“True.”
“But, I can’t tell them about you,” I say, letting out a sigh. “It’s so hard. I’ve actually talked about you to Estaine and Brooks. It wasn’t on purpose. It’s just... you’re my best friend. Thankfully, Estaine didn’t notice, but Brooks asked me how I have stepbrother, with dead parents. I have to come up with some kind of story now...”
“Maybe you should just tell him the truth,” Charlie says.
“Pretty sure the secret service agents would murder me if I did,” I say, thinking about Uncle Matty and Jake. They’re both kind of scary dudes.
“Don’t tell them,” he says. “Seriously, you need somebody at the school you can trust.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I say, truly considering it. “But not yet. I have to wait until I trust somebody enough to tell them. I mean, it could mean the difference between life and death if the truth gets out.”
“I don’t think so,” Charlie says. “You’re a sixteen year old girl. I get that the terrorists kidnapped you for a few hours, or whatever, but it’s not you they’re after. It’s your dad. I think your parents just freaked and went a little overboard.”
“Yeah,” I say.
To be honest, I don’t remember being kidnapped.
I felt something go over my mouth and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed a few hours later. I guess they used chloroform on me. But the secret service found me within an hour. I was freaked out about it for, like, five seconds. But I was fine. There really was no need to send me away.
“I just wish they would’ve sent you with me,” I say. “You would love it here.”
“I’ll keep working on Dad. Maybe he will send me, eventually,” Charlie says. “Until then, it sounds like you’re doing good without me. You’ve made a lot of friends. Met a lot of boys...”
“The boys are... irrelevant,” I say.
He laughs. “Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, Phoenix.”
“You frustrate me.”
“You love me,” he says.
“I do,” I say.
“I love you, too.”
“I guess I’d better go. I’ve got soccer tryouts tomorrow and I should probably try to sleep some,” I say.
“Okay. Good night, Phoenix.”
“Night, Charlie.”
Tuesday, August 22
I hope I don’t suck.
My arms hurt.
I mean, like, it hurts to lift my arms above my head.
Uncle Matty and Jake take training very seriously. And I’m not sure that I’ve actually made any progress just yet, but I do feel like I’m on the right track. They’re going to teach me how to defend myself. And maybe I’ll get fit while in the process.
On my second day of school, while eating lunch, I am approached by a middle aged woman with an iPad in her hand.
“Are you Phoenix Underwood?” the woman asks.
I look up at her. “Yeah. Why?”
“I’m Ms. Crawford,” she says. “I’m the councilor at East Raven. I’d like to set up a time to meet with you.”
“Umm... why?”
“To discuss your future,” she says. “Also, the dean and your uncle thought it would be beneficial.”
Uh.
No.
Just, no.
“Are you free today after school?” she asks, touching her screen.
“Nope. I’m trying out for soccer,” I answer.
“What about tomorrow?”
“It depends on if I make the team. We practice Monday through Thursday,” I say.
“Right,” she says, pursing her lips. “Then Friday it is. Four o’clock. Don’t be late.”
She turns on her heel and walks off.
Just great.
“We all have to go talk to the councilor,” Estaine tells me. “They want us all to go to an ivy league after we graduate, because it looks good on the school if we do.”
“Oh, I already know I’m going to Berkeley,” I say. “It’s where my parents met.”
And the truth just slips out before I can stop it.
Ah, why?
Well, at least this isn’t a huge secret. I mean, even though my parents are supposed to be dead, I would still know where they went to school.
“My parents went to Yale,” Estaine says.
“I’ll probably go to Harvard,” Ian says. “My dad went there.”
“I think I’m with Phoenix on this one. Berkeley sounds awesome,” Teagan says. “I’d rather go to school on the West Coast than the East Coast. It’s too cold up here.”
“You’re from Texas. You think anything below fifty is cold,” Jason says.
“Because anything below fifty is cold,” Teagan says.
“I agree with Teagan,” I say. “But I don’t think I’d survive the Texas humidity. We don’t have humidity in Malibu.”
“I should move to Malibu,” Emma says. “Can you imagine having a good hair day, every day?”
“Like you have to worry about frizz anyway,” Teagan says.
Emma does have good hair.
“Do we really have you listen to you guys talk about hair?” Jason asks. “Really. California has more to offer than just good weather.”
“Oh, yeah? And what’s that?” Teagan asks.
“Girls. Lots and lots of hot girls,” Jason answers.
Ian and Bryce both high five him, but Emma, Teagan and I all roll our eyes. Do guys ever think about anything other than girls?