Page 128 of Atone

I set my phone against the counter so I can fix my ponytail. “Nothing. What are you talking about?”

Patience, Violet, and Teal decided tonight was the best time for a video call, and luckily, Alex isn’t back in his room yet. So I hurried, got dressed, and tried to make myself look not freshly fucked before answering.

“He texted me just now.” Patience’s eyebrow hitches. “Unprompted. He wanted to know how I’m doing.”

At least if he’s texting his sister, it means whatever he went to do for Declan must be going well.

“Is he not allowed to text you? He’s your brother, Patience. He cares.”

“Exactly. He’s my brother. I know him, and he never asks me how I’m doing unless I ask him first. He’s shit at showing his feelings, and he’s never this happy. Something’s up.”

“Not to mention…” Teal pulls her phone closer to her face, and the light shines on her multicolored hair. There’s more blonde in it since she’s been in Paris and hasn’t been messing with the ends. “Whose bathroom are you in right now, Mila? It looks a lot like the one Declan has at Sigma House.”

“Kole’s has that same tile pattern in the shower,” Violet points out from where she’s sitting next to Patience for our video call.

I look over my shoulder. I wasn’t thinking when I decided to take the call in here. Or maybe, deep down, I didn’t care. It’s not like I plan on hiding what Alex and I are doing when they get back in a couple of weeks.

Maybe it’s better they find out now. Besides, no one looks surprised by how they are smirking.

“Alex and I started a thing.”

“A thing?” Teal smirks.

“We’re figuring it out. Messing around?—”

“Gross. That’s my brother, and I swear if you go into any more detail, I’ll stay even longer in LA.” Patience covers her ears and shakes her head, while Violet, Teal, and I laugh.

“No details. Promise,” I say, and she unburies herself. “But back up a second. What do you mean ‘even longer’? You’re not coming back?”

“I never said that.” Patience straightens up, smoothing her fingers down her shirt like she does when she’s feeling guilty about something. “I’m staying in LA a few extra weeks until the apartment rental runs out because I’m helping Professor Gray with a project.”

“The professor needs yourhelpwith something, huh?” I rest my elbows on the counter, grinning.

“He needs help with a project.” Patience frowns. “That’s it.”

“Should we ask Violet if you’re full of shit?” Teal smirks.

Violet opens her mouth to say something but stops when Patience knocks her in the arm. There’s definitely more to that story, but we’ll have to wait to get it out of Violet when Patience isn’t around.

I’m just happy to see Patience and Violet getting along. Maybe spending time with Violet and Kole has helped Patience’s view of Sigma House. It would make things easier when she finally does get home. Especially considering her brother seems to have no intention of leaving the fraternity.

“You’re going to give us all the details eventually,” I say to Patience, who immediately wipes any emotion off her face.

“No, I’m not.”

“So there are details?”

“Wait—” Her mouth opens. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“I hate you.” She glares at me.

“You two can’t hate each other. You’re basically sisters now,” Teal says as an arm, presumably Declan’s, wraps around her shoulders. “Mila Lancaster has a certain ring to it.”

“No one said anything about marriage.”

Although Alex did, and I brushed him off because we’ve just started dating. Not that I hate the idea, either, the longer I sit with it.

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