Page 9 of Sweet Oblivion

“Why do you think I know anything?”

I rolled my eyes. “Because Pop Syad pays you to protect me. So I’m guessing you know way more about the new girl than I do.”

Steve shrugged. “I might know something. And you’re right. I don’t like surprises. They can create chaos.”

I snorted. “That’s all high school is—social chaos masquerading as education.”

Steve’s eyes gleamed, but he kept his expression stern. “If you want my intel on the new girl, then you’re going to tell me why I had to pick you up from the side of the school the other day. And I want to know what that has to do with the irate phone calls your mother is fielding from Ms. Gates.”

I waved my hand. “That woman hates me, and it has to do with the new kid.” I considered my options. Steve could get me the information I wanted—if I played nice.

“Ms. Gates asked me to write a note, but then she took the iPad from me before I finished typing. I grabbed it back, and then I had to get to a quiet place.” I shrugged, hoping he was buying this. “So I could actually tell the girl more about the school.”

He went back to his crossword puzzle. “Aya is Lord Reginald Aldringham’s daughter, and Irwan Didri’s granddaughter. Your grandfather was the one to recommend Holyoke to her grandfather.”

I scowled, displeased that Steve knew the answers even as I soaked up the information.

“And?”

“And nothing,” he said with a shrug. “What do you want for dinner?”

He’d been making me dinner lately, or at least making sure I ate whatever our personal chef left.

“I want to know more about the girl.”

Steve cocked his head to the side. “Why?”

I licked my lower lip. “I met her before. Years ago. And she seems nice.”

Steve nodded once. “You can tell me more over dinner, and then, once you do your homework, I’ll get you some intel.”

5

Nash

One Year Later

A year passed, and Aya and I now chatted on the regular. She’d never left Nepal—something to do with a problem with the village wells—but she caught up on enough celebrity news even on the top of a mountain to know my parents’ marriage was falling apart.

My dad cheated on my mum, Aya told me in one text after I confirmed that my dad was traveling whenever my mother was home, and she took off when he was expected back.

He didn’t ask for the divorce until Harriet fell pregnant, though.

At least neither of my parents had surprise kids out there. I told Aya as much.

I have two half-sisters. And my dad tried to get my mum to pay him alimony.

I felt my eyes widen. I don’t know what to say.

You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that I get how it feels. And how horrible it is when others ask you about your parents’ public breakup.

Because I was still only sometimes speaking to Hugh, Aya was my only real friend—not that I was ever lonely. People were always hanging around, hanging on, wanting a piece of me, and inviting me to more parties and events than I could manage.

I turned down most in order to talk to Aya or to hang out with Cam, who had returned to Austin to help out at his family’s ranch located at the edge of Hill Country. I liked Cam’s sister, Kate, and mother, Mama Grace. She and Steve got along well and at least partially filled the large hole my parents left with their neglect.

I hadn’t shared the pathetic truth of our friendship truth with Aya, not wanting her to think less of me, though Cam had disagreed last time we’d video chatted. He might technically live in the same city as me, but the guy toured constantly.

“You should tell Aya she’s important to you,” Cam said.

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