The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4 (Cursed #3-4) - Rebecca Donovan Page 0,4

How do you think they found out?”

“My phone?”

Ashton cringes. “Maybe. I didn’t think of that. I’m so used to leaving it in my room when I do anything off campus.” She sits on my couch, crossing her long legs beneath her. “I need to get out. Will you come?” After taking in my wary expression, she adds, “You don’t have to. I get it. It’s just that …” Ashton sighs dramatically.

Now I can see it. The strain in her smile. The sorrow in her eyes. The crease between her brows. The brokenness barely visible behind her feigned nonchalance. It’s familiar … heartbreak. I can recognize it easily—living with my mother has made me an expert.

“What’s going on?” I ask, taking a seat next to her. “Is Brendan being even more of a dick than usual?”

“I don’t know,” she responds solemnly. “He’s been … distant.”

I try to look concerned. Because I am … for her. But I suck at hiding how I really feel. She can do better.

“I know. You don’t get why I like him.” She leans deeper into the cushion. “I’m in love with him,” she states matter-of-factly. “And I don’t know what to do. He’s been avoiding me all week and hasn’t talked to me in, like, three days. I keep trying to figure out what I did wrong and—”

“Wait.” I stop her. “What you did wrong?” I can’t keep the anger out of my tone. “I’m sure you did nothing wrong. He’s an ass.”

She stares at me for a few seconds, unconvinced. “He’s always been honest with me about not being exclusive. I knew the risks going into this. I just wish he’d stop avoiding me and tell me what the hell’s going on.”

“Ashton, if he can’t be mature enough to talk to you, then fuck him.”

It takes a few seconds for my words to penetrate the wall of self-blame. Then her demeanor transforms—her eyes shine as a grin spreads across her face. “Yeah. You’re right. I’m done torturing myself. He can either tell me what his deal is, or … Fuck. Him.” Her signature Cheshire smile emerges. “So … go out with me tonight. Pleeease.”

I laugh. “Fine. Where are we going?”

“The barn.”

I dress for the party while Ashton sits at the open window with her vape. I select a pair of fitted jeans and a black tank top with Does it look like I care? scrawled in silver glitter. I spin for her approval.

“Oh, the attitude is coming out tonight,” she admires when she reads the words swooping across the curves of my chest. “I like it.” She’s in a red silk duster that parts up to her navel and billows dramatically when she walks. She’s paired it with dark skinny jeans and flat-soled, thigh-high black boots.

“Lead the way,” I prompt, securing the door’s latch open with a strip of duct tape—Ashton’s contribution to my prison break.

We steal down the stairs, passing a couple girls sneaking into a room on the junior floor. They pretend not to see us, and we do the same.

We somehow make it to an office in the back of the kitchen without getting caught by Mrs. Seyer or me having a heart attack in the process. But I was definitely holding my breath the entire way.

“I set up the stepladder under the window after dinner,” Ashton whispers as she eases it open. “Hopefully it’s still there. I had to change locations after almost getting caught last time.”

The ladder is waiting for us several feet below the window, hidden from view by the hedges surrounding the building. Ashton climbs out first, shimmying out the window and down the ladder in a matter of seconds. I’m not nearly as stealthy as I dangle out the window, my toes searching for the top step. Ashton reaches for my hips to help ease me down.

“I forget how short you are sometimes.” Ashton laughs when I’m finally on the ground. “Because you don’t act small. You know?”

“On the inside, I’m ten feet tall.”

Ashton smiles. “Yes, you are.”

She grabs my hand and leads me around the building. We crouch behind the shrubbery until we reach the corner that faces the lake.

“We have to make a run for it.”

“Running? Seriously?” I groan. “Why must there always be running?”

I take a deep breath, preparing to sprint. Thankfully, I’m wearing boots with a small heel. I honestly had the hardest time deciding what to wear to walk in the woods and party in a barn. Just as I leap forward,