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His nine-year-old thinking always warmed me when I was with him. He didn’t know the kind of city we lived in. The responsibility I would carry as an adult. I had only just found out about it last year. Not that I was supposed to know. The guys and I were eavesdropping like we usually did when our parents held meetings.
“Noah, I’m going to be leaving for a while.” His smile dropped at my words.
“Where are you going?”
I swallowed thickly. “I have to go to a new school for the year. But don’t worry, I’m going to try and come back next year, okay?”
I planned on being on my best behavior to convince William to let me come back. I had to. For Noah.
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow. But don’t worry, Susan will help you with everything.”
“Susan isn’t the same as you.” He sniffled as he leaned against me.
“I know,” I murmured, stroking his hair. “But she loves you too.”
Susan was our housekeeper. She was more of a mother to us than our mom was. I sat there, talking to Noah and reassuring him that he’d be fine. After a few minutes, I gave him a tight hug before he left to go back to the ballroom to get a piece of cake. I wasn’t sure if he realized how long I’d actually be gone. I hoped I’d be able to see him tomorrow before I left.
A hand gripped my arm, and I leaped from my spot on the floor in a panic. Weston stepped back, his eyes wide from my reaction. I took a deep breath to calm myself. I thought it might have been William, already coming to take me away.
“What happened, Kat?” Weston asked, worry flickering in his gaze. “Did William hurt you?”
“Nothing more than usual,” I replied, wondering how I’d tell them I was leaving. Or if they would even care. We were close because of the time we were forced to spend together. Not because we were best friends. Even though their windows were always open if I needed to escape my house.
“Come play a game,” River called out as Weston and I walked back into the basketball court. “Playing ball always makes you feel better. You can even be on my team.”
He was right. Basketball was my sanity. I spent more time on this court than anywhere else in the house. But even my favorite hobby couldn’t make me feel better.
“She can’t play in that dress,” Elias snarked like he always did.
“Would you leave if you got a chance?” I blurted out. “Leave this life? This town?”
All three of them looked at me like I was crazy. River let the ball bounce away as they formed a small circle around me.
“We’ll never leave,” Weston said quietly. “Our families built this town.”
“Why would we want to?” Elias interjected. “We have everything we need.”
“Except our free will,” I argued back. “Our choice in doing what we want. I want to leave. Play basketball. I don’t want to live under rules my whole life.”
“Kit-Kat, we’ll make our own rules when we grow up,” River said gently. “What happened?”
“She probably just made William mad again,” Elias snapped. “Let’s play.”
“Screw you, Elias Perry,” I yelled, shoving his chest. “Mr. Golden Boy can do no wrong. You do everything your dad asks, like he’s a king. All three of you do. Are you going to be obedient little boys your whole lives?”
Elias’s eyes flashed in anger. “It’s better than being miserable. Every time you defy William, it makes your life worse.”
Weston looked annoyed at my words. “We don’t like it, Kat. We do it because it makes life easier. Maybe you should try it.”
“William will never control me,” I vowed to myself just as much as to them in that moment. “No one will. I want to live free.”
“A dream,” River muttered through the tense silence. “It will never happen with who our families are.”
I opened my hand and looked at what had started this whole night. My palm was sweaty from keeping it in my fist this whole time. The ring was something I’d had for as long as I could remember. It was a family heirloom that got passed to the oldest child. It was a simple gold band, and it was still too big for me to wear on my finger. The writing inscribed on it was more important.
The future is yours.
