Chapter 7 River #2
Maddy falls silent for a second, and I worry I’ve freaked her out. Why the hell did I have to bring that up? Being betrothed in the royal world isn’t uncommon, but I highly doubt it’s that way on northside.
Then she says, “Do you still talk to her? Isla, I mean.”
With my lips pressed together, I nod. “We used to talk.” I pause as we reach the exit doors and hold one open for her.
“We were friends when we were younger, but that got ruined when we realized the massive responsibility being put on us. I think when our parents first started talking about the arrangement, it didn’t register because we were so little.
But the older we got, the more reality set in, ruining our friendship because neither of us saw each other like that. ”
“Yeah, Finn told me that you all used to be friends.” Maddy steps outside, and I follow, letting the door fall shut behind us. The crisp night air is laced with darkness, and the sky is covered with sparkling stars and moonlight.
As her words register, I slow down. “Wait … Finn talked to you about this?”
“Yeah, we ate lunch together today, and he mentioned it.” Maddy’s hair dances in the light breeze as she glances at me, the exterior lights on the academy building reflecting in her eyes.
I’m uncertain how to process what she said, that she had lunch with Finn and that they talked about Isla and me. I’m not mad, just perplexed as to why they were hanging out and talking about me at all.
“What’re you going to do about it?” she asks, breaking the silence between us.
My brows crease. “What do you mean?”
We start down the stairs that lead to the parking lot.
“I mean, how do you just marry someone you’re not in love with and spend your entire life married to them?
” She wraps her arms around herself. “I get that life can get miserable at times—trust me, I so can relate to that part—but it’s always been the possibility of getting a future that I want—a better one—that’s kept me going forward.
” She glances at me, and I have no clue what my expression looks like, but it causes panic to flash across hers.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry. That was really insensitive. ”
We’ve stopped in the middle of the stairway, facing each other on the same step with a group of people loitering at the bottom, making some noise.
But it feels like we’re the only two people here, because she’s saying the truth, and it’s been a long time since someone has done that with so much innocent honesty.
“You’re fine,” I assure her. “Honestly, it’s kind of refreshing.”
“That I just waved your demising future in your face?” she questions warily.
“You didn’t wave it in my face. You just told the truth how you saw it.
” I shift my weight. “Usually, people tiptoe around it or talk about it when they don’t get it.
There’s so many people in the royal world who have things handed to them.
Yet I just feel like you get it, like you understand what it’s like to be facing a future you don’t want. ”
“I do—trust me. Even before I came here, I wasn’t completely thrilled by where I was heading.
But it was a plan. Still, it was connected to northside, which is connected to my parents.
And I don’t want to be connected to them anymore, because if I let them into my life, they’ll ruin my future.
” She pauses. “I feel like yours might be the same way, just in a different way, if that makes any sense.”
“It makes complete sense.” We start down the stairs again. “I don’t blame my mother. My father is a dominant man and bulldozes over her all the time, even after the divorce.”
She trails her fingers along the railing as she takes each step. “You know, I’ve never understood how men like that even get women?”
“Because they’re powerful, rich, and are used to getting what they want.”
“But why do women fall for that?”
“Don’t ask me. I’ve never understood what women see in my father. He’s a total condescending ass.”
“What about your mom?” she asks as we reach the bottom of the stairs.
I get a full view of the group of people, and tension rolls through my body.
Some of them are society members, including Eli, a total asshole.
I’m fairly positive he’s caused some drama for Lily, but she refuses to tell me the details.
If I ever find out what he did to her is terrible, he’ll get his ass kicked.
“What about her?” I’m distracted now by Eli and the reminder of the society and also what I’ll be telling Maddy tonight.
“What’s she like?”
“Um …”
“River?” Maddy waves a hand in front of my face, causing me to jolt.
When I blink at her, she’s staring at me with a quizzical line between her brows. I’ve stopped walking and am not even aware of it. Plus, my attention is glued on Eli.
