As I hung around the back of the party, I felt someone sidle up beside me. Long, dark hair eased over my shoulder, impossibly smooth, like silk. I knew who it was immediately. Without glancing at her, I said, “Teony. If Hailey has decided to be my friend, do you think that you and I could ever...”
Teony snorted. “You actually think Hailey invited you here to be friends?”
I shrugged. “I don’t see why it’s so unlikely. She has Kieran back. I’m not talking to the boys.”
“Hailey doesn’t forget anything,” Teony continued, her voice low.
I glanced out the window of the yacht and looked out at the houses that lined the cliff— their tiny lights twinkling. I felt relief to know that the yacht was still parked in the harbor.
“You really should have told me the truth, Kennedy,” Teony said then.
This forced me to spin my head toward her, incredulous. “What are you talking about? I’ve told you everything. My dirty laundry is literally everywhere.”
Teony shrugged. “When I asked you in the car the night I drove you home. You really could have changed everything if you just would have just told me the truth.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” I said again. “Can you stop being so fucking vague and just come out with it? You’re driving me crazy.”
“You’re going to regret that,” Teony scoffed, her eyes flashing with anger. With that, she swept onto the dance floor, her hips grinding against some guy I recognized from the soccer team. She whirled around, making her hair whip out like a flag.
Inwardly, I shook and felt apprehensive. I was beginning to feel like a trapped animal, latched in with all of them. They were all apt to hurt me and had proven themselves very, very capable. Why the fuck did I put myself in this situation again?
ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, I had already guzzled back three drinks. My head felt dizzy with champagne, but I felt at ease like all my hard edges had fallen away. A few minutes before we broke for Hailey’s presents, I found myself on the dance floor, locking eyes with Caleb. I hated that I was still drawn to them. That something evil and dark stirred at the base of my stomach, between my legs when I saw them. But as I began to walk toward him, Hailey tore through the crowd and stopped at the DJ, crying out, “Okay! It’s time to open my fucking presents, everyone.”
She reminded me of a goddamn toddler.
But on command, the DJ softened the music, watching with a surly expression as this much-younger eighteen-year-old girl swept toward the present table. Just as I had expected, she grabbed the largest box first, delivering an ominous smile to the crowd. “This one doesn’t say who it’s from. I wonder.”
Her eyes burned toward Kieran. But Kieran acted aloof. I sensed that she was totally wrong on this one. Kieran was cold as ice and couldn’t have a heart for anyone—especially Hailey, who he seemed to despise.
“I guess I’ll just have to open it...” she said, ripping at the bright gold wrapping.
The sound was much louder than it should have been, indicating that it was that super-fancy, thick wrapping paper I had sometimes spotted at the overly swanky art store. I remembered the scarf I had bought Hailey for her birthday, still hidden in my bag, wrapped in shit paper. I told myself to keep it for good. Nobody would even notice.
Hailey revealed a tan-colored box within. She lifted it toward her ear and shook it, her grin becoming wider. “It’s very thick and big. What could it be?”
“Just open it!” someone cried, clearly impatient.
“Everything in my own time, assholes,” Hailey returned, her face growing shadowed.
Finally, she lifted the top of the box and peered inside. Her once-earnest face grew increasingly somber. Her lips turned down, as though she had just tasted something impossibly sour. The silence stretched on far longer than it should have.
What the hell could be in such an enormous box? The question felt heavy on everyone’s minds. Anticipation took hold.
“Come on. What is it?” someone called out.
With shaking hands, Hailey reached into the box and leafed out a piece of newspaper. From where I stood, I could make out the words, “The Crestwood ‘Expose’ Chronicle.”
This part of the Chronicle was for the students only. The one Teony had explained the first day in my journalism class— the one that revealed the hot gossip going around the school.
“What the actual hell is this,” Hailey demanded. She flashed open the paper, revealing two enormous pictures on the front. One was my Ridgewood High School student school day picture, and the other was a glittering portrait of none other than Hailey herself. Wtf!
Above the images were the words:
“RELATED? What is Kennedy Harper Keeping From Us?”
I felt all eyes turn toward me, and my heart sunk deep within my stomach. Hailey flashed the front of the newspaper toward me, stabbing a finger at my picture.
“Kennedy? What the fuck is this?” she demanded, her lips pressed into a thin line across her pretty face. Her voice was laced with venom.
I took a step toward her. I felt like I was walking on eggshells, as though my legs might give out beneath me. I tore another of the newspapers from the stack, while the rest of the students raced for the box, each taking one for themselves.
All I read was the first paragraph.
It’s come to our attention here at the Crestwood Expose Chronicle that our dear Ridgewood resident Kennedy Harper might not be who she says she is. Did she truly come to Crestwood on artistic talent alone? Or does her bloodline belong with the likes of Hailey Blair—and Headmaster Blair himself?
The words played like a loop in my head and then I looked around at everyone. Who the hell would insinuate such a thing. I was from fucking Ridgewood!
My eyes swept the area while the rest of my classmates read the article. There was a long hush over the room, filled only with low, pulsing beats from the DJ table. I locked eyes with Teony across the room, who was the only person who hadn’t grabbed a newspaper article. Jesus, she had been the one to write the article.
But why? What the hell did this mean?
“Teony...” I began, unable to allow the silence to stretch on.
“Don’t,” Teony blared. “Don’t even try to come up with some idiotic fucking excuse.”
Hailey burst into wild tears. “This can’t be true. No fucking way. This isn’t—”
I took a dramatic step toward the door and all eyes were glaring at me, pegging me as a liar.
“Guys, I really don’t know what this is. It’s—it’s a lie,” I stammered. “I’m really from Ridgewood. Everything about me is Ridgewood. My parents met at Ridgewood High School. I can show you proof...”
“Get this slut off the boat,” Hailey cried out. “I don’t want to see this fucking low life.”
A few of Hailey’s friends rushed toward me. I felt their tiny, skeletal hands wrap around my wrists, but I yanked them back before they could do anything.
“Get back here, whore!” Evelyn screeched.
“Don’t let her get away!”
I burned with panic, whirling around and scampering out the door. Inside, I heard Hailey yell out. I continued to clench the article but didn’t have time to read the rest.
Before I knew what I was doing, I blinked out and raced toward the entrance where the security guard had stood below on the pier. I paused for a moment and glanced over my shoulder. I quickly slipped off my heels and made a beeline for the plank that led down toward my safety. I ran past the burly security guard and when I hit the pier, I bolted as fast as I could without giving any thought to my direction. I just needed to get the hell out of there. It was like I was watching a horror movie and I was stuck smack in the middle of it.
I finally stopped running and doubled over, trying to catch my breath. A few seconds later I looked up and in the far distance, I could still see the yacht. The DJ had cranked up the music again. You would have never known anything had just happened. I had lost the ar
ticle, but the only thing that matter was getting off that boat.
Teony had warned me, telling me that if only I’d told the truth that night, I would be safe. But this truth was nothing I had ever heard before. It reeked of a horrible past I didn’t understand.
Was I actually related to Hailey Blair, her parents, and Headmaster Blair himself?
Did I actually belong to the blue bloods? A shiver ran through my body and I suddenly felt helpless. I welcomed the tears this time. I took one last glance and made my way through Crestwood Harbor. I would never be one of them. But maybe—if Teony was right—I was meant to be.
And maybe that was worse.
To be continued...
Book 2 in the Crestwood Academy series will be live Dec 13th
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Wicked Blue Bloods: A Highschool Bully Romance - Crestwood Academy Book 1 Page 17
