I swallow. “Together?”
“Ride or die,” she promises as she lifts my envelope.
I tear into the package with bated breath, a flurry of emotions gripping me. My fingers tremble as I pull the packet out. It’s so quiet in the dining room that I could hear a pin drop.
“What does it say?” Mrs. Lennon urges.
My eyes keep re-reading the same line as if my brain can’t process what I’m seeing. It can’t be real…
“She got a full ride!” Charlie shouts, jolting me out of my shock.
The kitchen erupts in claps and screams. My best friend squishes me to her in a tight hug as I’m tossed around like a ragdoll between all three of them.
“Fuck yeah!” Mr. Marcus celebrates.
“I knew you could do it!” Mrs. Lennon’s eyes well with happy tears.
“I got in…” I trail.
“You did!” Charlie shakes my shoulders. “You did it!”
My lips press together before my face screws up. Fat, heavy tears dot my lashes as my best friend holds me tightly, and the emotions clogged up inside of me tumble out.
“I did it…” I sob.
“You did it!” Charlie laughs, her happiness infectious.
This is the best day of my life.
The last week of school can’t put a damper on my mood. Things are finally starting to look up for me, and I refuse to let anyone ruin this. The whispers and comments take a backseat as I shuffle through my notebooks for my next class.
Charlie and I have already started packing for Juilliard. Bringing Mr. Marcus to the trailer park to collect my clothes was embarrassing. Luckily, Dad wasn’t home, and I made quick work of shoving my belongings into a trash bag and tossing it into the idling truck.
Now, there’s a discussion of whether Charlie and I want to start the summer semester or wait until the fall. We’re on the fence about how early we want to begin this journey, but I’m itching to get away from Mystic.
As I step near the stairs that lead to my last hour class, I’m entirely distracted with preparations and the light buzz in my head. My fantasies are running crazy with the possibilities, and I don’t notice the three lingering shadows that cast over me until it’s too late.
“Dirt.”
I tense, my joints locking at the sound of Kairo’s voice. I slowly peer over my shoulder at the three boys standing behind me.
“H-hi…” I manage.
“H-hi,” Kairo mocks. “Where the fuck have you been? Are you avoiding us?”
Roman posts up near the stairs’ railing, crossing his arms over his chest. “Avoidance is better than confrontation, huh? You really are like a fucking rat.”
Maddox snorts, his eyes narrowing on me as he chooses to stay silent.
I pull my books closer to me as if they can serve as a shield. I’ve been so lost in my own little world that I completely forgot about these three. “I’ve been busy…”
“Busy?” Roman’s brows jump. “Trying to figure out what new squalor you’re going to inhabit once your old man kicks you out after graduation?”
Kairo chuckles tauntingly, and I curl into myself. “Did you see the cut on her neck? Pretty sure he’s already kicked her out…”
They slowly close in, three demons pushing me closerto the edge of the stairs. I take a step back, only to be quickly reminded of just how close I am to tumbling.
“Did your old man do that?” Roman asks, flicking a finger over the wound and making my teeth grit at the dull pain. “It looks nice.Fitting.”
