Empire High Betrayal

by Ivy Smoak

  “Can we go upstairs for a bit?” I asked. The class notes Matt had brought me from school remained untouched on the table. I needed to talk to him before I could focus. God, he was going to be so mad at me.

  “Someone’s anxious for alone time,” Mason said with a laugh. “I’m guessing last night went well?”

  I leaned closer to Matt. “Please?” I whispered, trying to ignore Mason.

  “Oh, Brooklyn,” Mrs. Caldwell said as she came back to the table carrying a pan of something with a perfectly golden crumble on top. “I meant to ask you this afternoon…but I couldn’t find you.”

  Shit. I didn’t want my whereabouts to come out like this. Did she know I was with the Hunters?

  “I was hoping we could do a girls’ night,” she said and started dishing out the dessert.

  I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Maybe Friday night?” Mrs. Caldwell asked.

  I glanced at Matt. He was smiling. And I was pretty sure he was just pretending to read the notes in front of him. I wondered if this was his idea or his mom’s. It didn’t matter either way. I was excited to get to know his mom better. “That sounds great,” I said.

  “You can invite all your friends too. It’ll be so much fun. And it’ll give us a chance to get to know each other better.”

  All my friends? The only girl friend I had was Kennedy. “Sure.” It came out as more of a question than a direct answer.

  “Wonderful. About how many friends do you think you’ll invite? I’ll need a head count to figure out what we should do.”

  She wanted to get to know me. And now the first thing she’d learn was that I didn’t have very many friends. I cleared my throat. “I can ask my friend Kennedy to come.”

  Mrs. Caldwell smiled. “Anyone else?”

  “Um…no. That’s it.”

  “You know what? That’s even better. More than a handful is a crowd anyway. And maybe you boys can have James and Robert over? I feel like I haven’t seen them in ages.”

  For just a second everyone was silent.

  “Maybe some other night,” Mason said and scooped some of the dessert on a plate.

  Wait. Did Mrs. Caldwell not know about their falling out?

  Mrs. Caldwell laughed. “I feel like our fridge is overflowing. I’m used to the boys coming over for dinner at least a few nights a week. Invite them over for dinner tomorrow then.” She stood up. “I’m going to go book a few things for our girls’ night!” She looked so excited as she walked out of the kitchen.

  “Your mom doesn’t know that you guys are fighting?” I asked.

  “There isn’t much to tell,” Matt said.

  “There is if they’re usually here all the time. What are you going to tell her when they don’t come over for dinner tomorrow?”

  “That they were busy.”

  “Eventually she’s going to catch on…”

  “Which means we’ll never have to have an awkward conversation,” Mason said. “Just let them slowly disappear from all of our lives.”

  “You can’t just delete friends from your lives.” Everyone was making this so much harder than it needed to be. It was all a huge misunderstanding. Without even realizing it, they were letting Isabella dictate their lives.

  “It’s already done,” Matt said. “They wouldn’t hear me out.”

  “But…”

  “And James kissing you was the final straw. I’m never talking to either of them again.”

  I swallowed hard. God, he was going to hate me. “Can we please go upstairs for a few minutes?” I asked.

  Mason laughed. “Insatiable.”

  I grabbed Matt’s hand and pulled him away from the table before Mason could make any more jokes about our sex life. By the time we reached Matt’s bedroom I practically shoved him inside. I closed the door and locked it. When I spun around, Matt’s arms were caging me in.

  “You know I like when you just ask for what you want,” he whispered against my ear. “I was just waiting for you to tell me your wildest fantasies.”

  My heart started racing. “In front of your brother?”

  “You could have whispered all the unspeakable things you want me to do to you.” He traced his tongue along the side of my ear.

  It took every ounce of restraint not to grab his face and pull his lips to mine. “As much as I want to do more of…that…I need to talk to you first.”

  “Or we could talk after.” His fingers skimmed across the waistline of my leggings. “I’ve been thinking of you all day. Thinking about what I did to you last night.”

