Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(20)

“Maybe,” Teagan answers. “But she needs this bad.”

Everybody agrees.

“I just don’t understand why Emma is with Bryce,” Layla says. “She’s such a sweet girl. And Bryce is... a scumbag. He’s talking to half the girls on the cheerleading squad. I just don’t understand what any of them see in him.”

“Me, either,” Teagan says.

Definitely not.

I don’t get the fascination. Especially considering there are a lot of good looking guys at our school.

“So, what’s the deal with the whole East Raven versus West Raven?” I ask, changing the subject.

I’m tired of talking about Bryce.

“Originally, it was just Raven Academy,” Penelope answers. “It was founded by Prescott and Lawrence Raven in 1902. The story is that the two brothers got into a huge fight and so they split up the school in 1912. It then became East Raven and West Raven. They split the property down the middle. Prescott ran the east side and Lawrence ran the west.”

“Wait, so West Raven literally is attached to the East Raven property?” I ask.

“Yeah. Well, a road now splits it up,” Zoey says. “But it’s right across the road.”

“I guess I get the rivalry a little better now,” I say. “I just don’t like it. There are probably nice people at West Raven.”

“I have friends at West Raven,” Layla says. “They’re not bad. We just pretend to hate each other at the games and stuff. It’s fun.”

Estaine had said something similar.

“Okay. So, if I was friends with somebody from there, it wouldn’t be a big deal?” I ask.

“Of course not,” Teagan answers.

Good.

Because, seriously. The last thing I want is my friends to be mad at me because I’m friends with Brooks.

The girls start gossiping about the first day, so I pull out my phone real quick to see if I have a text from Brooks.

We’ve been texting all day. I have a few texts waiting for me.





CHARLIE: Call me tonight. I miss you and need to hear your voice.





Yeah, ditto.

I miss my brother so much.





ME TO CHARLIE: Absolutely. I’ll call around 10pm my time.





I look at the other messages.





ESTAINE: Want to hang out?





BROOKS: What are you doing? Meaning, I hope you’re doing nothing because I want to video chat with you and see your beautiful face.





OMG.

He thinks I’m beautiful.

Gah.





ME TO BROOKS: It’s girls’ night. I’m hanging out with my friends. Maybe you know them? Teagan, Zoey, Penelope, Samantha and Layla. Anyway... raincheck? Because even though I think you’re delusional for telling me I have a beautiful face, I still want to video chat.





ME TO ESTAINE: Can’t tonight. It’s girls’ night!





Just as I hit send, my phone is yanked from my hands.

“Hey!” I protest.

“Estaine,” Teagan says, grinning at me as she passes my phone back. “You’re smiling really big.”

Oh, thank God.

They think I’m this happy because I’m texting Estaine.

I’m not quite ready to tell them about Brooks yet.

“We’re just friends,” I say.

It’s the truth.

Estaine is very attractive. And he’s a nice guy. But he’s not Brooks.

“So, you can tell me you’re not at least a little attracted to the guy?” Teagan asks.

“Of course I’m attracted to him. The guy is a walking Abercrombie ad,” I say.

“I knew it!” she says, pumping her fist up.

“Aw, you two will make a cute couple,” Penelope says.

“I know, right?” Teagan says. “I so knew Estaine was crushing on you.”

“You think?” I ask, genuinely curious.

I’m not very good at knowing if a guy is into me. Unless the guy is very direct about it, like Brooks is. And even with Brooks I’m unsure if he really does like me.

“Absolutely,” Teagan answers. “Besides, why else would he want to hang out?”

“Because we’re friends,” I say. “Friends hang out.”

“Just trust us,” Penelope says. “He’s into you.”

Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.





10pm.





The boys are... irrelevant.





“Hello.”

Charlie answers on the first ring.

He was obviously waiting by the phone for me to call.

I love that he was.

“It is so good to hear your voice,” I tell him.

Seriously. It’s been too long. I just want to see him. Give him a hug. And never let go.

Family should never be separated.

Stupid terrorists.

“I miss you,” Charlie says.

“I miss you, too,” I say. “Like, a lot. I kinda wish you were here. Boarding school is actually kind of fun.”