1. Maddison

Maddison

I t’s been two days since Drew chased after me, and Finn and River helped me escape him, which has basically been two days of torture where I’m constantly worrying if Drew followed us back to the academy.

Even though River checked the security cameras a dozen times to ensure Drew wasn’t lurking in the shadows around the building, I was still nervous and still am today.

It’d be a pain for him to enter the academy building, but that doesn’t make me any less uneasy. For starters, I have to go outside, not only because the campus consists of disconnected buildings but also because I have practice with River, which is what I’m doing right now.

“You’re thinking about that guy again, aren’t you?” River asks as we jog down the road that stretches outside the campus.

“Huh?” I blink at him. I have sunglasses on, but the sunlight is nearly blinding, even through the shades.

A frown forms at River’s pretty lips, but everything about River is pretty. His dark hair usually hangs in his eyes, except he pulled it out of his face this morning. His stormy eyes are intense to look at. He’s taller and has a lean body carved with muscles that can sometimes be distracting. And he never wears a shirt when we’re running, so they’re on display quite frequently.

“You’re distracted,” he remarks, “because you’re thinking about that guy. What’s his name? Drew?”

I release a slow breath. “I’m just nervous that he somehow followed us back to the academy the other day.”

“Even if he was waiting outside of my parents’ building, we switched cars, so how could he know it was us who left?”

“I know. And in the logical side of my brain, I know he probably didn’t follow us. But there’s also this other side of my brain—my north-sider side—that’s telling me there’s a chance he’s creeping around in the bushes right here, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.”

River glances at the bushes lining the slightly inclined road. “It’d be hard for him to know we’d be out here this morning, though.”

“But still … what if he is?”

His gaze lands back on mine. “Maddy, you need to focus on running, or else you won’t do well.”

He’s right.

“Okay, I’ll focus,” I assure him, hoping my brain will match my words.

We begin to quicken our pace as the road dips downward. The thuds of our footsteps hitting the asphalt is the only sound until we near the main road at the bottom of the hill.

When we arrive at the bottom, River slows to a stop and presses a button on his watch.

I stop beside him. “Why’d we stop?”

“Because we’re doing hill climbs,” he tells me with his hands on his hips.

I crinkle my nose. “Out of all the workouts, hill climbs are my least favorite.”

“Mine, too. A lot of people hate them, but they’re important.” He brings his knee to his chest. We really need to get you a watch to keep track of your times.”

I snort a laugh as I stretch my leg out in front of me and lean over. “Oh, River, you silly, silly guy. North-siders don’t use watches to track our time.”

“What do you use then?”

“A clock, usually. Or a stopwatch. Unless we’re at the races, then we get to use the timers on the track.”

He gapes at me. “Then, how the hell do you know your pace, mile times, heart rate?”

“We don’t.” I straighten and stretch out my other leg, but then I pause at his hesitant look. What’s up? Why are you looking at me like that?”

He switches legs. “I was just thinking that maybe I could get you a watch so that we?—”

“No,” I cut him off. “I mean, thanks for the offer, but I don’t want you buying me anything. The hangover burger was the only exception to that.” When he merely stares at me, I add, “What? I don’t want handouts, okay? That’s not what this is about.”

His brows furrow. “What do you mean?”

I gesture between the two of us. “You and I are training together, and our kinda, sorta friendship.”

To be honest, I’m not positive what River and I are. We’ve hung out a lot over the last handful of days and clicked from the beginning, even though we pretended we annoyed each other. And then there was that kiss that happened outside of the café during that rainstorm that neither of us have mentioned.

River is betrothed. And truthfully, I’m not na?ve enough to believe we could ever date. Like I’ve mentioned before, royals and north-siders don’t mix like that. Usually, north-siders are side-pieces or mistresses, and I refuse to ever be that.

“Sort of friendship,” he repeats my words with his head angled to the side. “So, you don’t consider us friends?”

“I don’t know.” I massage the back of my neck. “Do you consider me your friend?”

He rubs his lips together, studying me. “Kind of. I mean, sure. Yeah.” He sighs heavily. “Look, I think you’ve probably caught on that I don’t have a lot of friends, and I don’t mind it being that way, but you and I—this training thing, us hanging out—it seems like we could be friends… right?”

I bite down on my lip to suppress a smile. He’s so cute it’s ridiculous.

His eyes narrow. “You’re laughing at me.”

“No, I’m not.” My smile breaks through. As annoyance flashes across his expression, I quickly add, “I’m not laughing at you. I promise. And yes, I’d love to be your friend.” I stick out my fist. “Fist-bump for your bestie.”

He stares at me without moving his hand. “I thought you were Finn’s bestie.”

Ah, yes, Finn. Another complication in my life. Because, like River, he’s shown an interest in getting to know me. But, unlike River, Finn’s a little bit suspicious. First of all, he practically vanished in the library then got all twitchy when I asked him about it. I think it was because he might be in some sort of secret society. And then, when I found that necklace on Lily’s vanity, the one with the crown pendant that resembles mine, he acted all weird and took off into his bedroom. Then he came out and acted like nothing had happened.

