Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(12)

“Exactly,” Landon says.

From the corner of my eye, I see Jason walk over to us and sling his arm around me.

“Hey, Bae,” Jason says. “What’s up?”

“Why do you insist on calling me by that stupid term of endearment?” I ask, removing his arm from around my shoulders, and scooting at least a foot away from him.

“Because I know it annoys you. Duh,” he answers. “Sup, Landon?”

“Hey, Thor,” Landon says. “How was your summer?”

“You know my dad... I spent the summer interning at his company,” Jason says. “It sucked, but at least his company is based out of Manhattan. I got to go to The Hamptons every weekend. It was sweet. What about you?”

“Spent a few weeks in Bora Bora, a month in Japan, a few weeks in France, and the last of my summer was spent in the city,” Landon tells him. “It was awesome.”

That does sound awesome.

My family travels a lot in the summer when we can, but my dad has been so busy in D.C. and my stepdad just took over another company, so Charlie and I spent the majority of the summer on the beach. Not that spending the summer in Malibu is a hardship or anything, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Charlie and his friends like to surf. I do, too, but I’m not that good at it. Charlie gave me some pointers, and I tried to go out with him every morning and do it. My mom always tells me that I’m too pale, because I spend a lot of time on my computer. It’s not that I want to be on my computer all the time, it’s just I’m not so good at making myself go out.

Boarding school will definitely be good for me. It’ll force me out of my anti-social bubble. It already has, some.

Jason and Landon are both looking at me, and I realize now that they asked me a question, but I have no idea what, because I was not paying attention.

“I’m sorry, what?” I ask.

Thankfully, Estaine walks up during the very painful and awkward conversation and rescues me.

The three of them start talking and I pull out my phone, so at least I have an excuse to zone out. I have a couple of texts.





MOM: Call me when you get a chance. I want to hear about boarding school!





I make a mental note to call her and dad in the morning.





UNCLE MATTY: Training starts in the morning at 05:00. Don’t be late.





I groan.

Seriously?

Five in the morning.

Does he not realize that I am a teenager, and teenagers need sleep. Especially on the weekends.

So.

Not.

Fair.

But, then again, it’s also not fair that my life was turned upside down by a group of psychos either. When is my life ever fair?





11pm.





Definitely worse.





After the mixer, Teagan and I go back to our dorm room and just hang out. A few people said something about going to hang out at the docks, where I still haven’t been, but Estaine said he wasn’t going until tomorrow night, so I’ll wait until then, too.

“So, what’s the deal with the docks?” I ask Teagan, as I put my hair into a bun on top of my head. It feels good to put my hair up, after having it down all day.

“It’s just where we hang out. I’m not sure who started it, but I’ve hung out there since I was a freshman. It’s hidden away from the school, and we’ve never gotten caught out there,” she says. “The curfew at this school is kind of ridiculous. I mean, eleven on the weekend and ten through the week? I haven’t had a curfew since I was ten years old.”

“Me, either,” I say.

Really, since I can remember, my parents have let me do whatever I want, as long as they know where I am or who I’m with. Though, considering I was usually with Charlie, they always knew I was safe.

Teagan is about to say something else when our door busts open and Emma comes through. She’s been crying, and there is mascara running all down her face. She walks right over to Teagan’s bed and Teagan wraps her arms around her friend.

“What did he do this time?” Teagan asks her.

I’m assuming the he she’s referring to is Bryce.

“He was... flirting...” sob, “with...” sob, “Paige...”

Paige.

That was the snobby girl from earlier.

Why would anybody want to flirt with her? I mean, yeah, she’s gorgeous, but beauty fades. Her bad attitude is forever.

“They deserve each other,” I say.

Teagan’s eyes widen as she looks at me.

Guess that was the wrong thing to say.

I clear my throat. “I mean, you deserve so much better than Bryce.”

“You’re right,” Emma says, sitting up. “I do deserve better. Bryce is a terrible boyfriend.”

“So dump him,” I say.

“But... I love him,” she says.

Teagan just rolls her eyes.

I’m beginning to see why she didn’t room with the girl. If this is how she is every night, I feel sorry for her roommate.

“You’re sixteen. You’ll find love again,” I say. “Preferably with somebody who isn’t a complete jerk.”