Page 226 of The Invite
“Do you have a sister?” he asks after a bite.
“No.”
“Cousin sister?” His tone is hopeful.
“No.”
“Too bad.” Scanning the living room, his lips turn down, and he questions, “Why haven’t you decorated this place? It’s so bland.”
“What’s happening here?”
He pauses at my question and understanding dawns. With a chuckle, he says, “You’re my best friend’s girl, I’m just getting to know you.”
“I’m also your teacher and this is inappropriate.”
“Oh, come on, you have to know it sounds like a double standard.” He chortles at my deadpan expression. “It’ll be awkward as hell to treat you like a teacher if you’re going to date Augustus.”
“Fine.” I pull my knees up and rest my chin on them. “Are you liking your newfound popularity?”
In my bedroom earlier, I had summoned the courage to open my phone. It’s wild out there. Every single secret we posted last night is trending while memes after memes are being shared around.
It’s saddening to see none of them have bothered to confirm whether or not the rumor is true. Just enjoying the humiliation of their peers. It’s the harsh reality of today’s world.
“I was already popular,” Maverick boasts before winking at me. “After last night, I’m having a blast.”
“Aren’t you mad at me?”
“I agreed to it.”
“I’m talking about the suspension, Maverick.”
His face turns closed off. “Let bygones be bygones, Miss Davenport.”
I’m left confused.
The doorbell rings, breaking the tension.
“Must be Grayson,” Maverick murmurs as he pushes to his feet.
I smirk. “He’ll never knock.”
While he goes to check, the letter hidden in my room upstairs burns a hole in my head. Maverick let it slip that he and Augustus think I’m safe because I haven’t heard from Anonymous today unlike the rest of them.
Little do they know that their plan backfired.
The longer Augustus takes to return, the higher my anxiety mounts. I’m scared about what he’ll find written in his. As if that’s not enough, I have no clue how to initiate the conversation about Augustus’s uncle, whose existence I didn’t know of until now. I have newfound hatred for both Detective Arjun and Agent Michael after their ultimatum.
I’m startled from my dilemma when Maverick reenters.
“Someone’s here to see you.”
My eyes widen at Ace following close behind. A deep green shirt molds to his upper body, the sleeves rolled to reveal his veiny forearms and faded blue jeans.
I jump to my feet. “Ace?”
“I came by to check on you when I didn’t get your text.” His baby blue eyes hidden behind the glasses scan the empty dishes and cans of soda on the table before locking on mine. “I see you already have company.”
I feel terrible, and rush to say, “I’m so sorry, Ace. I swear I didn’t get a chance.”
