Page 80 of Evil Queen

I looked over my shoulder and saw Nathan standing off to one side alone. Occasionally, different students and their families walked past and congratulated him, but Nathan had made sure to tell us the night before not to try and drag him into any of our family interactions because he thought it would be too hard.

“It’s complicated,” I responded. I scanned the crowd for Brayden. He had to be somewhere around and could keep Nathan company while the rest of us hung out with our families. “Sorry, I’ll be right back.”

I handed my flowers to Sistine and slipped away from the group, sliding in and out of the thick sea of people, looking for Brayden. Finally, I spied the back of his head and slipped my way through the crowd to get to him. I was almost to him when I noticed he was talking to Cherri, and I stopped.

“Yeah,” he said, and it was clear I’d come in mid-conversation, “but only if you come. Sicily too. I know that Nathan would really want you there. He’s been planning it for a week and is really excited to share it with all of us.”

The graduation party? He was inviting Cherri and Sicily.

“I’ll be there. It’s not a question,” Cherri replied, and it was the first time I’d heard her speak to a member of The Royal Court without any ire. “At his house?”

“His parents’ house, technically, but yeah.”

“Okay,” Cherri responded. “Yeah, we’ll definitely be there. Will you tell him for me?”

“Yeah,” Brayden said. “Thanks, Cherri.”

“No,” she said. “Thank you.”

With that, she turned around and walked over to her parents and extended family, who were all talking and laughing.

That was weird. Nathan had promised me that he was done dealing with Cherri and begging her to come back around, so I highly doubted he wanted her at the graduation party. Cherri did seem to be showing more of her old self, though, so maybe Nathan saw it and wanted her to be included? That wouldn’t bother me so much, but I still wished that he had told me.

Before Brayden could turn around, I weaved back through the crowd toward where I had last seen Nathan. He was still standing there, still sadly looking out at the socializing families, and it broke my heart. Connor had isolated his own parents and siblings and had forced Nathan’s mom to do the same, so he didn’t have any extended family there to support him either.

“Hey,” I said, sliding over and giving him a kiss. “I know you said not to drag you into anything, but my grandma did ask about you.”

“Yeah, she came over a couple of minutes ago,” he said. “Just hugged me and said she expects me to get dinner with you guys while she’s here.”

“She’s always loved you,” I replied. “So, um, hey. I’m not angry, just curious. Did you invite Cherri and Sicily to the party tonight?”

Nathan recoiled. “No. Why?”

“Oh. I just overheard Brayden inviting them. He said that you really wanted them there, and I just thought maybe you passed a message through him to be discreet.”

“No, Nikki. I didn’t lie when I told you I wasn’t keeping stuff about Cherri from you anymore, but…” He smiled. “That’s funny that Brayden did that. He knows me pretty well. I did want to invite them, but I never mustered up the courage. Things have been relatively calm since prom. Cherri seems to be doing a little better, and I didn’t want to break it. I decided stasis was better than the risk, so I left it alone.”

“Hey, guys.” Brayden excused his way through the group and walked up to where Nathan and I were standing. “Congratulations! I know I’m biased, but you looked the best out there of anyone. I’m pretty sure your graduations count more.” Nathan walked away from me and pulled Brayden into a huge bear hug. Brayden seemed shocked at first, eyes wide, but then his arms slowly came up to wrap around Nathan. “Uh, okay?”

“Nikki told me that you invited Cherri and Sicily to the party tonight,” he said as he pulled away. “Thank you so much. I really want them there, but I couldn’t muster up the courage to invite them.”

Brayden looked at me, and the look on his face was not of gratitude or happiness for having made Nathan happy. It was pure, unfettered fear. “You heard that? All of it?”

“The tail end,” I said. “Why?”

Nathan shook his head. “Why doesn’t matter. What matters is that you never cease to be so considerate of me, Brayden. Thank you.” Nathan pulled him into another hug.

And I saw it, a look that sent a chill down my spine and shook me to my core. The look on Brayden’s face was one of life-ending, absolute guilt.

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