackened void, and she broke down, sobbing, tears splashing onto the ground. She sat there, sitting against the invisible wall until her heart willed her to stop crying.*

*Crimson blood stained the ground around where she sat as she struggled to bear one of her worst fears coming to light.*

Daniela blinked open her eyes, her heart pounding now. Any second, Harlow was going to do the unthinkable to her, and win what he wanted to conquer.

Back then, she had let her dreams trick her into believing that she was a coward, a fool, and just too weak to stand up to anybody.

But no. She wasn't going to huddle on the ground, having been broken by a man. She wasn't going to give up. And she wasn't going to let this egregious mistake of a human leave her broken.

"You're wrong, Harlow," she growled through tears. "You think you can go on to violate me just so you can take advantage of my fears. You think you can mess me up. But you've underestimated me. I'm not weak. Everything that has happened to me will only ***MAKE ME STRONGER***!"

With a *roar*, she slammed into Harlow with all of her weight, and he fell to the ground. Snarling, Harlow tried grabbing her bow.

Daniela dodged, and with a swift rake, she scratched Harlow across his eye, hard, feeling her fingernails gauge soft flesh. Harlow screeched in agony, rolling away, some blood dripping onto the floor.

Daniela's heart pounded violently from what had just happened, and she struggled to breathe, her sights becoming blurry. She couldn't be here anymore, and needed to find someone - fast.

Quickly, she ran out of the bathroom and across the levels of the second floor, trying to hear for voices.

Near the right stairwell, she detected two voices. Much to her relief, it was Amira and Winter.

"You know what, Win?" Amira said. "Tonight sucked, and Harlow and Ivanna can-" She paused, briefly flashing her middle finger. "Screw off. However, I had you, and that's what matters to me."

Winter wheezed. "Ira, you're so creative." She moved forward, about to kiss her.

Suddenly, the door *slammed* open, sending a thunderclap throughout the room. Amira and Winter split apart, their faces red.

In the doorway was *Daniela*. Her face was raw, tears were in her eyes, and she seemed distressed.

"*Dani*!" Winter exclaimed. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay?"

"No..." Daniela rasped. "I'm not... Okay... I-"

She stopped, Harlow's attack on her already appearing in her mind. All the terror, threats, and her consent almost being violated. Her sights became blurry, and she clutched at her heart.

Winter dashed up to her side, taking her hand and gently guiding her to the bed, helping her to sit down. Daniela shook with terror, her mouth hung open in a state of shock, her usually bright amber eyes glazed over in fear.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Amira queried.

Daniela squeaked, a tear falling from her left eye.

"Ira. Get Ev. I'll stay with her," Winter instructed, leaning up against Daniela, who leaned back against her.

Amira nodded, taking off. A minute later, she returned, and Evie sped to Daniela's side.

"Daniela? I came as quick as I could. Are you okay?" She carefully questioned, trying to soothe her.

Daniela shook her head, her heart still racing, and she struggled to breathe.

"Easy." Evie placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're okay. We're not going to hurt you, I promise. Just breathe with me." She breathed, in and out, and Daniela did the same for ten breaths.

Finally, she sighed, and felt herself settling down, but her eyes remained full of tears.

Evie took her hand. "Don't worry, Dani. You're not the only one of us who's had a panic attack before." She recalled several panic attacks which her own mother, Opal, had driven her into having. Evie knew the symptoms very well - intense breathing, blurry vision, and chills.

Relieved, Daniela spoke for the first time in minutes. "Thank you."

Evie nodded. "Do you feel ready to tell us what happened now?"

Daniela glanced around nervously, at Evie, at Amira, then at Winter. These were her friends, and they were all looking at her lovingly. They really cared about her, and they were here to protect her. Daniela felt her confidence rebuilding, and so did her strength.

Daniela gave a small nod. "I am."

"Okay. Go on, take it slowly," Winter urged.

Daniela took a breath, then started.

"I went upstairs to look for the bathroom so I could wash my face. I was at this door... And then..."

"Then what?" Amira asked.

"A h-hand wrapped itself around my m-mouth... And threw me against the bathroom wall..."

