Chapter 48

1

My eyes go wide as I gasp, spinning to see Alvez walking down the hall, completely nonchalant. But that was no ghost, sneaking an intimate touch when my brother’s back was turned.

“What is it?” Rafe asks, turning towards me.

“Sorry, I uh–just saw a spider,” 1 murmur. “Really big one.”

“Gross,” Jesse says, a shiver running through him. I grin at him, because Jesse hates spiders.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” Rafe says, nodding towards the elevator at the end of the hall. “Ari and I have to have a chat after all.”

“Really?” Jesse gasps as we step into the elevator. “What about!? Do I get to come. too?”

“No,” Rafe says, slinging an arm around my shoulders and glaring over at our cousin. “Siblings only for this one.”

Jesse hangs his head back as the elevator lifts us swiftly into the air. “That’s so unfair,” he groans. “Come on, I’m basically a sibling – our dads our brothers, our moms are sisters! Genetically, I’m pretty much the same

“Don’t be weird,” Rafe says, glancing over at Jesse with his brows knit as the elevator door opens and we start down the hall.

Jesse continues to complain all the way into the room but Rafe ignores him and I laugh, because Jesse can be such a baby when he doesn’t get his way. But eventually Jesse flops, defeated and depressed to be deprived of the gossip, onto his bed as Rafe pushes me towards the bathroom.

“Rafe, you can pee alone,” I mutter, tossing my chemistry book onto my bed as I

  1. go.

“This is about secrecy not bodily functions,” he murmurs, shutting the door behind him and leaning back on it. “Which I’d think would be something you appreciated, considering this is a conversation about your mate. So?” He raises an eyebrow at me. “Spill.”

I sigh, closing the lid to the toilet and sitting down on it, taking off my cap and

15

Chapter 48

taking a moment to massage my sore scalp under its tight braid. Rafe listens quietly and carefully as I tell him everything about Jackson about his apology in the bathroom that allowed me to see a different side of him, my impulsive invitation to breakfast, and then about his waiting to go into his obstacle course. with me, and the hint and the help he gave.

angry, which is probably a good thing. “So,” he says, looking studiously down at the floor with his brows drawn, “do you think

against the toilet tank. “I mean, anything is possible, and I think he’s being nice to me because he does

the floor a bit. “It’s all just so weird, Ari,” he

because it feels nice to be able to talk to him

there’s so much at risk. And he did seriously try to hurt you,

think you have to try, Rafe,” I say quietly. “I don’t think he’s going to try to hurt me again. Honestly, if anything, it feels like

up at me. “I mean, that

stirs in me at the comparison to dad and mom – because they feel just

I…just met

And Luca?

prancing gleefully at

12.02

Chapter 48

Tu Mar

the rump. She spins in a circle

little with a big sigh. “I’ll try to

but a

Jesse,” Rafe says,

Jesse replies, dry, “but actually our uniforms are here.”

pulling on my cap. Rafe gets to his feet

you get mine?” he asks, heading for it. “I want to take a minute to

and heading for the door, eager to see what the seamstress did to my uniform to make it fit better. Rafe

snicking the door shut behind me. “You have a guest, Mr. Clark,” he says, his voice

burst into a grin to see

over, excited.”Hi!” she says, beaming at me, “I’m so happy to see you! I made some

head for my nook. “Come over here! Thank you so much for bringing these up yourself! What’s your name? I’m

and both the seamstress and I stop short in our tracks, our eyes going to him.

my cousin a little as I resume my steps. “I forgot

it out yesterday.”

Chapter 48

cousin and me. “Oh, a secret within a secret, is it? I love those.”

groans, covering his face with his hands and turning away from me, his—- shoulders shaking a little bit. “You can’t do this shit to

the seamstress asks, stepping closer to me as I put the box on my bed

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255