Page 51 of Lost Paradise

The gravity of Mr. Coldwell's words hangs heavy in the air, and we all stare at Astro, questioning why this knobhead hasn't been forcefully removed from our camp yet.

“I’m sure your father’s proud ofyourachievements, Astro,” Zane adds sarcastically.

A smile tugs at my lips in response to Zane's remark. Instead of replying, Astro mumbles something under his breath, a sign that perhaps his facade of bravado is beginning to crack under the weight of reality.

“I graduated school with a 5.0 GPA score, but my parents barely acknowledged it,” Eve suddenly blurts out. I don’t know much about American grades, but judging by Zane's surprise and Mr. Coldwell’s bright smile, I assume that’s pretty high.

“That’s top Ivy League level,” Zane says with a sudden newfound admiration as he stares at Eve with wide eyes.

I’m pretty impressed, too. I never took her for a brainiac.

“Well, it was hard work between studying and keeping up with my social life. I’m not a naturally smart person. I need to study hard because it doesn’t come so easily to me. I crashed a few times along the way, but in my world, you hide that shit.”

“Is that why you attend Hawthornes? To get away from your social crowds?” Mr. Coldwell asks, and I think that’s an interesting concept. I know everything there is to the kinds of crowds she was brought up in. I lived as an outsider, always looking in but forcefully kept out with an invisible barrier.

“I came mostly to get away from my parents,” Eve explains, her voice tinged with bitterness. “Not that they're ever around, but when they do show up, it's usually to use me against each other. My parents used to fight a lot and used me as their ammunition against each other. Things have calmed down since they learned how to live separate lives and just use each other for social status.”

“So you weren’t exactly loved by everyone,” Astro mocks. “Sounds like a classic case of 'poor little rich girl' syndrome.”

"I attended an elite prep school where popularity is crucial for social status," Eve continues, ignoring Astro's sarcasm. "It was a constant struggle to maintain my status in a school where everyone wanted to tear me down. I was Evelyn Winters—everyone in Manhattan knows who my parents are. My mother thrust me into society when I was just nine."

“So you were a popular celebrity with no achievements to your name,” Astro jeers.

"That's what I was expected to be," Eve counters. "But I couldn’t just be the most popular; I had to be the smartest too.”

"Poor you," Astro sneers.

“Do you have any idea how suffocating it is to be so popular in Manhattan?" Eve retorts, her frustration evident. "Everyone loved me, but I hated it! I hated having to conform to society's expectations.”

“You should spend a little more time trying to do something with yourself and a little less time trying to impress people,” Astro shoots back, his tone laced with disdain.

“She achieved top grades, asshole,” Zane retorts sharply, defending Eve. “A lot more than you.”

“I’ve achieved a lot more than any of you,” Astro challenges.

“Prison isn’t an achievement,” Zane counters, his voice cutting through Astro’s arrogance.

“At least I was never pampered like some prized puppy dog.” Astro's gaze lands on Eve, his expression contorted into a mocking sneer. “So you suffered social anxiety, boo-fucking-hoo, darling. Some of us were born into things we don’t like, but other than you, no one else here is feeling sorry for themselves or crying about how much their privileged lives sucked.”

“You know I have just as many feelings as you do, and it hurts when someone steps all over them.” Eve brushes away a single tear, her gesture not lost on Mr. Coldwell and Zane, who exchange a concerned frown aimed at Astro. In unison, they rise to their feet and take a step toward him, their expressions stern and resolute. Tension crackles in the air, and in that moment, anything seems possible.

I hope they kill him.

Astro’s had it coming for a while now.

“I think that’s about enough—"

“I’ve always been invisible to the world,” Jack suddenly blurts out, his voice cutting through the tension, interrupting whatever action Mr. Coldwell and Zane were about to do regarding Astro. “My parents neglected me my whole life. As a kid, I used to steal stuff from shops. The adrenaline of not getting caught was electrifying. But deep inside me, I hoped I did get caught so my parents would notice me.”

Well, that’s some confession.

“But you’re a Bancroft. Why would you need to steal?” I inquire, recognizing the significance of his surname.

“It was for the thrill and the attention which I never received,” Jack explains, his tone tinged with a hint of regret.

“Is that a famous name in England?” Eve asks, her curiosity piqued.

“In most of Europe,” I reply, offering a brief explanation. I pause, waiting to see if Jack wants to elaborate further, but he seems lost in his own thoughts as he zones out of this discussion. His distant stare suggests he's retreated to a place far removed from our current discussion, perhaps even from this planet altogether.

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