Page 53 of The Prom King & The Ice Queen

All of you. I flinch. “I am not April.”

“Aren't you?” she shoots back. Not even a second later, she looks away with a little wince like she knows just how harsh she’s being.

I move forward slowly. “Hey.” I reach out and I touch her arms, trying to get her to look at me. When she doesn’t, I give her a little tug toward me. She stumbles up against me, her face one of instant outrage.

“Don’t even think about kissing me again,” she hisses.

My brows shoot up. “Why not?”

“Because this is not happening.” She puts her hands up and presses against my chest but not hard enough to break away.

And suddenly we’re caught like that. Her hands on me. Mine on her. And neither of us makes a move to part.

“I just want you to listen to me for once,” I say.

“I listen—”

“Then I want you to hear what I’m about to say,” I amend.

She presses her lips together.

Man, there is so much challenge in her eyes, it makes my heart kick against my ribs with something weirdly similar to pride.

“Maybe you can’t see it, Savannah, but there is a difference between me and the Aprils and Shanes of this world.”

Her lips move a bit but she doesn’t argue for once.

“While the Aprils of this town think my family is the best, I've always known the truth. They’re my family, and I love them, but we are so far from perfect.”

She scoffs. “You don’t know how good you have it.”

“Maybe not,” I agree. “But the point is…I've played the part, I've done what's expected of me, but I don't believe the hype. Not about me, not about them.” I nod toward the ballroom where my family is reigning over the crowd like kings and queens. “I know we're just as messed up as every other family. We just happen to have money.”

“Just happen to have money?” Her eyes narrow. “Only someone who's never had to struggle would ever say that.”

There’s something raw in her voice that has me swallowing my pride. “You’re right. I haven't struggled.”

She deflates a bit like I just conceded to her point, but I hold her tighter as I add, “Is that a character flaw? I mean…Willow's not poor. I don't know about Callie’s financial situation, but I know her mom volunteers at every outing and they seem to be a happy family, and—”

“What do they have to do with anything?”

Ouch. There’s flames in her eyes and acid in her tone. She’s gone full mama bear on me and I’m torn between loving her for it and wanting to shake her because she thinks she needs to protect them from me.

“You’re so protective of them,” I say.

She tenses. “They’re my family.”

My brows come up. “What?”

Her eyes widen for a second like she surprised herself by admitting it aloud. She shakes her head. “Forget it.”

But I can’t because I heard her say it, and then it makes sense. Slowly but surely the puzzle that is Savannah is falling into place, and the more I see of the big picture, the more I’m desperate to see it all.

“I’m jealous,” I say. “I want to be one of the people you defend, one of the people you open up to, and laugh with, and—”

“Are you making fun of me right now?” She’s eyeing me with suspicion.

“No, I mean…I’m jealous that you have that.” I lean in a little and lower my voice. “I've got Shane.”

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