Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(23)

“Let’s just say he’s not nice to me,” Brooks says. “So, how is your first week at East Raven going? And is it bad that I’m hoping it sucks so you transfer to West Raven?”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I say, unable to stop smiling, “but my first week has been awesome so far. If I had known how awesome boarding school would be, I would’ve asked my parents to send me sooner. I just wish Charlie was here.”

“Your parents?” he asks. “I thought your parents are dead.”

“They are...” I pause. Crap. “I mean my uncle.”

“Right,” he says, not looking entirely convinced. “And Charlie is your stepbrother?”

I nod, and then try to change the subject. Because, seriously. Ah! Why am I so bad at lying?

“Charlie is the outgoing one,” I tell Brooks. “In Malibu, he was the one with all the friends and I just tagged along.”

“That is weird,” Brooks says. “It seems like you were a different person then.”

“Or maybe people here are different than they are in Malibu,” I say.

“I still can’t believe you’ve never had a boyfriend.”

“Not even. My brother asked one of his friends to take me to homecoming last year. It was so embarrassing,” I say.

And I can’t believe I just told him that.

“I’m positive the guy didn’t mind taking you,” he says. “I’m actually kind of hoping that we both have homecoming on different nights so I can ask you.”

“Am I even allowed to come?” I ask playfully, though my heart is thumping hard. “You know, with East Raven and West Raven being rivals, and all. I figured they would ban me from coming on campus.”

“Nope,” Brooks says. “People from East Raven always come to our dances and stuff. Being star crossed lovers is romanticized.”

“Star crossed lovers? What is this? Romeo and Juliet?”

“Two people in love who are forced apart by their parents. Who doesn’t love a story about somebody fighting for the one they love?”

“Except they don’t fight. They die,” I say.

“Eh, whatever,” he says. “Most of the kids from West invite kids from East simply to piss off their parents.”

“Is that why you want to ask me?”

“I want to ask you because I like you,” Brooks says. “And you’re hot. All the guys here will be jealous. The fact that it could possibly piss off my parents is just a very nice, added bonus.”

I highly doubt other guys would be jealous.

But, the fact that he says it gives me butterflies.

“You don’t get along with your parents?” I ask.

“Not really,” he answers. “My parents are very... traditional. They come from old money and sometimes I hate how snooty they are.”

“My dad was raised in a lower middle class family,” I tell him. “My mom was the one with a rich family. I love how different they are...” I clear my throat. “Um, were. As a kid, my mom would be the one making me take lessons on which fork to use with which course and my dad would let me eat with my fingers. I like both worlds.”

“That sounds amazing,” he says.

“It is. Was,” I say. “My parents were awesome.”

“How did they die?” he asks.

“A plane crash.” It’s the story I was told to go with... the story that makes the most sense.

“But you have a stepbrother. How were your parents on the plane at the same time?” Brooks asks.

Panic washes over me as I realize I have no clue how to answer this question. My parents wouldn’t be on the plane together, not even now, unless they were both with me. And I can’t mysteriously be the only person who survived the plane crash.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t ask. It’s really not my business and I can tell how hard this is for you to talk about.”

“It’s okay,” I say.

“It’s just... when we met you told me you were a baby when your parents died. I didn’t realize you remember them,” he says.

And this is why I can’t lie. I’m really bad at it and I always seem to get caught up in my lies. How the heck am I supposed to get myself out of this situation now? Should I just tell him the truth?

Maybe I should.

Just lay it all out there.

I hear a noise from Brooks’ computer.

“Oh, hey. I got to go. My friends are here and we’re going to go play some football,” he says.

“Okay. Have fun,” I say, waving at the screen.

When he ends the call, I let out a sigh of relief.

I almost just told him the truth.

And I can’t help but think that that would have been a huge mistake.





8pm.





I run.





After dinner, Emma comes to my dorm room to complain about Bryce, so I leave them. I seriously cannot handle any more of their drama. Not knowing where else to go, I go, to Estaine’s dorm room. He’s wanted to hang out, anyway. When I walk inside, I’m surprised by how clean it is. I assumed all boys were like Charlie. If it wasn’t for our maid, his room would be a biohazard zone.