Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2)(85)

When they reached the bottom, Gable got down on one knee.

“Oh no,” Natty said. “I think Gable’s proposing again.”

I dismissed her. “Gable wouldn’t do that here.”

“He is. Look, he’s taking a little jewelry box out of his pocket,” Natty said.

“Romantic,” Noriko said. “So romantic.” And I imagine it did look romantic if you didn’t know either of the parties involved.

“Poor Scarlet,” I said. “She must be so embarrassed.”

At that moment, a cheer went through the gymnasium. We were sitting toward the back, so I could no longer see Scarlet or Arsley. “What?” I asked. “What just happened?” I stood.

Scarlet and Arsley were kissing. He had his arms around her.

“Maybe she’s letting him down easy?” I said. But even as I said it, I knew that she wasn’t.

After graduation was over, I scrambled to the front to find Scarlet but she’d already left. I spotted Scarlet and her parents outside. They were standing in a coven with Gable Arsley’s parents. I grabbed Scarlet’s hand and pulled her away.

“What is wrong with you?” I asked as soon as I’d gotten her alone.

Scarlet shrugged. “I’m sorry, Annie. I knew how you’d feel but … with the baby coming, I just got worn down.” She sighed. “I’m worn out. I even wore flats to graduation. Can you imagine me—”

“I told you that you could stay with me!”

“Could I really? It’s a nice offer, Annie, but I don’t think I could. Leo’s wife is there. And Leo will be back. And there won’t be any room for me and a baby.”

“Yes there will, Scarlet! I’ll make room.”

She didn’t say anything. Even in flats, she was taller than me. She looked over my head. She didn’t seem to be looking at anything specific other than not at me. Her expression was even and the set of her mouth was firm.

“Scarlet, if you seriously marry Gable Arsley, you and I won’t be friends anymore.”

“Don’t be dramatic, Annie. We’ll always be friends.”

“We won’t,” I insisted. “I know Gable Arsley. If you marry him, your life will be ruined.”

“Well, then it’s ruined. It was already ruined,” she said calmly.

Gable came up to us. “I assume you’re here to congratulate us, Anya.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I don’t know how you’ve fooled her, Gable. What you did to make her change her mind.”

“This isn’t about Scarlet. It’s about you, Anya. Like it always has to be,” Gable said calmly.

Not for the first time, I wanted to smack him across his face. Suddenly, I felt Natty’s hand in mine.

“Let’s go,” she whispered.

“Goodbye,” Scarlet called.

My jaw wobbled like a three-legged stool, but I did not cry.

“Anya, we aren’t children anymore!” Scarlet said.

In that moment, I hated her—for implying that the reason I objected to her marrying that sociopath was because I was somehow stunted and pathetically suspended in childhood. As if I hadn’t been forced to do away with childish things years ago. “Do you mean because we graduated or because you’re knocked up?” Even as I said it, I knew it was cruel.

“We didn’t graduate!” Scarlet yelled back. “I graduated. And for the record, my job title is not Professional Best Friend to Anya Balanchine!”

“If it were, you’d be fired!”

“Okay,” Natty said. “You two really need to stop now. You’re both being awful.” Natty went up to Scarlet and embraced her. “Congratulations, Scarlet for … um … making a decision that you’re happy with, I guess. Come on, Annie. We need to get going.”

After graduation, Natty and I went to a celebratory brunch at Win’s parents’ place. I was still preoccupied from my argument with Scarlet, and I spent the whole meal brooding. Just before dessert, Win’s father tapped his knife against his glass and stood to make a speech. Charles Delacroix liked making speeches. I’d heard more than enough of them in my life so I didn’t feel the need to pay attention to this one. Finally, it seemed like we’d stayed long enough that it wouldn’t be rude to leave.

“Don’t leave yet,” Win said to me. “You’ll just go home and brood over Scarlet and Arsley.”

“I’m not brooding.”

“Come on,” he said. “Don’t you think I know you a little bit?” He smoothed out the furrow that must have formed between my eyebrows.

“That’s not the only thing I’m brooding about, you know,” I objected. “I’m very deep and my problems are vast.”

“I know. At least one of them isn’t that your boyfriend is moving away to go to college.”

I asked him what he meant.

“Didn’t you pay any attention to my dad’s speech? I’ve decided to stay in New York for college. It means going to Dad’s alma mater, which pleases him. I’d rather not do anything to please him, but…” Win shrugged.

I took a step back. “You can’t mean that you’re staying here on my account?”