He shakes his head. “I knew it,” he says rather calmly, adding all the pieces together so easily. Must be a smart-person trait. I bet Sherlock Holmes was a certified genius.
Sebastian rolls his eyes and takes out his phone, as if this is all very dull for him, but I imagine that Connor has him shaking internally, a few more moves away from dethroning him in Rose’s life.
I gather up the tests before Connor tries to toss them out. I still have finals to take. “I can explain,” I say as I straighten out the papers on my lap.
He returns the cushion to its original state, and before I can offer an explanation, the front door swings open.
“Just because the bike can reach a hundred-fifty, doesn’t mean you should go that fucking fast. You nearly cut off a car behind you.”
“You’re exaggerating,” Daisy says.
“He honked at you.”
“Or he honked at you. You were riding my brake lights.”
“I was ten fucking feet behind you, and next time, I’m taking you to a race track.”
“Really?” I can hear the smile behind the word.
“Yeah, if you want to fucking kill yourself, at least you won’t cause a five-car pileup while you’re doing it.”
When they walk into the living room, Daisy is smiling from ear to ear. Both carry motorcycle helmets under their arms, reminding me that Ryke agreed to Daisy’s offer. About a week ago, he told her he would keep the black Ducati in return for teaching her how to ride safely, which must be a hard job with Daisy as a pupil.
“You were supposed to tutor her,” Connor says to Sebastian, actual anger seething in his eyes. It’s kind of terrifying.
Ryke and Daisy go quiet by the staircase, realizing they walked in on a…situation.
Sebastian pockets his phone in his blazer. “You and I both know that one is a lost cause. I did her a favor.”
“She doesn’t need another handout.” He invades Sebastian’s space again. “You’re a lazy sanctimonious prick who profits off of apathetic trust fund babies. The students who need those exams are the ones who can’t afford them. You knowingly perpetuate a repugnant cycle.” He stares at him like he’s shit on the bottom of his shoe. “You keep the rich kids stupid and the poor kids poor.”
“What’s going on?” Rose’s voice ices the entire room.
No one moves. She stands near Daisy and Ryke, who must have left the front door open. No one heard her walk in.
Sebastian slips out of Connor’s blockade. “I caught your boyfriend smoking that.” He points to the snuffed cigarette on the coffee cup. “And then he accused me of helping Lily cheat.”
Connor looks like he could kick Sebastian’s ass. And that face—one of pure venom—does not come often. Or at least, I’ve rarely seen it since we’ve been friends.
Rose glances at Ryke and Daisy for verification.
“We just got here,” Daisy says.
Ryke is not about to vouch for Connor either. They’re not the best of friends since their personalities clash more than compliment.
Rose doesn’t even ask me whether or not Sebastian helped me cheat or if Connor smoked all those cigarettes. I guess she won’t trust my answer anyway, even if I give her the right one.
But I have to try. “I did cheat,” I tell her in a high voice.
She ignores me. So much for honesty.
My sister approaches both guys and rests her hands on her hips, looking between them. Connor stares at her with such intensity, basically speaking through his soul-bearing eyes.
Rose engages with him, not able to tear away.
Sebastian panics and places a hand on her shoulder. “Rose, he’s manipulating you. It’s what he does.”
Rose flinches.
“Don’t doubt yourself,” Connor tells her. “Not for this guy, not for anyone.”
Rose wavers.
“Think about it,” Connor says. “You told me he’s profited off of selling old tests before.”
“The cigarettes—”
“You have known me for almost ten years. I have held you in my arms. I have kissed you. Have you ever smelled smoke on me before?”
Sebastian cuts in, “Rose, he convinced Brad to forfeit his Lambda Kai presidency so someone else could take the position. He can make people do things they would never do.”
Connor stares down at her. “I would never manipulate you.” But he doesn’t deny that he’s done it before, that he uses whatever power he has to get what he wants. I always knew Connor did things for his benefit, not out of the kindness of his heart, but hearing it from someone else, well, it makes it real.
Sebastian says, “He dated Hayley Jacobs just so her father would write him a recommendation to Wharton. He’s with you because of your name. How many times do I have tell you that?”
Rose’s eyes narrow at Connor. “Did my father write you a recommendation?”
“He offered, yes.”
“And you accepted?”
He says nothing.
“Unbelievable.” Her face twists like he stomped on her heart. I rise, about to go to her side. But I hesitate as she points a finger at Connor. “You came with me to my parent’s Sunday luncheons because you were trying to worm your way into my father’s good graces.”
“No, I came with you because you’re my girlfriend,” he says, stepping closer to her.
She raises her chin, which starts to quiver despite her strength. “I trusted you. And all this time—”
“I have never lied to you,” he says. “You know more about my life than anyone else. I don’t share things willingly, you know this about me. Why would I let you in?”
Rose whispers, “You’re playing with my head.”
“No,” he says again, forcefully so that she understands. “He is.”
Sebastian’s fingers dig deeper in her shoulder. “You’ve known me since we were children. I only have your best interest, Rose.”
But her eyes stay glued to Connor.
“Rose,” Connor says with such empathy, gazing at her with passion that nearly stops my heart. “You know me.”
She takes a deep breath. “That’s just it Connor, I don’t think I do. I don’t think anyone really does.”
Sebastian begins to smile, and Connor looks about ready to scream.
Rose adds, “I want you to leave.”
