“Cole! Long time no see!” Pierce greeted him with a quick fist bump, and a few others called out to him as he walked over, clearly all old friends. Alessia just stood quietly off to the side, a gentle smile playing at her lips as she watched him approach.

“I thought you were going to bail on us today,” someone teased.

“No way,” Cole said, ruffling Alessia’s hair with easy familiarity–a gesture that looked like second nature, as if he’d done it a thousand times before. “If the lady of the house gives an order, you know I have to deliver.”

Their friends hooted and teased, but neither Cole nor Alessia seemed the least bit embarrassed. Instead, they acted as if this kind of banter was perfectly normal.

“All the gifts are here. Just claim yours. Pierce, mind helping hand them out?”

“Help? I’m honored,” Pierce said, grinning as he took the suitcase from her.

“Hey, sis Alessia-” Pierce was about to head to the back of the classroom with the gifts when Ileana, looking as delicate and fragile as ever, somehow slipped in through the crowd.

Stella rolled her eyes so hard it was almost theatrical, but before she could say anything, Alessia stepped between them, blocking her. Stella just pursed her lips and let it go.

himself on Alessia’s desk. With his baseball cap pulled low, he had

forming a protective half–circle. It couldn’t have been more obvious: they were drawing a line. Ileana’s smile

No wonder these idiots can’t ever beat Crestview High in the finals–they’re all so clueless. But then again, the dumber they are, the easier to use. If she could work her way up in the Tate family through

Ileana daydreamed, Alessia had no interest in playing

to play the doting little

comment landed like a slap. Ileana’s smile froze, but she just

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Chapter 55

raised her voice, feigning innocence, and pointed at the suitcase in Pierce’s

it just to give gifts to your friends! If I’d known, I would’ve said something nice about you to Dad… I’m so

awkward silence stretched between them; everyone

picking it up before?” Cole asked lazily, twirling a lock of Alessia’s hair around his

remind me,” Pierce replied, quick on the uptake. “They almost hung up on me. It was only when I mentioned Alessia’s name that they agreed to hand it over. You know, I’d asked everyone I knew to help me track down that collector’s item, and nobody could manage it. Alessia stepped in and got it done, no

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