Chapter Four
Carly
Since Harrington Bay Academy is one of the most prestigious high schools in the country, the teachers think it’s their job to pile mountains of homework on us. Which is why I’ve been slaving away in my room for the past few hours.
Despite my less-than-average grades, I always try to maintain a passing grade in all my classes because I don’t want to get the boot. Even that takes up most of my time. Seriously, it’s like they don’t expect us to have a life here.
After what feels like forever, I drop my pen and stretch my arms over my head. I may have dozed off once or twice while trying to read my history textbook. I do find history interesting overall, but I think my brain is way past its breaking point.
And my brain is also exhausted from trying to shove away a certain dude with gorgeous brown eyes every two minutes.
Every time he pops into my mind, I grit my teeth and my pen nearly makes a hole in my notebook.
Why does he keep waltzing into my brain uninvited?
Did I not specifically instruct myself to treat him like wallpaper?
All I want is to enjoy the next two years of high school with my best friends. I know he’s going to ruin my life. Because that’s Ryder Bennett. His middle name might as well be “CarlyAnnoyer.”
Reaching for my phone, I tap on my brother’s name and start a video call with him. I haven’t seen him since Parents’ Day a few weeks ago, but we’ve texted here and there.
As soon as his face appears, I bark, “Why didn’t you tell me he was coming?”
Blake blinks, giving me that fake innocent face I know too well. “Hey, sis. What are you talking about?”
“Oh don’t give me that BS. You knew he was coming and you purposely didn’t tell me. You guys wanted to see my reaction, right? You knew I’d lose my crap. Was that his plan or yours?”
He sighs in this really irritated way, like a parent who’s trying his darndest to be patient with his annoying kid. “Carly, do you honestly think Ryder would attend Harrington Bay Academy just to mess with you?”
“Ah, so you admit you knew he was coming!” I accuse.
My brother’s lips snap shut and he frowns, eyebrows furrowed like he’s not sure how he just admitted that. Because I never mentioned Ryder’s name once.
“Gotchya, didn’t I? You’re not as clever as you think, Blakey.”
He groans as he pushes his red hair out of his green eyes. “Don’t call me that. And I didn’t purposely not tell you that Ryder was going to Harrington Bay. I just forgot.”
I give him a look. “You forgot to inform your sister that your best friend was attending her school? What a load of bull.”
“Despite what you think, Carly, my world doesn’t revolve around you. And neither does Ryder’s. But your world clearly revolves around him.”
“Excuse me? My world does not revolve around him! He’s wallpaper to me.”
“I’m sure he is, little sis.”
I narrow my eyes. “Admit you purposely withheld that information just to annoy me.”
He sighs. “I think Mom and Dad brought the wrong baby home from the hospital. I should win an award for putting up with you.”
“You wish. Our hair is super unique, so we’re obviously blood-related. And the only award you’ll win is The Most Annoying Brother in the World award.”
“Did you call me just to bite my head off?” he demands.
“I certainly did.”
“Okay. Cool. Can I go now? I have homework.”
“No, you may not go. What you may do is tell me why on earth Ryder Bennett goes to Harrington Bay Academy now.”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“Dude, it’s silly to talk to wallpaper when the wallpaper can’t answer back.”
He rolls his eyes and mutters something under his breath.
“Did he get a scholarship or something?”
“I think so.”
“And he left his old school, just like that? Wasn’t he sad to leave his friends?”
Blake puffs out his cheeks, causing some of his hair to fly off his face. “It was hard. We all miss him. But this is a great opportunity for him, just like it is for you. It would be selfish for us to ask him to stay.”
Despite how much of a cretin my brother can be, he really is a good guy. And sometimes, though I won’t admit it, I’m proud of him.
“So he joined you and Mom and Dad on Parents’ Day to see the school before he attended?”
Blake shrugs. “I don’t know the details, Carly. If you really want to know, just ask him yourself.”
“Dude, it would be silly to talk to wallpaper when the wallpaper—”
“Can’t talk back. You really are ridiculous.”
“Did he have the option to attend another school or this one and decided to go to this one?” I ask.
“How am I supposed to know?”
“Like maybe he decided on Harrington Bay because of the people who attend?”
His brows dip. “The people who attend…? Carly, are you asking me if he chose Harrington because you go there?”
My eyes pop open so wide I swear they almost roll off my face. “What? No way. What the heck. Why would you imply that?”
“You’re the one who’s implying that. Seriously, I’ve known you for sixteen years. You can be really obvious sometimes.”
