at the airport with our tickets in hand, and the security line even looked shorter than usual.
“Dad gets text alerts if we spend over a certain amount of money. And when he sees we were spending money at the airport…”
I sighed in irritation. “So, if we had bought economy instead of first-class seats, we would have gotten away with it? I’m going to be beyond pissed if your spoiled asses ruin my trip.”
“Damn, you’re mouthy for a ballerina,” Kingston laughed.
“I grew up in NY,” I told him with a dirty look. “It’s not exactly known for being the friendliest place on earth.”
“The game’s not over yet,” Maverik told us. “Let’s get through security, find something to eat, and then head to the gate.”
“Rel’Lish™ Burger Lounge has the best food here,” Kingston suggested.
“I take it you’ve done this before?” I said drily.
Kingston grinned.
Going through security was a breeze since I was the only one who brought a bag. We made it to the restaurant with plenty of time to spare. I wasn’t surprised when both of them pulled out fake IDs to order drinks without even being asked. Having an unlimited supply of money had its advantages.
After we ordered, Kingston leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest with a pout on his face. “It was a bad idea to leave our phones behind. There’s this girl that-”
“That’s not what this trip is about,” Maverik interrupted. “We’re going to help Katya close that chapter of her life so that she can move on.”
“What?” I asked angrily. “No, I’m going to NY to repair the damage that you did to my relationship with Ryan.”
“Why would you want to?” Kingston asked in confusion. “He sold you out with barely a second thought.”
I gritted my teeth. “I don’t believe you. Ryan would never.”
“And yet he did,” Maverik said coldly.
I glared at Maverik, and the temporary truce between us was apparently over.
The waitress brought our drinks, and we were quiet until she left.
“Do you know how rare it is to find someone who doesn’t have an angle and is trying to get something from us?” Maverik asked in a low voice. “Who isn’t trying to scam us? They all want something, whether it’s popularity, status, or money.”
“Not everyone is like that,” I countered. “But you’ll never find out if you aren’t willing to give anyone a chance.”
Maverik shrugged dismissively. “You’ll learn.”
The waitress returned with two giant burgers and my salad with grilled chicken - hold the dressing, cheese, and bacon.
“Are those Cheetos on your burger?” I asked in disbelief as I stared at Kingston’s plate.
“Yup.” Kingston told me with a grin. “They call it an Over the Top Burger for a reason, and growing boys need their nutrition.”
Maverik eyed my sad-looking salad that was pretty much just lettuce and chicken. “You have to give yourself a break sometimes. If you go hard all the time, you’ll end up breaking.”
I shrugged. “I eat. I’m just nervous right now.”
My thoughts returned to my disastrous experiment of trying to live life like a normal sixteen-year-old girl. That day couldn’t have gone any worse. I was better off being a crazy ballerina.
“Take a bite of my burger,” Kingston said as he slid his plate over to me. “See what you’re missing out on.”
I looked at the burger that was at least five inches tall with all the toppings. “That’s way too big to fit in my mouth.”
Kingston hooted. “Believe me, I’ve heard that before. Just relax your jaw, you can do it,” he coaxed me with laughter in his eyes.
I shook my head at him in amusement. I’d walked right into that one. “Nah, I’ll take some of your fries, though.”
The guys demolished their burgers as I picked at my salad and stole a couple of fries off Kingston’s plate. I hadn’t been lying - my stomach was twisted in knots at the thought of confronting Ryan. The worst part was, I was afraid Maverik was right.
There had been little signs that Ryan hadn’t been happy for a while. I had pushed and prodded him into practicing longer and harder at ballet because I thought it was what we both wanted. I’d thought I was helping him by pushing him harder. But had I been forcing him into a life that he didn’t want? How long had he been craving something more normal than ballet morning to night? Guilt ate me up inside.
I reached for the check when the waitress bought it, and both the guys looked at