Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(19)

“They tried to talk me into joining the dance team,” I tell her.

“The dance team looks fun, but it interferes with our soccer schedule. Obviously. They dance at the games,” Emma says.

“You should join the dance team,” I tell Emma. “That way you can go to the football games and the soccer games.”

“But there is also field hockey, basketball, baseball, swim team, and a ton of other sports,” Emma says. “The dance and cheer team are always super busy. I mean, it looks like they have a blast, but...”

Bryce.

It’s her unfinished word.

Being busy isn’t bad. I like being busy. And I have a feeling it would be good for Emma.

If only I could talk her into it.

“You should do it,” I tell her, then look at Bryce. “Right, Bryce?”

He looks at me, stunned, then looks at Emma. “Absolutely, babe.”

“He’d even come watch you dance,” I say.

He nods his head.

Ha.

I love that he’s scared I’m going to hack his phone records.

I equally hate that he’s scared of it because he knows Emma would dump him if I did. Which means he definitely has something to hide.

“Maybe,” Emma says, grinning genuinely for the first time... ever. At least, since I met her.

Emma is kind of gorgeous. Honestly, I think she might be the prettiest girl in this school. Her skin is pale, but more in a porcelain beauty kind of way. She’s got big brown eyes and long blonde hair. I could definitely see her hair up in a ponytail, swishing back and forth as she dances.

I finish up eating and walk towards my first class. On the way there, I text Brooks back.





ME: I’m not joking. I even went to homecoming with my brother’s best friend because nobody asked me. I was kind of a loser.





I hit send, then realize my mistake.

Crap.

It’s hard not to talk about Charlie to everybody, because Charlie is important to me. We did everything together when I was in Malibu. And now that I’m here, I miss him like crazy.





BROOKS: Maybe your brother ran all the boys off. I have a younger sister. She’s a freshman. I definitely warned all the guys to stay away from her.





ME: That’s awful! And Charlie wouldn’t do that. We are the same age. Well, he’s 3 months older. But he would’ve totally been okay with me having a boyfriend.





BROOKS: How is your brother 3 months older?





ME: Charlie is my stepbrother.





BROOKS: Oh. I thought your parents died when you were a baby.





Well, I’ve really done it now.

I’ve got to be better at this whole lying thing.





ME: They did.

ME: It’s a long story. One that is better told in person.





That way I have time to think of a lie.





BROOKS: Is that your not-so-subtle way of telling me that you want to see me again?





ME: Absolutely.





I enjoy flirting with Brooks way too much.

Seriously, I need to tell my friends about him. I’m lying about so much already.

But then I think about how both Estaine and Jason warned me to stay away from Brooks. Really, what is so bad about him? Is it just because he goes to our rival school? I’d ask, but then they’d know I was still talking to him.

As I’m walking into class, my phone vibrates again.





BROOKS: Soon.





And the thought of seeing him again, soon, makes me way too happy.

I’ve got it bad.





7pm.


He’s into you.





My first day of school is officially over.

It wasn’t so bad.

Except my first class of the day.

English with Mr. Anderson.

Okay, usually I’m not bad at English. But for some reason, my English class is a freaking poetry class. Poetry. I have never, ever understood poetry. And we have to interpret these poems. And you’d think, hey, you can’t get that wrong. Everybody interprets things differently, right? Wrong. We have to have a specific answer. And I hate it.

Also, Mr. Anderson is awful. He called me out in class twice. I mean, come on! It’s the first day! Stop making me answer things. I’m pretty sure he already hates me.

But now, I am hanging out with Zoey, Penelope, Samantha, Teagan and a girl named Layla.

Layla is on the cheerleading squad, and I guess that the cheer and dance teams are rivals. But Layla is the sweetest girl ever, and I’m pretty sure she would get along with anybody.

Emma was supposed to come, but I guess she’s hanging out with Bryce.

“So, Emma signed up to try out for the dance team,” Samantha tells us.

“Wow. That’s great,” I say.

“I didn’t think she would actually follow through,” Teagan says.

“If she makes the team, do you think she would flake on us half-way through the season?” Zoey asks.