Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Epilogue
A Fresh Start - Oak Brook Academy #5
Legal Notices
Oak Brook Academy
(Book 4)
Worth the Wait
By
Jillian Adams
Copyright © 2019 Jillian Adams
Cover design by Beetiful Book Covers
All rights reserved.
Chapter 1
“Get a room.” I rolled my eyes as I shoved past Mick and Alana. “You’re blocking the table!”
“Sorry, Maby.” Mick grinned as he pulled away from Alana.
Alana hopped off the edge of the table and settled on the bench instead. “Mick’s been so busy with football we’ve hardly had any time together.”
“Sure, sure.” I sat down at the table and did my best to hold back my opinion. Maybe a little time apart would do them some good. They’d both gotten so wrapped up in each other lately that I couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. “Just behave yourselves—I don’t want you being a bad influence on Oliver.”
“Oliver? That’s his name?” Candy sat down beside me, her hair pulled back in pigtails that bounced cheerfully above each of her shoulders. “I can’t wait to meet him. Do you think he’ll be nice? I hear people from England can be a little snotty.”
“Snotty?” Wes sat down on the other side of me. “I’m not sure if that’s the case or if they just don’t like Americans.”
“This is what I’m talking about!” I slapped my hands together. “You can’t behave this way when Oliver arrives. We need to make him feel welcome. He’s a transfer and he’s going to need a lot of help adjusting once he gets here. Besides, everyone knows that people from England are far more cultured and polite than any American.”
“I’m not sure I agree with that.” Chuckles frowned as he looked across the table at me.
“You don’t have to agree with it.” I shrugged. “Just don’t give Oliver a hard time. I’m sure he’s going to be shy and overwhelmed with the culture shock of being here. We should all do our best to help him fit in and give him the support he’s going to need.”
“Maby is right.” Apple stretched her arms above her head, revealing a stripe of orange paint on the inside of her wrist. “The least we can do is offer him a warm welcome.”
“Have you and Ty been playing around in the art closet again?” I sighed as I stared at the splotches of paint scattered across her uniform shirt.
“Uh, no.” Her cheeks reddened as she looked down at her tray.
“Sure.” I rolled my eyes and grinned.
As happy as I was for my friends that had broken off into couples lately, I also found it a little irritating. The puppy love that surrounded me was hard to ignore. Mick already had his arm around Alana again and Wes had pulled Fifi into his lap the moment she arrived at the table.
It was hard for me not to notice that I was the odd one out compared to the majority of my friends. But I wasn’t jealous. Instead, I felt lucky. At least I’d managed to avoid the pitfalls of high school love. Next year I’d graduate and then my life could begin when I went off to college. There I had a better chance of making a real, lasting connection—but, of course, not until at least my junior year.
“When is Oliver supposed to arrive?” Wes fed Fifi a French fry from his plate.
“Sometime today. It was supposed to be this morning, but I guess there was some kind of delay.” I glanced at my phone. “I’ll get a text when he arrives.”
“It’s so nice of you to do this.” Candy popped open her bottle of water and took a long sip.
“I’m looking forward to it.” I smiled. “I’m sure he’ll have plenty to tell me about England. I’ve been there a few times myself, but it’s always good to get the view of a real local.”
“Oh please, I know it’s the accent you’re looking forward to.” Mick grinned. “Ladies love those accents.”
“Grow up.” I sighed as I stood up from the table. “I’m not swayed by an accent.”
“No?” Wes glanced up at her. “Even if he offers to share his chips?” He attempted an English accent.
“What is that supposed to be?” I laughed. “You sound like you have something stuck in your throat.”
“Ouch, harsh.” Wes winked at me, then grinned at Fifi. “It was pretty good right?”
“Sorry, I’m going to have to go with Maby on this one.” She scrunched up her nose. “I was about to ask if you were choking.”
“Ha, ha.” He shot Fifi a playful glare.
“Oops, looks like I just got that text.” I pretended to check a text on my phone as Wes pulled Fifi into a passionate kiss.
As I hurried toward the door of the cafeteria, I ignored a subtle burst of jealousy in my chest. No, I wasn’t the least bit interested in Wes, but would it really be so terrible to have someone to share everything with? It seemed that since most of my friends had partnered up, I had a lot of free time, which allowed my mind to wander a little too much.
Helping Oliver adjust to life at Oak Brook Academy—home for me and my friends in New York City—would be a great distraction. If only he would actually arrive.
I checked my phone again. With only a few hours of school left, I began to wonder if he would even show up.
Ever since I’d received the news of his transfer, I’d imagined what he might be like. I was sure that he’d be sophisticated, at least far more sophisticated than any of the boys at Oak Brook. Although I hated to admit that Mick was right, I also looked forward to his accent. Mostly, I was curious about having a new friend.
