Empire High Elite (Empire High #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,62

me into her embrace and I felt calmer than I had in days. The familiar smell of spices in the air and the soft fabric of her worn clothes almost made me want to start crying again, but this time from joy. It was so good to be home. She squeezed me so tight, like she was happy I was home too. I didn’t ever want to let go.

“I’m so glad you’re here. She won’t talk to me,” Mrs. Alcaraz said. “I’m worried sick.”

I pulled myself out of her arms. I guess I wasn’t the only one worried about Kennedy. But Kennedy and her mom talked about everything. I was surprised Mrs. Alcaraz wasn’t shaking her head at me for being a terrible friend.

“No,” she said before I could respond. “You are not allowed in my home. Be gone.”

I turned around to see Miller standing there awkwardly. “It’s okay, Mrs. Alcaraz. He’s one of the good ones.”

She’d reserved all her head shaking for Miller. “Nunca. Not in mi casa.” She untied her apron like she was going to whack him with it.

“Please, Mrs. Alcaraz.” I grabbed her hand to prevent her from whatever she was about to do. “I’m not allowed to come in unless he comes too.”

She sighed and lowered her slapping hand. “Mi amor, do not trust a rat.”

It was probably one of the rudest things I had ever heard her say. But I didn’t have the energy to diffuse the tension. I needed to see Kennedy.

“Please just don’t touch anything,” I said to Miller as I stepped past Mrs. Alcaraz. The last thing I needed was for him to turn over every lamp and couch cushion in their small apartment. There wasn’t anything dangerous here. Especially since it seemed like the only person who wanted me dead was Isabella. And she’d never be caught dead in a place like this.

I knocked on Kennedy’s bedroom door but there was no response. Less than a week ago, this had been my room too. As far as I was concerned, she couldn’t kick me out of our room. I opened the door.

Kennedy was curled up in a ball on her bed, staring at the wall. Staring at nothing at all.

“Kennedy?”

She didn’t turn her head, but I heard the distinct sound of her sniffling.

“Kennedy?”

She still didn’t acknowledge me.

And that was fine. Because I knew what she needed, and right now that wasn’t words. I kicked off my shoes and climbed in bed beside her. I wrapped my arms around her and her body shuddered as her tears started anew. I just held her tighter. And the longer she let me hold her like this, the more sure I was that I wasn’t the one she was mad at.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” I whispered.

“I can’t.”

“You can tell me anything. You know that.”

She wiped at her eyes and turned to face me. “I lied at lunch. I’m not dating Cupcake anymore.”

“What happened?”

She sniffed. “He dumped me.”

So maybe I wasn’t the only one that understood her confession of falling for drug dealers, plural. “Well, he’s an idiot,” I said. “Screw him.”

She didn’t say anything. “I told him I loved him. The day before we all hung out. And he said it back. How could he just change his mind?” She pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Like I said, he’s an idiot. Hey,” I said and grabbed her knee. “Don’t waste any more time thinking about him.”

“How can I not? I gave him everything. He tricked me.”

My stomach dropped. “What do you mean by that?”

“That wasn’t the first time he drugged me without me knowing, Brooklyn. I didn’t even have any idea he was selling. God, I’m such an idiot. Apparently I was high when I told him I loved him the other night. And when I let him have sex with me.” Her voice was so quiet, I barely even heard her.

“What?”

“I barely even remember my first time, Brooklyn. He used me. And I let him.” She started crying again.

I pulled her into my chest. A million thoughts were running through my head. Wasn’t that rape? She needed to tell someone. She needed to get tested. She needed to…I looked down at the top of her head. Right now, she needed to cry. And she needed someone to hold her. I cried too. For everything she lost. For how much she was hurting. I cried because she’d been alone in this secret for days. I was so acutely aware of my own pain,