Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1) - Caroline Peckham ,Susanne Valenti Page 0,71

and my heart melted at her words. The hardness I’d been offering the world all morning softened and I tried not to fall into the pit of hurt inside me. She cared. She was probably the only one in this whole school who did.

“I’m alright,” I promised.

“I didn’t throw my stew,” she said with a sniff, stepping back with honest-to-god tears in her eyes. I’d never had a close girl friend besides my sister, but I’d always wondered what it would be like. I’d gravitated towards boys in my past schools. Dad said it was because Mom had left when I was young and I’d never needed anyone other than Jess to be my bestie. He also said I was too much of a Tom boy because of him. But that wasn’t quite the truth. My mum ditching out on us had left its mark on me, sure. But being raised by a man hadn’t made me any less of a woman. I was the way I was because of a thousand reasons. Some of them because of her, most of them not. It was funny really, she probably thought leaving would mean she had no influence on my life. But the absence of someone was an influence. Abandoning your three and six year old daughters and workaholic husband had to have an effect. But she was never going to define me.

“Thank you, Mila,” I breathed, squeezing her arm.

Her eyes glittered as she pulled herself together and she glanced over her shoulder as if she expected someone to be behind her. It angered me that she was afraid because of the three muske-turds. I could see she was tough, but maybe she’d had a point before. The Night Keepers didn’t take kindly to being messed with, however strong you were.

“I’m not gonna say I told you so,” she said, breaking a smile and I released a dry laugh.

“If there was ever a time it was due, it’s now. But I’m not gonna say I regret it.”

“Are you crazy? You are gonna fall in line, right?” She gripped my hands and squeezed so hard it hurt. “Please tell me you’re going to be sensible, Tatum? If you do as they say, they’ll lose interest, they’ll-”

“Stop,” I cut her off, a frown tugging at my brow. “They’re just boys, Mila.”

“How can you say that after what they did to you?” she breathed.

My throat thickened as I pulled my hands free of hers. It wasn’t like I wanted to become their new chew toy. And the shame of what they’d done to me just a few hours ago was still burning through me. But bowing wasn’t the answer. Screw that. I’d die first.

I eyed Mila with a sigh, knowing there was no point in having this argument so I changed tact. “I’m glad you’re still talking to me…” A beat of silence passed between us. “My dad didn’t do it, you know. And I didn’t know anything about this, Blake edited that tape to make it sound like I did.”

“I know, I could tell,” she said with a firm nod then lowered her voice. “Have you spoken to your dad?”

“No,” I said quickly. I’d tried calling him several times, but it hadn’t even gone to voicemail. The call didn’t even connect. And my heart couldn’t take what that meant. “I just know.” And I wasn’t going to let any other asshole in the world convince me otherwise. Not until I spoke to him and heard the truth from his lips. He was always in my corner and I was determinedly going to be in his through this.

She nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “Come on, let’s get some food.”

I followed her inside, wondering why she was risking her neck for me. I was tempted to distance myself from her just to save her from the Night Keepers’ wrath, but being cut off from the only real friend I’d made was probably just what they wanted.

I drew my shoulders back as I followed Mila into the hall. Eyes immediately fell on me and I ignored them as I headed across the room towards Mila’s usual table. Her friends were there already and Pearl shrank in her chair like I was the Swamp Monster come to drag her back to my lair.

“Tatum Rivers!” Blake’s customary holler from the Night Keepers’ table reached me and I ignored it despite the fact that ice ran down my spine. “Tatuuuum Riveeeers!”

I clenched my jaw, moving toward the empty seat