Empire High Betrayal

by Ivy Smoak

  I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold. Matt’s kitchen was comforting. His room without him in it? Not so much. I stared at his nightstand. Were there still pictures of Isabella in there? Was there still a huge box of opened condoms? Was there actually a vampire coffin somewhere tucked away in one of his closets?

  I looked over my shoulder at the closed door. Surely I had a few minutes to explore.

  Chapter 9

  Sunday

  I pulled one of Matt’s t-shirts over my head. He’d told me once that I’d look better in one of his. I hoped he meant it. I folded my mom’s squirrel pajamas and placed them on top of Matt’s nightstand. There was only one thing I really cared about looking for. I opened the bottom drawer of the nightstand. The envelope full of pictures of Isabella was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief. No more private investigator. No more blackmail. It was done. Matt was free from Isabella’s clutches.

  I just wasn’t sure I was yet. How was my dad going to protect me from her? He couldn’t just throw her out. Isabella was his daughter too. I didn’t see how any of this could be resolved.

  My stomach churned. I had a lot to resolve myself. I needed to talk to Miller. And Felix. I pulled out my phone. It would be easy to send either of them a text. But that seemed harsh. I owed them each an explanation for why I couldn’t be with them.

  As I stared at my phone, the only person I really wanted to talk to was Kennedy. My dad had said I should let her rest. But I’d let her rest all day. I needed to hear her voice for myself. Just to make sure she was okay. Maybe she’d have some advice for me too. I clicked on her name in my phone.

  And waited.

  And waited.

  I opened the lid of the box of condoms in Matt’s nightstand. It looked like there were only a few missing. That was a good sign. I knew he’d been with other girls. But there was something nice about knowing that maybe it wasn’t that high of a number.

  The phone kept ringing.

  I closed the lid and sat down on the edge of the bed. Just when I thought it would go to voicemail I got a groggy, “Hello?”.

  “Kennedy! Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine.” Her voice sounded so small. Just like it had after she’d told me about what Cupcake had done to her. The realization hit me hard. Cupcake had drugged her. Getting drugged by Isabella was probably bringing all those feelings back. I imagined her curled up on a ball in her bed, her knees tucked into her chest. It killed me to see her like that last time. And it was my fault she was like that now. I didn’t want her to disappear on me again. She was the brave one. Not me.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. “I never meant to drag you into…”

  “Stop,” she said with a small laugh. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was Isabella. God, I feel like such an idiot. I barely remember last night. But I remember drinking with her. I remember for just a minute it seemed like she was actually my friend. I feel so stupid.”

  “You’re not stupid,” I said. “Isabella is really good at convincing people of things.” She had convinced me to get into that damn limo. And for a few seconds there, she had convinced me I was trash. She’d even tried to convince me I didn’t belong in this world. But I did belong. And I wasn’t going anywhere. “I wish I was there to hug you.”

  “Me too.” She sniffed. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  I blinked fast, forcing my own tears not to fall. I needed to be strong for her. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

  “That didn’t sound convincing at all. What exactly happened last night? The last thing I remember was dancing.”

  I filled her in on every detail. All of it. Rachel, James, Dr. Wilson, every single thing that happened last night. I was already feeling lighter once I got it off my chest.

  “I believe most of what you said. But there’s no way I rawred at Robert Hunter.”

  “Oh that part was absolutely true.”

  She laughed for real this time. “How am I ever supposed to go back to school after that?”

  “Try going back to school after running around outside homecoming in just your underwear.”

  She laughed again. “Yeah, that would be worse. God, I can’t believe I slept through all that. And I can’t believe you saw James’…you know.”

  I laughed. I wanted to say that I hadn’t really. That I’d put my hand out to block the scene. But I had seen it. I had stood there like a frozen pervert. I’d never live it down. “I wish I had just been sleeping last night,” I said.

  “Oh I much prefer your adventure. How do you always end up with an Untouchable erotically bathing you?”

