Hand in hand with Grace, we followed the others down cobblestone pathways restored in certain places and led toward massive charcoal-colored doors. Excited, I couldn’t wait to get inside.
“God, this place is beautiful,” my compliment was accompanied by many oohs and aahs from the others.
As we waited while our guide queued for security checks, Grace asked, “so, are you coming to Danny’s party tonight?”
“You know I’m a—”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Not a social bee,” she scoffed. “Bloody hell, Lee, it’s just a party and an hour of socializing will not affect those geeky brain cells. Plus, you’ve been the American outsider for so long, by choice I might add, that I think it’s time you made some friends other than me.”
“Why, Grace, are you tired of me?” I faked a hurt look, rubbing a hand over my heart.
“As if.” She shoulder-bumped me. “We’re spit sisters, remember.” She reminded me of the pact we’d made. Two days after starting school, I missed my father and wanted to go back to the US. I was crying in the bathroom where Grace found me. After an hour of sitting with me and missing class, she spat on her hand and then held it out with a promise to be my friend for life. “Besides, while most of these wankers find you weird, I like that you don’t care what they think. You give the phrase ‘lighten up’ new meaning even with your head stuck in the books.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” My sarcastic tone was not lost on her, making her scowl. “And I do socialize. I’m on the student council, remember?”
“I give up,” she moaned, shaking her head.
I yanked her ponytail until she smiled again. “Didn’t Danny’s parents ban parties after that last one?” I grinned, remembering how all the kids who’d jumped into Danny’s pool arrived at school looking like little green monsters. Someone had thrown something in the pool that reacted with the chlorinated water. It took weeks for their skin color to eventually return to normal and Headmaster Berrington was displeased. “Berrington will have a fit.”
“Everyone knows nothing stops Danny from throwing his famous parties. And it’s no secret Berrington kept mum on the last incident because he values Danny’s family donations too much.”
“Political conspiracy,” I muttered, gagging my disapproval. “Thank goodness I keep away from these people.”
She laughed. “Sometimes I think you don’t attend parties just to stay out of trouble with your mother. You’re such a good girl.”
“Hey, I can be a bad girl.” I snorted a laugh. “I could get into trouble if I wanted to.”
“Yeah, right. You’re another lifetime away from being a bad girl, Lee.” Grace wiggled her brows.
Unfortunately, I had to agree with her. The typical well-behaved geek, I dressed appropriately, minded my manners, and stayed out of trouble. I was sixteen and I hadn’t even kissed a boy. All that just to stay on my mother’s good side because I couldn’t afford to mess up the year and a half left of my scholarship. Once I finished school, I planned to go back to the US and find my father. Even though he never made contact, I believed it wasn’t by choice and I intended to find out why. What hold did my mother have on him? “So, what’s happening with you and Harry?” I asked, changing the subject and referring to her boyfriend she’d been dating for the last year.
“Honestly, things have been really bizarre lately.” She shrugged and at my questioning look, added, “I don’t know, he’s just off. Maybe he has someone else in mind.” Her smile dipped sadly.
“Well, he’s an idiot then.” I pulled her tight in a one-handed hug. “You’re the prettiest girl I know.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
“Would I ever lie to you, Gracey Pooh?” I rubbed my head lightly against hers. “Wear that red dress you bought last week to the party tonight and you’ll have him eating out of your hand.” I winked.
She fished a tube of pink gloss out of her blazer pocket and painted her lips perfectly sans a mirror. “I think you might have a point there, Lee.” She wrinkled her nose before focusing our attention on the guide gesturing for us to follow her inside.
As we navigated the endless passages, my awe grew. Thirty minutes later, I was breathless with each new find. “Isn’t this exciting, Grace? To think these hallways were once filled with royalty,” I gushed, my heart pulsing wildly. “Decades of history so well-preserved.”
Laughing, she smoothed down her thick bangs. “Seriously, Lee? Only you would find old creepy places thrilling. You need a distraction.” She flipped her long brown ponytail over her shoulder, took a swig from her water bottle, and said, “isn’t there any guy you like, even a little?”
“Nope. It never crossed my mind. And you forget, unlike all the preppy boys and girls at our school—minus you of course—whose parents have fat pockets, I have a scholarship I need to hold onto. So, guys can wait.”
“And when do you plan on losing your virginity then?” she asked, her tone suggesting it was the most critical debacle in my life.
Sometimes I forgot how many popular kids my age humped like rabbits as soon as they lost their virginity. Thereby, opening doubts to those that hadn’t done it yet. I wasn’t interested.
“Definitely not any time soon,” I replied absentmindedly, my eyes on the red rope threaded through gold stanchions separating the private residence from the tour. “Remember, I said I can be a bad girl?” At her frown, I added, “I’m going to duck behind those red ropes and see what’s on the other side.”
Shocked, she shook her head. “You can’t. That’s trespassing.”
“You coming?” I was already sidling toward the ropes.
“Levana,” she scolded, narrowing her eyes. “You’re going to get into trouble.”