The girls gasped. "Who was behind the attack?" Evie inquired.

Daniela shrunk. What she was about to reveal next would be *insane*.

"H... H... Harlow."

Winter growled under her breath. She *hated* that man with a burning passion, not only for his behavior around Mya, but for getting close to Daniela just a few days ago.

Daniela continued, her voice shaky. "Harlow was... *Pure evil*. He sa-said he wanted to do something he shouldn't do - he put my h-hands against the wall - and he said that he didn't care about *consent*-"

She sniffed, even more tears falling down the side of her face. Amira joined her on the bed, sitting between her and Evie.

"Take it easy," she whispered. "I know this is hard for you. You're doing good."

Grateful, Daniela wiped her eyes. "I-I couldn't do any-anything to escape... He tried to k-kiss me..."

"Kiss you where?" Evie asked, worriedly, her voice serious.

"My neck."

Winter was *livid*. How *dare* that *ugly* man try to *violate her friend's consent* like that? She gripped the handle of her pocket knife, which was tucked in her pocket, and only felt her anger build.

Daniela, tensing up, forced herself to go on. "He missed me... But... But- He-"

"You're okay," Winter reassured her. "You're okay, Daniela."

Daniela choked out the last of the words hiding in her mouth, breaking into tears.

"He slipped his fingers under my blazer and *touched me*!"

Mortified by the revelation, the other girls gasped. This was *inconceivable*.

*Even Shetani would never dare stoop that low,* Amira thought.

"I- I can't be here. Everything hurts... I want to *go home*!" Daniela stammered, burying her face in her hands.

"Dani." Evie warmly called her name, and she looked up.

"We're so proud of you for having the courage to reveal that. You're strong, don't you know?"

"Really?"

Evie nodded, her eyes compassionate and clear. "It takes a lot to reveal sexual harassment. It's very hard to do so because of the pain, trauma, and fear no one is going to listen to you. But you are strong and brave. *Very* strong for being able to tell us about what Harlow did to you - you're a *warrior*."

Through the pain in her face, Daniela smiled, and her friends all hugged her. "Thank you. I thank you with all my heart."

"Mkay. But we aren't done yet. We have to tell Mya what happened!" Amira said.

Daniela looked doubtful. "Will Mya even believe Harlow assaulted me?"

"I don't know, but we have to try." Amira turned to Evie. "Let's try telling Mya together. Winter, out of all of us, you know Daniela best. Stay with her."

"I will," Winter proclaimed. As Evie and Amira headed out, Winter snuggled closer to Daniela.

"Do you want to lay down?" She didn't need to speak any further, for Daniela laid on one of Mya's pillows and grasped Winter's hands in hers.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Winter," Daniela murmured. "You mean a lot to me now more than you've ever meant to me."

Winter smiled, gazing at her. "We may not date any longer, Daniela. The events that defined us are in the past... But tonight's reminded me of something..."

"What?" Daniela questioned.

"Do you remember my old promise to you?"

**TWO YEARS AGO**

*Underneath the green-and-pink castle structure at the park, Winter and Daniela had snuggled together, hiding from the boys screaming and playing above them.*

*Daniela looked up, nervous. "Will those boys notice us?" She asked, her voice dotted with anxiety, her skin tingling with goosebumps.*

*Winter rubbed her under her chin. "No, they won't. And besides, they wouldn't care about two girlfriends hiding under a park castle."*

*Hearing her voice made Daniela relax, but a pair of feet appeared from around the corner, and she gasped.*

*"You're okay, Dani," Winter soothed, her ice-blue eyes sympathetic. "Nobody will harm you. Not when you're with me."*

*Then, her stomach growled, and hunger tore into her flesh. "Ugh, hungry again? I'm... I'm going to ask dad for something to eat."*

*As she got up, Daniela grabbed the back end of her shirt, and Winter turned around.*

*"Winter, I don't want you to leave me here... the boys are still up there. They could notice me!"*

*"Then why don't you come with me?"*

*"I can't!" Daniela whispered. "They'll notice me with my glasses, and they'll bully me for looking weird! I've already been bullied in school-"*

