Page 91 of Cruel Elite (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 3)

Stepdad Steve called up the stairs for me at dinner time, but Momma quickly told him I wouldn’t be joining the family.

I don’t miss family dinner, though the smell of steak wafting up the stairs makes my mouth water.

I suck on my chocolate bar, savoring it, and watch as Tom Hanks types his way into Meg Ryan’s heart, even though she actually hates him.

That’s an enemies-to-lovers storyline I can get behind.

There are a few misunderstandings, some bumps along the road, but in the end, they realize love is bigger than their differences.

If only real life was so simple.

I’m halfway through the movie and burrito wrapped in my blankets when my phone starts buzzing.

I ignore it at first, assuming it’s Anika or Jennifer messaging me about the party.

But then, it keeps buzzing. Call after call after call with no break.

When I look. It’s Noah.

I click the phone on, say “I’m not coming,” and hang up before he can respond.

Ten seconds later, the vibrating starts again.

Noah requested my presence twice before, I listened, and I’m worse off because of it now. I won’t go willingly again.

If he wants me to go with him, he’ll have to come in and drag me out of my house.

I let the phone vibrate for a while, counting the number of times he calls: three, four, seven.

Finally, it stops, and I ease back under my fleece blanket and into my movie, finally able to relax.

The second I do, the phone starts to ring again.

I jump, startled, and grab the phone.

“Leave me alone!”

“Watch your mouth, angel.”

My breath catches in my throat, and I pull my phone away to look at who I’m talking to, though I already know the answer.

The number is unidentified.

The caller’s voice, however, is not.

It’s Tank.

“How did you get my number?”

“The same way I know you’re tucked up in your room for the night, watching a chick flick.”

I spin around and look through my window. It’s dark outside, so all I can see is my reflection. I yank the curtain closed, and Tank laughs on the other end of the phone.

“That won’t keep me out.”

A shiver runs down my spine, and I pull my blankets up to my chin. “What do you want?”

“Word on the street is you left school early today.”

---