Page 134 of Cruel Elite (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 3)

She wanted to meet at my house, but I warned her away.

Ever since Mom decided to sober up, she’s been waking up early in the mornings to make a full breakfast, and she would have had Penny at the table for an hour, filling her with pancakes and eggs and fruit.

I barely got here on time as it was.

I’m thrilled my mom likes my girlfriend—a sentence I never thought I’d say—but occasionally I catch them whispering to one another and looking in my direction.

I’m not sure I like the women in my life joining ranks.

Part of it is that I’m worried what my mom will do when we’re both gone.

She’s newly sober. It’s only been a couple months.

I took her car keys away from her one night when she was too drunk to walk to the garage, let alone drive, and she remembered it in the morning.

It was the wakeup call she needed, she said, and she hasn’t had a drink since. She goes to meetings and has a sponsor, but Penny and I have been hanging around the house recently.

I’m worried what my mom will do when the big house is quiet.

Will she take me leaving the same way she took my dad leaving?

I plan to come back and visit regularly, so I hope not.

Still, the thought weighs on my mind.

“You can’t frown on graduation day.”

Penny is standing on the free throw line in her shapeless black gown, her golden hair tumbling down the front of it, mashed down on top by the cap.

I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful.

How could I ever think everyone looked the same in these gowns?

“Noah can always find a reason to frown,” Caleb says, tossing his cab in the air.

Haley snatches it out of the air and plunks it on his head. “You’re supposed to wait until the end of the ceremony to celebrate.”

“Practice,” he says, taking it off his head and tossing it again.

J.C. dribbles a pretend basketball and then makes a jump shot complete with fadeaway. “Forget throwing caps. The real celebration is happening at Finn’s house. He gave us the okay for a party tonight, right, Caleb?”

Caleb gives him a thumbs up.

“It’s going to be wild.”

“Not as wild as the last party, I hope?” I ask, eyebrow raised.

As if the memory itself is upsetting, Penny wraps her arms around my waist. I curl an arm around her shoulders and hold her close.

It’s been three months, and I haven’t been to a party since Spring Fling. As far as I’m concerned, we can keep that streak going.

“You aren’t looking to get beaten to a pulp?” J.C. laughs. “I still have a few lingering bruises.”

“It’s been three months! That can’t be right. Let me see!” Haley reaches for J.C.’s robe, trying to unzip it, and Caleb pulls her back with a warning look at J.C.

He holds up his hands innocently. “She was trying to undress me. I had no part in it.”

“Bruises shouldn’t last that long,” Haley whispers to Caleb.

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