In the Age of Love and Chocolate (Birthright #3)(18)

Another girl was exiting the office with a red nose and dried blood around her nostrils. Her mother had her arm around her shoulders.

“Your sister is an animal,” the mother said to me.

I didn’t know what had happened, but I wasn’t about to let that woman insult Natty. “That’s not called for,” I said. “It looks like they both got hurt.”

“Everyone knows what type of people you come from,” the mother said.

She was leaving. I should have let her leave, but at the last minute I called out, “Oh yeah, what type of people?”

“Scum,” she said.

I began to ball my hand into a fist, and then I reminded myself I was a prominent business owner and an adult and above such violent shenanigans. I let my fist unfurl. While I was busy taking the high road, Natty charged at the woman. I was barely able to hold Natty back.

“Just go,” I said to the woman. “Go.”

“Before you even say anything,” Natty said, “that girl came at me first.”

“What happened?”

“So I’m in Mr. Beery’s class, and we’re studying Prohibition.”

God, I could already see where this was going.

“And then he says, ‘The best criminals are the ones that decide to use the law to their advantage. Take Natty’s sister…’ And then I’m screaming in Mr. Beery’s face about how you’re the opposite of a criminal. And he sends me to Headmaster’s office.”

Why hadn’t the school fired this man? “Natty,” I said, “you can’t fight with everyone who decides to call me a name.”

She rolled her dark green eyes at me. “I know, Anya.”

“I don’t understand. How did the other girl get involved?”

“I have lunch after Beery, and then Beginners’ Fencing. And all through Fencing, the girl is making cracks about how I’m too much of a baby to control myself and how Pierce must like babies. She’s his ex, so she has it in for me. And then we’re sparring with each other, and she keeps talking crap, and I pull her mask off and punch her in the face. And she pulls mine off, and that’s how I got scratched.”

The secretary poked his head out of his office. “Balanchines. Headmaster will see you now.”

The scene with Headmaster was one I’d starred in many times before. Natty was suspended for a week. If her grades hadn’t been so stellar, her punishment probably would have been worse.

I dropped Natty off at home. “I have to go back to work. We’ll talk about this later. I don’t want you to go anywhere. Understood?”

“Whatever.”

“I’m on your side, Natty, and more than that, I can relate. Remember the first day of my junior year?”

“You dumped an entire tray of lasagna over Gable Arsley’s head.” She laughed a little. “He deserved it, too.”

“He did, but I still shouldn’t have done it. I should have gone to him or his parents or Nana or Mr. Kipling with my grievance. Please, Natty, look at me. Nothing in my life or anyone else’s has ever been improved by violence or fighting.”

“I need a speech from you right now like I need a hole in my head.” Natty sighed. “Why are we like this? Why are we so out of control?”

“Because terrible things happened to us when we were young. But it gets easier, Natty, I swear to God. And it will get even easier for you because you’re so much smarter than me. Not to mention, your hair is naturally straight.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Do you have any idea how much work it is to get my hair straight? I’m in a constant battle with frizz. It’s a wonder I haven’t murdered someone.” I kissed her on the cheek. “Everything’s going to be fine, you’ll see.”

“I’m tired, Annie. I think I’m going to take a nap, if that’s okay.” I didn’t feel superconfident that my talk had done much for her, but I figured I could improve on it later.

* * *

When I got home that night (or I should say morning—it was nearly three a.m.), Natty wasn’t there. She had left a message on my slate, which she knew I never brought with me anymore: Out with Pierce. It was way past city curfew, and she had explicitly ignored my instructions.

I paced around the foyer and tried to decide what to do. As a minor, Natty didn’t have a cell phone, and if I called the police, she’d be in trouble with the law. I looked around her room for Pierce’s number. I found a pack of condoms in her nightstand—was my baby sister having sex with this boy? On some level, I didn’t even want to know. And then I did finally locate Pierce’s phone number in her desk drawer.

He answered sleepily. “Pierce.”

“Hello, Pierce. Is my sister with you?”

“Yeah, she’s here. I’m handing her the phone right now.”

“What?” Natty said.

“Are you kidding me? Where are you? Do you have any idea what time it is?” I wasn’t even trying not to yell.

“Relax, Anya. I’m with Pierce—”

“Obviously.”

“I fell asleep here. It isn’t a big deal. Nothing happened. I’ll be home in the morning.”

“Are you kidding me? You are fourteen years old! You can’t up and spend the night at your boyfriend’s house.”