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)
“Heath, stop,” my father growls. “You don’t get to talk to your mother like that.”
“Where is she?” I respond.
He keeps his mouth shut, biting the piercing in his lip as if that’ll keep him from telling me the truth, but it only makes me laugh. “Really?”
“If we told you, you’d drive over there today,” Mom says.
“Damn right, I would,” I say, shoving the coffee aside. “I’m done here.”
“Heath … please. Talk to us,” Mom says as I get up.
“No, I’m done here. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her. You can kiss your early Thursday morning coffees every week with the family goodbye.” I march out the door before they can say anything else to convince me to stay.
Cecelia was always there for me when I needed her. I couldn’t wish for a better sister. But this? This is a backstab.
It can’t be fucking true. It can’t.
As I rush to my car, I pull my phone from my pocket and message her.
Me: Is it true? Are you really at some boarding school?
Me: Where are you?
There’s no response.
Me: Cece, did they fucking ship you off?
Me: Tell me right now if I need to come and pick you up.
Me: I swear, I’ll come get you. Just say the word.
I start the car and race off before my parents come out yelling at me to come back into the house and talk. I’m not interested in whatever the fuck they have to say. Not today.
I light a cigarette from my pocket, taking a few deep drags.
Goddammit. This is too much, even for me. She always, always told me when she was up to something. Whenever she’d go on vacation, she’d let me know first. And now I have to find this shit out through our parents? Things are not adding up.
I race down the streets, not giving a shit whether it’s a red light. I know how to pay attention, and the faster I go, the more alive I feel. What are the police going to do, fine me? Let them. I have enough money to do whatever the fuck I want. I don’t need anyone’s permission, and I definitely don’t need my fucking parents keeping shit from me.
I take another drag of my cigarette and race up the mountain back to Spine Ridge University, completely fucked out of my mind with rage. I park my car near the Skull and Serpent Society house and jump out, taking another big drag of my cig. The kick just doesn’t do it anymore, but when I spot a particular brown-haired girl biking through the main gates, I stop and gawk. She’s wearing a blue skirt that barely fits her, a short black top, and high heels that are surely hard to walk on. Yet she chose this outfit specifically for her first day back after her punishment. That’s definitely a statement.
She’s headed right for Max, who’s casually reading one of his study books for an upcoming test on a bench outside.
“Well … this should get interesting,” I mutter to myself, chucking the cigarette aside.
I fish my phone from my pocket and PM him.
Me: Thief headed your way. Look up.
He grabs his phone and freaks out… Right before she steals the book from his hand and stares him down, fiery eyes and all.
And I’ve suddenly forgotten just how enraged I was.
I guess this is going to be a fun day after all.
Max
“What the—”
“Come with me,” Ivy growls, holding my book hostage.
Oh shit.
I grab my bag and follow her as she struts off. “Hey! Wait up!”
She doesn’t respond, and I can barely keep up. Man, this girl can walk fast. How does she do this? I have to actually run to catch up, but I don’t want her to run away with my book. I literally have a test tomorrow that I can’t flake out on.
“Give that back, please,” I say. “I have a test.”
But she still ignores me.
When I try to snatch it from her hand, she expertly throws it around from one hand to the other, avoiding my grip each time until we’re already inside the Spine Ridge University main building and headed up the stairs.
I attempt to grab her, but she keeps evading me, always one step ahead. She’s like a mad fox dashing from left to right, faster than I can keep up. She enters a hallway on the second floor and disappears into a door with tape all around it. This part of the building is under renovation since it’s old, and it’s probably not safe to be here.
Yet I can’t help but follow her inside.
It’s dark in here, with only a sliver of sunlight peeking through the closed blinds. A couple of chairs and tables still inside have been thrown over, and the paint is chipping off the walls in this room.