I’d made so many friends while attending boarding school. We were a makeshift family, but there was always room for more. I tried to picture myself in his place, coming to a new country, with no friends or family nearby. Would I be scared? I smiled to myself as I walked in the direction of the main office.
“Not a chance.” I shook my head. I’d be thrilled to be in a new place.
Just as I reached the door to the main office, my phone buzzed with a text. “Ah, Oliver has arrived.” I smiled as I pulled open the door. My mind buzzed with excitement at the idea of meeting him. Something new, something different in my life. Things had become way too routine lately. I needed something to shake my life up.
I stepped into the office and found the receptionist behind her desk.
“Maby, that was fast.” She smiled at me. “Eager to meet Oliver, are you?”
“You could say that.” I laughed, then glanced around the office. “Where is he?”
“Well, he was right here, but as soon
as he finished his paperwork he took off. I told him to wait for you, but he didn’t listen.” She pointed to the door. “He can’t be far if you want to try to catch up with him.”
“Didn’t you tell him that I would show him around?” I frowned.
“I did.” She winced, then lowered her voice. “He didn’t seem terribly interested in the idea.”
“Oh.” I narrowed my eyes. “Alright, I’ll track him down.”
“Good luck, I think you’re going to need it.” She shook her head, then turned back to her computer.
I stepped back out of the office, my hopes for excitement slightly dashed. Why wouldn’t he wait for me? As I rounded the corner to the next hallway, my phone buzzed. I looked down at it in the same moment that I bumped into another person in the hallway.
“Pardon me.”
That accent.
I looked up and into light brown eyes that seemed to be flecked with hints of green. “Sorry, I wasn’t looking.”
“This might be the problem.” He pointed at the phone in my hand. “Don’t you Yanks know not to text and walk at the same time?”
My eyes widened as I tucked my phone into my pocket. “Don’t you Brits know it’s not polite to stand a person up?”
Chapter 2
Oliver folded his arms across his chest and stared at me with a faint smile.
“Cheeky, aren’t you?”
“Cheeky?” I narrowed my eyes. “More like rightfully annoyed.”
“I thought you’d be relieved. I’m sure a girl like you has a lot more to do with her time than spend it on some strange bloke.” He ran his hand back over his short black hair. “I didn’t mean to get you ruffled.”
“I think we got off to the wrong start.” I thrust my hand out toward him. “I’m Maby. I mean, Mabel.”
“Well, which is it?” He took my hand in a brief shake.
“My friends call me Maby.” I let my hand fall back to my side. “And you’re Oliver, right?”
“All over.” He ran his hand across his chest, then laughed.
I did my best not to cringe. “Nice to meet you.”
“Sorry, it’s a cheesy joke, I know.” His cheeks reddened some. “Usually it gets a laugh, though.”
“It’s cute.” I forced a smile, then took a breath. “Okay, well, now that we’ve officially been introduced, I can’t wait to show you around Oak Brook Academy. There really is so much to do here and the people are pretty great.” I wrapped my arm around his and began to lead him down the hall. “Since you arrived so late, we’ll have to squeeze it all in before the end of the day, but don’t worry, I can do that.”
“Okay.” His arm tensed, but he didn’t pull it away.
“Here we have the cafeteria. I know it’s usually the worst part of a school, but at Oak Brook, it’s pretty great. The chef will take custom orders—including vegan and gluten-free—and there are food options from around the world.” I waved to one of the cafeteria staff members. “You just missed lunch, but if you’re hungry, I’m sure the chef will whip something up for you.”
“No thanks.” He shrugged. “At my school back home, we were encouraged to cook our own food harvested from our garden. Do you have a garden here?”
“Well, there is a horticulture club and they do have a garden, but I don’t think anyone gets their lunch from it.”
“Shame. What’s the point of having a garden then? I prefer fresh food. I suppose it will have to do for now.” He frowned.
“Trust me, the food is very fresh.”
“Not as fresh as picking it from the garden, hm?”
“I’ll tell you what, I can hook you up with the president of the horticulture club and I’m sure he’ll give you permission to take whatever you’d like from the garden.”
“I wouldn’t touch it.” He scrunched up his nose. “Not unless it’s organic.”
“I’m sure it is.”
“No—I mean actually organic. Everyone says their garden is organic, but most people have no idea what that actually means.” He rolled his eyes.
“I’m sure you could discuss that with Kyle. He’s in charge of the club.” I bit into my bottom lip. Although it was nice to listen to Oliver’s accent, I wasn’t so sure about his attitude. Then again, I’d been told that I could be a little difficult myself. “What other kinds of interests do you have? I’m sure we can find something here that you’d enjoy.”
