Page 52 of Spearcrest Knight

“Is that so? Except that I don't see you going around telling people youwantme.”

“I don’t go around telling people I want Sophie—are you nuts? I toldyou. Only you, Zach, so keep that shit to yourself.”

“I won’t tell Luca you fancy Sophie, don’t worry.”

I grab Zach into a headlock. “You little shit! What are you talking about!”

“Let me go,” Zach says calmly.

He’s not fighting me back, so it’s not even like I can beat on him. Not that I would dare to beat on Zach—his parents would have my ass in court faster than I could unclench my fist. Instead, I do something I know for a fact will annoy him: I mess up his perfectly groomed hair.

“Evan!” Zach yells. “I swear to God! You’ll fucking pay for this!”

“Gentlemen!” a voice bellows, making us both jump apart. “This is a hallowed educational establishment—not a wrestling ring! I will thank you both for keeping your hands to yourselves.”

“Forgive me, Mr Ambrose,” Zachary says stiffly, slicking back his hair. “They are not taught manners in the colonies.”

“Thecolonies?” I exclaim, incensed. “Mr Ambrose, are you hearing this?”

“Alas, I can only wish that I wasn’t burdened with having to listen to any of your trite conversations,” Mr Ambrose says witheringly. “And I expected more from you, Mr Blackwood. Now both of you fix your uniforms and get out of my sight.”

We obey; Mr Ambrose isn’t someone to piss off at Spearcrest.

We’re still arguing on our way to the dining hall when we pass a small group of girls sitting on the stone benches by the tree. I don’t notice them until Zach stops in his tracks to look at them. I turn around and follow his gaze.

It’s Sophie and her friends, Audrey and Araminta—with whom I share a class. Araminta is sharing a muffin with Audrey on one bench and Sophie lies across the other bench, her head on Audrey’s lap.

My heart skips a beat. Seeing Sophie off her guard and relaxed is not a common sight. It barely even feels real, like seeing a wolf without fangs or a shark asleep.

It’s completely mesmerising.

She’s stretched out over her coat, one leg dangling off the bench. Gone is the stiff posture, the fucking clipboard, the carefully neutral expression. Her phone is lying face down on her stomach, and she’s eating an apple and talking up to Audrey with a smile on her face. A Year 9 smile, big and goofy. The kind of smile I’ve not seen on her face in years.

My heart clenches uncomfortably.

It’s the kind of smile I haven’t seen on her face since our short-lived friendship.

Zach veers off the path and towards the benches. I grab the sleeve of his blazer. “What thefuckare you doing?”

He responds with a chilling smirk. “I told you I’d make you pay for fucking up my hair.”

“Zach, what—”

He completely ignores me and calls out to the girls, “Ladies! Post-exam party in the peace garden Friday night. Will you join us?”

The girls turn their heads, giving us a mix of reactions: surprise, delight, annoyance. Sophie props herself up on her elbows and calls back, “You know I’m meant to report this kind of stuff, right?”

“Right,” Zach calls back. “But if you come, I’ll make sure you’re too tipsy to fill in any paperwork. Are you in?”

The girls exchange looks. I make a mental note to kill Zach with my bare hands as soon as we’re alone.

“We’ll see!” Audrey calls back.

“Yeah, we’ll get back to you!” Araminta adds. “Thanks for the invite, Zach.”

“It’s my absolute pleasure,” Zach calls back.

We leave. I turn to cast a final look at Sophie, but she’s already lowered her head back onto Audrey’s lap, talking up to her. She doesn’t so much as glance my way, so I just turn around and follow Zach towards the dining hall. When I’m sure we’re out of earshot, I grab his arm.

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