Page 3 of Pretty Girls Never Lie (St. Mary’s)

I crane my neck and stare at the stone with the sun pounding onto my back.I read the engraved lettering and sigh.St. Mary’s Boarding School.

It looks like a castle.

Too bad I’m the furthest thing from a princess.

St. Mary’s Boarding School is out for the summer, but I’m one of the less-fortunate students—or fortunate, depending on who you’re talking to—that has been sent here to receive their high school diploma. I’m a few credits short, and it was either come here for summer classes or redo my senior year.

The choice was obvious, but Raven—my bossy, thinks-she-has-my-best-interest-in-mind social worker and newest school counselor—thinks she bullied me into coming. Technically, she isn’t my social worker any longer since I’m eighteen and havevoluntarily left the WITSEC program, but that doesn’t stop her from meddling in my life.

“Are you ready?” she asks.

I block the sun with my hand and shoot her a look. That’s the only response she’s going to get today.

Raven’s heels click against the stone as she climbs the steps, expecting me to follow after her. “I know you’re frustrated, but you need a diploma, Isla.”

I snort, causing her to turn toward me in a huff.

We’re complete opposites. I’m an orphan who’s been called trashmore times than I care to admit, and she’s probably never known what it’s like to be lonely. Her jet-black hair is shiny, whereas my near-white blonde locks are dull and tangled. She wants to help others, and all I want is to help myself.

And Thomas.

“I told you I’d look for Thomas if you did this.”

A sarcastic laugh leaves me as I climb the steps after her. I wait until I’m a foot from her when I say, “And that’s theonly reason I’m here.”What she doesn’t know is that I’m already ten steps ahead of her.

She shrugs, and a soft smile curves onto her face. “Bribery always works.”

I roll my eyes and pull my worn backpack higher onto my shoulder. The heavy door opens, and I cringe at the expansive entryway.Is this place fucking haunted?

“Raven.”

“Tate,” Raven’s voice is instantly breathy. She may be thin, but she’s notthatout of shape to be breathing hard from the few steps we climbed, so that tells me this man means something to her.

“It’s…” He runs his eyes down her body before meeting her eyes again. “It’s, uh…good to see you.”

She clears her throat. “Same to you. I’m happy to see you’ve taken over and have given me this opportunity.” Raven waves her hand out in front of her, gesturing to the sparkling white-and-black checkered floor. They both scan the area, and I can tell by the faraway look in both of their gazes that they’re revisiting a memory.

An old fling? Hmm.

“Well, as interesting as this is…” Silence trails my sentence in an attempt to break them out of their awkward trance.

“Right, right!” Raven grabs me by the arm and pulls me farther into the boarding school. “This is Isla Ransford.”

My eye twitches. My real last name was buried with my father the night he died, so Ransford is nothing but a reminder that I belong to no one.

“Hi, Isla. I’m Headmaster Ellison. It’s so good to have you with us this summer.”

My lips are glued shut, but the profanity that’s occurring behind them would make my dead grandmother turn over in her grave.

“Raven and I have a few things to discuss about your academics and her newest position, but please feel free to go up the stairs behind me, and you’ll find your new room. Your name is taped to the front of the door. There aren’t many students here for our summer program, but I’m sure you’ll make a few friends.”

“I don’t need friends,” I admit, walking around him.

It’s a cold thing to say, but the truth isn’t always warm and fuzzy.

The headmaster doesn’t seem fazed by my attitude in the slightest, so I’m interested to know what kinds of students have attended this boarding school in the past.

Probably none with issues like mine.

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