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She ignores my question, running her hand through her pretty long locks and stifling a yawn.
"I didn't think you deserved it before. But since you've seemingly found your place now and learned how to act... maybe you'll do the right thing when you read it."
"Have you read it?" I ask, and she shakes her head no.
I'm not sure I believe her, but for now, her word is all I have.
The professor walks inside the classroom and everyone but us stands up. I nudge Araminta and she looks at me with bored eyes, as if our previous exchange is already forgotten.
"Why would you give me the diary now?" I whisper-hiss. "It's going to cause drama, and you know it."
"Because I live for it." She laughs easily, ignoring the pleading looks from our professor trying to convince us to focus on the lesson. "I just love it when the Firstborns are at each other's throats. It's so much fun, don't you think?"
I stare at her wordlessly as she twirls her pen between her lips, smiling seductively at our professor. The girl is crazy. And she really does have everyone wrapped around her little finger.
After my first class of the day is over, I head to my next one, scanning the hallway for a sign of Dexter. But he's nowhere to be seen. I don't want to ask one of his classmates if he's showed up for school today - I don't want to look desperate. But as the day moves on, it becomes more and more obvious Dexter isn't here. There's a general sense of unease in the air, as if the students of Prep don't quite know what to do with themselves without their ruler.
I head into my etiquette class and am already sitting at my designated desk when the professor walks in with someone I don't recognize. Instantly, my eyes shoot up and devour the stranger standing in front of the blackboard.
"Class, Easton Brantley has returned from his year abroad," the professor announces while the boy stares at us, evaluating us one by one with his calculating gaze and cool smirk. "He will be joining the classes of the first-year students. Please Easton, find a seat."
I'm still examining the boy, but my heart has already sped up at the sight of him. He's handsome - but who the hell isn't at Prep. With his chestnut brown hair, light grey eyes and pale complexion, he looks like a sculpture. His lips are almost too full for a boy, but there's a cruel tilt to his head that makes me think he doesn't take any nonsense, from anyone. He's tall and slender, with the faint hint of muscles stretching his Prep uniform. His hair falls into his eyes in an endearing way that makes me think he needs a haircut. And now, his eyes have stopped scanning the crowd before him, and have settled on mine.
He watches me, his lips gently curving upward as he heads directly for me. I take a sharp breath, convinced he's going to collide with my desk, but instead, he picks the desk in front of me, sliding into his seat, but not before giving me a knowing smile. His hair curls at the nape of his neck. It's kind of cute.
For the rest of the lesson, my eyes are glued to Easton Brantley. He's the missing piece of the puzzle, the last of the Firstborns. And he's just as handsome as the others, with an added air of mystery that makes my skin prickle in excitement.
Surely he knows who I am? I'm certain he will come speak to me as soon as this class is over. I realize I'm eager to hear his voice and hear how it matches up to his handsome looks, and the thought makes me blush just as the bell announces the end of our lesson.
I stare at him expectantly as I pack up my things to head to the next class, but he doesn't even turn around to look at me. Instead, he puts his things in a leather backpack and heads out with some of the guys in our class.
"Dream on, P," Araminta speaks up from behind me, and I turn to face her. "Trust me, he's not interested. Not in any of us."
I mutter, "Was I that obvious?"
"You and every other girl a
t Prep," Araminta sighs. "But he doesn't even notice us. Must be all those years he spent in Switzerland. American girls are like, invisible to him now."
My cheeks burn with shame I refuse to acknowledge.
"Does he hang out with Dexter and the others?" I ask, trying hard to hide the hopeful note in my voice.
"Oh, as if," Araminta laughs. "You'll see, kid. Just wait."
"What for?"
"The drama." She looks giddy with excitement. "It's really going to kick off now."
* * *
I swallow another bite of the gourmet carbonara I picked up in the lunch line. The cafeteria lady looked at me like I was crazy - I have a feeling they don't get a whole lot of pasta eaters in Eden Falls. Most of these girls are on diets stricter than my father's regimen for his own children. I'm eating by myself again, which suits me just fine and gives me a few minutes of peace before my next lesson begins.
Sneaking a look around the room, I don't notice anyone familiar. It really seems as if Dex is a no show today, which twists my insides with worry. But at least he hasn't told anyone what happened - nobody knows he ripped away my innocence, scarring me forever.
I reach inside my bag, pulling out the diary Araminta gave me. It's still locked, and I test the small lock with my bobby pin but can't manage to unlock it. I'm sure I could just snap it off with a pair of pliers, but it feels disrespectful to Lily Anna to do that.
I set the small purple notebook on the table next to me, leaving my palm on the front as if to protect it. A moment later, the notebook is suddenly snatched from beneath my fingers, and I look up as a cry of outrage rips itself from my lips.
