Her words had an edge to them. Like she thought I should be on my hands and knees praising Drake for taking mercy on me. In some regards, I should have done precisely that.
Drake was my hero.
My white knight.
My savior.
I owed him everything.
“I’m very grateful,” I told Carmella. “I don’t need a reminder.”
At that, she snapped her head at me. The muscles in her face tightened for a second. I expected her to shoot back with a clever retort. Or another reminder that I was Drake’s charity case and was lucky to walk on his pristine marble floors and share his dinner table.
For the rest of the ride, we remained silent. No more small talk or pleasantries. From the outside, Devil’s Creek looked like any other uber-wealthy neighborhood. Sprawling mansions with manicured lawns, shrubs trimmed into odd shapes.
Neighbors waved to each other as they stepped outside to collect the daily newspapers. Kids climbed into their mother’s high-priced SUVs. People walked their dogs.
As we arrived at Astor Prep, students drove onto the gated property, driving cars that cost well over a hundred thousand dollars. Through the window, I watched hot guys lean against their vehicles. A few girls sat on the tailgate of a truck wearing skirts, their long legs dangling off the side. Football players wearing Astor Prep black and gold uniforms threw a ball to each other.
“I’ll drop you off here.”
Carmella pulled up behind a few other parked cars and held out her palm. “Let me see your phone.”
I reached into my bag and handed it to her. Her fingers sped across the keypad, and then she gave it back to me.
“I programmed my number. Call if there’s a problem.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Why would you think that?”
She eyed my freshly pressed uniform, the light dusting of makeup on my face, and my new haircut. Drake had spared no expense for my makeover, transforming me from a gutter rat to a lost heiress.
“The kids at this school can be cruel if you’re not from one of the well-known families. You don’t have Drake’s last name, which would have gone a long way here. But you have access to his wealth. I suggest you use that to every advantage, or you won’t survive the year.”
My stomach twisted into knots, the toast in my belly ready to make a reappearance on the floor of this expensive car.
“How do I use that to my advantage? I don’t know the first thing about being rich. Nor will I blend with these people.” I glanced out the window and sighed. “My last five schools were nothing like this one. And I got bullied and made fun of by at of them.”
“You’re a pretty girl. But you don’t have any confidence.”
“Yes, I?—”
“No, you don’t.” Carmella shook her head. “You look down or away when people hold your gaze. It’s like you’re afraid of having anyone notice you. And you wrinkle your nose when you’re nervous. Mean girls can read micro-expressions faster than the latest issue of Cosmo.”
The knot in my stomach tightened as her words of wisdom sank into my brain. This place would be my hell for the next year unless I outsmarted the mean girls. Even Drake had triedto warn me. Hence, the Cinderella-style makeover, along with all the new clothes and makeup. He didn’t want me to struggle.
“I was testing you on the way over here to see how you would respond.”
“So, you were intentionally trying to be rude.”
“Yes, but it was for your benefit. I told Drake I would prepare you for Astor Prep. But my methods can sometimes be unconventional.”
You don’t say.
Bitch.
I wanted to like Carmella, but she was making it hard. My old and new lives were so different from each other that none of this seemed real. Neither did her fake smiles.
“Good luck,” Carmella said and clicked a button to unlock the doors. “Call me if you need advice.”
