The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (15)

Heat bloomed on the back of my neck as I shifted from one foot to the other. “Sorry, I didn’t know.” He nodded but continued to stare curiously. “Is there something else?”

“I’m just surprised that Mr. McNamara didn’t educate you on uniform policy. As Brynwood’s president, it’s one of his duties to ensure it’s being enforced.”

And the aristocratic ass must have known I’d have to see the headmaster before class.

Motherfucker.

I was saved from offering an explanation by Tyra. “First period will be over soon. I think we should get going so I can show Four around in time for second.”

“Good idea, Miss Bradley. And Four…” I shook the hand he held out as he flashed a warm smile. “Welcome to Brynwood.”




“Why do I have the feeling we got off on the wrong foot?” I questioned after I caught Tyra stealing her third glance. We’d been walking and speaking only on a need-to basis since leaving the headmaster’s office.

With a sigh, Tyra stopped in the middle of the empty hall. “We didn’t…not really,” she fumbled to explain. “It’s just that when I heard you were living with Ever McNamara, I expected the worst.”

“A rich bitch?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, as it turns out, I’m just some rich man’s charity case…and I assumed the same about you.”

“Then we have something in common. I’m also some rich man’s charity case.”

“Oh?”

“I’m here on scholarship. You?”

“That’s not exactly how I’d define my situation. Rosalyn is dating Ever’s dad.”

“Rosalyn?”

I often forgot that normal was not calling your mother by her first name. “My mother.”

“She lets you call her by her first name? How cool.”

“Sure.” I cracked a smile to hide the truth, and she did the same. “So I barely said two words in there. What made you change your mind?”

Her eyebrows rose as she looked me over. “Honestly?”

Catching her drift, I chuckled. “Yeah, okay.” I started walking again.

“Sorry!” she rushed to say as she followed. “It’s just that none of the girls here would ever be caught dead not giving a shit.”

“I get it,” I murmured. “I don’t belong here.”

“It’s refreshing.”

“Why’s that?” I questioned as I spotted the bathroom and headed for it.

She followed me inside and took a look around to make sure we were alone before she answered.

“Because I don’t, either.”

I eyed her curiously. She definitely looked the part of a Brynwood elite. “But you’re wearing the tie and the shoes.”

“Yeah, because they cost my dad a fortune.” She blew out a breath and squared her shoulders as if readying for a brutal blow. “I’m only here because my dad coaches the football team. They gave me a scholarship that I can only keep if I maintain a perfect average. I can’t even afford to get a B.”

I shrugged as I tucked in my shirt. It didn’t matter to me how much money her dad didn’t make. “It seems like you’re holding up your end of the deal pretty well.”

“I don’t date. None of the guys here would date beneath them anyway. And the only students who would be seen with me are scholarship students, too. All they do is study. All I do is study. That and work at the coffee shop.”

It seems I’d found another loner.

I couldn’t wait to tell Gruff.

I tapped my finger against my chin and studied her. “How do you feel about spending your Sunday nights watching sword fights, dragons breathing fire, and people doing it?”

Dimples appeared on both cheeks as her smile spread. “It sounds awesome.”

“Well, Tyra…” I linked my arm through hers and walked us to the door. “I guess this makes us friends.”

She began opening the door just as a group of guys approached. Recognizing the tallest one, my hand quickly curled around the door to keep her from opening it further.

“What is it?” she whispered.

I didn’t answer her. I couldn’t. The group had stopped mere feet away from the bathroom door. Tyra stood on her toes to peek over my left shoulder.

Ever stood in the middle of the hall with Vaughn and three others—a real bruiser with dark hair, a Korean kid with a mohawk, and a Dave Franco look-alike—as they tossed a football back and forth between them.

“You should reconsider quitting the team,” the bruiser said to my darling ‘stepbrother.’ “The only players I know that are as fast as you are playing for the pros.”

“Yeah,” the Franco clone agreed. “We really need you as our running back. Stephens is good, but he’s not quick enough to catch Turner’s girly throws.”

The bruiser, who was obviously Turner, shoved him into the wall and threatened to use him for target practice.

“Besides,” the mohawk spoke as he tossed the football to Ever, “if you and Vaughn get drafted for the same team, you won’t have to end the bromance.”

Ever flipped him off and tossed the ball to Vaughn.