“But, Mom—”
“Sweetheart, this is a great opportunity. The center works with a diverse group of people. I’m sure there’ll be an opportunity to pick and choose the projects you get involved with. It’ll really cement my position on the board.”
And make her look good.
I bristled underneath my weak smile. “Sure, Mom. Whatever you think is best.”
“Excellent. Now drink this.” She shoved a glass of thick green sludge toward me.
“Whatisthat?”
“It’ll help, I promise.”
I lowered my face to the glass and sniffed the contents. It smelled oddly sweet.
“It won’t hurt. Go on.”
I tested a small sip. It wasn’t as bad as it looked, but I wasn’t convinced it would settle my stomach.
Mom nodded her approval, leaning against the counter. She was so poised and perfect, not a hair out of place in her sleek, polished ponytail. Her makeup was subtle yet glowing. Sabrina Rowe-Delacorte oozed etiquette.
“You know, Celeste, the next two years are vital if you want to pursue a career in medicine. You can’t afford any distractions, sweetheart.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I sat a little straighter, not liking the insinuation in her voice.
“Harleigh and her friends from across the reservoir—”
“She’s my sister.”
She flinched at that, a flash of ire flitting across her impenitent expression. To Mom, Harleigh was a reminder that Dad wasn’t perfect. That he’d had a life before her, before us. A dirty little secret that had almost ruined him.
But I didn’t care that Harleigh’s mom had escaped to The Row, that Harleigh had grown up there, barely surviving. She was my sister, my blood. Harleigh was my family. The rest meant nothing to me.
I just wished that Mom could see that. That she could put aside her misguided prejudice and see Harleigh for the amazing, strong, and brave girl she was.
But Sabrina Delacorte wasn’t perfect either.
Even if she would never admit it.
She strived for perfection, to maintain her position among Darling Hill’s elite. And part of me got it, I did. It was all she had ever known; it was imprinted on her DNA. But Mom lived in a world I hadn’t asked to inhabit. A world that I both revered and resented.
I knew how lucky I was that this was my life. That things would come easy to me because of my name, my family’s wealth and prominence in society. But I didn’t want to exploit that, to rely on it so heavily that it became second nature to abuse it.
I wanted to earn people’s trust, their friendship, and respect. I wanted someone to love me despite all that.
Not because of it.
Zane
“You look like shit,”I said, the second Kye’s door swung open.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t know Clo would—”
“Relax, it’s fine.”
“She said you drove Celeste home and handed her off to Max.”
“Yep.”