Chapter 25

CHAPTER25

There was a shuddering sigh, and then…

“I forgive you,” Jonathan said as he dropped down on the lab stool across from him.

“For wrapping you up in duct tape and shoving you under your bed and leaving you there or for ignoring you for the past week?” Sebastian drawled absently as he made another note on the file that Mrs. Blaine sent him last week.

“That didn’t really bother me,” Jonathan said as he reached over and turned the iPad around so that he could see what Sebastian was working on.

“Then, what exactly am I forgiven for?” Sebastian drawled as he turned the iPad back around so that he could double-check the numbers, wondering what he was missing.

“For not admitting that you need me,” Jonathan said with a long-suffering sigh that had Sebastian wondering if it was too late to switch out of this class.

“What exactly do I need you for?” Sebastian murmured absently as he frowned down at the sum he got and-

It wasn’t adding up.

“Double-check this for me,” Sebastian said as he pushed the notepad towards his brother.

“Everything,” Jonathan said as he pulled the notepad closer. “What am I looking at?”

“Blaine Industries’ latest acquisition,” Sebastian said as he turned his iPad back around for his brother.

Nodding absently, Jonathan quickly went through the numbers, adding them in his head as he went before glancing at the file opened on Sebastian’s iPad and-

“They’re off by seven million eight-hundred seventy-four thousand nine hundred eleven dollars,” Jonathan said, pushing the file back. “Now, where were we?”

“You were taking a moment to rethink your decision to piss me off,” Sebastian said, making a quick note on the file before swiping to the next page.

“That really doesn’t sound like me,” Jonathan said as he pulled out his notebook.

After making one last note, Sebastian put the notepad back into his backpack and pulled out his science notebook, all while hoping that his brother would take the hint and-

“I have a plan.”

“No,” Sebastian said as he did his best to ignore his brother, hoping beyond hope that his brother would let this go.

“You’re overthinking this,” Jonathan announced with a sad shake of his head, only to add, “But don’t worry. I have this all figured out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out,” Sebastian drawled as he looked over the notes that he took yesterday.

“You need a plan, a good one, and I just happen to have one,” Jonathan said as he reached over and helped himself to Sebastian’s iPad.

“What I need is for you to let this go,” Sebastian said as he reached for the iPad, only to have his brother pull it out of his reach.

“Shhh, not while I’m helping you,” Jonathan said, quickly typing something while Sebastian sat there, debating reaching over the lab table and-

“Voilà,” Jonathan said with flourish as he handed the iPad back to him.

“What’s this?” Sebastian asked, frowning down at the royal blue, gold and silver-themed website announcing Latin Scribe High School’s end-of-the-year gala.

“Your game plan,” Jonathan said with a satisfied sigh as Sebastian reluctantly scrolled down the page, reading through what promised to be a night to remember, noting that it was being held at the most expensive hotel in the city with a five-course meal being served, two ballrooms, a dining hall, and a candlelit patio to end the night for five hundred dollars a ticket.

Swallowing hard, Sebastian noted the dress code was formal, with the boys required to wear a tux and the girls required to wear a gown, before continuing to scroll down and looked through the photo gallery of past galas, noting the limousines dropping partygoers off, the expensive corsages the girls wore, the images of everyone dining, dancing and-

“Never going to happen,” Sebastian said, placing his iPad back on the table and focused on his notes.

“Why not?” Jonathan asked as he picked the iPad back up. “It’s perfect. It’s not until June, which gives you plenty of time to save up for the tickets and the tux and grow some balls so that you can ask Mikey out.”

“Drop it,” Sebastian said in absolutely no mood to play this game.

“Give me one good reason and I will.”

“Because there’s no way in hell that Mikey would ever say yes.”

* * *

“I’m no longer speakingwith you,” Mikey said with a sniffle as she pointedly looked away from the teenage boy who decided to make her life more difficult than it needed to be.

“Funny enough, I figured that out when you kept mouthing it all through class,” Braxton drawled as he dropped down on the bench next to her.

“Then, you should know that I take my grudges seriously,” Mikey said with a firm nod as she folded her arms over her chest and watched the line of luxury cars through the glass wall while they waited their turn to pick up the students in designer school uniforms as they made their way across the freshly salted walkways to the tent the janitorial staff erected along with outside heaters so that they could wait in comfort.

“You look adorably pissed,” Braxton drawled, drawing her attention to find him sitting back against the bench with his head dropped back against the wall, his eyes closed and-

God, he looked exhausted, Mikey thought as she ran her eyes over him, taking in his messy dark brown hair and noted that the golden tan that he had when they’d met was gone before taking in the untucked Latin Scribe uniform shirt that was wrinkled and at least two sizes too big for him, the scuffed black loafers that had seen better days and found herself looking back up to find pale blue eyes watching her.

