Ever After (East Raven Academy Book 1)(74)

Emma wipes under her eyes.

“Do you want me to beat him up for you?” I ask, because I have wanted to beat him to a pulp since I first met him. Now I know I’m strong enough to do it. If I can take on Estaine, Bryce would be no problem at all.

Bryce is kind of short for a guy. He’s barely taller than I am. And he’s super skinny.

“No. I just want us to be over for real,” she says. “I want to be strong enough to tell him no when he tries to get back together with me. But I can’t ever seem to tell him no, and I hate myself for it.”

“Maybe if I rearranged his face a little bit, you wouldn’t want to date him anymore,” I say.

She laughs. “No, it’s okay. Honestly. I just want him to know how it feels. It kills me to watch him kiss somebody else. I should find a guy to kiss in front of him and show him how much it hurts.”

Ian, who is sitting on the other side of Estaine, leans forward. “My lips are up for the challenge.”

Emma actually smiles at Ian. “I’ll get back with you on that.”

“I’m surprised your other boyfriend isn’t here,” Ian says to me.

I roll my eyes. “Estaine is more than enough for me.”

“Brooks knows better than to show up here,” Estaine says.

“I don’t think anybody gave him that memo,” Emma says.

I look at Emma to see what she’s looking at. I follow her eyes to...

Brooks.

He’s standing at the bottom of the bleachers. Paige Lawson is talking to him. She is laughing at something he said, but he’s not looking at her. His eyes are searching the stands. They stop when they get to me. He smiles and walks off without saying a word to Paige.

Paige looks furious.

She locks eyes with me and if looks could kill, I’d be dead.

“I think she hates you even more,” Emma says.

But I’m more focused on the fact that Brooks is making his way towards us. On instinct, I scoot closer to Estaine. I can feel how tense he is beside me, but he relaxes when I scoot closer. Maybe he was worried that I still had feelings for Brooks.

My feelings for Brooks are... complicated. I’m still attracted to him. But I’m also mad at him. I know that he and I together would be toxic. I would be like Emma. That’s why I can’t be with him. I don’t have to worry about that with Estaine.

And I really do like Estaine.

“Hey, Phoenix,” Brooks says, then nods at Estaine. “Estaine.”

“I’ll just...” Emma says, standing up. “Go.”

She walks down the stairs.

“I’m going to go with her,” Ian says, following.

Brooks sits down beside me, and I’m aware that everybody is now looking at us, instead of watching the soccer game.

“You look good,” Brooks says to me.

I look down at my green hoodie that says East Raven Academy. It has a raven and the school logo on it. And I’m wearing my school uniform under it. Just a simple black skirt and my Converse.

“What do you want, Brooks?” I ask.

“You won’t answer my texts,” he says. “Or my phone calls.”

“Maybe you should take the hint,” Estaine says. “She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Brooks looks at Estaine and my intertwined hands.

“Is this a real thing now?” Brooks asks.

“Yes,” I answer.

Brooks smiles, but I can tell it’s forced. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” I say.

“I came to apologize. Again,” Brooks says. “Because you haven’t responded to the hundreds of apologies I’ve texted you. I’m sorry, Phoenix. I know I shouldn’t have kissed you. I regret it.”

“I forgive you,” I say. “But don’t ever do it again.”

“If you do, she won’t be the only one hitting you,” Estaine says.

“I won’t,” Brooks says, ignoring Estaine. “I just... want us to be friends still. Just because you’re dating him doesn’t mean we can’t still talk and hang out.”

“It wouldn’t look good,” I say. “If we hung out. Because you kissed me when everybody thought I was dating Estaine. And now I’m for real dating him. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Come on, Phoenix,” he says. “I’m just asking to be your friend. That’s it.”

I look from Brooks to Estaine.

Estaine doesn’t look happy.

“It’s up to you,” Estaine says.

“I won’t hang out with you unless Estaine is there, too,” I tell Brooks.

This causes Brooks to smile. “Why? Scared you might be the one to kiss me?”

I roll my eyes. “And no comments like that or the deal is off.”

“Fine,” Brooks says. “I’ll take what I can get.”

“Friendship is all you’re getting,” I say.

“Okay,” he says, but he’s still smiling big.

I have a feeling I’m going to regret that.





12pm.





Video.





We won our game against West Raven. Now, practically the whole school is down at the docks, celebrating. Estaine and I are just walking along, when we go past someone who looks like Emma.