After a rather stilted drive in Robert’s black Mercedes, during which Spider keeps darting looks at me, we finally arrive at Robert and Anne’s house in Highland Park. Robert has lived here for several years, at least when he isn’t traveling around the globe to manage his real estate company, and Anne recently moved in with him. I have a bedroom here, but I’ve only stayed over a few times. I prefer Anne’s last house, which is also in a great neighborhood, but much smaller than this one. She sold it as soon as they married.
Once Robert parks the car in the circle drive, I can’t get out fast enough. I need some space from Spider.
Instead of going inside the house, I hug Anne and Robert outside the front door with a promise to show up for dinner later that evening. Anne wants me to come in and tell her more about New York, but I tell her I’m tired. She seems to understand.
As I’m walking to my Highlander that I parked here while I was gone, Spider calls out to me. I turn and watch him stalk toward me.
“Yeah? What is it?” I say sharply as I toss my backpack in the car, ready to get away and process all the crazy stuff that’s happened today.
He shifts from one foot to the next. “I-I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. Again.”
I stiffen, needing more than just an apology from him, but I don’t know what that is. The level of emotion he brings out in me surprises me. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over and done. Now we have to get along.” My lips twist. “Like you said, nothing was going to happen between us anyway, right?”
“Right. Especially since you’re underage.” He emphasizes the last word and I flush.
“You have no right to judge,” I say.
He sticks his hands in his pockets and grimaces. “I know. You have every right to hate me.”
“I don’t hate you. I could never hate you.”
I don’t know why that’s true with him, but it is. Maybe it’s because I can sense there’s more under the surface with him. He’s got issues, and I can relate to that with my background. I glance over his shoulder to see Robert is still at the door, watching us with a contemplative look on his face.
My anger eases more as I move my eyes from his dad to him. I suspect something awful happened between those two. “What’s up with your dad?”
I don’t miss that Spider’s shoulders square as if he’s preparing for battle. “We don’t get along.”
“Then why are you here?”
He pauses. “I haven’t seen him in six months, and he wanted me to clock in and meet the new family. So, here I am.” He holds his hands out and smirks.
There’s more to this story, but I don’t push it. Yet.
He tosses a look over his shoulder at Robert and I see an almost imperceptible nod he gives him as if saying, I see you and I’m coming.
“See you later, Rose.”
He sends me one final look and then he’s striding down the driveway toward the house.
I watch until he’s at the door with Robert, taking in the good two feet of space they keep between their bodies, a telltale sign of tension. I notice that Robert’s face is more somber than usual, as if Spider has done something he disapproves of.
I file it all away and plan to figure it out later.
Right now, I’m ready to get out of here, so I hop in my car and hightail it back to the dorms at Claremont, about ten minutes away.
On the drive over, I focus on the next few weeks and the studying I need to do before graduation. I’m in all honors classes, and I do my best to stay at the top. Granny is always on my mind, and it encourages me to think about how proud she’d be that I’m going to make something of myself.
A staccato knock hits my door after an hour of being back, and I fling open the door to see my two best friends. Dressed in a leather skirt and an off-the-shoulder denim blouse, Lexa enters the room like she owns the place. We’ve been inseparable since freshman year when we both ended up in the same horrible tennis class where neither of us could hit a decent volley. Like me, she lives in student housing since her family lives in Atlanta. Unlike me, she was brought up with a silver spoon in her mouth, but she’s nice anyway.
Her mouth widens. “Oh my God, I’m so freaking glad you’re back! This dump has been D-E-A-D for spring break. I didn’t have anyone to talk to!”
“You had me, but apparently I’m not good enough!” Oscar says offhandedly as he flies in the door right behind her, rather dramatically, the long coattails from his black leather duster flapping. His mop of brown curls bobs as he grabs me and air-kisses both of my cheeks. “God, I’ve missed you. By the way, Lexa is a little bitch when you aren’t here to keep her sane. How was New York? Did you see any models? Actors? Anyone? God, this city sucks. Let’s move to New York and live in a loft together—like on Friends.”
I giggle at his barrage of questions.
A scholarship student from a small rural town outside of Dallas, he’s my oldest friend at Claremont Prep. In fact, we met the moment I walked in the office on my first day to pick up my schedule. He took one look at my no doubt terrified face and immediately offered to show me around campus. We bonded over our love for fashion and great literature. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s my tribe, and our dream is to live together in New York.
Oscar grins. “Did you fall in love with the campus? Does Anne know how bad you want to move? Will she let you leave the state of Texas?”
Lexa opens her compact and reapplies her already perfect lipstick. “We all know the answer to that one—no. Anne wants you right here so she can show you off as the girl she saved from the streets. You’re her little prize.”
“That’s mean,” Oscar says as he throws a pillow at her. “I’m taking Lexa off our prayer list, Rose.”
I shake my head and grin. “What prayer list?”
He lifts his hands. “The one I’m going to start for all the people who need prayers around here.”
I giggle. Man, I missed him.
Lexa ignores Oscar, still focusing on Anne. “She literally made you the poster girl at her charity gala last year when she put you on a poster. You gave a speech about the inner city and everything. She’s molding you to be a mini-Anne. You already dress how she wants.” She waves her hands at my outfit.
I grimace at Lexa’s words. I’m not a mini-Anne. I’m just me. Yes, Anne likes to take me to her charity events and show me off because I’m a success story, but she also pays for me to take self-defense classes because it makes me feel more secure. I owe her.