Elite (Empire High, #2)(14)

They were hanging out together the other night? As in one of the nights he’d come over to my uncle’s apartment to hold me while I cried myself to sleep? Had he held her too? Right before he held me? I tried to take a deep breath. “Yup,” I said, mimicking my brooding silent boyfriend who was a fantastic actor. So fantastic that it stung. So fantastic that I wanted to cry. So fantastic that I hated him in that moment.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said hang out. Because you’re not friends with any of them. It’s just a group project that you were forced to do together. That’s what Matt told me the other night when we were hanging out just the two of us alone in my room. Right, Matt?”

He didn’t respond. He just sat there and stared at her. Her. Not me. I tried to swallow down the hurt.

“What the hell, Matt?” Rob asked. “We both know that’s not…”

“Rob, no one cares what sarcastic thing you have to say,” Isabella said. “So keep it to yourself, yes?”

“Fuck off, troll,” he said.

She ignored him and turned to me. “Speaking of things that don’t belong to you.”

“No one was speaking of that,” Mason said with a laugh.

She glared at him and then back at me. “Speaking of things that don’t belong to you,” she repeated. “I need my blazer back. Right now,” she added when I didn’t respond.

“What?” I didn’t have a spare. Her dad said I could wear this one today. “The only other one I have is back at Kennedy’s house. And I’ll get in trouble if I’m not wearing it.”

“Yeah, but I got a spot on mine.” She pointed to absolutely nothing on one of her lapels. “You can’t expect me to walk around like this all day.”

I shook my head. “I don’t see anything.”

“Oh.” She laughed. “That’s right. I’m sorry. It was actually on yours.” She lifted the milk off her tray and poured it down the front of my blazer before I even realized what she was about to do.

“What the hell?” James yelled as he shifted me out of the way. But he was too late. The front of my blazer was soaked. I was too shocked to say a word. But I heard Matt’s silence loud and clear. And I felt James’ arms around me when it should have been Matt’s. Matt was the one that was supposed to defend me. He was supposed to be on my side. I was supposed to be able to rely on him.

I stood up, letting James’ arms fall from my waist. I looked down at my borrowed blazer. The one her father said it was okay to wear. Tears stung the corners of my eyes, but I refused to cry in front of her.

“Oops.” Isabella smiled at me. “Accidents happen. And that’s exactly what I’ll tell Daddy if you’re stupid enough to bring it up. And he’ll believe me, because he actually wanted me. Unlike you. And just so I’m perfectly clear. You’re unwanted here too.” She tapped the seat I’d just jumped out of. “So don’t ever sit with me again. And stop being so utterly na?ve, it’s embarrassing. Clearly I was just messing with you by asking you to eat with me. We’ll never. Ever. Be sisters. Because you’re a garbage person just like your uncle. And I’m a Pruitt. Later.” She blew me a kiss and turned back to her friends who were all laughing.

I didn’t look at any of the Untouchables. I just turned and ran as fast as I could out of the cafeteria.

“Brooklyn!” I heard Kennedy yell from behind me.

But I kept running.





Chapter 6


Friday

The tears streamed down my face as soon as I pushed out of the cafeteria doors. I ran down the hall and into the restroom. I threw my soaked blazer onto the bathroom floor before the milk could get on my collared shirt. And I broke. I leaned against the cold sink and let all the tears I’d been holding in all day come out. I cried and cried so hard that I was gasping for air.

I wasn’t at all surprised when I heard the bathroom door open. Kennedy had already been running after me.

“I’m so stupid,” I said, moving my hands to cover my face. “I didn’t see that coming at all. I’m just as na?ve as she said. I can’t stay at her house. I can’t live with the Pruitts.” I wasn’t even sure she could hear me through my sobs. “My uncle didn’t want me to. He wanted me to stay with your mom. She said she signed all the forms. I don’t understand why he’s doing this to me.”

I jumped when someone’s hand that was absolutely not Kennedy’s touched my back.

I looked up at Felix. I was surprised at how relieved I was. Because if it had been Matt, I was pretty sure I’d punch him in his perfect face. He was the real reason I felt stupid. He’d just…sat there. He sat there and did nothing. And I wasn’t even sure I was surprised. It wasn’t like it was the first time Matt had let me down.

“You’re not stupid. You’re perfect, newb.”

Perfect? I was a freaking mess. But I loved that he saw me that way. Because I’d lost everyone in my life that thought I was perfect. I threw myself into his arms before I had a chance to second guess anything.

He held me tight, like he was the only thing holding me together. And maybe he was.

Being in his arms felt so safe. So warm. So loving. I closed my eyes tight and tried to hold on to this moment. Because I knew I’d need it. If I had to go to the Pruitts’ tonight, I needed any happiness I could hold on to.