“Oh god,” I groan, sinking my face into my hands, my dreams of becoming an Academy cadet suddenly slipping through my fingers. “Don’t worry about it, Ari,” Jesse murmurs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and giving me a manly squeeze. “We’ll train you up good. You just had one bad day, and they
But no. Rafe grabbed my arm and hauled me towards the last task of the day: a five-mile run that left me gasping for air because Jesse and Rafe refused to let me finish last again and made me keep up with them the whole time. Honestly, I had thought I was a good runner – I’m usually pretty fast – bu
“Ari’s just curious, Rafe,” Jesse says, still laughing and grinning, looking around to see if anyone noticed, but there’s no one behind us in line for the shower stalls yet and everyone else is too busy to care. “He’s led a sheltered life.” “And he’s going to continue to lead a sheltered life,” Ra
When Rafe strides away, Jesse finishes dressing and sits down on his bunk, patting the spot next to him in invitation. Knowing I can’t avoid it, I sigh and sit down. “Come on, Ari,” he says, friendly but stern. “Spill. I know something’s up.” “It’s nothing,” I mutter, not able to look him in the
“Cut the crap, Rafe,” dad snaps, and my eyes go immediately wide because dad only uses that tone when he’s really mad. “What the hell are you doing at the Academy when you told us two nights ago that you were taking your sister somewhere safe?!” Jesse visibly gulps while Rafe struggles to keep his
“To brush my teeth, Rafe,” I growl, turning stop so abruptly that he smacks into me and makes me stumble a few steps back. His mouth pops open in surprise and I see the apology on his tongue for almost knocking me over, but I wave a hand in his face, dismissing it. “What, I can’t even do this alone!
I gulp as we approach Luca’s lower bunk because I am completely out of my element – I’ve never, ever been in a boy’s bed before except, obviously, a member of my family – But Luca, to my relief, gestures me towards the head of his bed before sitting down on the other end, lounging back against the
“What are the chances,” Luca says, ignoring my question, “that you and my mate would be outside at the same time? Just…coincidentally.” 100% chance, I think to myself wryly, my eyelids lowering a little at the irony of his question. “My cousins are going to be pissed when they find out you kidna