I rolled my eyes. “Here we go again. I do not want or need you to set me up on a date. Is that clear?”
“Do you always have to be so problematic?” She sighed, her fingers trembling as they clutched her coffee cup.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be your problem for long. The moment I turn eighteen, I’m out of here.” It was something I’d thought about all summer, but I convinced myself I could at least make it until the end of the school year. It became clear after last night, I had to leave as soon as possible. For my sanity.
Her eyes widened, a wildness creeping in that frightened me. “You’re not eighteen yet. So until then, you follow my rules.”
I wanted to say fuck her rules. Gritting my teeth, I narrowed my eyes. “I’m going to take a shower. Is that okay with you, or is that against the rules?” I snapped mockingly.
She blinked at me, shaking her head like I was the crazy one, and that was all the response I needed.
Swiveling on my heels, I headed up the stairs to my room. I didn’t see her for the rest of the day. I didn’t see anyone, in fact, which was goddamn perfect, except for Shelly, one of the day maids who brought up my dinner that night. She gave me a sad smile of sympathy that almost broke me. And although I needed to cry, needed to release all these pent-up emotions inside me, the tears never came. Nothing but numbness coated me inside.
* * *
On Monday morning, I was up early and eager to get the hell out of this house, making a stop in the kitchen for my ritual latte the cook had taken to making me. It was better than any Starbucks, and I adored her for it.
I found the to-go cup waiting for me on the counter, but that wasn’t the only thing waiting for me.
Carter leaned against the center island, stuffing a bowl of cereal in his mouth. I had managed to avoid him entirely on Sunday, but my luck just ran out. “Heard you were at Taylor’s party,sis,” he said, chomping on his Frosted Flakes. The smug smile on his lips looked like he had a secret he was refusing to share.
“I heard you got kicked out,” I retorted, wrapping my fingers around my latte. The warmth seeped into my hand.
He scraped his spoon along the bottom of the bowl. “I had better things to do.”
My ass.I just rolled my eyes.
“Everyone is speculating on who you slept with this time. My money is on Bradford.”
His words caused warning bells to go off inside me. “Just one? Huh? Don’t underestimate me.”
His stupid, arrogant grin brightened as he held up his phone for me to see. A picture of me in my pink bra passed out on Micah was splashed across Carter’s phone.
The coffee nearly slipped out of my hand. “Where did you get that?” I demanded.
Carter clicked the screen closed and shoved the phone in his pocket. “There are more. Videos too. Do you want to see?”
I wanted to wrestle his phone from him and smash it on the ground. “Fuck off,” I spat and marched out of the kitchen, Carter’s stupid ass laugh following me.
My foot slammed onto the Lexus’s gas pedal as I shot down the driveway. I wanted speed and rash danger, something to take the edge off of my anger. If Carter had pictures, they would already be all over school. I didn’t know how, but a name came to mind. Ava.
That little bitch.
It had to be her, but what I didn’t understand was why Brock let it happen. Surely he had seen her take the photos with her phone—the other guys too. And not one of them did anything to stop her.
Assholes.
How foolish I was to think that for even a night I’d been accepted.
I banged my hands against the steering wheel, letting out a string of F-bombs.
Whipping the car into a parking spot, I came to a screeching halt, not caring that I was parked slightly crooked. The Academy could bite my ass. My fingers were shaking as I killed the engine and I reached for my cold, untouched latte. I took a swig, hoping the caffeine would calm my nerves. “Shit,” I swore at the coffee.
My gaze went to the school. Did I really want to go in there? I tapped the side of the cup as I bit my lower lip. I could back out right now, go wherever I wanted, skip my classes and not look back. I’d never blown off school before, but there was always a first for everything.
Knock. Knock. Knock.Knuckles rapped on my window. “Josie.”
I jumped at the sound of my name and turned. Mads peered in at me, both her hands up in question. “What are you doing?”