Page 9 of The Golden Boys

“Geez! What’s all the noise?” She slides down the wall until she’s seated beside me, her hip pressed against mine.

Quickly tucking the shut-off notice into the pocket of my pajama pants, I smile again to mask that I’m soincrediblypissed.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” is the best answer I can come up with without lying. Although, I suppose it’s still a lie. Weallneeded to worry about sitting in the dark. However, it’s not her burden.

It’s mine.

My only hope of not being questioned to death is to change the subject, so that’s what I do.

“I signed your form. Should be all set for Monday.”

One corner of her mouth tugs up as she leans to rest on my shoulder. “Thanks, Sis.”

I nod to let her know she’s welcome. “So, a few more days and you’re officially a high schooler. How’s it feel?” When I nudge her knee with my own, she shrugs.

“Fine, I guess. Would’ve been cool to have you around, though.”

Guilt follows those words, even though I wasn’t the one who secretly applied for my Cypress Prep scholarship. Hunter was to blame for that. Apparently, he saw something in me he didn’t trust our parents ever would. So, submitting the application in secret was his way of showing me I was more than I realized.

And then, he went away.

His efforts got me waitlisted a year ago, and then the admission letter finally came for me to attend this coming semester, the start of senior year. You know, whenallteens love being shoved into a new school where they don’t know a soul.

Insert sarcasm here.

I felt obligated to say “yes” when the letter arrived, but giving that answer comes with a high price. It means leaving Scarlett to face the harsh landscape of South Cypress High—the worst of the city’s iffy schools—on her own. Sure, Jules will look after her, but I’m not convinced anyone can do that job as well as I can.

I keep telling myself she’ll be fine, because she and I are resilient like that, but I worry. We can’t afford to let emotion rule our decisions right now, though. I have to do this, forbothof us.

“I’m not the one who should be nervous, Preppy,” she teases. “How will you adjust being under Pandora’s watchful eye?”

I frown. “Who is this Pandora person? I’ve heard Jules mention her.”

Apparently, my ignorance annoys my sister, because I get a big eye roll in response.

“You live under a rock. I swear,” she scoffs. “She—or he, no one really knows— is a social media influencer. She posts whatever she or her minions see. I mean, like, on her app andallher social accounts. If it goes down at C.P.A., and it’s newsworthy, you best believe Pandora knows about it and shewilltell. It’s usually only stuff about northsiders, buteveryonefollows,” she adds. “So, consider yourself warned.”

I can’t help but to laugh. Scarlett means well, but she’s always been a bit dramatic.

“Well, I’m pretty sure I’m going to start my year invisible and end it the same way. So, no need to worry I’ll sully our good family name,” I tease, knowing our name means crap around here.

On cue, as if to punctuate the thought I’ve just had, Mike—still drunk and passed out—lets a huge fart rip on the other side of the door.

Scarlett’s mouth gapes open while struggling not to laugh, and then we both lose it at the same time. That’s us, cut from the finest cloth. A real class-act.

My eyes shift to the clock on the wall, just over the long, catch-all table that holds the clutter and junk we’ve been too lazy to put away over the past week.

“Shoot!” I bolt up from the ground. “Gotta go. Senior orientation starts soon.”

“You’re always running off somewhere,” she says casually, but it gets me right in the heart anyway. I pulled a lot of hours at the diner this summer, with hopes of having enough left to get us both a few new things for school. But after the bills were paid, and now with the shutoff notice, I’m not so sure that’ll happen.

“I know,” I sigh. “Seems never ending.”

“Well, do yourself a favor,” Scarlett calls out.

I slam my bedroom door and wriggle into a pair of jean shorts. “What’s that?”

“I’m shooting you a text with the link to download the gossip app,” she says from the hallway. “If you intend to survive the drama, I suggest you stay ahead of it.”

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