Page 82 of Five

“She needs to learn some manners,” Brian says.

“Knock it off, you guys,” Frank says. “I’m handling it.”

“You better,” Brian says. “Because it won’t be tolerated.”

“I’m right fucking here, you cavemen. Don’t talk about me like I—”

“Aurora,” Franks says, grabbing my arm. “Stop it. Right now.” He growls those words at me. And his grip is so tight, it hurts.

“Let. Go. Of. Me.” I growl it right back. “Or I will kick your ass right here, right now. And I will make it count.”

He lets go, but he’s angry. His face is turning red as he takes a deep breath, ready to say something nasty, I can tell.

“And another thing, Mr. Fulbright,” I say, cutting him off and staring him right in the eyes. “I like to be called Rory. You don’t get to have an opinion about it. So if you call me Aurora one more time, I’ll kick your fucking ass for that too.”

Mia lets out a nervous laugh, but Kallie quickly shushes her.

“I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite,” I say in my sweet princess voice. “So I’m gonna take a raincheck on lunch.”

And then I turn on my heel and walk away.

Fuck them.

I spend the rest of the day in class, fuming. Who the hell do these people think they are? Tera is lucky. I’m happy she got out now. Because she’s right, they are definitely weird and I’m out too. Frank Fulbright can go fuck himself tomorrow night. But I’m not going to cut and run. They will not drive me out of Princeton in my last year. To hell with that. I’ve worked too hard to let this… this… cult take it all away from me.

But Princess, that rational voice of Five says in my head. You know better than anyone how weird things like Palladium House can turn out to be something… bigger.

Five Aston did me a huge favor at the beginning of summer. My tight little circle of family and friends aren’t what they appear either. So you never know what people are capable of until you get into a live-or-die situation.

I mean… maybe I’ve already seen too much? Maybe by the time you get to senior year at Palladium, you’re in too deep to walk away? Maybe if I don’t show up tomorrow night they will start planning other things for my future.

I need to be careful.

By the time my afternoon classes are over, I’m even more paranoid than before. I text Tera to check on her. Make sure Cliff picked her up OK and she’s safe. But she doesn’t answer me back.

I’m not really surprised. I’m still in the house. She has to figure that I’m a risk. She can’t trust me. Or maybe she does still trust me, but she can’t afford to talk to me until I leave too.

And I’m still wondering how safe it is to use my phone. Hell, Five can hack any phone. And if Five can do it, I’m sure lots of other people can do it too.

I make a note to get a new phone first thing tomorrow morning.

By the time I walk across campus and make it back to the house, it’s dark already. And all those glowing lights inside that used to make me feel warm and safe now feel ominous and scary.

I take a deep breath and prep myself for another confrontation as I go inside. It’s busy. Lots of people here for dinner in the dining hall. Mostly juniors, but I see Mia and Kallie, along with Edward and Brian, standing off to one side of the foyer.

Frank enters, sees me, and then… ignores me.

They all ignore me. Literally turn their backs.

“Fuck you all,” I mutter, heading straight for the stairs.

I don’t need them. But when I get to the second floor and glance over my shoulder—they are all staring at me. Like they’re waiting for something to happen.

I get a chill up my spin as I head down the hall towards my bedroom. I pass Tera’s room, and stop to listen.

Silence. And there’s no light shining from under her door.

I bet my ex-friends have all figured out that she left. Hell, they probably blame me.