  God.

  His fingers dipped beneath my waistband. “Thinking of you alone in my bed.”

  “I hung out with James!” I wasn’t sure why I screamed it. It was like the secret was burning a hole in my chest.

  Matt’s fingers froze on my skin.

  “I didn’t mean to,” I said. “Rob came over and was talking about all the rumors swirling around. And he said that he wanted me to help him clear them up. I didn’t want there to be rumors about me sleeping with James, which apparently there are. And I thought I was just going to hang out with Rob. But when I climbed into his treehouse James was there and then…”

  “Are you kidding me?” Matt pushed himself away from the door. “You promised me…” he glanced at the clock on his nightstand “…less than 24 hours ago that you wouldn’t hang out with James anymore. What the hell?” He didn’t sound mad. Just disappointed. Somehow that was even worse.

  “But that’s what I’m trying to explain. I didn’t mean to hang out with James. I was going with Rob and…”

  “Jesus, Brooklyn. I’m fighting with Rob too. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

  “I am on your side.”

  “Well it doesn’t really look like it.”

  His words stung. But I knew I deserved them. “I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again.” I’d be able to follow through on the prank without seeing the Hunters. That’s what phones were for. I could still fix everything.

  “And you’re not supposed to leave the house,” Matt said. “We don’t know where Isabella is. Do you have any idea how dangerous it was to go to the Hunters’ house?”

  “I was just trying to fix your friendship…”

  “I asked you not to see James. How is you hanging out with him fixing anything? You looked me in the eyes and promised.” Now he sounded mad.

  I knew I was in the wrong. But I hadn’t meant to do anything bad. “I didn’t know James was going to be there.” And now our conversation was going in circles and not getting any better. I was just trying to be honest with him.

  Matt sat down on the edge of his bed.

  I hated when he was mad at me. I hated fighting with him. Unless it was the kind of fighting we did last night, in which case…I wish we were doing that instead. But he didn’t seem to be offering that. “I’m sorry that it happened. But I wanted to make sure I told you the truth.”

  “The truth?” He looked up at me. “The truth is that giving you that ring meant something to me. I even went to your dad’s place today to tell him about my intentions with you. I’m all in with you. I’ve told you that. But you’re making it really hard to trust that you’re all in too.”

  “I am all in with you. James is just a friend and I won’t see him anymore, I swear.”

  “Did he try to kiss you?"

  “No. And even if he did I would have turned him away. We just talked. Matt, I don’t want him. I want you.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  I knew he was trying to be reasonable. He was giving me a chance to explain. But if I told him about the prank, he’d make me call it off. I didn’t want to give up on my one chance of fixing his friendships.

  “Did he hit on you at all?” Matt asked when I didn’t respond.

  Fuck me. “Yeah, but he was just joking around. And I didn’t flirt back. They were both just being weird.”

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “Rob too? What did they
say?”

  Withholding the prank was one thing. But what if James joked about his fake proposal at school tomorrow? I wasn’t going to blindside Matt. That was the whole reason I told him about the treehouse in the first place. James promised he wouldn’t say anything. But I didn’t know enough about James to trust him.

  I took a deep breath. “James kind of…proposed. But he was kidding.” I think.

  “What?”

  “Rob said something about how his parents want James to marry a Pruitt. They were just joking around.”

  He ran his hand down his face. “I know that I messed up. I gave you every reason to run into someone else’s arms. But not today. Not now. I was trying to be understanding, but this…it’s like you’re purposely torturing me.”

  “I’m not trying to hurt you.”

  “Brooklyn, you freaking got proposed to today by someone that wasn’t me.” He abruptly stood up. “And just before homecoming you were sleeping in another man’s bed.”

  “You said you forgave me…”

  “It doesn’t mean I forgot about it!” He turned away from me. “Fuck.”

