Chapter Ten WILLOW

I gape at Rhett, shocked he would say something so crude. Now granted, I have two younger brothers and a father who can all talk crudely at one point or another and I hear them, but they very rarely direct that sort of talk at me.

While this boy—this obnoxious, full of himself boy—just flat out said he thinks I have a stick up my butt. What a jerk.

“I knew you wouldn’t like that,” he says after I remain silent for way too long.

We’re outside and the sun is warm on my face, making me squint, wishing I had sunglasses on. The majority of our class is ahead of us, listening to Mr. Chen talk about light and sun placement. And while I’d prefer listening to him rather than having a conversation with Rhett, I’m still standing here. Glaring at him.

Then I remember what he did earlier, when those boys knocked into me in the doorway and I almost fell. How he didn’t hesitate to tell them to watch it. He might’ve been a little rude toward them, but he did it in my defense and that was …

Nice.

I don’t think he’s a bad person. I just don’t believe he’s my type of person.

“You’re right. I didn’t,” I retort, trying my best not to look at him. My gaze gets stuck on his handsome face and then I can’t think, which is annoying.

Everything about him is annoying, especially that gorgeous face of his. Ugh. I hate myself for even thinking that.

“It’s not that big of a deal that you fell asleep in class,” he says, keeping up with me even though I’m walking faster. Like I want to get rid of him, but he doesn’t take the hint. “It happens to me all the time.”

I come to a stop and so does he. “Really?”

“Well … no.” He shrugs those broad shoulders of his and I study them for a moment. He’s big. Tall. He might even be taller than my father. “But I’ve wanted to. Plenty of times. A lot of the shit they talk about is boring.”

Rolling my eyes, I start walking once more, fighting the embarrassment that wants to swoop over me. That’s my issue with this entire moment. With my every interaction with Rhett Bennett, really. He’s always catching me at my worst. Or when something awful happens to me. And it’s only the second day of school. How much more humiliation must I endure?

“This conversation is pointless,” I tell him when I realize he’s not leaving my side. “We should go pay attention to what the teacher is saying.”

“Why? He’ll only put me to sleep.”

“I want to learn more about photography.” I tilt my chin up, my nose in the air, putting on my best snotty expression that I can muster. May as well lean into my rich girl attitude because I know he already thinks of me like that. Why else would he say I act like I have a stick up my ass?

“I’ve seen your photos on Insta. Seems like you’ve already got that handled.” He says this so casually, like it’s no big deal, but yet again, I come to a complete stop.

So does he.

“Are you … stalking me?” I shade my eyes from the sunlight with my hand. Rhett is backlit by the sun, which shadows his face and that’s a good thing.

He makes a dismissive noise. “Of course not. It’s pretty normal to check out someone’s social media after you meet them.”

“Oh.” He’s not wrong, but I didn’t think he’d ever admit to doing it.

I know I wouldn’t.

“Your photos look—good.” He’s nodding, trying to … what? Seem casual?

“Most of them I didn’t take,” I admit. “Someone else did.”

“Iris?”

“No.” I shake my head. “Well, sometimes she does. I also have a professional take them for me on occasion.”

His brows shoot up. “Really?”

My cheeks start to burn. A surefire indication I’m embarrassed. Yet again. “I was trying to grow my social media presence.”

“With a professional photographer.”

I shrug.

“You’re just a regular girl who goes to high school,” he points out. Incorrectly, I might add.

“I am the oldest child of Crew and Wren Lancaster. High society knows who my parents are, and they keep track of them—and their children. I’ve been a part of their social circles since I was born,” I explain.

“Hanging out with a bunch of old people?” He sounds amused.

“People around my age. Your age. Some of those people even go to this school.”

“Let me guess—like Silas.”

My cheeks go even hotter if that’s possible. “Not quite.”

“Oh yeah? He’s not part of your fancy social circle?” His tone is snide, and I try my best to ignore it.

“No. His parents move in different circles compared to mine.”

Rhett doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. Just watches me with his hand on his jaw, stroking his chin slowly. The droning sound of Mr. Chen’s lecture reaches my ears and I realize I’m not missing a single thing.

“You’re snobbier than I thought,” Rhett finally says.

My mouth drops open. “You have zero problems with saying rude things, hmmm.”

“I’m just calling it like I see it.” He shrugs.

“Maybe you should learn how to repress some of the things you say.”

“And miss out on witnessing your reactions? Hell no. It’s been worth it so far.” He’s smiling again, his head turning in the direction where everyone else is standing with Mr. Chen. “Think we should go over there?”

“Definitely.” I’m already walking and he falls into step beside me yet again, but this time I successfully avoid him for the rest of class. He ends up going to talk to two boys that are in our class, and I turn my back on all three of them, secretly hoping they aren’t talking about me.

Of course, they’re not. According to Alana, I’m too boring to talk about anyway.

***

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Just having Mom ask me that question in her sweet, concerned mother voice I recognize so clearly has me near tears in an instant. Worse, we’re on FaceTime together and she can see me. I’m sure my uncertainty and sadness are showing like a thick winter coat wrapped all around me.

“I’m fine.” I offer her a weak smile, shaking my head.