“Why are you staring at him?” she asks, hitching her thumb over her shoulder at where Eli is.
He’s watching us now, and the trace of a smile on his lips makes annoyance prickle through my veins.
“It’s nothing.” I start walking again, keeping my eyes trained ahead.
Maddy follows and sinks into silence, the sound of our shoes scuffing against the asphalt filling up the awkward tension. I’m not even sure why things got so awkward. I could just let it remain that way—I’m good at that—but Maddy is different.
“I’m sorry,” I finally say while glancing at her.
“For what?” she replies in an emotionless tone.
“For being vague and weird.” I slip my hand into my pocket to dig my keys out. “I’m not used to hanging out with people that much, and when I do, Finn says I have issues with being a douchebag.”
“You weren’t being a douchebag. I just feel like you’re keeping a secret from me. I could be being paranoid—I’m naturally wary —but …” She wavers. “Lily told me that Eli is a bad guy.”
“He is.” I push a button on the key fob, and the lights of my car flash twice. “Lily’s never told anyone what happened between them, but I have theories, and if I ever get confirmation that those theories are correct, the guy’s going to get his ass beat.”
“Finn was hanging out with him that day I saw him disappear while he was in the library. Like straight-up vanished.” She stuffs her hands into the pockets of her jacket.
I press her with a look. “Not out here, okay?” I whisper.
Since I’m telling her the truth tonight, I might as well tell her that. It’s risky, but I trust Maddy enough that I doubt she’ll tell anyone.
I’m rewarded with a small smile. Then she strolls over to the passenger side of my car, eyeing it.
“You guys and your cars.” She bites on her bottom lip as I move up beside her. “It feels almost wrong that I’m getting in it.”
I pause. “What? Why?”
“Because it’s fancy, and I’m a grungy north-sider.” She shrugs, like what she said was no big deal.
It is.
“You’re not grungy. You’re beautiful.” The words slip out of my mouth on their own. I quickly clear my throat then reach for the door handle.
I expect a smartass remark from her, yet she strangely falls into silence. The squirm of her body lets me know she’s uncomfortable. Part of me wants to retract the statement, but it’s true. Maddy is so damn gorgeous it’s insane.
As I open the door for her, she moves out of the way, but our arms brush and warmth spreads through me in the weirdest fucking way. I find myself leaning closer and smelling her hair like a damn psycho.
She smells fucking wonderful, like sugar and vanilla.
When she tilts her head to look at me, I’m so close we nearly end up kissing.
She doesn’t immediately move back, making me question what the hell is going on in her head. Then she steps back and looks puzzled, her head angled to the side.
“You okay?” she asks worriedly.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I was just smelling your hair. That’s all.
I’m unsure if she can tell what I was doing, but either way, she lets it go.
“So, gothic prince is a gentleman, huh?” she teases as she steps toward the open door.
“It’s a royal thing. Good manners are force-fed to us from the day we’re born.” I grip the top of the door, preparing to close it.
She smiles cheekily at me as she ducks her head and slides into the leather seat. “With a silver spoon, I’m guessing.”
I decide to play along with her, testing the waters of humor for a bit. “It was made of gold.”
She lets out this laugh that makes me smile.
“So, gothic prince can joke, too,” she teases as she swings her legs into the car.
“He can on occasion.”
“And apparently talk about himself in the third person.”
I shake my head but smile. Damn, this girl has made me smile more than anyone has in my entire life.
I shut the door and round the car, throwing a glance back at Eli. I expect him to be gone or engulfed in the conversation he’s having with his friends, but he’s staring right at us.
Worry stirs inside me that he is somehow aware I’m about to tell Maddy about the society targeting her. But how could he? The only person who knows about that besides me is Finn. And he wouldn’t tell him.
At least I want to believe he wouldn’t. Finn can make poor choices sometimes, though.
No, I have to believe he wouldn’t, because if the society found out I was going to tell Maddy, that’d be bad.
Really fucking bad.