Page 81 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

I shrug, crossing my legs. “Because you kind of remind me of myself.”

His brows raise. “What?”

I shrug again. “I don’t know. You just do.”

“You’re so weird,” he mumbles with a crease between his brow.

My own brows dip. “Thanks, I think …”

Amusement flashes across his face. “You’re welcome, I guess.” He stares at me for a beat. “Does River and Finn know you’re helping me?”

“Nah, I figure this is your business.”

“But you hang with River all the time.”

“Not all the time. Just some. But, what does that even matter?”

“It matters because if he finds out about this, he’ll feel betrayed.”

“Why?” I question. “I know you guys are fighting, but this thing between us doesn’t involve him.”

He gives me this insinuating look. “River hasn’t spent time with a girl, like, ever, so the fact that he’s hanging out with you means something. What that is is for you two to figure out. But trust me; if he finds out you’re helping me, he’ll feel betrayed—that’s how he is.” Bitterness creeps into his tone.

I realize he’s comparing my situation to his. River did tell me the reason why his and Noah’s friendship ended was because Noah kept the affair between his mother and River and Finn’s father a secret.

“You want me to tell him about this?” I question, because I doubt he’ll want River to know he’s dealing drugs.

“No, but since you’re doing me a favor, I’ll do you one.” He tugs the hood off of his head. “If you want to remain friends with him, you might not want to keep secrets.”

Again, it’s such a strange concept to me. Where I come from, a ton of people lie and cheat each other without batting an eye.

“Thanks for the warning,” I tell him as I recline back in the chair. “Give me your number, and I’ll send you the contacts.”

“Okay….” He tells me his number then fiddles with the zipper of his hoodie. “If I can’t tell them you’re here, where am I supposed to say we met?”

“Just say we work together at a café in the city.” There are a lot of cafés, so if word gets out about it, Drew will spend a lot of time running around, looking for me.

That thought makes me smile, something I seem to be doing a lot of lately.

I wish I could believe it would stay that way, but I have a feeling it won’t last. Call me a skeptic, but I have difficulty grasping the concept that my life will change because I’m in a glitzy building.

No, I can change my surroundings to no longer look like northside, but northside blood will always run through my veins.

Maddison

The alarm system starts to malfunction halfway through class. The most annoying noise ever floods the air. It reminds me of the noise a caffeine-juiced-up banshee would make, and I suspect the person who picked out the system was an older man who was hard of hearing since no one with sound eardrums would choose to endure this madness.

The professor instructs everyone to make their way out of the emergency exit, located by the row Noah and I are sitting in. So, we collect our things, and I head out first, making my way up the final step and pushing out the door.

Sunlight and a cool breeze spills across me as I start shuffling down the stairs, waddling like a penguin thanks to my aching muscles.

“Why are you walking like that?” Noah mumbles as the stairway rattles with my weight.

“River made me do hill climbs today,” I state as I trail my fingers down the railing.

“Right. He’s training you. I heard about that,” he mumbles grumpily.

When I cast a glance over my shoulder, he has a cranky look on his face, like he’s pissed off at everything, including the fact that he has to breathe.

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