Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(46)

“Aw,” Emma says. “I’m not surprised that Estaine is interested in you. All the boys in the school are. Except Bryce. I kind of get the feeling he doesn’t like you.”

I laugh. “Oh, Bryce doesn’t like me. He found out that I’m a hacker. I was telling Estaine and Jason the other day how I hacked into this girl’s cell records, for her boyfriend, and he found out that she was cheating on him. After that, he’s kind of stayed away from me. Actually, that was the day he encouraged you to join the dance team.”

Emma gasps. “Do you think he’s cheating on me?”

“Yes,” Teagan and I say in unison.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Teagan says. “Or the fifth.”

“Should I dump him?” Emma asks.

“Yes!” Teagan and I once again say together.

“I really should, shouldn’t I,” Emma says, smiling. “I’m going to do it. Right now.”

She pulls out her phone.

Ouch.

Break up via text.

Normally, I would stop her and tell her to go to his dorm. But Bryce doesn’t deserve to be dumped to his face. He deserves to be dumped via text message.

While she is texting him, I pull out my own phone to see if I have any messages. I almost expect to have one from Brooks, but maybe he’s still asleep. I’m surprised to see that Estaine texted me. We were out late last night. I’d probably still be asleep if it wasn’t for Emma.





ESTAINE: Hey.





Hey?

Just hey?





ME: Hi. I’m doing laundry. Also, Emma is texting Bryce a break-up text. Expect lots of drama today ;)



ESTAINE: I’m doing laundry, too. And maybe we should just skip the lunchroom and order pizza.





ME: YES, PLEASE.





ESTAINE: Haha, okay. Come to my dorm later.





ME: Okay. See you later!





My phone vibrates in my hand, this time with a text from Brooks.





BROOKS: Hello extremely beautiful girl with whom I had an epic first date.





I smile at his text.

But then, I think about what Estaine said yesterday about Brooks. About how he was a really crappy boyfriend to River.

Do I care?

Kind of.

But also, I realize that River was in his past. He made mistakes, yes, but I’m sure he has grown from those mistakes. He’s become a better person. I shouldn’t compare our relationship to his past one. Especially, considering Brooks hasn’t told me about River. We definitely have not gotten to the place in our relationship where he tells me about his ex-girlfriends. And he didn’t just break up with his ex. She died. How do you get over something like that?

I push the thoughts to the back of my mind.





ME: Hi.





BROOKS: What are you up to?





ME: Laundry. Listening to Emma’s relationship drama. She just broke up with her bf via text.





BROOKS: Harsh...





ME: The dudes a jerk and deserves it.





BROOKS: Ah... sounds fun.

BROOKS: We should hang out again today.





ME: I can’t. I already told Estaine I’d hang out with him. We are going to spend the afternoon in his dorm eating pizza and avoiding our friends.





BROOKS: I’m not sure if I should be jealous that you’re hanging out with another guy, or happy that you’re not trying to hide it from me.





ME: I already told you that Estaine is my best friend. Nothing more.

ME: He told me last night why you and he don’t get along...





BROOKS: Last night? You guys hung out last night?





ME: Yeah. Teagan wanted to make out with Jason, so I went with her and hung out with Estaine.





“Hey, no boys,” Teagan says, just now noticing I’m on my phone. Her own phone is in her hand.

I roll my eyes and lock my phone. A few seconds later, when it vibrates, both Emma and she are using their phones, so I have no guilt reading the text.





BROOKS: I am incredibly jealous, right now.

BROOKS: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I am contemplating calling my dad and seeing if he will let me transfer to East Raven.





ME: DO. IT.

ME: And don’t be jealous. Estaine and I just talked. We even talked some about you.





BROOKS: What else did you talk about?





“Who are you texting?” Teagan asks me.

“First, I was texting Estaine, but now Brooks,” I answer. “He’s being all jealous because I hung out with Estaine last night. I kind of like that I have this kind of power over him.”

“I’m still team Estaine,” she says.

“I’m hanging out with Estaine later today.”

“What happened to girls’ day?” Emma asks.