We’re currently waiting for the highlight of the evening—a match between two of the strongest fighters from our unis. The fighter from our side is Creigh, who’s having his shoulders massaged by Remi on the pedestal above.
While Remi is the captain of the basketball team and Bran is the captain of the Lacrosse team, they never fight.
When we asked Remi why he doesn’t, he snorted and laughedandmocked us. “Preposterous! Me? A fight? As in, putting my lordship’s nose in jeopardy? You’re out of your mind, you’re out of your mind, and everyone is out of their fucking mind!”
The hypocrite is totally fine with thrusting that preposterous act onto Creigh, though.
I really wish my cousin didn’t have such a strong inclination to violence. He could’ve been a silent nerd, but he chose to be a silent brute.
While I’m still watching Remi and Creigh, two tall guys stroll to their sides. The first is none other than my brother, Landon, dressed in shorts and a jersey—probably ready to fight.
Everyone in the School of Arts & Music avoids any manifestation of violence, and some even ditch sports altogether, to protect our hands.
But not my deranged brother.
He loves to draw blood with the same hands that sculpt masterpieces.
Life can be unfair like that by choosing to bestow boundless talent to undeserving people.
I love my brother,sometimes, but he’s not a decent human being.
Not even close.
The one accompanying him, however, is a surprise. My oldest cousin, Eli, Creigh’s brother, matches Lan’s nonchalant aura like a king waltzing to his throne.
Eli keeps a profile so low that my attempts seem amateurish in comparison. Even though he’s studying for his PhD at REU, we barely see him.
If ever.
No one even knows where he is at all times. So when Grandpa asks about how his eldest grandchild is doing, I give the most generic answer because my knowledge about Eli’s state is no different from his.
So to see him here tonight is as rare as a unicorn.
I nudge Ava, but in reality, I don’t need to.
My friend is already staring in his direction—or more like glaring. I’ve known Ava since we were in nappies, and nothing is able to completely wipe her good mood like Eli’s presence.
“And what is he doing here?” she grits out.
“Showing his support to Creigh?” I try, always playing the middle ground between my otherworldly side of the family and my friends.
“Support, my arse. If he and that word met on the top of a volcano, it’d free fall to lava. He’s just here to ruin everyone’s evening.”
“Only if you let him,” Cecily touches her arm. She’s the best pacifist ever, I swear. I wish I had Ces’s way of making everything seem okay.
“Right.” Ava releases a breath. “Besides, Lan is here, too, and Glyn is fine with it.”
“I’m not scared of him.”Lie.But they don’t need to know that.
Also, I’ve come to learn the hard way that there are worse things than my brother. At least he wasn’t actively trying to destroy me.
“That’s the spirit, bitch.” Ava bumps her shoulder with mine. “Fuck the boys.”
“Very classy.” Cecily rolls her eyes. “You’re supposed to be the granddaughter of the former prime minister.”
“Don’t be a prude. And Grandpa encourages my need to express myself, thank you very much.”
“Umm.” Annika shifts from foot to foot. “We should probably go before the start of the fight.”