Page 27 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

There’s a strange twist of emotion in my chest, something like jealousy rising up. I bat it down with a deep breath.

I don’t give a shit about Haley, and I certainly don’t have a bro-code verified claim on her.

I want one thing and one only from Haley Cochran, and it isn’t between her legs.

I just want that mouth of hers to stay fucking closed.

“New money?” Noah snorts. “This isn’tThe Great Gatsby.”

“Isn’t it, though?” J.C. gasps, and his eyes go wide. “Caleb and Haley have some weird, secret past they are ignoring, all while they hide their lust for one another—just like the couple in the book. And I’m the narrator, obviously. That makes Noah … the creepy eyes on the billboard, watching and judging everyone.”

“You obviously never read the book.”

“I watched the movie, which is the same thing.” When Noah gives him an incredulous look, he shrugs and defends himself. “I was on a date with Ashley Dillard. She wanted to watch it.”

“How did it end?” Noah presses.

J.C.’s smirk is immediate. “Oh, it had a very happy ending.”

“The movie, not your date, you pervert.” I punch him in the arm, grateful for the topic change, and unlock my truck. “Get in. If we’re late to practice on the first day, Coach will kill us.”

“You heard Mr. Quarterback, Noah. Get in!” J.C. hurls himself into the passenger seat.

J.C. always finds a way to be annoying. I’m usually able to ignore him.

But when Haley is the topic of conversation, I can’t. He needs to be shut down.

As quickly as possible.

Luckily, his attention span makes goldfish look like elephants, so if I can force Haley to keep her distance, he won’t give her a second thought.

Just as I’m about to pull out of the driveway, my phone vibrates. I reach for it as J.C. shouts something about road rules.

But when I see who’s calling, I hang up immediately. Fuck that. I have no interest in talking to him.

“Who was it?” J.C. asks when I toss my phone back onto the dashboard.

“No one.” I change lanes and accelerate, tires squealing. “Just my dad.”

13

Caleb

After practice, I go back to Finn’s to shower.

It’s better than going home.

If my dad is calling me, he has definitely already called my mom, too.

And I don’t want to talk to her about him today. Or ever, really.

I park in the driveway and fumble in the glove box for the spare key.

When I sit up, I catch movement in the rear-view mirror. A quick flash of pink that is there and gone.

I twist towards the side-view mirror and don’t see anything, so I open the door and slide out of the car.

“Hey.”

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