Page 90 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

32

Haley

John has always been melodramatic. You don’t become an abuser of women by being calm and collected.

So, even though Caleb is worried about John’s declaration of war, I’m not. He was angry that Caleb beat his best friend in a fight, and he wanted to scare me—that’s all.

Same reason he left a note on my car.

Same reason he showed up at the Golden Boys’ camping trip.

At least, I hope that’s all he wants to do. Because aside from the drama with John, my new life seems to be smoothing out, and I could really get used to it.

My parents trust me more than they ever did when I was dating him. They’ve stopped interrogating me every time I leave the house, which has allowed me a lot more training time with Caleb.

Speaking of Caleb, I’m not sure I’m even blackmailing him anymore. Neither of us has mentioned the arrangement in a few days, and honestly, our defense training sessions have turned more into cardio sessions.

That’s what I’ve been calling them, anyway. My heart certainly does race, regardless.

I see Caleb, J.C., or Noah between most classes during the school day, leaving Penny very little opportunity to harass me for being too poor and trashy to be in her sight.

Even if I don’t have many friends, I don’t really have enemies at Ravenlake Academy, and that feels like a success.

Estefania hasn’t responded to any of my texts since before the camping trip. I know she told John where I’d be. I know she helped him that night, but I want to know why.

I know more than anyone how cruel John can be. If he threatened her or hurt her, I’d never blame her for trying to get information out of me and telling him what she knew.

I just wish she’d talk to me.

Caleb has told me to forget about her. The couple times I’ve confided in him about my friendship with her and how it has dissolved over the last few months, he has told me to write Estefania off and move on.

“There’s no excuse for disloyalty,” he said, kissing my temple before he spun around and lunged for my throat.

I brought my arm up, twisted my upper body, and then dropped my elbow down on his wrist, successfully breaking his hold.

A look of genuine surprise crossed his face. “Very good.”

Caleb has never been weak. At the fights and at school, he is a hero. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to be overpowered by someone else, to be made small by someone who is bigger and meaner than you are.

I know what that’s like, and it takes his black and white version of disloyalty and muddies it to gray.

There are a thousand excuses for disloyalty. I want to hope Estefania has a good one.

* * *

I’ve lived in Texas my entire life, and I’m still amazed by the enthusiasm human beings can have for a Friday night high school football game.

The hallways of Ravenlake Prep are decked in black and white streamers, balloons, and signs cheering on the team. When I walk with Caleb from lunch to fourth period, students clap him on the shoulder and make obnoxious bird calls—like ravens, get it? So clever I could puke—that amuse me to no end.

Caleb, per usual, smiles and indulges them all.

The more time I’ve spent with him, the more I’ve seen that I really was the only exception to his charm.

I crossed Caleb the night I lied about him attacking me and got him beat up, and that betrayal cost me the smiling, warm Caleb the rest of the world got to see.

Thankfully, he has mostly forgiven me by now, so when I flap my arms and circle around him while cawing, he grins.

“You’re embarrassing me.”

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