Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(40)

“I highly doubt that,” he says. “I’m already trying to figure out how to tell my dad I want to go to Berkeley instead of Harvard. I don’t think he’s going to take the news well.”

“Well, don’t get your hopes up about next year. Even if I wanted to transfer to West Raven, I highly doubt the CI... umm... Uncle Matty would let me,” I say, hoping that he didn’t just hear me almost say CIA.

Seriously though, the CIA pulled a lot of strings to get me in at East Raven Academy like they did. And all my records are kept under a different name. The name Phoenix isn’t exactly common. I didn’t want a different name, though, so they let me keep Phoenix, but not Black.

However, if they take down this terrorists group, then I can probably go anywhere I want, though I hate the thought of leaving my friends. I like East Raven.

“Maybe you should just transfer to my school,” I say. “When I told Teagan about you, she said all the girls at my school think you’re super-hot. On second thought, stay at West Raven. I’d be jealous of all the girls checking you out.”

“What about you?” he asks. “I’m sure all the guys think you’re hot.”

I shake my head. “Nope. Sorry to disappoint.”

“What about Jason Thorton? He called you bae at the dock party,” he says.

“He calls me bae because he knows that it annoys the crap out of me,” I say. “We’re just friends, though. Especially now that I found out he makes out with my roommate. Gross.”

“And what about Estaine?”

“Everybody thinks I’m dating him, but I’m not interested in him like that,” I say. “We’re just friends.”

“Do you hang out a lot?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Kind of, I guess. He made me late for curfew last night so I have detention on Monday.”

“What were you doing that made you late?” he asks.

“Just talking. We lost track of time,” I answer. “I’m not used to having a curfew. My mo... uncle never gave me one.”

“Now, I’m jealous,” Brooks says.

“Why?” I ask. “I already told you he’s just a friend. Besides, in case you didn’t already know, I’m super into you. Like, you’re the hottest guy I’ve ever met. And we had that super crazy instant attraction thing going on.”

“Yeah, we did,” he says, agreeing with me. “But I’m still jealous.”

“Is it weird that I kind of think it’s hot that you’re jealous?” I ask.

He grins. “Not weird for you.”

“You think I’m weird?”

“Absolutely. It’s what I liked most about you when we met,” he says. “Well, that and your eyes. Are they even blue? I swear they looked purple the first night we met.”

“They do look purple sometimes,” I say. “And sometimes they look grey and sometimes, blue. They, like, change colors or something. Your eyes are just blue. Like, really, really blue. They kind of remind me of the ocean in Hawaii. I seriously meant what I said that first night... about you being a distraction. If you went to my school, I would be watching you instead of paying attention in class. It’s another reason why I definitely should stay at East Raven.”

“It doesn’t matter where you are, you are always a distraction to me,” he says. “By the way, there is something I’ve wanted to ask you.”

“What?”

“Why MMA?”

“Um... it’s just a self-defense thing. Why not mixed martial arts?” I ask. “I’m not all that good at it yet, but I’m getting better.”

“Yeah, but why do you need to learn self-defense?”

In case I get kidnapped again.

But I can’t tell him that.

“Just to give Uncle Matty peace of mind,” I say, which is kind of true. Pretty sure the two secret service agents assigned to protect me have started to like me. “And I don’t mind, really. Since I started doing it, I actually kind of like it. I mean, there are days when my arms are so sore I feel like I couldn’t lift a pencil, but those days are getting fewer. Also, I think it’ll help me with soccer.”

“I still can’t believe I’m dating a girl who could kick my butt if she wanted.”

Dating.

As in more than one date?

Because, let the record state, I would be completely fine with that. Like, one hundred percent fine. Please. More dates with this gorgeous boy.

“I don’t know about that,” I say. “But maybe in a few months.”

Uncle Matty says I’ve got a lot of leg strength. Probably from surfing and soccer. But I’m, and I quote, ‘severely lacking in upper body strength.’ Seriously, does he not understand how fragile a teenage female’s ego is?

“Do you like Indian food?” Brooks asks.

“Are you kidding? I love all food,” I say. “Well, almost all food.”

“And you just get better and better,” he says, making me wonder what he means by that.

I hope it’s a good thing.

It sounds like a good thing.





12pm.


Are all teenagers this dramatic?