“You say you’re fine yet you’re shaking your head no, which is sending mixed signals.” Mom’s gaze sticks with mine and I can’t look away. She’s got me all figured out. “Is everything okay? Are you struggling since returning to school?”

It’s finally Thursday afternoon. Only one more day and then it’s the weekend and I’ve never been more grateful. I just want to hole up in my dorm suite and be alone. I don’t even want to hang out with Iris, even though I’m sure she’s making plans for us at this very moment and won’t tell me about them until the last minute.

“It’s been … weird. Coming back,” I admit, struggling to swallow past the lump in my throat.

“Weird how?” Mom’s brows draw together in confusion. “I know things have changed on campus, but it’s all good things, according to your brother. Have people changed? Iris is treating you nicely, isn’t she?”

“I have zero problems with Iris,” I reassure her. “She’s perfect. It’s everyone else …”

“Like who?”

I launch into my explanation. How everything on campus is different compared to when I was last here, and how the new headmaster is the one heralding all of the change. I mention classes and football and school spirit and Mom just sits there, a faint smile curling her lips the entire time.

“I don’t like it,” I say with determination, ignoring the expression on her face. I can tell she thinks I’m being silly, when I don’t feel silly at all. This all feels so important to me. I was excited to come back to something familiar, and instead, it feels like I started at a new school all over again.

I hate it.

“Well, your brother is thriving,” Mom says once I’m finished. “He loves the football program and their coach. He loves how the school has so much more spirit. And he likes the new headmaster a lot. Your father and I like him as well.”

“You don’t get it,” I say morosely, throwing myself across the bed. “Then, there’s Silas.”

“Silas? The boy you used to have a crush on?”

I turn to look at Mom on my phone, grabbing it and holding the screen up in front of me. “He has a girlfriend.”

“Oh no.”

“It’s Alana.”

Mom’s quiet, blinking at me as if she needs to absorb this information. “Your best friend?”

I nod, frowning. Maybe even pouting. “She won’t talk to us.”

“Well … that’s just awful. What kind of friend is she?”

“I suppose I shouldn’t be mad at her. I mean, I get it. I wasn’t around for an entire school year. If Silas showed that he liked her, what was she supposed to say? No, you have to wait for Willow to come home?”

“Yes!” Mom sounds positively indignant with just that one word. “I know Iris would never.”

She’s right. Iris wouldn’t go for Silas because she knew how I felt about him. But do I feel that way about him still?

A little bit.

Maybe?

Rhett’s face magically appears in my brain and I banish it. I am definitely not interested in him.

Am I?

“Yes, Iris would never, but Alana would. And did.” I sigh. “It’s okay. I don’t think I’m that interested in him anyway.”

“You don’t sound very convincing to me.”

The doubt in Mom’s voice is obvious and I appreciate her supporting me. “Really, it’s okay. There are plenty of other boys on this campus.”

“Don’t settle for just any boy though, Willow. Make sure he—respects you,” Mom warns.

“Is that what you did with Dad?”

“What do you mean? Settling with your father? Oh my.” She laughs, her expression turning wistful. As if she’s remembering when she was my age and they first met. “There is no settling for Crew Lancaster. Want me to be truthful?”

“Yes, please.” I crave any bit of information they share about the early days of their relationship. I loved hearing my father tell me the story of how Mom hated him. Or so he thought. She was actually just scared of him.

Scared of any boy really. Mom was a bit of a self-admitted prude, and I kind of am too.

“Your father put on an act. He was rude and acted ridiculous when he was around his friends. In public in general, he was kind of awful. But when it was just the two of us? He was as sweet as he could be.” Mom smiles. “Though I think he also enjoyed antagonizing me.”

Yet again, I think of Rhett. He seems to enjoy antagonizing me every chance he gets. “Do you mean Dad enjoyed teasing you?”

“Well, yes. And being rude.” Mom wrinkles her nose. “He sometimes said the most awful things. You know how boys are.”

“Considering I have two brothers and plenty of boy cousins, yes, I do.”

Mom laughs. “You also know that a lot of what they do and say is just for show. I don’t know why they act that way, but they do. Sometimes it’s our job to get to the core of them. Figure them out.”

“That seems unfair.”

“Oh, but they have to do the same to us, don’t you think? Our public personas are different compared to our private ones,” Mom points out.

“I guess you’re right,” I say, my voice soft.

“Maybe you should try to talk to Alana. Is it worth losing a friendship over a boy?” Mom asks.

“She’s not being very nice.”

“Maybe she feels threatened by you.”

That is such a mom thing to say. “Why in the world would she be threatened by me? Alana is beautiful and confident and interesting. I can see why Silas fell for her.”

“Willow. Darling. You are beautiful and confident and interesting too. And so incredibly smart. Sweet. You have many wonderful qualities. Why wouldn’t she feel threatened?”

I roll my eyes. “You’re just being a mom.”

She laughs. “I suppose I am.”

We talk for a little while longer and once we end the call, I remain on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Ruminating over everything we discussed. Even if Alana is threatened by me, she should know I would never stoop so low as to try and steal her boyfriend. I’m not interested in Silas like that. I can’t be—he’s taken. And besides.

I think I have a new distraction.