Page 26 of Evil King

It was a text from Cherri.

I don’t suppose you’re awake?

I didn’t even waste my time texting back. I hit the little camera to Facetime her, and a few seconds later, Cherri’s face appeared on the live video stream. It instantly relaxed me, and at that moment, I got twice as tired as I had been.

“Hey,” I greeted.

She grinned. “Hi. Sorry to bug you so late.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think you could ever bug me.” I leaned back in my bed and held the phone above my head. “So how was your date?”

She frowned. “Ugh, dates with Nathan are never all that fun. He just talks about himself and The Royal Court. They take too long.”

I snickered, glad I risked asking. It was so worth the response I got. “All of your dates are like that? Then why are you with him?”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Avery,” Cherri replied, and I logged that information of a definite alleyway. “I don’t know. We’ve been together for so long. It just feels strange, thinking about not being with him.”

That was a little more disheartening than I was hoping for. “Still, you deserve to be happy. Wouldn’t starting over be worth it to find someone that you’re more compatible with?”

She rolled her eyes. “Have you beentalkingto Avery?”

“No, but based on what you’re saying, I think I’m gonna start.”

Cherri laughed. Her gaze settled on me, and then a warm smile crept across her face. “Yeah. It might be worth it.” She looked away from the screen, flashing a coy but enticing expression. All I could do was smile. When she looked back, I laughed. “What?” she squealed.

“Nothing. So tell me about this big pep rally. Is it true Nathan’s dad comes?” I asked.

Again, she rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah. Connor will probably be hanging around all day tomorrow. He hands out thesecouponsfor anyone who displays really good school pride. Everyone who earns one can enter them in a raffle during the pep rally. He gives away something different every year. Last year it was a car.”

My jaw dropped. “He gave away a whole car? To some random student for wearing green and gold?”

She chuckled. “Fucking, yeah. Can you believe that shit?”

I chuckled at her sudden pirate language. “Oh, hey. There’s the Cherri I know.”

She put a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” I asked.

She tilted her head to the side. “Nathan says swearing is unladylike.”

“Oh, and does he make you wear corsets as well?”

Cherri laughed. “He probably would if he didn’t know I’d punch him in the dick for trying.”

“Will you go to the dance after the football game?” I questioned, hoping for an opportunity to see Cherri all done up in her best party attire.

“No,” she replied. “Nathan always hosts a birthday party after the game and invites the whole school.”

Everyone but me. I wouldn’t be caught dead going anywhere near Nathan’s house. “Oh. Sounds interesting.”

“Eh, I guess,” Cherri replied. She didn’t seem impressed.

Cherri laid back on her pillow, and with us both laying down, it was only a matter of minutes before we’d both fallen asleep. If my mom hadn’t noticed that I wasn’t yet awake and out of bed when she came to wake me up like she so often did, we might have both overslept. My mom woke me, and I woke Cherri, then after saying goodbye, we were off to get ready for the day.

My wardrobe was not very colorful. I preferred muted tones that didn’t have me standing out a whole lot, but unfortunately for me, Postings Proper High School’s school colors were bright green and gold. After complaining to Sicily that I didn’t have much in the required color palette, he convinced me that just wearing green of any kind would be fine, and he’d spray my hair gold. I did have an army green shirt, so I put that on, along with a pair of black sweatpants and my same pair of black boots. I begrudgingly sat while Sicily sprayed my auburn hair gold in the boys’ bathroom once I got to school.

“This is stupid,” I growled, looking myself over in the mirror.

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