Empire High Elite (Empire High #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,56
it would make Mr. Pruitt happy. And he was significantly more pleasant when he was in a good mood. “Oh, and Matt and I made up.”
“Well that’s good. How did Felix take it?”
Oh balls. I’d been so happy that Matt and I had gotten back together that I hadn’t even thought to tell Felix. “Um…I haven’t told him. Felix and I got into a pretty bad argument after you left.” It wasn’t much of an argument. He’d pretty much just said I was the worst and walked away. And I was. I’d treated him awfully. I hadn’t even meant to.
“So you and Felix are done?” she asked.
It was a weird question. I’d just told her I was back with Matt. But it was less weird if she was secretly in love with Felix. “Mhm. I’ll try to talk to him today though. I really want to be friends.”
“Do you think he’ll still sit with us at lunch?”
“I don’t know.” Kennedy and Felix were my only friends at Empire High. I didn’t even want to think about the fact that there was a chance I’d lost that. He’d forgive me, right? I hadn’t intentionally led him on like he believed. I was trying to protect Matt. I was dealing with other things. But it didn’t matter what I told myself. I still felt guilty. “At least I won’t have to sit with Isabella at lunch today.”
“Are you sure about that?” Kennedy asked.
“Yeah. She didn’t come home. I guess she’s still in the Hamptons.”
“Are you sure about that?” Kennedy asked again and looked over my shoulder.
Isabella and her minions were walking down the hall, their high heels clicking on the linoleum.
“What are the odds that she’ll just ignore me?” I whispered.
“Based on the fact that she’s coming this way? Slim to none.” Kennedy slammed her locker shut. “Come on.” She grabbed my arm. “Let’s just get out of her way.”
But before I even took two steps, Isabella called my name.
Kennedy and I both froze.
“Sissy, whatever are you doing?” Isabella said and stopped beside me. “It’s like you’re trying to avoid me.”
That’s exactly what I’m doing. “Of course not,” I said. God, when had she gotten back? Just seeing her made my stomach roll. Her fake smile made me nervous. And the nickname Sissy? Come on. She wasn’t fooling anyone.
Isabella flipped her hair over her shoulder. “You’ll sit with me at lunch again today, yes?”
I couldn’t even fake being nice this time. “No. Absolutely not.”
She looked surprised by my answer. “But I talked to Daddy.”
Ew, stop calling Mr. Pruitt that. “Great.”
“And I know I messed up and I’m…sorry.” It was like the apology pained her because her fake smile faltered for just a moment.
Apology not accepted. “Okay. But I’m still not eating lunch with you.”
“Please, Brooklyn,” she said, her voice lowered. “I said I was sorry. Truly I am. And if Daddy thinks we’re not getting along, he’ll send me away again.”
She was acting like a trip to the Hamptons was a punishment. It sounded pretty glamorous to me. Especially if that house wasn’t haunted too. “I’ll just tell him I sat with you. He doesn’t have to know.”
“But, Brooky, we’re sisters now. It’s okay if I call you Brooky, right?”
I just stared at her. “I prefer Brooklyn.”
“Okay, great, I’ll just call you Sissy then. So we’re on for lunch then?”
How were either of those things the conclusions that she came to? But just then Matt walked past us. Our eyes locked for a second and he ran his index finger against his nose and then winked. I was pretty sure I melted right there. It wouldn’t be as bad now that we had a signal, right? Maybe it would be nice to sit with him this time. I quickly looked away before Isabella could notice. “I’ll think about it,” I said.
Her smile grew, and for the first time I wasn’t sure if it was fake. She actually looked relieved. “Daddy will be so pleased with this news. I know it’s his wish for us to become close. And now I can tell him we’re doing just that. See you later, Sissy.” She blew me a kiss and her and her posse clicked off, everyone in the hallway parting for them to pass.
“Sissy?” Kennedy said under her breath. “Could she be any more manipulative?”
“It’s fine,” I said. “I’m not actually going to sit with her. But I don’t think she’s planning anything sinister today.”
“Oh yeah?” Kennedy raised her eyebrows. “What makes you say