Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(6)

“The details aren’t important,” he says. I can hear him smiling over the phone, and it’s kind of hard to be mad at him for touching my phone when he sounds so happy. “A bunch of the guys decided to play a fun game of tackle football, and I think you need to come watch.”

“Yeah, and why would I do that?” I ask.

Maybe I’m flirting just a little bit.

Just because I don’t want to be at East Raven does not mean that I can’t try to have fun while I’m here. Maybe I will make some friends through all of this.

“Because, maybe I want to impress you with my mad football playing skills,” he says.

He’s flirting back.

OMG.

He’s flirting back!

Stay calm.

“Fine. I’ll come. But you’d better win.”

“Absolutely,” Estaine says. “See you soon.”

“Bye,” I say, ending the call.

“Who was that?” Teagan asks, scaring me.

“Sorry,” I say. “Did I wake you?”

“No,” she answers. “I was just hoping I could go back to sleep. I wasn’t ready to open my eyes, yet.”

“Oh, well, that was Estaine,” I say. “I think a bunch of the guys are playing football. Want to come watch with me?”

“Sure,” she says, jumping out of bed.

Teagan and I start walking towards the football field together.

The campus here is huge, but it’s laid out well. Most places we go aren’t too long of a walk, but either way, it’s nice to get in some exercise. In California, I had to drive if I wanted to go anywhere.

“You and Estaine sounded like you were flirting,” Teagan says, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

“Shut up,” I say, in a joking tone.

“He’s cute,” she says.

“He is,” I say.

“And he’s single.”

“I’m not... and he’s...” I let out a sigh. “I just met the guy today. Give me a break.”

She laughs. “Fine. I’m just saying; if you ever are interested, he’s a good one.”

“Has he had a lot of girlfriends?” I ask.

“Nah,” she answers. “He dated Lindsay during freshman year, for a few months, but that’s it.”

“Who is Lindsay?”

“Oh, she doesn’t go here anymore,” Teagan says. “She got in trouble and is now at boarding school somewhere in Europe.”

“Jealous. Why couldn’t my pare... uh... uncle have sent me to boarding school in Europe,” I say.

“I know, right?” she says. “All those European accents. Seriously, all I want in life is a boyfriend who is taller than I am, and has a super sexy accent. Is that too much to ask for?”

I laugh. “How tall are you, anyway?”

“Five-eleven,” she answers. “I’m freakishly tall, I know. I was taller than all the guys, until recently. Some of them are catching up.”

“I don’t think I could date a guy shorter than me,” I say. “I mean, maybe if I really liked the guy. But it’d be so weird.”

“Agree,” she says. “Plus, all my brothers are, like, six-five and up. A guy shorter than they are would be super intimidated.”

“How many brothers do you have?” I ask.

“Four. They’re all older. My mom had me when she was in her early forties. She told me that she had to try for a girl one more time, but I honestly think my parents didn’t mean to have me,” she says, laughing. “What about you? Any siblings?”

I want to tell her about my stepbrother, Charlie. And I want to tell her how excited I am that my dad and stepmom are having a baby soon. But I can’t.

“No. My parents died when I was young,” I tell her. “I was raised by my uncle. I have my cousin, Jake. He’s six years older than I am, though. He just graduated from college.”

“Sorry about your parents.”

“I didn’t know them,” I say. “They died when I was a baby.”

“Still, it’s got to be hard not knowing them. I mean, sure you have stories from your uncle, or whatever, but it’s not the same,” she says. “I can’t imagine.”

I can’t imagine, either. I love my parents, and hate having to lie to her about this.

We get down to the football field, which is full of guys.

All the guys at this school are ridiculously attractive.

Hello, boarding school.

Maybe it won’t be so bad here.

When Estaine spots us walking onto the field, he runs over to us.

“Hey,” he says. “We’re just about to get started.”

“Awesome,” I say, because I don’t know what else to say.

“I need some motivation to win,” Estaine says. “How about, if I win, you hang out with me tonight. At the docks.”

“Okay. Sure.”

He grins, and then runs back towards his teammates.

I turn to walk towards the stands and see Teagan smiling at me.

“What?” I ask.

“You totally have a crush on him,” she says.

“I do not,” I say, but I’m pretty sure my face is red. “Honestly, he’s kind of cute.”