Page 124 of Kingmakers, Year One

“No, he’s definitely notsoftanywhere . . .” Chay gives a lascivious smirk. “Did you see him in that soaking wet t-shirt? Fucking hell, he’s got a body under those clothes . . .”

“Don’t get any ideas,” I warn her. “He doesn’t need his heart ripped out.”

“What are you talking about? I would never!”

There is no way she should be that offended.

“You already have. At least three times this year.”

“When?”

I list the names off on my soapy fingers. “Sam . . .”

“Sam’s an idiot. He thought narwhals were made up. Like unicorns!”

“Reggie . . .”

“He had terrible breath. Even gum didn’t fix it.”

“What about Thomas York?”

“He got mad when I beat him at target practice.”

“Doesn’t matter the reasons. They were all moping around for months after you dumped them. I don’t think Ares could survive that. He may look big and strong, but he’s got a vulnerable side.”

“I know,” Chay says, totally undeterred. “That’s what I like about him. He’s humble—not like the rest of the arrogant shitheads at this school.”

“Including you,” I tease her.

“Of course including me!” Chay cries. “But I have a right to be arrogant. Because I’m fantastic.”

I laugh. “Can’t argue with that.”

We head back to our dorms to change clothes. As we pass Zoe’s door I poke my head inside and say, “You coming to the party?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t think I should.”

She hasn’t showered yet and her face is still spattered with a fine mist of paint like scarlet freckles.

There’s a letter open on her bed. From the look of the rigid, formal writing, and her expression of unhappiness, I’massuming it’s another joy-gram from her father chewing her out for whatever his spies have reported.

I mutter, “Fuck what he says. He’s in Spain and you’re here. He can’t stop you having fun.”

“There’s only two months left in the semester.” Zoe sighs. “He’ll have his chance to punish me soon enough.”

Chay and I exchange unhappy glances. We want Zoe to come with us, but we don’t want to get her in serious trouble.

“Let’s have a drink together in our room, then,” Chay says. “Nobody will see you in there.”

“Alright.” Zoe smiles just a little. She pushes herself up off the bed, leaving the unwanted letter abandoned, and follows us to our room.

Chay and I haven’t had time to tidy up this week, so there’s a jumble of shoes and clothes that have to be tossed off the beds before we have anywhere to sit down.

I love our room, even when it’s messy. It finally feels like home.

Though Zoe’s reminder that the school year is passing by swiftly does give me a little pang for my actual home so far across the ocean. I’ve never been away from my parents and siblings so long. I wonder if they’ll think I’ve changed when they see me again.

Leo has changed.

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