*Winter, more sympathetic, hugged her girlfriend and patted her on the back. Recently, on recommendations of her doctor, Daniela had been told to wear glasses to "enhance weak spots in her vision." But to Winter, that didn't make any sense. Daniela could see around her very clearly, and it was likely the lighting in her classes that caused her to not see that well.*

*"You won't get hurt. I promise. Now, I'll be right back."*

*Winter walked away from Daniela, traveling across the park grounds and up to her father, who sat at a picnic table.*

*"Hey, Winterlyn. How's it going?"*

*"It's going great. Er, I was hungry. Did you bring any snack for me to eat?"*

*Her father glanced into his backpack, wriggling his hand around in there and pulling out a fruit bar. "Here you go, darling. Love you." He kissed her on the head.*

*Suddenly, a scream sounded near the castle, startling Winter, who shoved the bar into her father's hands. She realized who that scream belonged to - and her heart leapt out of her chest.*

*Dani!*

*Without even turning to glance at her father, Winter rushed off at the speed of a cheetah, dashing over to the castle and skidding to a stop. There, the sight in front of her chilled her to the bone.*

*A group of five boys had crowded around Daniela, who had been thrown into the woodchips and was in obvious pain. One of her fingers was cut and bleeding, her hair was ruffled, and tears welled in her eyes.*

*"Hey nerdy birdy!" One of the boys taunted. "Do you just sit there doing nothing in math because you're too smart? Hmm? Hmm?"*

*"I bet she goes to this special school where all she does is complicated work. Pathetic! She probably has no life," one of the boys cruelly remarked.*

*"No! I'm not a nerd! Stop... please..." Daniela's weak cry was useless, and a boy kicked her on the side of her face. Her glasses skidded into the woodchips, and with an unsettling grin, the tallest boy stomped on them with a boot - breaking them into pieces.*

*"No!" Daniela shrieked, crying out. She turned to Winter, giving her a burning look that asked her, "Why did you let this happen?"*

*Winter looked away, guilt filling her. Daniela was right warning her about those boys. They had likely seen her leave from under the castle, and took advantage of Daniela being alone - one of her worst fears. She shouldn't have left her until those boys had gone.*

*All because I was hungry.*

*But something new filled her. Anger. Rage. White-hot fury that burned her veins, made her clench two fists. She bared her teeth in a snarl, and stamped her foot, ready to charge into battle defiant.*

*"YOU FREAK ACCIDENTS STEP AWAY FROM HER RIGHT THIS INSTANT!!!" She roared, jumping forward. Alarmed, the boys backed up.*

*"If I catch ANY OF YOU hurting Daniela again, I will make it my life goal to make you suffer." To prove her point, she grabbed a large twig off the ground, and broke it cleanly in half.*

*The boys screamed and ran off in terror, not wanting to face Winter becoming a full-on beast. Daniela looked up at her, frozen in disbelief and shock, breathing heavily.*

*"Dani!" Winter exclaimed, helping her up and hugging her, shedding a few tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have left you alone... you were right. I put you in danger..."*

*Daniela sniffed, wiping away the tears from her eyes. "I don't seem to be that badly hurt... but my glasses-"*

*"Who even cares about the glasses? You can see me clearly, right?"*

*"Mhm."*

*"Then you don't need them, Dani. And don't worry about people bullying you for your appearance. You're already very beautiful, with or without glasses. To me, you're everything - through and through."*

*Finally at peace, Daniela sighed. "Thanks, Winter."*

*Winter wrapped her arms around her again, placing her chin on her shoulder affectionately. "I'm sorry for letting you down. I should've known better than to leave you behind." She looked at the ground, then directly into Daniela's eyes. "From now on... I promise to never leave you or abandon your side again. Whenever you need me, I'll be there beside you. I will never let freaks like those boys hurt you. I promise."*

*And for the next few minutes, Winter and Daniela snuggled back under the castle once more, out of sight, and out of mind.*

"I remember that promise," Daniela said. "What about it?"

