AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fuck, Priss, you’re fucking adorable. Thirty minutes ago, you were riding my fingers with my thumb in your ass, now you’re blushing because I said I like you in that skirt,” he says, jumping off the bed and closing the distance between us in a second. “Morning baby,” he whispers against my lips, then he kisses me, a hard, fast, claiming kiss that ends far too soon when he pulls away. “Breakfast, then we need to get to Arlo’s, we’re all going to go together in the limo this morning.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Well I am and I already made you something to eat, so we need to hurry,” he says, taking my hand and pulling me from the room before I have a chance to argue.
My stomach roils at the thought of eating. I don’t regret the pastry or coffee’s I had yesterday but I know roughly how many calories were in them and basically, I can’t eat anything for a couple of days to balance things out.
“Carson, I can’t…” I start to tell him, but he kisses me, stopping me from speaking as he lifts me off the floor and lowers me back down onto one of the stools.
“Fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt, and granola,” he says, ignoring my protest and placing a delicious looking bowl of healthy food in front of me.
Lowering himself onto the stool next to me, he pulls an identical bowl over to him and then looks at me, a scowl crossing his face when he sees me not eating. “Fuck your mom, fuck the calories. You are beautiful and fucking perfect, now eat,” he orders, pointing at the bowl.
A small smile tips at the corners of my lips as an unbidden laugh bubbles up from my chest and bursts free. Another laugh follows it and before I can stop it, I’m giggling and smiling and the spoon is to my lips as he laughs with me, his glorious, life affirming smile turned on me. In this moment I swear the sun is brighter and the food tastes amazing, and all of this is so freaking real that I can’t believe I doubted it for a moment.
After we’ve eaten, we drive to Arlo’s and climb into the limo with my sister and her fiancé then we head to pick up Olly and Watson. The others make quiet small talk, but I stay silent, nervous butterflies swirling and swooping in my stomach. Warm fingers find mine and Carson links our hands together, his thumb rubbing reassuring circles across my skin. The butterflies calm and I squeeze his hand with mine, a silent thank you that yet again he knew exactly what I needed.
Ten minutes later our limo pulls into the line of other cars at the entrance to St Augustus and we wait, the palpable energy in the car pulsing around us as Watson grins manically.
“Shit, I love this,” he announces, practically bouncing in his seat.
“That’s because you’re an attention whore,” my sister says with a smile.
The guys all laugh and I find myself watching them with fascination. These people are a family, they love each other and I’m not sure I really understand it, but even as I’m sitting here, a part of them, I’m jealous of them too.
When our car pulls to a stop at the bottom of the entrance steps, I inhale sharply, my fingers gripping Carson’s hand like the lifeline that it is.
“Girls in the middle, united front,” Arlo says, eyeing us all in turn.
I nod, then look to my sister who smiles at me reassuringly. “Let’s do this,” she says.
The door opens and Olly and Watson climb out first, then Arlo and Tallulah, until there’s only Carson and me left inside.
“Come on, baby, game face. You’re one of us now. You and your sister united,” he says, taking my hand and leading me out of the car to take our place with the others.
Like a scene from a bad teenage movie, I take my place next to my sister. Arlo is to her left, his arm draped possessively over her shoulder, while Watson stands to Arlo’s left. Carson stands next to me, his hand still tightly holding mine, while Olly stands to his right, and we move as a group while the rest of the school watches us go.
Arlo called us the kings and queens of St Augustus, and in this dramatic moment of unity it feels like we really are. People stop and stare as we go, rushing to move out of our path so we can march as a group up the steps and through the huge entrance doors. The entire world is aware of my twin’s existence now, and although they’ve seen us together, we’ve never been together like this.
Turning to look at me, she arches her eyebrows and giggles, reaching out to take my other hand, like we did when we were really little. Her hair is up in a messy bun, curling tendrils falling free to frame her face. Her lips are bright red, her makeup flawless, but what shines the brightest is how happy she is. She’s in love and engaged, but more than that, I think she’s happy I’m here too.
Pulling me forward and away from Carson’s grip she giggles and winks at me, as a guy walks straight into a bank of lockers because he can’t take his eyes off us. Together like this, for the first time possibly ever, I don’t feel insignificant and in her shadow, I feel powerful by her side.
Pausing when she reaches our bank of lockers, she finally let’s go of my hand and launches herself into Arlo’s arms.
“That was one hell of an entrance, little ghost,” he whispers against her lips. “You look so fucking sexy when you’re this happy.”
“I am happy,” she says, biting her lip as she looks at us all, her gaze lingering on me.
Swallowing past the lump in my throat I try to think of what to say to her. I know she wants more from me, but I just don’t know how to give it. The bell rings, saving me, and we all shove our stuff into our lockers and split off toward our respective classes.
My first class is Spanish with Watson, and I turn to head toward the classroom when he falls into stride at my side. “Err Hi,” I say, shocked that he’s walking with me. He’s the only one in the group who’s been open about his dislike of me. I know he’s on board with the whole revenge plan, and that he’s prepared to be civil, but I hadn’t expected him to make any real effort beyond that.
“Err yeah, can I talk to you real quick before we go into class?” he says, his eyes looking at anything but me.
“Sure,” I say, stepping out of the way of the door to the classroom.
“Look…” he starts, then stops, pushing his hands into his pockets as his shoulders curl forward and he rolls his neck from side to side uncomfortably. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?”