  I laughed. I’d forgotten that she’d referred to Matt’s washing my hand as erotically bathing. “It wasn’t erotic. He’s my friend.”

  “Mhm. A friend who showers with you? Kisses you? Takes care of you when you’re hurt? He sounds like a knight in shining armor. And it sounds like he’s the opposite of Cupcake down there. Or else you would have said otherwise.”

  I laughed. James definitely didn’t have a mini dong, or however Kennedy liked to put it. And it was true, I liked James. But he wasn’t my knight in shining armor. I needed to fill Kennedy in on what happened after last night. “I’m back together with Matt.”

  “Really? How did that happen? The last thing you said about him was that he was drunk. What about Felix? And Miller?”

  “Matt waited outside my dad’s other apartment all night. He finally showed up when I needed him.” I could feel myself getting teary eyed again. Him showing up was all I ever wanted. “He convinced my dad to let me stay at his house until the new security system is set up.”

  “You’re at that creepy mansion?”

  I looked around the room. “It doesn’t feel as creepy anymore.” I hadn’t seen a single vampire coffin. “And his parents are really nice.” Well, his mom at least. I was still trying to get a read on his dad. It really seemed like Mrs. Caldwell had forced her husband to let me stay. And I was so grateful.

  “Well, it can’t be any creepier than your dad’s place. It’s weird that I slept there last night without you. And that I don’t even remember it. I woke up to yelling.”

  “Yelling? Who was yelling?”

  “Isabella.”

  I sat up a little straighter. “What was she yelling about?”

  “You.”

  My heartbeat kicked up a notch. My name in Isabella’s mouth couldn’t be a good thing. “Was she arguing with someone?”

  “No. She was just having a fit. It sounded like she was throwing things. I heard glass breaking. I put one of your pillows over my head to try to drown her out, but it was impossible. I’ve heard her mad before. I’m used to her wrath. But she sounded terrifying, Brooklyn. I don’t think she has any intention of being civil with you.”

  The blood in my veins turned to ice. “Did anyone try to calm her down?”

  “If they did, they didn’t do a good job. It went on for like half an hour. Actually, now that I think about it, she must have been on the phone with your dad. Because I definitely heard her say Daddy a lot. Gag.”

  I felt like I did gag. Or more like I couldn’t breathe. Deep breaths. In and out. At least I hadn’t been there. I was safe here, right?

  “Speaking of your dad, I really don’t think he’s Satan anymore. He even came to check in on me a little while ago. It was sweet. He apologized to my mom about what happened. He brought us some dinner from this fancy Italian place on the Upper East Side. My mom was so excited. I’m pretty sure she even forgave him, even though she didn’t say those words exactly. You know how she is.”

  “That’s good.” My dad had been sweet to me too. And it warmed my heart to know that he’d checked up on Kennedy. I’d been away from him for a few hours and I was already forgetting that he was changing. He wasn’t what Mr. Caldwell said. And I wasn’t a monster either. My dad was just very misunderstood.

  I shifted the cellphone to my other ear. “You said Isabella eventually stopped yelling? Did she sound less mad at the e
nd? And what do you mean by being civil with me? What did she say exactly?”

  “One second, Mama!” Kennedy yelled. “I have to go. My mom made my favorite rice pudding and it’s getting cold. I’ll see you at school tomorrow. Stay safe in the vampire mansion!”

  “Wait, Kennedy?”

  But she’d already hung up the phone. Shit. Isabella had no intention of being civil with me. Did that mean she was still planning on kicking me out of town? Murdering me or one of my friends? Taking Matt as her own?

  I looked down at my phone. It was tempting to call Kennedy back, but she’d sounded happy during our conversation. I wanted her to have a relaxing night with her mom. I just wished I was with her tonight. As much as I wanted to be here with Matt…I wanted Kennedy to know that I was there for her. Because despite what she said, everything that had happened last night was my fault. Isabella wanted to hurt me. And Kennedy had been drugged to cause me pain. I didn’t want to put anyone in danger ever again.