Winter pulled Daniela closer to her by her shoulder. "We aren't romantically into one another anymore, and we've been at each other's throats many times. But Dani, what happened tonight made me realize that I can't forget that promise I made to you years ago. I'll *never* leave your side, and I'll always stick up for you and defend you. You're my friend, and you mean so much more to me now than you ever have."

"Really?"

"Yes, Dani. I promise you." She took her hands, cradling them on the pillow. Daniela rolled onto her, resting her head on her chest.

*You're so cute,* Winter thought.

Back in the living room, Evie and Amira were still looking for Mya.

"Where could she be?" Amira questioned.

Evie looked around. "Obviously not here," she muttered. "Let's try one of the bottom rooms."

They turned around, heading back into the dining area and noticing a small door. "Mya?" Evie called. "*Mya*!"

Suddenly, she heard footsteps upstairs, and in a flash, auburn hair ran down the stairs and up to her.

"Evie! I really can't talk right now, Harlow's hurt!"

The two gasped, momentarily forgetting about their task at hand. "What happened?" Amira inquired.

"Someone barged into him in the bathroom and *scratched his eye*! He can't see out of it at all, and it's bleeding... We don't know what to do..."

Evie's mouth fell open, and she began to feel ill. She turned to Amira, and both stared at each other.

"You don't think?" Amira whispered.

Evie nodded, knowing all too well how Harlow had hurt his eye.

Daniela.

Daniela *must* have scratched his eye in order to avoid being sexually assaulted. Mya had been told the wrong narrative, either by him, or by Ivanna.

"Mya, that isn't how it happened!" Evie blurted out, her dark green eyes deeply troubled.

At once, a stormy leaf-green gaze whirled to face her. "**WHAT**? *What* do you know?"

"What happened in the bathroom wasn't a deliberate attack on Harlow, Mya... It was something far more sinister..."

She stopped, unable to reveal Daniela's nightmare, but Amira finished for her.

"He followed Daniela, and threw her into the bathroom. Mya, he tried to *force himself* onto her! That's a *crime* in Pineshadow!"

Mya gasped, her mouth becoming twisted in horror, disbelief, and fury. "You're kidding me?" She retorted. "You have the guts to *say that* to my **face**?"

"Daniela scratched his eye because he was *sexually harassing* her!" Evie spat, taking a step closer to her girlfriend. She was a blazing wildfire, and she was fighting the stone-cold tsunami in front of her.

"Mya, Harlow's been praying on Dani since the confrontation at the park. He has a dangerous lust around her... He took advantage of her insecurity and tried to *violate* her."

"Nonsense!" Mya snapped, waving a finger at her. "Harlow is so much more kindhearted. He was *attacked* by Daniela on purpose, and it's because she's still that old *villain* she was! I'll prove it!"

She tried to go upstairs, but Amira blocked her, putting a hand on her face and watching as she ran in place, unamused.

"Uh, no. *You're* not going anywhere until we're finished telling you everything," she stated, frost present in her tone.

Evie joined her side, filled with tenacity. "Harlow tried to kiss Daniela on her neck. When he didn't get what he wanted, *he slipped his hand under her blazer and touched her*."

This time, Mya appeared to be listening, her eyes widening. "That... That can't be true! He wouldn't dare do such a thing!"

"It's true."

Mya's heart dropped like a stone as she turned around, numb, finding Winter and Daniela. Daniela was visibly shaken, and her eyes were peachy-colored from crying. She stared at her, freezing her blood.

"I'm sorry, Mya," she murmured. "Harlow was going to force himself on me and violate me. I didn't want to hurt him, I really didn't! I'm telling the truth!"

"Mya, Harlow and Ivanna aren't the people you think they are!" Winter added. "Now you know how bad one of them can truly be. You have to break things off with them!"

Mya could feel all the pain in their gazes, and she felt like she was crumpling. Was she actually foolish for rejecting their beliefs?

Any thoughts about change were then interrupted.

"Where is that *Daniela*? She owes me an *explanation* for scarring my *husband*."

Ivanna trudged down the stairs, helping Harlow down with her, and they faced the girls. Ivanna had a glare of cold blue fury, and Harlow covered his left eye, doubled over in pain.

