Page 21 of The Ruse

I wanted to get it right.

I wanted to end up with the right guy—someone I could have ahappily ever afterwith.

Or at least ahappy for now. I wasn’t delusional enough to think I could find my forever in high school.

But I didn’t want to go on dates here and there just for the fun of it. That was exhausting to me, having to put yourself out there over and over again.

I just wanted to find the person where things clicked, and then we could cuddle up in our own little love bubble the same way Ava and Carter did when they were together.

I knew it made me sound like a middle-aged lady to have those kinds of thoughts, but that was just how I was wired. I couldn’t just go out and have fun on a date without wondering how the future would be with the guy I was with.

“That Asher guy is pretty cute though, right?” Ava said, breaking me from my thoughts.

“What?”

“I saw him checking you out a few times.” She wiggled her eyebrows, taunting me for a reaction.

“No, you didn’t.”

“I totally did,” she said with a smile that lit up her golden-brown eyes. “I had a view of the back, and he was watching you while he was filling up our drinks.”

“He was probably just glaring at Nash,” I said. “I’m pretty sure they hate each other.”

“Well, wouldn’t that be exciting,” Ava said. “Having two guys who hate each other fighting over you. Especially when you’re all in the play together.”

“Sounds stressful.” I stood and pulled my covers back on my bed. “It would be like the Phantom and Raoul fighting over Christine.” I considered the interesting connection for a second as I climbed under the covers. But then, I shook the thought away. “Asher doesn’t even know me well enough to like me.”

“Well, Nash does,” Ava said. “Maybe he just needs you to make the first move.”

“Maybe he does…” I lay back on my pillow and thought about it. I’d never made the first move before.

Never even asked a guy on a date.

“The cast is supposed to have a retreat at Miss Crawley’s cabin next weekend, right?” Ava asked as she climbed into her bed. “If Nash doesn’t kiss you by then, you should make your move.”

7

ASHER

Well,that was a crappy first day,I thought to myself as I walked toward the auditorium for the first play rehearsal.

My first day of classes sucked.

No one talked to me.

No one told me they were happy to see me back at school again.

In fact, people barely even made eye contact with me in the halls.

And for the few freshmen who hadn’t known who I was when I first came down for breakfast in the great hall this morning, they were well informed about my history by the time I filled my tray with food and sat by myself at a table in the back.

Had I been delusional to think that I could come back here? To hope that the rumors from last year would die once the police stopped investigating me?

Apparently, I had been delusional, because everywhere I went, people stared and whispered.

And they didn’t even try to disguise it. That was the weirdest thing.

Last year, they’d at least spread their gossip through a text chain. Sent me their threatening messages through blocked numbers.

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