I can’t tell who she directs this to until Sebastian’s smile fades completely. “Rose, didn’t you hear—”
“I heard you,” she says. “I hear you talk badly about Connor every time I’m with you, and while I agree he’s not the most forthcoming human being when it comes to his personal life, he’s still my boyfriend. I would never allow Lily to cheat. I hate that you smoke. And I’m not going to take your suggestion to quit Calloway Couture. I’m going to unpack my office. I’m going to fight for my company. I’m going to do whatever it takes, and I’m going to stop listening to you tell me that I can’t beat these odds.”
Go Rose. I think we’re all smiling. Except for Sebastian.
He shakes his head at her. “I’ll call you tomorrow when you’re not being so bitchy.”
“You won’t,” she says. “I’m blocking your number. You’re not to see me or talk to me. I never want to hear from you again.”
His mouth falls. “You would listen to him? Rose, I’ve known you longer.”
“He knows me better.”
Sebastian just keeps shaking his head.
Rose glances at Connor, her shoulders locked tight. “Can you please get him out of the house? I need to go…” Her eyes flit away, looking for her room as though it’s vanished.
“Of course,” he says easily. His hand falls to the small of her back, and he whispers something in her ear before kissing her deeply. She returns the affection, but there’s sadness in her eyes that wasn’t there before—the stress of everything weighing on her. And I have a feeling Sebastian has added to it every single day.
When they part, Rose turns to me. And my guards rise. Oh no. She’s going to yell at me for cheating. I open my mouth, about to let out a string of sincere apologies, but her arms fling around my shoulders and she pulls me into a big, sisterly hug. One that she rarely gives, even when she’s in a good mood.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers in my ear. “I love you.” I feel her tears on my shoulder. “I’m here if you need me now. I promise.”
I don’t think I deserve this. I ruined her company, but at the same time, I am overwhelmed at having my sister’s support again. She’s my biggest and best cheerleader.
So I hug back. I want to ask if she’ll be okay with all of the Connor and Sebastian stuff, but she places a kiss on my cheek and spins towards her bedroom on the main floor.
Connor watches her carefully, and Rose meets his gaze for a single second, brushing her tears off her face. I think they can read each other’s minds or something because he nods to her and she nods back and disappears.
Connor guides Sebastian towards the exit.
Sebastian’s eyes flicker to the exams on my lap.
“You’re not getting them back,” Connor tells him.
“You know,” Sebastian says, “I hope you break her heart. She deserves what’s coming to her.”
“So do you,” Connor says, slamming the door on Sebastian’s face.
When the tension begins to eke out of the living room, Ryke says, “Well I fucking learned something today.” His lips rise. “Connor has balls.”
Connor takes a breath and any anxiety or anger disappears like the wind, undetectable by the average human eye. “Glad I could entertain you.” His eyes flicker between the hallway where Rose disappeared down and me.
He chooses me, which only puts a larger pit in my stomach. He stands in front of the couch, his hands slipping in his slacks.
“Do you really see me as an apathetic trust fund baby?” I ask, remembering some of the insults that inadvertently flew my way. I have been lazy and uncaring towards college. I should have tried harder.
“Technically you don’t have a trust fund anymore,” Connor tells me. His words don’t lift my spirits, and I don’t deserve a brightened day. I’m at fault here. “You should have told me you were cheating when I asked.”
“I can’t pass without the old exams,” I defend quickly.
“You can,” Connor retorts. “I’ve tutored you, and I know that if you just studied, you could pass.”
“I can’t take that chance. I bombed the first two tests. I’m already behind a semester, and if I fail these classes I’m going to be behind a whole year.” I hold the tests to my chest, unwilling to let them go over Connor’s moral compass. “It’s not cheating. It’s beating the system. Everyone does it.”
“You’ve already beat the system by being at Princeton. By being at Penn. If you didn’t have your last name, you’d be at a community college. Where you should be, Lily. How many times are you going to beat the system until it beats you to death?” His words are weighted and have more double meanings than I can process. “You don’t need an A. You’re going to be fine if you graduate with a low GPA at the bottom of the class. Do yourself a favor. Toss out those tests, and I’ll help you take your finals. I’ll make sure you learn the material to pass. I promise.”
“I have to turn them in by six o’clock today,” I say. “That’s not possible, Connor.”
“They’re take-home tests,” he reminds me. “You’re allowed to use your notes and your book. Just not old exams. We can make it happen.”
“We can all help,” Daisy exclaims with a smile. “I have the recipe for the perfect study brownies.”
Ryke gives her a look.
“Not those kind of brownies.”
The undertaking feels bigger than me, but I have support. “You should go talk to Rose,” I tell him. I don’t want to draw him away from her more than I already have.
“She’ll want to be alone right now,” he says. I’m not so sure about that, but he adds, “Trust me.” And for some reason, I do. Maybe Sebastian is right. Maybe Connor does have power in his words.
An hour later, I’ve finished a political science final and moved onto Stats. A tray of warm, gooey brownies emits a sweet chocolate aroma in front of me. I’m basically eating the entire plate. Daisy flips through her motorcycle magazine, not touching a single one.
Ryke left thirty minutes ago, before the brownies were pulled out of the oven. And I suspect if he was here, he would have prodded Daisy until she at least tasted a chunk.
I should be one-hundred percent focused on my test, but Lo went upstairs not too long ago. He never said a word about his phone call or my tests. He just disappeared.
I hurry through my Stats exam, unconsciously remembering some of the answers from when I previously bubbled them in with Sebastian. I finish in the next fifteen minutes, guessing on the last two. The book was helpful, but Connor’s notes were better. He sat beside me and scribbled down examples that made the harder questions a lot easier.
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