  God. How was my dad going to keep me safe? How could he protect me and my friends?

  I heard a noise in the hall. Shit. I went to shove the nightstand drawer shut but a velvet box tucked into the corner caught my eye. I glanced at the door to make sure Matt wasn’t coming in. And then I reached into the drawer to grab the box.

  It was a jewelry box. I flipped open the velvet top. Oh. Wow. There was a huge circular diamond in the middle, surrounded by smaller diamonds on the silver band. I’d touched expensive ball gowns and tiaras, but they were nothing compared to this. It was beautiful. It didn’t look new. There were scratches along the band that made it look like it had been worn in love already. For some reason, I thought it would have looked lovely with my mom’s blue dress. My heart ached. I’d never know. My dress was gone. And this ring certainly wasn’t mine. But God, it was beautiful. I ran my thumb along the glistening band. Vintage. That was what Justin would have called it. I liked vintage more than new.

  “Do you like it?” Matt asked.

  I looked up at him. Crap. When had he come in? “Oh. No. I mean yes. It’s beautiful. But I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” I went to put it back in the drawer, but he caught my hand.

  “Do you want to try it on?”

  “What?”

  He pulled the ring out of the box and lifted my left hand. “Just to see if it fits.”

  My eyes locked with his. He wanted me to try it on? I couldn’t. “I…” my thoughts trailed away when he slid it onto my ring finger.

  “A perfect fit,” he said.

  For just a few seconds we were both silent. I wasn’t even sure I was breathing. It was so beautiful that it hurt.

  “I guess you should just wear it then.” His hand slid off mine.

  I laughed. “Wait, what? I can’t.”

  “Why? I’ll be giving it to you in a few years anyway.”

  Oh, Matt. My heart was beating faster and faster the longer I wore it. Like it was so happy it was about to explode. “Then we should wait, right? We should…”

  “Haven’t we done enough waiting? I heard you loud and clear, Brooklyn. I wasn’t loving you out loud. What’s more out loud than this?”

  “This is…this is very loud.”

  He laughed. “You don’t like it?”

  “No, I love it. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” I looked down at my hand. But I didn’t deserve it.

  “It was my aunt’s.”

  I looked back up at him. “Really?”

  “My mom gave it to me. To give to the woman I want to marry one day. That’s you.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “Forever, remember?”

  “Matt, I can’t…”

  He leaned forward and kissed me. Usually our kisses were frantic, like we were running out of time. But this was one slow. Torturously slow. And somehow it was even better than the frantic ones.

  “I can’t wear this,” I said against his lips. “It’s an engagement ring, Matt.”

  “Hmm. True.” He pulled back and got down on one knee. “Brooklyn…”

  “We can’t be engaged. We’ve already had this conversation. We’re sixteen.”

  “Think of it as a promise then. That one day, I’ll make you mine officially. It doesn’t matter whether your last name is Sanders or Pruitt. Because you’ll be a Caldwell soon. We’ve also already talked about this. I’m going to take all your firsts.”

  “Right. You’re going to be my first husband.” I was smiling so hard it hurt.

  He laughed. “I really don’t like that joke.” He put his hands on my knees and spread them apart.

  I swallowed hard.

  “Your only husband,” he said as he leaned down and kissed the inside of my thigh. My very naked thigh.

  Holy shit. I tried to close my legs. It felt too good. It was too overwhelming. But he kept my knees spread apart. If anything, he forced them open wider. And I have no idea why I did it, but I reached out and put my hand on top of his head so he wouldn’t move.

  He laughed against my thigh and kissed me higher. And higher.

  “Matt,” I moaned. I stared at the ring glistening on my finger, tangled in his hair.

  He wrapped his hands beneath my thighs and pulled me to the edge of the bed, his hands settling on my ass.

  Fuck.

  His breath was warm on my thigh. His lips soft. His tongue… God. My fingers tightened in his hair the higher he went. And I stared at the ring he’d slipped on my finger and I felt…at war with myself. I felt wonderful because of his lips on my skin, but horrible because of the secrets I was keeping from him. “Matt.” I pushed on his shoulders. “Stop.”