"That *freak* clawed my eye!" Harlow pointed accusingly at Daniela, who cowered, and Winter growled at him.

"You were about to *mutilate her*!" Evie snarled. "Daniela isn't a liar, but *you* are."

"Evie, don't!" Mya pleaded.

"Oh, you think *I'm* a liar, Evie? That *I'm* the bad guy for being ambushed by a *maurader*? Then explain **THIS**!"

With a screech, Harlow took his hand away from his left eye, and the girls gasped, disturbed, *unsettled* by what they saw.

Harlow's left eye was a swelling pinkish-red, stained with dried blood all over. The eye itself was clouded over, and it dripped with tears. Some of the eyelid was also missing.

"Harlow..." Mya ran up into her grandfather and hugged him, her voice cracking as she said, "I'm so sorry. Please be okay, please be okay..."

"I don't know, Mya. Only time will tell," Ivanna said.

But Mya didn't concentrate on her, and instead, she ran up to Daniela's face. "You *rotten* fool! You could have cost Harlow sight in that eye!"

Daniela stepped back, unsteady on her feet, and she almost fell. "No! I didn't *want* to hurt him. But he was going to *violate* me! He *wanted to*. I could see it! I had to-"

"**SCAR HIM ON THE EYE**?" Mya's mouth dripped with saliva. "You are the most cruel, deceptive liar I've ever met! You lie about hurting others because you care for yourself! You learned *nothing*."

"**MYA**!" Winter barked, tearing her sister away from Daniela with rage. "She's telling the *truth*. Harlow isn't. You should have *seen* him follow Daniela up the stairs-"

"**HE DIDN'T FOLLOW HER**!"

Winter fell back in surprise, falling onto the floor and groaning in pain, dizzy. Evie and Amira helped her up, and Daniela joined their side. Together, they faced down Mya defiantly. Harlow and Ivanna joined the side of their granddaughter.

"Okay, then. We'll sort this out the hard way," she hissed. She stood in the middle of the dining room, drawing an imaginary on the line on the ground with her boot. "Step up to join me on this line. If you support me, join my grandparents. If you don't, join that *weasel* in the blazer." Daniela shrunk hearing the insult.

The girls stepped up onto the line, and with a slitted stare, Mya nodded at them to begin. Mya stepped back to join her grandparents, but as she did, Amira leaped over to join Daniela.

Winter and Evie hesitated. Winter dug her heels into the ground. Of course, her instinct was telling her to go join Daniela.

*I have to. She could have been left permanently broken because of Harlow.* Yet, she felt friction, and it was the fear of losing her sister to Harlow and Ivanna.

*I've already put up with so much for her. Should I just do the same now...?*

She was torn between two sides. The decision was hard.

Finally, she stepped across the boundary - onto Daniela's side. Winter had wanted Mya to be happy, but now, she wasn't the Mya she knew. She lacked a heart or humor, and instead, found solace in the mystifying darkness of Harlow and Ivanna.

This only left Evie as the last person on the boundary line.

"Well, Evie?" Mya questioned. "What's your decision? Me or them?"

Evie glanced back toward her, pain in her gaze, and she gritted her teeth, squeaking. Like Winter, she was torn between two worlds.

*Harlow is a monster. He hurt Dani. He touched her inappropriately, and I can't stand for that! But Mya... We've been through so much. I can't make myself distant from her... I don't want her to be mad at me... But Daniela was hurt.*

She flicked her gaze at her friends, then at Mya, then back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth again. She covered her ears with her hands.

*Why can't I do this?*

"You can't remain neutral, Evie," Ivanna sneered. "What, you think you can be a peacemaker and fix every situation-"

"I *can* fix this!" Evie retorted. "By making the right decision."

In that moment, Evie reluctantly tore herself away from the boundary, and stood with her friends.

She had just made a choice that would heavily impact her relationship with Mya.

"Evie!" Mya called her name, but she looked away.

