Page 81 of Five

I was right about Frank. He’s standing outside my classroom when I leave. Holding a white rose in his hand and smiling like a fool.

White? Really? Isn’t that the rose of death or something? It reminds me of funerals.

“Hey,” I say, unsure of what to do.

“Hey,” he says, holding out the rose. I really don’t want to take that rose, but everyone is looking at us now. So I have to. “Just didn’t want to leave things the way we left them. Not a good way to start our new life, Rory. If something’s bothering you, you need to learn to handle it better.”

Which might be true, but we’re not starting a new life together. We’re not even friends, for fuck’s sake.

But I keep my mouth shut and say, “Thank you.”

“So… lunch? I can help you find Tera.”

I hesitate.

“Or not,” he says, putting his hands up in surrender just like earlier.

But she’s gone. It’s stupid to pretend to go looking for her. And I can’t tell him that, so I say, “Lunch is fine.”

I need to play this cool.

“I bet Tera is with Mia and Kallie, anyway. And I know they’re with Brian and Edward.”

He takes my hand, and I let him. Because whatever the fuck is going on here, it’s not going to be resolved simply. And I won’t be dragged into it. Not by Frank, or Kallie, or Mia or anyone. They have no idea who they’re messing with. I can call Cliff later and catch up with Tera. I’m glad she’s out, actually. I hope she’s halfway to upstate New York by now. Safe.

It’s too bad it will end this way. I liked this place. Princeton was a great experience up until now. And I even kinda like Kallie and Mia too. They’re bossy and opinionated, but aren’t all us princesses that way?

Frank talks the whole way over to the tower building, where everyone is waiting for us—except Tera.

Brian gets up, approaching us before we even reach the others. “Have you seen Tera?” he asks, coming off angry, rather than concerned. And he’s only looking at me, not Frank.

“No,” I say. “I’ve been looking for her all week. I’m starting to get worried,” I say, aiming that statement towards Mia, who is standing not six feet away, pretending not to notice me as she and Kallie talk about shoes.

“She’s been acting weird this week,” Frank says. “Have you noticed, Aurora?”

I want to smack him for continuing to call me that. It’s Rory, asshole. Or princess to those who love me. No one calls me Aurora.

“Rory?” Brian asks, snapping me out of my contemptuous thoughts. “Have you noticed anything funny about her this week?”

“I just told you. I haven’t seen her.”

“I think she is,” Mia says.

And then Kallie joins in. “Me too. She’s been avoiding everyone all week. I think it’s the stress of school.”

“Well,” Brian adds, “she has been having trouble in her classes.”

“What?” I say. “It’s the first fucking week of school, Brian. How the hell can she be having trouble in her classes?”

“Aurora, can you curb the language, please?”

I want to punch Frank Fulbright right in the nose. “I’m a goddamned Shrike, for fuck’s sake. And I’ll say fuck all I want, thank you.”

Frank just stares at me with an open mouth.

“Do you always let her talk to you like that?” Edward asks.

“Excuse me?” I say, turning my venom towards him.