Yeah, something’s up with him, but I have yet to get any answers. I will, though, eventually.

“I can have two besties.” I leave my arm out in front of me.

He eyes my fist and finally bumps his knuckles against mine.

“You’re so weird,” he tells me as he lowers his hand. “But in a refreshing way.”

“Thanks.” I flash him a cheeky grin.

A ghost of a smile touches his lips. “Are you ready to do hill climbs?”

My smile plummets. “Blah, way to ruin the moment, bestie.”

“It won’t be bad,” he assures me as his fingers hover over the watch’s button. “I promise.”

River is a big, fat liar because the hill climbs were terrible. So much so that I can barely walk like a human as I head toward my dorm room. With how stiff my legs are, I probably look like a waddling zombie.

“Make sure to take a cold shower,” River tells me as he walks beside me.

Like always, people are staring at us, although it has simmered down a smidgeon. Plus, it’s becoming easier to disregard.

“Or an ice bath. I can get you ice if you need it.”

I shake my head. “I’m good. I’m not really a bath person, anyway. Well, baths don’t sound very appealing. I’ve never had the option of getting in a bathtub before.”

His lips part in shock, and he shifts his weight. “What?”

He reacts this way frequently whenever I mention something about my poor life that utterly throws him off.

I shrug. “The apartments and motel rooms I’ve lived in have only ever had showers.” As his shock magnifies, I add, “Maybe I shouldn’t be talking to you about this stuff.”

His head angles to the side as we stop at my dorm room door. “Why?”

I shrug as I dig my phone out of my bag. “Because it makes you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” he insists. When I say nothing and instead move to swipe the key card across the scanner, he places a hand on my arm, stopping me. I glance up at him, confused, and he leans in closer. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” he repeats quietly while carrying my gaze. “It’s just not familiar to me. And honestly, it makes me feel sad for you.”

A drop of anger rises inside me. “I don’t need your pity.”

“It’s not pity. I don’t think it’s fair that you have to deal with some of the stuff you’ve told me about, like this Drew thing. Though, you haven’t told me everything about what’s going on with that.” He leaves the silent question hanging in the air.

I won’t tell him about my father being in jail for dealing drugs and how he narced on a drug lord, and that’s why I got chased the other day. He can barely handle hearing me talk about never being in a bathtub.

“I’m fine. My life isn’t perfect or anything, but I’m here at this place, which means I have a chance for a better future than if I’d been stuck in northside.” I smile at him. “I’m fine. I promise. Better than fine.” I push open the door. “And thanks for making my legs feel like they’ve become possessed by evil devils.” I smirk at him as I start to close the door.

He shakes his head, but a smile plays on his lips. “Take a cold shower.” He points a finger at me as he walks away. “I mean it, Mads. It may not be comfortable, but trust me; it’ll be worth it later on.”

I give him a thumbs-up, ignoring the flutter in my heart that his smile elicits. Then I close the door and exhale loudly. Damn Royal and his pretty smiles are making my heart act like a total dumbass.

Pushing away from the door, I head into my room, scrunching my nose when I get a whiff of how badly I smell. Ugh, I need better deodorant and perfume.

What I need is a damn job, because after the incident with Drew, I had to quit my job at the café. It was too risky, especially with my mother knowing I worked there. As soon as I’m done with my shower, I’ll continue the search for one.

I grab a pair of baggy jeans, a gray top, a pair of underwear, and a bra before wandering into the bathroom attached to my room. I’ll never get over having my own. And a huge one, for that matter.

The shower is separate from the bathtub and has two showerheads and a marble floor.

I set my clothes down onto the counter then lean in and turn on the shower, cranking the knob to cold. Then I strip my clothes off, my eyes wandering to the bathtub.

“It’s not that weird that I’ve never taken a bath before,” I mutter to myself, but the words feel like a lie.

Sure, when I lived in the northside, it wasn’t weird. But in the glittering wealth, where everyone has everything, it’s more than likely just another trait that makes me out of place.

“Okay, next time, I’ll take River up on getting ice for an ice bath,” I tell myself as I turn away from the bathtub. Then, mustering up enough courage, I step underneath the cold water.

“Gah!” I squeal as I start to chatter against the cold water spraying over my muscles.

I struggle to stay underneath it, wondering how long I have to stay in this torturous madness. I last about five minutes with me frantically washing my body off before practically jumping out of it.

As I wrap myself in a towel, my teeth clanking together, I send River a message.

Me: Dude, what the hell kind of advice was that? I feel like I just died from hypothermia.

He doesn’t reply right away, so I start to get dressed. And I’m just pulling on my shirt when my phone buzzes.

Figuring it’s River, I pick it up. But then my stomach plummets.

Mom: Maddy, if you don’t turn yourself over to Drew, he’ll find you. So, please, do yourself a favor and just do what he wants. It’ll be over more quickly if you cooperate.

I reread the text a few times. I shouldn’t be shocked or hurt—this is my mother, after all. But the truth is, even after eighteen years of her selfishness, my chest still aches at her words.

It also makes me wonder if perhaps Drew is putting her up to this. Is she making a trade? Her freedom for mine?