"Then it's settled," Harlow growled. "You bunch of *heathens* get lost! I'll never forget the day of this dinner party and you ruining our honor! We'll make you pay for this. We'll make you pay for hurting-"

"*Harlow*," Ivanna lightly chastised. "Enough. Let the rascals go home."

Obliging, Harlow walked over to the doors, still in pain, and unlocked them. The girls dashed out into the night. He shut the door, locked it, and hid the keys in his pocket.

"Those fools. They have made one too many mistakes."

"How could they have hurt you like that? I can't believe Evie and Winter would believe Dani over you," Mya said, still in disbelief.

"They're foolish, Mya." Harlow put his finger under her chin. "You don't need them. Come, now. It's time we made a plan to deal with the *elephants* in the room."

Daniela followed Rex inside her house, nervously taking each step as if Harlow was going to suddenly appear and attack her again.

She then stopped, her feet planted firmly on the ground, her heart rate increasing in pace.

"Dani?" Rex asked, worry forming in her blue eyes. "Are you alright? You've been dead silent since the car ride."

Daniela shook, sniffing again, another round of tears welling in her eyes. She had forgotten that she would need to tell her mother about Harlow's advances on her - she couldn't keep it in anymore - and she had to know the truth, no matter how hard it pained her to reveal it.

She shook her head no. "Mom... Something h-happened at the mansion... I-"

Her heart throbbed, and she struggled to breathe. Rex, alarmed, sped to her side and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Dani. You're okay. Breathe. Everything's alright."

"No, mom. It isn't!" Daniela wailed. Rex nodded, unaware of what had happened, and she took Daniela to the sofa, helping her sit down.

"Do you feel comfortable telling me what happened?" She asked gently, rubbing her shoulder.

Daniela sniffed, nodding. "I-I have to." She continued.

"I went up-upstairs to wash my f-ace in the bathroom... And Harlow wrapped his hand around my m-m-mouth..."

"He did *what*?" Rex inquired, horrified, her voice spiked with concern.

"He threw me into the bathroom, and cor-cornered me against the wall... He wanted to do something he knew was *wrong*-"

She stopped, shaking and still crying. Rex held onto her, her blue gaze serious, yet full of love and understanding.

"Go on, honey."

"Harlow... He pinned my hands against the w-all... And... He tried to-"

She stopped again. *Mom won't believe me! This might be too crazy for her to handle... I shouldn't have ranted about this.*

"Daniela. You're *okay*," Rex reassured, rubbing her shoulder again. "I promise I'm right here. You can tell me anything you want to."

Daniela gulped, her body tensing up. *Please believe me.*

"Harlow wanted to k-kiss me on my neck... He m-issed me. But... But he wanted more... And- And-"

She broke down crying, the searing memory of him touching her cutting into her flesh, making her cry into Rex's blouse. Rex didn't know what was going on, but she knew her daughter had been deeply hurt. She put a hand on her back, pulling her right into her.

"Dani, sssh. Sssh. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm listening to you." Daniela looked at her, her gaze mired with stress and fear, and tears streamed down her face. Rex kissed her on the cheek.

She gently helped Daniela off of her, sitting her upright. "You're alright," she whispered, tucking down her blazer near her waistline.

Without warning, Daniela flinched away from her as if she had just been dealt a wound. Rex put a hand on her mouth. "My goodness, I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you???" She questioned worriedly.

"N-no," Daniela stammered. "I-I've been hiding the t-truth from you because I fear... Fear you won't believe me. But I just can't hide it from you, mom! You deserve to know what he did to me..."

"Daniela... I know you aren't lying to me." Rex looked at her, smiling softly. "I believe in you. You're doing great right now. What else did Harlow do to you?"

Daniela took in a breath, gulping again, curling her nails into the sofa cushions. The words formed in her mouth, and finally, she let out all that had been building inside of her in that moment.

"Harlow touched me on my waistline. He wanted to violate me... But... But I escaped." She shook, and found her cheek being touched by Rex, who looked at her fondly.

Much to her surprise, she looked impressed.

