“Yeah, we ate lunch together today, and he mentioned it.” Maddy’s hair dances in the light breeze as she glances at me, the exterior lights on the academy building reflecting in her eyes.
I’m uncertain how to process what she said, that she had lunch with Finn and that they talked about Isla and me. I’m not mad, just perplexed as to why they were hanging out and talking about me at all.
“What’re you going to do about it?” she asks, breaking the silence between us.
My brows crease. “What do you mean?”
We start down the stairs that lead to the parking lot.
“I mean, how do you just marry someone you’re not in love with and spend your entire life married to them?” She wraps her arms around herself. “I get that life can get miserable at times—trust me, Isocan relate to that part—but it’s always been the possibility of getting a future that I want—a better one—that’s kept me going forward.” She glances at me, and I have no clue what my expression looks like, but it causes panic to flash across hers. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. That was really insensitive.”
We’ve stopped in the middle of the stairway, facing each other on the same step with a group of people loitering at the bottom, making some noise. But it feels like we’re the only two people here, because she’s saying the truth, and it’s been a long time since someone has done that with so much innocent honesty.
“You’re fine,” I assure her. “Honestly, it’s kind of refreshing.”
“That I just waved your demising future in your face?” she questions warily.
“You didn’t wave it in my face. You just told the truth how you saw it.” I shift my weight. “Usually, people tiptoe around it or talk about it when they don’t get it. There’s so many people in the royal world who have things handed to them. Yet I just feel like you get it, like you understand what it’s like to be facing a future you don’t want.”
“I do—trust me. Even before I came here, I wasn’t completely thrilled by where I was heading. But it was a plan. Still, it was connected to northside, which is connected to my parents. And I don’t want to be connected to them anymore, because if I let them into my life, they’ll ruin my future.” She pauses. “I feellike yours might be the same way, just in a different way, if that makes any sense.”
“It makes complete sense.” We start down the stairs again. “I don’t blame my mother. My father is a dominant man and bulldozes over her all the time, even after the divorce.”
She trails her fingers along the railing as she takes each step. “You know, I’ve never understood how men like that even get women?”
“Because they’re powerful, rich, and are used to getting what they want.”
“But why do women fall for that?”
“Don’t ask me. I’ve never understood what women see in my father. He’s a total condescending ass.”
“What about your mom?” she asks as we reach the bottom of the stairs.
I get a full view of the group of people, and tension rolls through my body. Some of them are society members, including Eli, a total asshole. I’m fairly positive he’s caused some drama for Lily, but she refuses to tell me the details. If I ever find out what he did to her is terrible, he’ll get his ass kicked.
“What about her?” I’m distracted now by Eli and the reminder of the society and also what I’ll be telling Maddy tonight.
“What’s she like?”
“Um …”
“River?” Maddy waves a hand in front of my face, causing me to jolt.
When I blink at her, she’s staring at me with a quizzical line between her brows. I’ve stopped walking and am not even aware of it. Plus, my attention is glued on Eli.
“Why are you staring at him?” she asks, hitching her thumb over her shoulder at where Eli is.
He’s watching us now, and the trace of a smile on his lips makes annoyance prickle through my veins.
“It’s nothing.” I start walking again, keeping my eyes trained ahead.
Maddy follows and sinks into silence, the sound of our shoes scuffing against the asphalt filling up the awkward tension. I’m not even sure why things got so awkward. I could just let it remain that way—I’m good at that—but Maddy is different.
“I’m sorry,” I finally say while glancing at her.
“For what?” she replies in an emotionless tone.
“For being vague and weird.” I slip my hand into my pocket to dig my keys out. “I’m not used to hanging out with people that much, and when I do, Finn says I have issues with being a douchebag.”
