Harper shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to come off like a stony bitch, but I’m under a lot of pressure. I don’t expect you to understand, but—”
My eyes flared, a sudden, shocking flood of anger killing my smile. “Oh, is that a fact?”
“Yes.” She crossed her arms. “Unless you have something real you’d like to share? Or just more credentials? Maybe your bank statement?”
There it was. The biggest spark of all. Not just attraction, but a flare threatening to light a dark place no one ventured into. Including me.
But what should I tell her? The truth?
Not going to happen.
I pushed it all down, found my smirk. “Apologies. I’ll make sure to be on my best behavior from now on. Apparently having a personality is overrated.”
The moment the words left me, I wanted to snatch them back. Hurt flashed across her face, and her jaw tightened.
“Sorry to disappoint,” she said in a low voice, then turned on her heel and walked away.
“Well, that was bloody brilliant,” I muttered and rubbed my eyes. “Ace job. Truly.”
If I’d been in the boys’ restroom, I might’ve ruined another mirror. Instead, I took a few deep breaths and waited until all the emotionssank back down beneath the surface. Because letting them out did no bloody good, did it? You rocked the boat, you said stupid shit you regretted, and for what? Over some pointless sketches for a meaningless assignment?
And anyway, that girl is wound up tight and nothing but a headache. Forget her.
But I knew, even then, that was impossible.
***
At lunch I sat with my mates: Emery Wallace and her boyfriend Tucker Hill. Rhett Calloway and his girlfriend Aria Kingston—who looked more like vampire siblings than boyfriend and girlfriend—Gideon Foster, and Elowen Blake. Elowen was a pretty blond whose expression turned borderline predatory as soon as she saw me. She’d been pursuing me since the end of last year, and I’d considered giving in. She was beautiful, popular, and had made it abundantly clear I’d never want for heraffection.
But after the fiery introduction to Harper Bennett, Elowen—and everyone else at the table—seemed like characters in a book I’d read one too many times.
“Orion, my man,” Tucker said. We clasped hands, and he pulled me to him for a hard thump on the back. “Ready for crew tryouts this Saturday?”
Of course I am, I wanted to snap.I’m always ready. My entire life is being ready.
I flashed him a grin. “You know it.”
He grinned back. “Fuck yeah.”
Truthfully, crew was one of the best things I had going at CHA. Being out on the water, the exertion of rowing, the teamwork, the freedom from all the mental strain of school… It shut off the noise of grades and the expectations of everything I was supposed to become.
And piano?
My pulse quickened just thinking about it, but whether out of fearor excitement, I couldn’t tell. I’d avoided the Arts Wing for three years until this year, when my schedule allowed room for an elective. Piano was a door I’d closed on purpose, a version of myself I’d buried, and now I was opening it again. Why? Would I even know how to play anymore?
But even as expert as I was at burying feelings, I knew the answer to that. And I only had to make it through one more class before I’d be sitting at a baby grand.
With Harper…
“It’s fucking ridiculous,” Rhett snarled, cutting into my thoughts. “Why is Coach makingustry out for crew if we were on the team last year?”
“To ensure we haven’t slacked off all summer, mate,” I said, half hoping Rhett had done just that. Technically, he was a friend, but I also suspected he’d knife me in the back if it came down to him or me getting a seat.
“No worries,” Tucker said. “There’s nobody new this year that’s good enough to steal a seat from our crew.”
“Hm,” I said noncommittally, glancing around the cafeteria.
I spotted Harper’s striped dress immediately. I’d just vowed to keep everything still and calm, and yet I itched to go talk to her. To set off another round of bangers and fireworks, explosives and pyrotechnics. To have a different conversation from the one I’d been having with this group for the last three years. Perhaps one that blew down walls, and plumbed the depths until it found something…