"Dani, words cannot describe how proud I am of you right now," she told her, light shining in her eyes. "You should have *never* gone through this - no woman should. Harlow is a *monster* that I hope to see *dead* for what he has done. But you had the strength to be honest with me, and that's what I love - sexual assault is never easy to reveal. You're going to be okay, and you're going to stay away from that mansion from now on, I promise."

"Really, mom?"

"Yes, honey. I'm really proud of you." She put Daniela's head in her lap, stroking her hair gently and smiling. In five minutes, Daniela was peacefully asleep, dreaming away the night. Rex got up carefully, and placed her limp body onto the sofa, throwing a blanket onto her. She went inside her room, returning moments later with one of her plushies, and she tucked it in between her arms. Her gaze went back to being serious, and she headed inside the kitchen, picking up the phone and dialing a number.

"Hello, Pineshadow Police Department? I'd like to report a case of sexual assault against a minor."

"Mom! Dad! I have something to tell you... And... It's going to be really hard to say..."

Winter had assembled her startled parents in the living room, looking at the ground and twiddling her fingers nervously.

"Winter? What's wrong?" Nita asked.

Guliping, Winter blurted out everything that happened at the mansion. Patrick looked like he was going to be sick, while Nita had become so pale she looked like a ghost in the household lighting.

"Harlow... Harlow forced himself onto Daniela?" She shook, and Patrick pressed against her.

"No... He can't have... He wouldn't dare-"

"**HE DID**!" Winter spat. "Dani had to claw his eye out in order to get away! She could have been left broken..." A pang hit her heart as she realized what she had to say next.

"Mya... She refused to believe Daniela had been assaulted. Harlow twisted the story to her, and she chose him over the rest of us... I don't know what to do!"

"We have to stop living in fear, Marigold," Patrick told his wife. "Harlow and Ivanna are up to no good. We have to get Mya away from them, and home safe with us."

"Shouldn't we call the police first?"

Patrick turned to face Winter. "We'll do it later, Winter. But right now, we need to get Mya back." He picked up his phone, reaching into his contacts and finding Mya, finding he had one message from her.

"What the? She's messaged me and your mother..." He scrolled down, and Winter peered down at the message. Her stomach began to twist itself in knots.

*All of this is temporary*

Winter, horrified, wobbled. "All of this is temporary?"

Patrick tried sending a message to her. However, it didn't go through. "Damn! She's blocked us!" Winter gasped.

"*Blocked*?"

"If she's blocked us, then this was no accident..."

Knowing what had happened, Winter and her parents all glanced at each other, apprehension building as the storm intensified around them.

Don't call me by my name

All of this is temporary

## Cast

* **Udo Kier** as Harlow
* **Dakota Fanning** as Mya
* **Pam Ferris** as Ivanna
* **Lauren Tom** as Opal
* **Peyton Elizabeth Lee** as Evie
* **Miriam Margolyes** as Dahlia
* **Zoe Saldaña** as Amira
* **Nora Dunn** as Rex
* **Eden Riegel** as Daniela
* **Mae Whitman** as Winter
* **Wendie Malick** as Nita
* **Trent Garrett** as Patrick
* **Eric Bauza** as unknown identity
* **Jim Pirri** as Edwin (unnamed)
* **Matt Chapman** and **Fred Tatasciore** as the five boys

## Songs

* Twenty Øne Piløts - *Tear In My Heart* (snippet)
* Halsey - *New Americana* (snippet)
* Defqwop (feat. Strix) - *Heart Afire* (snippet)
* Rihanna - *Te Amo*
* Halsey - *Clementine* (snippet)
* Halsey - *Bells in Santa Fe* (snippet)

