The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (28)

“I can promise I won’t disappear before lunch.” I promised to meet up later before racing to the headmaster’s office with eyes firmly cast on the freshly waxed floors. The halls were filling quickly, and I couldn’t chance anyone else recognizing me. Since I was a former student, I was hoping to skip the counseling and just pick up my class schedule, but that wasn’t meant to be. Burns wasn’t nearly as welcoming as he’d been the year before. After a stern warning that violence against fellow students wouldn’t be tolerated, he relinquished my class schedule, and I was on my way.




My schedule was mostly electives since I completed most of the required courses for graduating and had no plans of attending college. It would be straight to the pros for me. I could have been competing legitimately years ago, but Rosalyn had withheld her consent. I could feel the resentment seeping from my pores, so I took a deep breath. In a month, I’d be eighteen, and then only my consent would matter.

When I walked into my third class of the day, 20th Century American Women’s History, it wasn’t surprising that the entire class was female. I was the last to arrive, so I sunk into the only empty chair, and the teacher, a petite redhead with pale skin, began handing out the syllabus and questionnaire.

Mrs. Roberts had her back turned, so I took the opportunity to look around. Everyone seemed to be engrossed in the forms or each other, but that nagging feeling of being in someone’s crosshairs remained.

No longer covert, I twisted my body, and that was when I saw her. Even if it hadn’t been for her drilling a hole in my forehead, I would have noticed the strawberry blonde with ivory skin, blue eyes, and pouty lips. She was breathtaking.

Until now, I hadn’t suffered any lingering scrutiny. This chick looked as if I spit in her cornflakes.

Don’t be silly, Four. She doesn’t eat carbs.

The girl finally broke her stare when the teacher asked us to pass up our questionnaire. I quickly scribbled in the rest of my answers and forced my focus on the teacher for the rest of the hour. I was sure I’d learn who the bombshell was eventually.

“How is your first day back?” Tyra cheerily greeted as I grabbed an apple and stuck it on my tray. I’d forgotten to text her like I promised, but she didn’t seem to mind as she grabbed food and followed me to an empty table.

“Better than I expected. No one seems to care I exist.” It was perfect.

Her lips parted. “You haven’t heard?”

My laugh was dry as I shook my head. “You’re the only one here who talks to me. Why would I hear anything?”

She leaned forward and for all my claims of not caring, I leaned forward, too. “You weren’t the only one to return to Blackwood Keep. Jason’s back.”

“Okay…who’s Jason?”

“He was Ever’s archenemy before you came along.” Her lips pursed as she looked me up and down. “Although I don’t know how much of an enemy you could be if he’s giving you rides to school…”

I waved her off even though my belly did cartwheels at the memory of how he’d looked at me. “I’m sure he didn’t have a choice.” Before she could pry, I changed the subject. “Why do they hate each other?”

“Remember the girl I told you who took Ever’s virginity and then became totally obsessed with him—Olivia Portland?”

How could I forget? “Sure.”

“Well, she’s Jason’s sister.”

“So, Jason hates Ever for screwing his sister? Were they friends or something?”

“I may have given you the watered-down version. It was your first day, and I didn’t want my first real friend running for the hills.”

I was definitely a flight risk, but it had nothing to do with who Ever screwed in the past. “What really happened?”

“No one knew how bad she had it until she walked into the boy’s locker room and tried to slit her wrist in front of him.”

The carton of milk I had in my hand slipped and spilled all over the table. Tyra cursed and hurriedly grabbed napkins. For once, I didn’t care about the stares.

“Shit! I’m sorry.”

“See? This is why I didn’t want to tell you.” She huffed as she threw more napkins over the spill.

“I’m fine. It’s cool.” It was so not fucking cool. I helped her clean up my mess and took a deep breath. “What happened to her?”

Tyra’s skeptical look turned resigned when I squeezed her hand. “All I know is that she lived, but her family was too embarrassed to stay in Blackwood Keep.”

“Why do you think they came back?”

“A diploma from Brynwood opens ivy league doors and pretty much any door you want. If I had to guess, I’d say that was the reason.”

“And Olivia?”

“Probably in psychiatric care.”

That poor girl. I scoffed and shook my head. “Hard to believe he’s who everyone chose to idolize.”

“High school is a mind fuck for us all,” Tyra muttered. “Although it’s not like he asked for her to go all fatal attraction on him. She knew he had a girlfriend.”

My skin heated, and I looked away. Knowing he had a girlfriend and hearing about Olivia’s undoing didn’t stop me from wondering what it would be like in Ever’s bed.