Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(26)

I laugh. “His name is Brooks. He doesn’t actually go to East Raven. He goes to West Raven. Which is our rival school. So, like, I’ve been hiding from my friends the fact that I’m talking to him. But. Oh. My. Gosh. He is so hot. Like... his face belongs on a billboard hot.”

I would say his body belongs on one, too, but I’m pretty sure that would freak my dad out.

“Send me a picture,” Nora says.

“Okay,” I say, putting my phone on speaker. I send her the selfie he took the night I met him.

A few seconds later, I hear her phone go off.

“Wow. He’s cute,” Nora says.

“Let me see,” my dad says, then grunts. “He looks too old for you.”

“He’s a junior. Which means he’s my age,” I say. “And I’m sure he comes from a respectable family.”

“Uh huh,” Dad says, not convinced. “I need his first and last name. I’m going to do a background check on him and his family.”

“Dad...” I groan.

“What? I’ve got to make sure they’re not Democrats,” he says.

I laugh. “Dad, you sent me to school in Massachusetts. I’m pretty sure that everybody here is Democrat.”

Dad is silent for a moment, probably reconsidering his decision. A few days ago, I might have used this to my advantage, and convinced him send me to school somewhere in a warmer climate, but now that I’ve started making friends, I don’t want to leave.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re democrat or republican,” Nora says. “Your father and I will be nice to the boy either way. Promise.”

“Thanks,” I say, imagining that Nora is giving my dad a stern look. She’s a hopeless romantic and has been waiting a long time for me to finally be interested in a guy. Correction—a real life guy. I’ve had lots of TV or movie crushes on fictional characters, but never on a guy in real life.

“I’m proud for you, Phoenix,” Nora says.

“Thanks,” I say again. “So, I’d better get off here. Curfew is at ten, so I need to get back to my dorm.”

“Goodnight,” Dad says. “We love you.”

“Love you guys, too.”

When I hang up the phone, I have one simple text from Estaine.





ESTAINE: We need to talk.





No.

No, we don’t.

I ignore the text and finish walking to my dorm.





Wednesday, August 23

Easier said…





For breakfast the next morning, I go super early, grab food and eat it in my dorm room. There is absolutely no way that I can face Estaine after last night. He most likely thinks that I’m a pathological liar. I have no idea what I’m going to say to him. Unfortunately, lunch is a completely different story, and the only open spot at the table when I get there, is the one right beside him.

Seriously?

I look at the table for a second or two, debating my options.

Should I run away?

But Teagan spots me and waves me over. I take a deep breath and just suck it up. I’m going to sit there.

And I look at everybody at the table besides him.

I realize that I am being completely immature and irrational, but I don’t know what else to do. Avoid. Ignore. And hope that eventually he will just forget that he ever saw what he did.

Or, I can tell him the truth.

No. I shouldn’t. If I did, it could put him in danger. That’s the last thing I want.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. When I pull it out, I’m extra careful, just in case it’s a text from my mom or dad. It’s not.





UNCLE MATTY: I need you to come to the house right away. The school is already aware. It’s urgent.





My heart pounds hard against my chest as pure fear rushes through my veins with each throb. My face is warm and I am freaking out. What if the terrorists found me? What if they’re on campus?

No. If they were on campus, Uncle Matty and Jake would’ve come to me. But whatever it is, it’s not good.

I hope Dad, Nora, and the baby are okay.

I quickly stand up from the table. “I... uh... gotta go. Family emergency.”

A lame excuse, but it’s the only thing that I can come up with at that exact moment. I leave my untouched food on the table and run out of the dining hall.

I debate running straight to Uncle Matty’s house, but it’s over a mile away. Instead, I run towards the girl’s dorm and get my car, thankful that I have my keys in my pocket.

Before we came, my car was delivered. Uncle Matty and Jake seemed to think it would be for the best if I had a get-away option in case things went south. I have quite a few options, but my car is the best bet. They asked me to bring my keys with me every single day. I have every day, but I almost didn’t today. I feel safe. But, now I see that I should always keep my keys with me. Always. Because no matter how safe I feel, I’m not. Never.

Will I ever be safe again?

I don’t linger on the thought too much, as I throw open my car door and put the keys in the ignition. I barely shut the door before I am taking off, suddenly glad I went for a sports car instead of the Range Rover I initially wanted. I take off fast, shifting through the gears. I’m grateful for the many hours that Charlie spent teaching me how to drive a stick shift. All the hours I sat in horrible LA traffic, all the times I killed the engine in the stop and go traffic... has paid off. I will have to thank him later.