Saint (Angelview Academy #1) - E.M. Snow Page 0,58

long time ago if it hadn’t been for her. I can’t risk losing her, no matter how much I have to keep silent about.

My secrets are best left where they are. Dead and buried.

Later that night, I’m sitting in my dorm room working on an essay when my phone suddenly rings. I pick it up with a frown and look at the number. I close my eyes as frustration sweeps through me.

It’s the number Jenn called me from the last time she got in touch.

What does she want now?

With an exasperated breath, I answer the call. “What, Jenn?”

“Don’t talk to me like that, you little bitch.”

Whoa. She’s in a mood.

“Are you high right now, Momma?” I ask, softening my tone a little. It wouldn’t be the first time she called me while fucked up.

“No, the fuck I’m not. You know I’ve been clean ever since … well, ever since you know.”

I roll my eyes to the ceiling, and I don’t believe a word of it. The accident freaked us all out, sure, but it’ll take more than a single tragedy to get my mother to get her shit together.

“What do you want?” I ask again, eager for this conversation to be over.

“Are you still in school?”

The question catches me off-guard, and I push away from my desk, pumping my fingers over the bridge of my nose. “Yeah … why wouldn’t I be?”

I hear her sigh in relief through the phone. “Thank Christ.”

“Jenn, why are you asking if I’m still in school? Did someone tell you I wasn’t?”

Why does she want to know? A terrible thought enters my mind, filling me with dread. Is she going to do something crazy? Like show up unannounced and uninvited to Parents’ Weekend?

Fucking no!

“No one told me shit,” she snaps back. “You’re my daughter. I have the right to know where you are.”

“Yet you care so little, so often,” I hiss back. It doesn’t escape my notice that she’s not answering my question. “Why are you asking if I’m still in school? Are you planning something?”

The phone clicks and as suddenly as she called, she’s gone.

18

My gloved fists slams against the bag, and it feels good. I hit it again, and again, throwing all my anger and frustration into my punches as I beat the bag mercilessly. Since coming to Angelview, I haven’t really gotten back into my boxing regimen. Swimming has taken up most of my free time, but I’ve missed boxing. Coming to the gym and wailing on a bag sounded like exactly what I needed in order to burn off the nervous energy coursing through me thanks to Jenn’s freaky phone call yesterday.

I’m still not sure what she could be planning, but there’s something going on. She’s never given a damn about my education before, and now she’s called me twice to talk about Angelview. First, to taunt me that I didn’t belong here, and second, to assure that I was still here after all. Why does she care so much? What is going through her crazy mind?

“Geez, Ellis. What’d that bag ever do to you?”

My fist stops midair as the voice takes me by surprise. Glancing to my left, I’m surprised to find Gabe standing there watching me. I wipe the sweat from my forehead with the back of my arm as I turn to face him fully.

“What are you doing here?” There’s no heat in my voice. I’m not accusing him of anything, just asking a simple question. The few times Gabe has come to the pool to watch over me, I’ve gotten to know him a little bit, and I think he’s like Liam. Less toxic when Saint’s not around.

He shrugs. “Was just walking by and saw you in here. You’re pretty good, you know?”

I was great back home, but I don’t tell him that.

“I can hold my own.”

He nods. “You should join the boxing team. The girls are pretty solid. Bet you could compete in some big-time tournaments.”

I furrow my brow and grin as I shake my head. “I’m joining the swim team. Two sports plus my class load would be way too much.”

Gabe groans and rolls his eyes. “Man, I don’t have time to babysit you every night because Saint has a thing and won’t do it himself.”

“You can tell Saint I don’t need a babysitter,” I grumble, embarrassed that he’s still sending his friends to watch me instead of doing it himself. Especially after what we did in his dorm room. I study Gabe for a