Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
My face contorts. “Why couldn’t you just tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d never let me go there,” she says. “It’s Prodigium Academy.”
Damn right, I wouldn’t. That place is filled to the brim with pretentious and rich assholes.
She approaches me and grabs my hands. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d try to stop me before I could even try.” She squeezes them softly, looking up into my eyes. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I didn’t want to risk losing the chance.”
“So you had Mom and Dad take the fall,” I grit.
“They agreed to do it for me because they love you. Don’t be mad at them, please,” she says, her eyes tearing up. “Please, I don’t want my decision to be the reason you hate them.”
“I don’t… hate them.” I sigh and look away. “I’m angry that you thought you had to force them to lie to me just to get what you wanted.”
“I’m sorry, Heath. I just know how you are. I know you only want to protect me,” she says.
Screw it.
I wrap my arms around her and hug her so tightly she can barely breathe, but I don’t care.
“I’m sorry,” she mutters again.
“Stop apologizing.”
“But I hurt you,” she says, hugging me back.
“You did it because you thought I would take away your only opportunity at something you really wanted to do,” I say. “And I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to lie.”
We hug for a few more minutes as I soak in the fact that she’s back.
“I missed you, Cece.”
“I missed you too, lil’ bro,” she says, sniffling as she pulls back.
“So … you’re a Prodigy now, huh?” I say, and I mess up her hair. “My fucking sister is studying with the richest of the rich.”
“Heath, stop it,” she hisses. “I’m trying to look good for the rest of the family too.”
“Maybe you should drop by more often so they’d see you more too,” I say.
“Hmm … maybe…”
I cross my arms. “I promise I won’t force you to stay.”
She narrows her eyes. “You swear you won’t try to stop me from going back there?”
“On my life. And his,” I say, pointing at Max over my shoulder because I know he’s watching us.
I could feel his eyes beam into my back.
“Wait, what?” Max mumbles, making Cece laugh.
“I couldn’t ever fucking hurt him, so my promise is solid, trust me on that,” I say.
“Why?” She’s got that smug smile on her face just like I remember. “Something I need to know, Heath?”
“Actually, we’re dating,” I say, stepping back to pull Max into the conversation.
Max splutters, “Wait, hold up—”
But I kiss him on the lips to shut him up and show the world I mean it.
“Wow, holy shit,” Cece says.
My lips leave a stain on his, along with a giant blush turning his entire face red.
“I didn’t know you were gay,” Cece says.
“No.”
Ivy’s standing in the hallway, so I go and grab her and kiss her too, right in front of Cece.
“Bi,” I add after I’ve taken my lips off hers. “And damn proud.”
Cece’s staring at us with wide-open eyes. “Wow … two at the same time?”
“Well, uh, it’s complicated,” Max says, scratching the back of his head while laughing.
“Three, if you count Silas.” Ivy shrugs.
“THREE?!” Cece screams. “Holy shit, girl, nicely done.” She high-fives Ivy. “Also, Silas? I thought that dude didn’t have a heart.”
“I didn’t think so either, but I guess we were all wrong,” Silas interjects. “Mom asks if we’re coming.”
“Right, of course,” Max says as Silas walks off again.
“Wait,” my dad’s voice makes me turn around.
Mom and Dad are standing in the hallway, staring at us so uncomfortable that the room feels like it got ten degrees colder.
“Yikes,” Max mutters, grabbing Ivy’s hand. “Let’s go introduce you to the rest of the family.”
He pulls her away from us, so I have some time alone with my family.
“Heath,” Mom mutters, tears staining her eyes. “It really hurt.”
I walk to them and grab my mom, hugging her tightly before she begins to cry. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m so sorry.”
But it’s no use. We’re both fucking crying, and I don’t want to stop either.
“It’s okay,” she whispers, caressing my back.
“No, it’s not,” I say.
“You were angry,” my dad says. “I get it.”
“You love Cece, and you wanted to protect her. That’s a good thing,” Mom says, grabbing my face. “That’s why we had to lie. For her sake as well as yours so you wouldn’t go get her back. She needed the time alone.”
“I understand now,” I say. “And I’m sorry for fucking things up.”
My dad pulls me in for a hug. “Come here.”
Even Cece comes in for the hug.
“Group hug,” she muses, making us all laugh.
“I’m glad you’re back, sis,” I say when we’re all done squeezing each other to death. “You missed a shit ton of stuff.”