I open my mouth to retort, but then snap it shut. Pssh, as if I think Ryder chose my school because of me. Unless he has some sick satisfaction with seeing me suffer…but nah, he’s not that evil.
“I’m hanging up,” I say.
“Finally,” he grumbles. “Hey, Carly?”
“What?”
“Give the guy a break, will you? You never know what a person is going through in life. Just let Ryder enjoy himself at Harrington Bay and take advantage of every opportunity, okay?”
My eyebrows shoot up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“ Goodbye , Carly.” He ends the call.
I puff out my cheeks, causing my own hair to fly off my forehead. That was a really weird message from my brother, but I have no time or patience to try to figure it out. I still have so much homework to do, and I can’t forget that I’m supposed to find a club to join.
Ugh, why is Principal Harrington forcing me to choose a club?
Maybe it would be easier to just try to raise my grades, but that feels like an impossible mountain to climb.
And I don’t want to bother Sophie because she has other people to tutor.
If there was a club I might like with people I might like…
but that seems impossible, too. Everyone at school likes to pretend the scholarship kids don’t exist. I’m sure they’d jump for joy if I were to invade their turf.
“Why does life have to be more complicated than it needs to be?” I whine as the door opens and Addie walks in. She waves goodbye to someone and blows him a kiss—definitely Caleb— then closes the door and skips into the room like she spent the last few hours in paradise.
But her expression disappears when she takes in my scowl. “You okay, Carly?” She puts down her backpack and bounces on her bed. “You were complaining about your life being complicated?”
With a groan, I get up from my desk and face-plant on my bed. “Principal Harrington wants me to contribute to the school. Apparently, I’m a parasite that’s leeching off the benevolence of this fine establishment.”
I hear her gasp. “She said that?”
I turn my head and say, “Nah. But she made me feel that way. I mean, I know I’m lucky to go to this school, but…” I sigh. “Everything is so complicated.”
It’s like I was sort of forced to go because my dad was given the opportunity.
It would have been selfish of me to say no, especially after everything he went through.
He was out of a job for a few months and didn’t know how his family was going to make ends meet.
He was so happy when they offered his job back, and even happier when they offered me the scholarship.
As much as he supports my dream to be a professional dancer, he wants me to have a backup plan to fall back on.
Hence the insistence that I take advanced English.
“I get it,” Addie says. “But you shouldn’t force yourself to change just to please Harrington, or anyone else. You’re perfect just as you are.”
I smile at her. “Thanks. See, this is why we became instant best friends. So since I can’t become a straight-A student overnight, Harrington said I should join a club.
But I have no idea which club to join. If any of you guys were in a club, I would immediately join.
But the last thing I want is to hang out with people who don’t want me around. ”
Addie thinks for a few seconds. “That’s tough. I was part of a few clubs at my old school, but all my friends were there, too. It would have sucked to be there by myself.”
“My parents would tell me it’s the perfect chance for me to get to know more students and make new friends. But they obviously don’t know the snobs that go here.”
“Some kids are okay. But they’re probably not in clubs, either.”
“Too bad there’s no dance club,” I say as I smash my face into my pillow again. “That would be a no-brainer.”
“Maybe you can start one,” Addie says. “You guys can compete and also perform during halftime at games.”
My head springs up from my bed. “Addie, you’re a genius!”
“I am?”
I launch off my bed. “Why didn’t I think of it? A dance club is perfect! And it would look really good on my resume when I try to become a professional dancer. Oh my gosh, you’re awesome!” I dash over to her and fling my arms around her. “You’re like one of the best things to happen to me.”
She squeezes me back. “Thanks. I feel the same way.”
“I’m going to talk to Harrington first thing tomorrow and tell her I want to start a dance club. And then we can have tryouts! Do you think people will join?”
“You know I’m in,” she tells me with a huge grin. “I love to dance.”
“Thanks! That’s two members already.” I frown. “What if no one else wants to join and it’s just the two of us?”
Addie lifts her shoulders. “Then we’ll have a two-women dance team. And we’ll kick major butt.”
“Yay!” I throw my arms around her again and squish the living daylights out of her. “You rock.”
“I might turn into a rock if you squeeze any harder,” she gasps.
“Whoops! Sorry.” I quickly release her and step away. “I’m so excited, Addie! You totally lifted my spirits.”
“That’s what friends are for, right?”
“Yes! And I have the most amazing friends in the world. Let’s go to Sophie and Raven’s room. We have to tell them the good news!”