“I’m always adorable,” Mikey pointed out with a look that should have had him quaking in fear and praying for a miracle to save him. She-

“You really just can’t pull that off,” Braxton said with a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes again and dropped his head back against the wall.

“Really? Then, explain why you’re trembling in fear,” Mikey demanded with a sniffle as she watched his lips twitch.

“Because I’ve seen your fastball,” Braxton said, somewhat appeasing her.

“Understandable,” Mikey murmured as she found herself wondering what was going on with him. He barely said two words most days, kept to himself, barely acknowledged their existence, and when he did, it was mostly to glare at her, which was understandable considering what happened during gym last week. She should probably apologize for that, but in her defense, she didn’t know that he was standing there when she went to kick that ball. Definitely something that she should apologize for, Mikey decided, but later.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Braxton asked, not bothering to open his eyes.

“Tutoring underprivileged trust-fund kids,” Mikey said, not bothering to correct him since she knew that it was pointless. Sebastian always waited for her during tryouts, practice, and games, so she always made damn sure that she did the same for him when he was picking up hours working for her mother, tutoring, or staying after school to attend a lecture.

“And you’re still here because…?”

“Because he’d be lost without me,” Mikey said with a heartfelt sigh.

“I’m sure he would,” Braxton murmured, shifting to get comfortable as he stretched out his long legs. “Are you nervous about tryouts?”

“I’ve decided that it was in my best interest not to think about tryouts for the sake of my sanity,” Mikey said with a solemn nod.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” Braxton said dryly, only to chuckle when she said, “Please don’t jinx my hopes and dreams.”

“Apologies,” Braxton murmured as his lips pulled up into a smile, the first one she’d seen from him all year.

“What about you?” Mikey asked as she shifted her attention to the hot cocoa station set up by the doors and couldn’t help but shake her head in wonder. This was definitely nothing like public school.

“What about me?” Braxton asked, cracking one eye open to look at her.

“Tryouts,” she said, watching as that smile slowly died away and was replaced by the bored expression that he’d been wearing all year.

“I’m not trying out,” Braxton said, taking her by surprise.

“Why not?” Mikey demanded, sure that she’d misheard him. He loved baseball almost as much as she did. He’d been playing since he was little, joining every team that would have him, and worked with her this past summer at Uncle Jason’s house running drills, catching, and making plans to try out for the team together.

“Just lost interest,” Braxton said, shrugging it off like it was no big deal, but…

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Mikey asked, deciding that it was time to get answers.

Sighing heavily, Braxton closed his eye as he said, “I came to apologize.”

Blinking, Mikey said, “For giving the group of teenage girls obsessed with me a new way to make my life a living hell?”

Wincing, Braxton muttered, “Something like that.”

“And for making my life more difficult than it needed to be by dragging out this science project that’s due in three months?” Mikey asked.

“If it makes you feel any better, I started the project back in September,” he admitted, making her frown.

“You started a group project by yourself?” Mikey asked, watching him shrug it off like it was no big deal. “Why?”

“I was bored,” Braxton drawled.

“I could never be that bored,” Mikey admitted, watching his lips twitch. “I also can’t let you do all the work.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I saved the really boring part for you,” Braxton said, making her frown.

“How is that supposed to make me feel better?” Mikey asked as she narrowed her eyes on the boy who was definitely hiding something from her. “Start talking.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,”

“And yet, I don’t believe you,” Mikey said, shifting in her seat so that she was facing him. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on,” Braxton said with a sigh as he reluctantly opened his eyes and grabbed his bag as he stood up.

“You’re lying,” Mikey said as she watched him pull his bag over his shoulder.

“Probably,” Braxton murmured absently as he glanced past her towards the foyer, drawing her attention to find the courtyard empty and the long line of cars gone. “Looks like it’s time to go.”

“Because you’re afraid that I’ll turn to violence to make you talk?” Mikey asked, expecting to see his father’s car pull up only to watch as the janitorial staff began breaking down the tent to take it in.

“Something like that,” Braxton said as he headed towards the doors.

“Where’s your Dad’s car?” Mikey asked, getting to her feet as she searched the long driveway for a car.

“Couldn’t get a ride,” Braxton said, shrugging it off.

“Your father has a chauffeur,” Mikey pointed out weakly as her gaze shot to the quickly darkening sky, noting the snow coming down and the ice reflecting the soft glow of the heaters that were still burning on the patio.

“Please tell me that you’re kidding,” Mikey said, watching as Braxton stepped back, pushing the heavy glass door open with his back as he murmured, “Merry Christmas, Mikey,” leaving her sitting there and-

Deciding that she was done playing this game.