  “What?” He lifted his head. And I must have looked horrified because he pushed himself away from me. “I’m sorry. I thought…fuck, I’m so sorry. I thought you were ready.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Brooklyn, I didn’t mean to…”

  “It’s not that. I want…I want more of that.”

  His Adam’s apple rose and then fell. “Me too.” It looked like he was going to pull me back into his arms, so I slid away from him on the bed.

  “But…I…I did something bad.” God, I wanted to keep my secrets. I wanted to wear this ring. I wanted to be a Caldwell. I wanted him to keep kissing me. Holding me. Loving me. But he wouldn’t. Because I knew if the roles were reversed, I probably wouldn’t forgive him. Just thinking about his box of condoms being used on someone else made it hard to breathe. I chose him. I wanted him. But I’d taken too long to figure it out. I closed my eyes and pulled off the ring.

  Chapter 10

  Sunday

  Matt caught my hand. “Please don’t take it off. I want you to wear it.”

  He wouldn’t in a second. I placed the ring down in his palm and closed his fingers around it. But instead of moving away, I kept his hand wrapped in mine.

  “I made a mistake,” I said.

  “Okay. We can fix it together.”

  God, why was he so sweet? “I just need to tell you everything, okay? And I need you to listen to all of it. And then if you want me to leave, I will.”

  “I’m not letting you go back to the Pruitts. You have nothing to worry about. I talked to my dad and…”

  “It’s not about that. Please, just let me get this off my chest.”

  He pulled his eyebrows together, but he didn’t say a word.

  I picked up the story about James where I’d left off before. How he came back to the apartment with me. Washed my cuts. Held me in the shower and let me cry.

  “Did you kiss him again?” Matt asked. His voice wasn’t angry. He just sounded…defeated.

  “No. I promised you I wouldn’t, remember?”

  He just stared at me.

  “At homecoming. You told me not to kiss him again. I promised I wouldn’t. That kiss was a mistake. I saw you with Rachel and I was so angry.” I pressed my lips together. It didn’t matter why I kissed James. It only mattered that I had.

  He nodded, even though I knew that night was foggy for him. “Do yo
u have feelings for him?”

  “I think I feel close to him because he’s sad. He knows what it feels like to be drowning all the time. It was nice to be miserable together.” I used James’ words to describe it. “But I love you. I only want to be with you.”

  Matt’s hand was still cradled in mine. I held it tighter, afraid he might pull away. But it wasn’t necessary. Because he just shook his head.

  “Then there’s nothing for me to be upset about,” he said. “James was there for you when I couldn’t be.” He ran his tongue along his lower lip, like he always did when he was thinking. “I can’t be mad at anyone but myself.”

  That wasn’t how I wanted him to feel. But he was being more understanding than I thought he would be. One of the reasons we’d broken up in the first place was because he’d gotten mad when I borrowed Felix’s blazer at school. He wasn’t usually so understanding when it came to me hanging out with other boys. But I had to take this as a win. Because there was more to confess.

  “That’s not everything,” I said.

  He just stared at me, his dark brown eyes swirling with something I didn’t understand.

  “While we were fighting, I felt so alone. And I was scared at the Pruitts’ apartment.” God, why was I making excuses? That wasn’t what this was about. This was about Matt and me no longer having secrets. I took a deep breath. “I started seeing someone. He…”

  “Was it James?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  “Was it Felix?”

  “No. It’s…”

  “If it wasn’t one of them, I don’t want to know who it was.”

  “But…”

  Matt pulled his hand out of mine.

  It stung worse than I ever thought it would. I felt so cold when he wasn’t touching me. And I had this weird sensation that maybe my father used to be warm too. And that when my mom left his life, he’d turned cold and bitter. I blinked away my tears.

  Matt stood up and now I recognized the look on his face. I assumed it was how I looked when I first stepped into Empire High. Broken.