Page 9 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

But this is the best option Cora has. All of her clothes are revealing.

“This is so pretty, but I feel naked,” I complain.

“Good,” Cora says, gripping my shoulders. “That’s how you know you’re having fun.”

I’m not sure I agree with her logic, but she is grinning at me and having such a good time that I try to go along with it.

The plus side is that all of the champagne and party preparations have helped me take my mind off what I saw back at the school.

Hopefully, the party will wipe it all away.

6

Lily

The Foster mansion is insane.

Honestly, driving up to it, it feels like it’s in another town entirely. On another planet.

The home is set way up on a hill with a half-mile long driveway, surrounded on either side by palm trees. When the trees part, I can see the clean lines of the modern design, the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the three levels, each filled with light and people and the deafening thumping of music.

It looks like a dream.

But inside is more like an orgy.

As soon as Cora and I walk through the door, we have to squeeze past a couple who are grinding against the entryway wall. The boy is massaging the girl’s breasts through her clothes, and I’m sure it won’t be long before she doesn’t have clothes on at all.

And many other couples have the same idea. There are kids pairing off everywhere, making out and rubbing against one another on the dance floor. Unbidden, the image of dancing with Finn that way rises in my mind, and I feel my face blush. I’m grateful for the dim mood lighting when Cora turns to me, eyebrows raised.

“Are you doing okay?”

“Fine,” I say. “Just thirsty.”

She misunderstands me and grabs a beer from a silver, ice-filled bucket on the floor. “Drink up. Finn’s dad will be out of town all weekend, so we can sleep here if we’re too drunk to drive home.”

Relief and nerves flood me simultaneously. I’m glad to know I won’t need to deal with Mr. Foster, but the idea of sleeping in Finn’s house in any capacity sets off a swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

Sensing my hesitation, Cora grabs the beer can and tips it to my mouth, her red lips pulled back in a smirk. “Come on, Lily. Have some fun. I’ll make sure you don’t do anything too wild.”

Years of my mom’s warnings float through my head. Reminders to always keep an eye on my drink and never fall into peer pressure swirl like a whirlpool.

I know she’s right. But for once, I just want the noise in my head to stop.

I want to have fun.

So, I tip my head back and drink half the can in one go. Cora throws both arms in the air in a cheer and the people closest to us join in, though I’m not sure any of them know what they are actually cheering.

I put the can down and wipe my lips with the back of my hand. Between the beer and the champagne Cora was pouring aggressively back at her house, I’m feeling warm and bubbly already.

The next hour passes in a blur. I don’t see Finn for another hour, and when I do, it’s nothing like what I imagined.

When he looks over at me, his mouth doesn’t fall open in shock. His eyes don’t linger over every exposed curve of my body in this dress, and he doesn’t abruptly end his conversation and move towards me in slow motion through the crowd. He doesn’t even wave.

In reality, Finn turns his head, catches sight of me, and quirks his mouth up in a small smile. Then, he returns to his conversation, leaving me breathless and shaking from the brief second of attention.

I stand there for another ten minutes, waiting for him to look over or quickly wrap up with the guys he is talking to and come find me.

But he doesn’t. And the longer I wait, the more ridiculous I feel.

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