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I’m reluctant to start my day, worry gnawing at my insides, and I tell myself to get over it. Crawling out of bed, I take a quick shower and get dressed, deciding it’s better to face this meeting head-on than dawdle and make myself sick with nerves.
I slip out of my dorm suite, ready to sneak past Iris’s door, but it swings open just as I approach, her blonde head popping out. She’s not even fully dressed yet, which isn’t surprising. She thrives on being last minute at everything.
“Where are you going? It’s still so early.”
“Westscott asked me to come to his office,” I tell her, straightening my spine. Trying to pretend I’m not bothered by his request whatsoever.
Iris frowns. “Why does he want to see you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you scared?”
My cousin knows me so well.
“No.” I shake my head, denying my fear.
“Really?” The doubt in her voice is obvious and I give in.
“Well, I’m a little nervous but what could it be about? I haven’t done anything wrong.” My laughter is shaky and I clamp my lips shut.
“You haven’t?” Iris’s brows shoot up.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“People are talking, Willow. I tried to tell you that yesterday.”
We were in the library yesterday catching up on our assignments, and as usual, Iris abandoned me for about thirty minutes, choosing to wander around and talk to everyone else who was in there while I diligently finished my American Government homework. She came back to the table to report that people were gossiping about me. And Rhett.
But they’ve been gossiping about us for a week, ever since I sat on his lap at that party over a week ago. Nothing else has really happened around campus, so we’re still the topic of choice, and it’s annoying.
“I doubt Westscott cares about that.”
“I don’t know …” Iris shrugs. “He’s all about appearances.”
“We’re Lancasters,” I say, though she doesn’t need the reminder. I’m the one who needs to hear it more often than her. “We’re the face of the school.”
“He’s got a reputation as well. Maybe he’s upset that a Lancaster is messing around with his top football player.”
“Oh, like he cares.” Does he?
“He might. I don’t know.” Iris backs up, making like she’s going to shut her door when she pauses. “Don’t let him get to you.”
“I won’t,” I say with as much conviction as I can muster. “I’ll be fine.”
“You will be. Just—go along with him if he makes any suggestions, okay? You don’t need to be disruptive.”
Her words stick with me the entire time I walk to the admin building.
You don’t need to be disruptive.
Such an un-Iris thing to say. She’s all about disruption. It’s her favorite thing. I’m the calm cousin and she’s the rowdy one. The troublemaker. She lives to disrupt things.
Why would she say that to me?
By the time I’m in the admin office, my mind is a swirl of confusion and I feel completely unprepared. Untethered. I don’t get called to the office to speak to the headmaster. I never have in all my years of attending school. I’m a good girl to the point of annoyance.
“Miss Lancaster, there you are. I’m so glad to see you, and so early.” I’m startled by Westscott’s voice. He’s standing in the open doorway of his office and I realize he’s been waiting for my arrival. “Come in.”