## Trivia

* This episode is the second piece of *Evie and Mya* media to come with a disclaimer after *Behind the Bars*.
* This is the last episode to be released in January 2022.
* It is revealed that:
	+ Mya can write in cursive.
	+ Nita and Patrick are hiding something from Mya and Winter.
	+ Cheese upsets Evie's stomach.
	+ Winter doesn't eat steak.
	+ The dinner party was rigged by Harlow and Ivanna on purpose to build tensions between the girls while everything else went perfectly for Mya. Too much pepper caused Daniela to sneeze, Amira nearly choked on a meatball, which is what she didn't want in her spaghetti at all, Winter's steak was undercooked in a possible attempt to poison her, and little effort was put into Evie's food just to annoy her.
	+ Harlow is pedophilic and wanted to assault Daniela sexually in order to pry into her fear of adult men. However, Daniela mutiliates his eye instead.
	+ One of Daniela's worst fears is being violated at the hands of a man. She also didn't tell Rex about Harlow's previous advances on her out of fear she wouldn't believe her.
	+ Back when she dated Daniela, Winter made a promise to never leave her side. Her flashback also reveals that Daniela was the person she left alone in *Rising Tensions*.
	+ Daniela used to wear glasses after a doctor diagnosed her with weak spots in her vision. Despite this, Daniela is revealed to see perfectly clear without glasses, and it is possible the bright lighting in her classrooms caused her lack of sight in some instances.
	+ Harlow likely told Mya to cut ties with her parents.
* Harlow calling the dinner party something to die for is a reference to *The Lion King* in which Scar tells Simba that his surprise is "something to die for."
* When Evie remarks that god knows what she'd do if people were calling her royalty, she alludes to the Egzod and Maestro Chives song *Royalty*.
* After Amira is invited to dinner, she comments that she won't let Winter get welcomed into a freakshow. This is a reference to the 2018 Dirty Palm song *Freakshow*.
* Daniela's blazer is based off a jacket from *Star Stable Online*.
* The song Amira is listening to on her couch is *Tear In My Heart* by Twenty Øne Piløts.
* This episode marks the first appearance of Mya's party vest since *The Party* and the first appearance of Winter's father in a season since *Ex-Girlfriend*.
* As the girls walk into Hollowleaf Mansion, the ending to the Halsey song *New Americana* is heard in the background. This marks the first appearance of a Halsey song in the series.
	+ With Halsey's appearance, this now means all of Av's mainstream stans (including Rihanna and Dev) have appeared in *Evie and Mya*.
* Daniela calling her experience in the kitchen "O.D.D" is a reference to the song of the same name by Hey Violet.
* When Mya prepares to dance with Evie, she calls her the cherry to her pie. This alludes to one of Dev's verses on the Demi Lovato song *Who's That Boy*.
* The scene where Evie reluctantly dances with Mya parallels Prince Charming and Fiona's dance during the *I Need a Hero* scene in *Shrek 2*. It is also inspired by Amity and Luz's Grom dance in *The Owl House* and the music video for *Te Amo*, which appears in the episode.
* When Harlow is about to play the dance song, he accidentally plays a snippet of *Heart Afire* by Defqwop, which is very suggestive and racey in nature. According to Av, this was meant to foreshadow the moment he tried to assault Daniela.
* The song that Evie and Mya dance to is *Te Amo* by Rihanna.
* Mya being starstruck after the dance is yet another reference to the username of one of Av's friends on Discord.
* The song that plays as Amira and Winter make out is *Clementine* by Halsey. *Clementine* inspired the scene itself with the line "Would you make out with me underneath the shelter of the balcony?" - which Av found cute.
	+ The appearance of *Clementine* also marks the first time an episode has two songs by the same artist in it.
* Harlow ambushing Daniela is a parallel to the scene in *Euphoria* in which a drug dealer confronts Rue by placing a hand on her mouth and slamming her against a shower wall.
* The scene where Daniela is assaulted is a direct parallel to the 2010 Rihanna song *Man Down*. In the music video, Rihanna's hands are also pinned against a wall as she is assaulted by an unknown man. Following the assault, she chooses to kill her assaulter by shooting him in a train station. This is also similar to Daniela scarring Harlow over the eye in order to escape him.
* The Daniela and Winter flashback scene is inspired by the Halsey song *Without Me*.
* Amira stopping Mya and causing her to run in place is a parallel to the scene in *The Owl House* where Luz stops Amity from running away from Willow's memories.
* As Winter and her parents look over Mya's ominous text, the 2021 Halsey song *Bells in Santa Fe* is heard in the background. Its inclusion is meant to foreshadow Mya becoming an antagonist later on in the season.