  I hated when he couldn’t even look at me. I knew I’d made a mess of things, but I wasn’t running anymore. I walked up to him and grabbed both sides of his face so that he’d look at me. “I only love you. And who cares if James’ parents want him to marry a Pruitt? I’m not a Pruitt. I’m a soon-to-be Caldwell.”

  Matt reached out and hooked his arm around my waist. “You finally agree that you’re wearing an engagement ring?”

  I glanced at the ring on my hand and then back at him. “I mean, it’s a promise to be engaged, right?”

  He pressed his forehead against mine. “You’re going to be the death of me, Brooklyn.”

  I closed my eyes. “Don’t say that.” I squeezed my eyes tight. It felt like I was cursed. Like everyone that was important to me died. If anything ever happened to Matt… “I can’t lose you too.” I opened my eyes as if seeing him would prevent him from slipping away.

  “You know what I mean. You’re driving me crazy.” His lips drew a fraction of an inch closer to mine. “No more hanging out with James. Or Rob.”

  “As long as you promise not to hang out with Isabella.” I wasn’t sure why I was cutting a deal with him. I should have just agreed. But there was still something bothering me about the night Isabella had a gun to my head. Besides the fact that she had literally been trying to kill me. She’d been trying to get rid of me so that she could be with Matt. She was in love with him. And he needed to know that if he didn’t already.

  Matt pulled back. “I can definitely promise you that. I hate her, Brooklyn.”

  “Yeah. But she loves you.” I felt better just by getting it off my chest. I’d needed to know if he loved her too. Even a little bit. I knew he thought Isabella was a disease. But what if he thought she was a sexy disease? Like…well, I couldn’t think of any sexy diseases. Maybe Isabella was the first.

  He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I strongly doubt that Isabella loves me.”

  “She was blackmailing you because she didn’t want you anywhere near me. She wanted you for herself.”

  He started to shake his head.

  “I’m serious, Matt. She told me. Me loving you is part of the reason she hates me. And I remember the way she touched you right here in this room. Like she’d done it a thousand times before…”

  “She was blackmailing me. I was trying to keep her calm while I figured out a way to get out of it.”

  By letting her touch you? I took a deep breath. It didn’t matter. He’d forgiven me for what I’d done. And I could let that go too. As long as it didn’t’ continue. “I just need to know that you don’t like her back.”

  “I swear I don’t like Isabella. I loathe her.”

  And her whole family. My family. But I’d meant what I said. I was going to be a Caldwell soon enough. And I wasn’t going to let Matt’s opinions of my new family bother me. I barely knew any of them. But I knew Matt. I stared into his eyes. “She said she could date you before she married James. And that maybe she’d keep you as a houseboy.”

  “Is that like some kind of man servant?” He laughed. “It doesn’t even matter.” He cradled my face in his hands. “I love you, Brooklyn. I’ve only ever loved you.”

  “You promise?”

  “I’ll only ever love you, baby.”

  I stood up on my tiptoes, sealing my own promise to him with a kiss. I promise to only ever love you too.

  Chapter 15

  Tuesday

  Matt smiled as I walked downstairs in his varsity jacket. It was one of the few things that Isabella hadn’t managed to ruin. And I’d be lying if a small part of me wasn’t excited to rub this jacket in her face at school today.

  “Now it’s official,” Matt said and pulled me into his arms.

  “The ring didn’t do it?” I smiled up at him. I knew he was probably still a little upset with me. But he didn’t look upset right now.

  He dropped his head, letting his lips graze against mine. “My ring on your finger and my jacket on your shoulders? Either would have been a win. But both?” He kissed me slow. I was still getting used to his slow kisses. I loved these kisses more than the frantic, secretive kisses he used to give me. Because these meant more. These were real.

  “Are you sure you’re up to going to school?” Matt asked.

  “Yeah. I don’t want to just sit around all day again.” I pressed my lips together because we both knew I’d done a lot more than that yesterday. “And I also need to talk to Felix.” Really? That was what I thought would be good to mention right now?

