Empire High Elite (Empire High #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,25
I didn’t want him as my family either.
Mr. Pruitt cleared his throat. “Where are my manners? Brooklyn, this is my wife, Patricia. And you already know Isabella.”
“Mhm.” My voice sounded so small. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Pruitt.”
She just glared at me. I was pretty sure if I was smaller she’d flick me away like the nuisance she saw me as. “I’d like to say the feeling is mutual. But it is most definitely not.” She finished her wine in one big gulp. She snapped her fingers and someone came out and refilled her glass.
“How was your day, Isabella?” Mr. Pruitt asked, ignoring his wife’s comment.
“Fantastic, Daddy. I got an A on my physics test. James told me about his early acceptance to Harvard. He’s so excited and I’m so proud of him. We’re all supposed to meet up after that game tonight to celebrate his news and what I’m sure will be another Empire High victory. Oh, and I almost forgot! I had a lovely lunch with Brooklyn. We had so much fun we almost didn’t hear the bell for class. She’s just the sweetest. And we have so much in common. It’s like we’ve been sisters this whole time. Isn’t that right, Brooklyn?”
I was lucky there was no food in my mouth because I probably would have spit it out. But this was my chance. Even though the dinner was already tumultuous, I wanted the mayhem. I wanted to be kicked out. Disowned. Whatever it took to get out of this mess. “That’s one way to put it. The other would be that you poured milk down the front of my blazer and told me to never sit with you again.”
Someone’s fork clattered against their plate. And then for just a second, everyone at the table was completely silent.
Isabella’s laugh pierced through the silence. “Sissy, that’s too funny. She’s kidding. She’s always been a little bit of a prankster. Everyone at school says it. Tell Daddy that you’re kidding. Tell him.”
I wanted to run away or hide. But I’d already been strong once today when I told Matt off. I could do it again. And I’d already had to sit here listening to Mr. and Mrs. Pruitt talking about me like I wasn’t here. I tried not to think about what the repercussions at school would be if I went through with this. My life was already hell. What did it even matter? I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “I’m not joking. She said I was unwanted. She called me a garbage person like my uncle. And said that I’d never be her sister.”
More silence.
Mr. Pruitt pushed aside his salad. “Isabella, is that true?”
“Of course not, Daddy. She’s lying.”
He looked over at me.
“She’s been torturing me ever since I first stepped foot in Empire High,” I said. “And today, if anything, was worse.”
“What?” She laughed. “That’s not…Brooklyn.” She laughed again but the strain was evident. “We’re friends. Tell Daddy that we’re the best of friends. Sisters.”
I was tired of being her punching bag. I kept my mouth closed.
“I’m going to ask you one more time, Isabella,” he said. “Is what Brooklyn said true?”
She rolled her eyes like her mother had. “Technically it was my blazer, so…”
“Apologize to her.”
Isabella folded her arms across her chest. “No.”
“Now.”
Isabella’s lips pressed together in a harsh line.
“She didn’t do anything wrong,” said Mrs. Pruitt.
I was pretty sure I wasn’t the only one that jumped when the wine glass collided with the wall.
“Both of you get out!” he screamed at his wife and daughter. It looked like he was about to throw more food.
“You have to be kidding me, Richard,” Mrs. Pruitt said as she calmly sipped her wine. Like this was an everyday occurrence. “Can we please have a civil conversation about your illegitimate child without the theatrics? As far as I can tell, Isabella didn’t say anything untrue to the girl. No harm no foul.”
The muscles in his neck twitched. “Spend the weekend in the Hamptons. Clearly you both need more time to adjust to her presence. And don’t come back until you’re ready to act more appropriately.”
“But, Daddy!” Isabella protested. “I need to be at the game tonight! And I just told you about my plans afterward.”
I doubted that the cheerleading team actually needed her. Or that James wanted to celebrate his acceptance to Harvard with her rather than with his actual girlfriend.