Elite (Empire High, #2)(7)

“I know.” She wiped away any tears before they could even fall. “It’s just been a really hard week.”

“I know. I miss him so much.”

“Ahem,” someone said from behind us.

I closed my eyes and prayed that it wasn’t Isabella. Even though I already knew it was. It took every ounce of energy I had left to unwind my arms from around Kennedy.

Isabella was standing there, surrounded by her minions, with a smile as fake as her father’s. “Hey, Sissy.”

Sissy? So…fake friendly was how she was going to approach this? Great. “Hey. I should get to class.”

“Not so fast.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I wanted to invite you to sit with me at lunch. You can both come, I guess,” she said and smiled at Kennedy too.

I knew the friendliness behind the lunch invite was fake. She knew it was fake. But she was still doing it. And I was beyond shocked. Apparently the only person Isabella listened to and respected was her father.

“Um…” I didn’t really know what to say.

“Come on,” Charlotte said. “It’s going to be so much fun getting to know you better.”

This was the same minion who always got me in trouble in class. The same one that said she’d make me disappear. She was almost as bad as Isabella. Almost.

“Maybe another day,” I said.

Isabella flashed that smile at me again. “Daddy wants us to get to know each other better.” She reached out and grabbed my hand. “Pretty please? I’ve always wanted a sister. And that new blazer looks so cute on you. I’m so glad it fits. Oh my goodness, I just realized we’re going to get to share all our clothes!”

Ew. Just…ew. “Yeah, sure.” All I wanted was for her icy fingers to release me.

“Great. Later, babes.” She blew us each a kiss and then clicked away in her high heels.

“Daddy?” Kennedy said and pretended to gag. “Gross.”

“Yeah.” I opened up my locker and pulled out a few things. Most of my books were at Kennedy’s place.

“We’re not really going to sit with her at lunch, right?” Kennedy asked. “Because all that was over the top fake. And if I hear her say Daddy again I will actually hurl. Especially if I’m eating.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t buying it.”

“Definitely not.”

She pulled a folded-up piece of paper out of her blazer pocket and handed it to me. “Before I forget…Matt summoned you.”

I laughed. “How do you know that?”

“I accidentally read it.”

“Accidentally?”

She shrugged. “He wants you to meet him outside.”

“But class is about to start.”

She winked at me. “Looks like you’re not going to your first class today. Later, babes.” She blew me a kiss just like Isabella, pretended to gag again, and disappeared into the crowded hallway.

The bell was going to ring any minute. I opened up the note.



I think we have something more important to do than first period. Don’t leave me hanging. I can only steal James’ car one more time before he completely loses it.



I folded the note and slid it into my blazer pocket. He didn’t have to ask me twice. I thought being back at Empire High would be comforting. But it just made me miss my uncle even more. I kept thinking I’d see him like it was a regular day. Just thinking it made it hard to breathe.

Matt was the only person who could make me feel better. Missing a class or two was worth it if I could spend the morning in his arms. Or whatever he had planned. It would certainly be better than this.





Chapter 4


Friday

Matt was leaning against the side of James’ Benz, staring down at his phone. Him showing up each night after my uncle died was the only thing that had held me together. And if I was being truly honest with myself, just seeing him in the hallways when I first moved to the city had held me together too. Without him I’d still be in pieces.

I ran down the front steps. He looked up from his phone just in time to catch me as I launched myself into his arms.

He held me tight, not letting me put my feet back to the ground. “I’m sorry about last night,” he whispered into my hair. “I went to their apartment and Mr. Pruitt just kept saying you weren’t there. He wouldn’t tell me where you were. He wouldn’t even let me up. And then this morning when he left, he said you’d be at school.”

“Wait.” I unwrapped my arms from around his neck so I could look at him. “You stayed outside the Pruitt’s apartment all night?” I stared at the dark circles under his eyes.

“I thought he was lying,” Matt said. “I didn’t want to leave just in case you were up there. I wanted to make sure you knew you weren’t alone. And I called that number you called me from about a million times, but no one answered.”

Miller probably wasn’t thrilled about all those calls. But I didn’t care about Miller. Or Mr. Pruitt being annoyed. Or any of that. Matt had camped out on a city sidewalk because he was worried about me. He wanted to be there for me even though he couldn’t hold me in his arms. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard of. And that was all I cared about.