“I doubt that.” He stood at the edge of the football field and shook his head. “There’s nothing here that interests me—or that will probably ever interest me.” He glanced at me. “It’s a nice enough school, don’t get me wrong, but it can’t compare to what I’m used to.”
“I can understand that, I guess. But you haven’t even given it a chance. Tell me one thing you’re interested in and I’ll bet we can at least come close to finding it here.”
“Alright, fine.” He drew a deep breath, then sighed. “I guess what I’ll miss the most is my rides. The stables at my old school are full of thoroughbred horses that are well-trained and fast.”
“Ah, now that’s something I can help you with.” I grinned as I tightened my grasp on his arm.
“Seriously? This place doesn’t seem big enough to have horses.”
“They’re not on the property, but Oak Brook does have a deal with a nearby stable. Students are allowed to ride the horses as often as they want as long as they’ve taken lessons. But in your case, I’m sure you can prove that you’re an expert rider without having to go through the classes. I’ll get permission for us to spend part of the day tomorrow over there. It’s a bit of a ride, but worth it.” I patted his arm. “See? A reason to smile—finally.”
“We’ll see.” He frowned. “I won’t take any chances on a lame horse.”
I tightened my lips. I’d been trying to tolerate his attitude, but my patience had begun to grow thin. As I led him in the direction of the stables, my frustration brewed. I decided to try to make an effort to make him feel welcome, even if his attitude was a bit off-putting.
“I bet it’s been rough leaving everything behind back home.” I flashed a smile at him. “I’ve been attending school here since my freshman year, so I’m used to living away from home.”
“I’ve been in boarding schools since kindergarten.” He glanced over at me. “I prefer it. Besides, my parents are always off traveling; I’d be home alone most of the time if I wasn’t away at school.”
“What about any siblings?” I led him through the entrance of the dormitories. “Or are you an only child?”
“I have an older brother, but he’s much older; we didn’t really grow up together.” He shrugged. “I guess you could say that I’m an only child in a sense.”
“So am I.” I nodded. “My mother likes to say that she didn’t want to mess with perfection.”
“Really? I’ve heard that most parents of only children stop at one because their child is very difficult.”
“Wow, seriously?” I turned to look at him.
“Have you ever asked?” He raised an eyebrow as his lips twitched upward into a smile.
“Do people in England find your attitude endearing?” I shook my head.
“Some, yes.” He shifted closer to me, his eyes locked to mine. “Why?”
“I’m starting to think there’s a reason you were shipped off.” I rolled my eyes.
“Harsh.” He turned to look at me, his lips pushed into a faint pout. “I thought you were my welcoming party?”
“Welcome.” I gestured to the room around us. “This is the common room—a good place to make new friends. Enjoy!” I gave him a short wave, then headed off down the hall to the girls’ dormitory. Already, I’d had enough of his attitude. I did try to have patience, but when it came to certain types of behavior, I just couldn’t manage it most of the time. When I opened the door to my dorm room, I found my roommate Fifi at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal.
“What are you eating?” I laughed as I watched her scoop up a
large bite.
“Don’t judge, I’m starving.” She grinned.
“No judgment from me, as long as you don’t call me cheeky.” I sat down across from her and sighed.
“Sounds like things with Oliver didn’t go too well?”
“He’s just not what I expected. I guess in my mind I imagined a dapper gentleman and what I got is a sullen and sarcastic teenage boy. I could get that anywhere I look at Oak Brook!”
“But he does have an accent, right?” Fifi laughed. “So that should make up for it.”
“Accents aren’t everything.” I tipped my head back and forth. “But yes; yes, he does have an accent.” I decided not to mention just how delicious it was.
“I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Trust me, you can and you should.” I rolled my eyes.
“Hm, we’ll see. Maybe he’s just nervous. This place is brand new to him. I know it was pretty overwhelming to me when I first arrived here. Give him some time.” She took another bite of her cereal.
“Maybe.” I frowned. “I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will.”
Chapter 3
When I woke up the next morning, Fifi’s words lingered in my mind. Maybe she was right that I’d been too quick to judge Oliver. After all, he had just arrived not only to a new school but to a new country entirely. Maybe I needed to give him more time to adjust. I could start with proving to him that we had access to some of the most beautiful and skilled horses in the entire state of New York.
After placing a call to the principal to get permission, I headed off through the courtyard to hunt down Oliver. Most of the kids at Oak Brook would spend their weekends in the city, but in order to leave the campus they had to get permission and travel in pairs or groups. Armed with permission to head out for the day, I just had to find my companion.
As I neared a gathering of girls, I heard a familiar accent from the middle of the group.
“Sure, there are nice things about the U.S., but England has everything that you could ever want. Plus me.” He laughed. The girls around him laughed too.
Worth the Wait: A Young Adult Sweet Romance (Oak Brook Academy Book 4) Page 1