  Matt sighed and shook his head. “What are the odds that he’s going to propose to you in gym today?”

  I laughed. “Slim to none. And I told you, James was just joking around.” I’m pretty sure.

  “He’s trying to steal you away from me because he’s an ass.”

  Yeah. Maybe. But James had also promised to try to fix things with Matt after our Isabella prank. I just needed to make sure I didn’t have to meet up with the Hunters anymore in order to pull it off. I was going to fix everything. And Matt would be happy then. And so would James. It was a win-win for everyone.

  I looked up at Matt’s face. He didn’t look upset. He looked…uneasy. Like he was worried today was going to be a disaster. But he had nothing to worry about. I slid my hand into his. “Trust me, there’s no way James could ever steal me away from you.”

  “Yo,” Mason said through a bite of granola bar. “Come on, we’re gonna be late. Morning, sis,” he said and winked at me before making his way out the ornate front doors.

  “Well, at least he knows you’re off-limits,” Matt said as I pulled him outside.

  “I’m off-limits to everyone but you. The ring and the jacket, remember?”

  “Promise not to take them off?”

  “I promise. But I’ll have to take the jacket off in gym.” I took every promise very seriously now. And I wanted to make sure he knew it. “I don’t think Coach Carter would like it if I was running around on the track…” my voice trailed off. I couldn’t run today. I was wearing my thickest socks and walking still hurt a little. “Actually, I guess I won’t be participating in gym today.”

  “You’re sure you don’t want another day to rest?”

  “No, that’s ridiculous.”

  “We’re good, man,” Mason said as Miller approached us. He lifted up a pair of keys. “I’ll drive them.”

  “She comes with us or doesn’t leave at all,” Miller said.

  Wait…Miller? Miller was waiting by a brand new SUV. Miller and the SUV were both a surprise. He’d said he was going to quit.

  “I’m a good driver,” Mason said. “Most of the time I don’t even speed.”

  “Miss Pruitt, let’s go,” Miller said, ignoring Mason.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, letting Matt’s hand fall out of mine.

  Donnelley poked his head
out of the passenger window. “Like the new ride? It’s top of the line. Safest vehicle in its class. Bullet-proof windows and everything.”

  Bullet-proof windows? What the fuck? Did that mean Isabella still had a gun?

  “Miss Pruitt, you have to drive with us to school,” Miller said. “Your father insists.” He opened up the back door.

  Mason shrugged. “Are you coming with me or going with them, Matt?”

  “I’ll stay with Brooklyn,” Matt said.

  “Suit yourself. See you guys at lunch.” Mason hopped into his convertible and sped off.

  I couldn’t ask Miller what was going on. So I did the only thing I could do and climbed into the back seat. Maybe he just hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to my dad yet. But if my dad had sent this car…he must have had a chance. Right?

  The ride was silent and awkward. Maybe only awkward for me and Miller. We’d said goodbye. I’d assumed I’d never see him again.

  Matt didn’t seem to find it weird at all though. But then again, he had no idea Miller was the guy I’d been seeing.

  The closer we got to school, the more uneasy I felt. I’d been so excited to walk into school with Matt that I hadn’t thought about the fact that more had changed than just our relationship status. A few weeks ago, James would have been driving Matt to school in his Benz. A few weeks ago, Isabella hadn’t pointed a gun to my head. A few weeks ago, I had been Matt’s dirty little secret. But now everything was different. And there was a lump in my throat getting bigger by the second.

  “We’ll be here waiting after school,” Miller said as he pulled up outside Empire High.

  We’ll? As in him again?

  “Will you need a ride after football practice, Matt?” Miller asked. “I can have someone sent for you.”

  This was too weird. I unbuckled my seatbelt.

  “Nah, I’ll catch a ride with Mason. Thanks for driving us,” Matt said.

  “And Miss Pruitt?” Miller added. “If Isabella does anything at all to you, please notify either of us right away.”