“Is there something on your mind?”
“Maybe.” I take a sip of wine. “Someone.”
“Tell me everything. That’s what you’re here for.”
“I’m not just here for that – but I could do with some advice.”
“I’m all ears.”
“There’s this girl. She’s a real troublemaker – and when I say trouble, I meanserioustrouble.”
“Go on.”
“She moved to town with her dad, and she’s applied to school – but her records are terrible.”
“What did she do?”
“Arson, vandalization…”
“Wow.”
“She’s fifteen, and she’s already been held back a year.”
“And you’re not sure whether or not to give her a chance.”
“She recently lost her mother.”
“Oh, the poor girl.”
“She was kicked out of three different schools just last year, and the Abbey seems to be her last shot.”
“It sounds like she’s looking for an outlet for her pain.”
“I think so, too.” I take another gulp of wine and begin to test the waters. “I know her dad.”
Iris lifts her eyebrow, interested.
“We went to school together.”
“Don’t tell me…”
“Don’t pull that face – it wasn’t what you think.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“We were barely even friends. His reputation kind of spoke for him.”
“What kind of reputation?”
“A bad boy, into sports, a bit of a player…”
“I know the type.”
“Exactly: the type of guy you should stay away from.”
“If you’re a good girl, like you were. I was the opposite: he would’ve been just my type.”
I smile.
