Page 14 of A Royal Menace

“Come on. Don’t hold out on me. Let’s see what you were watching.”

“I wasn’t watching anything,” she grits out. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

She looks over at me with that last bit, fire sparking in her eyes so hot, I’m surprised I haven’t melted on the spot. God, she’s pretty.

I blink rapidly and turn away under the guise of surveying the cafeteria for any misbehaving students. I see Callie do the same in my peripheral vision. Neither of us speaks again, and when the other two teachers come to relieve us so we can sit and eat our own lunches, we head for opposite ends of the cafeteria by some tacit agreement.

I’m sure Callie’s reasoning is far different than mine. She probably just wants to be as far away from me as possible because she can’t stand me. Ineedto be away from her because being close to her is suddenly giving me crazy thoughts about how pretty she is and how––God forbid––jealous I’d be if she were actually seeing someone.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

I can’t think of Calliope Barnes like that. She’s…not my enemy, per se. A rival, maybe?

I mean, we’re supposed to be a team, but it’s never felt like that between us. I know it’s mostly my own fault. I mean, Idointentionally irritate her on a daily basis. It’s like I revel in her over-the-top reactions.

Because, fuck, she does look pretty when she’s mad.

Is that why I do it? I never thought of it like that before, but maybe it is. Maybe I’m like those boys in my class who think picking on the girl they like is the best way to get her attention.

I scrub a hand down my face and shake my head. No. That can’t be right. I donotlike Callie. At all.

Okay, maybe I like her a little bit. But just because she’s so entertaining when she’s irate. That’s it. Nothing more.

Seriously.

CHAPTER NINE

Callie

Emmett:Do you ever think about the fact that if Rose had moved over just a little bit, Jack could’ve gotten on that door and survived with her?

Me:All the time. She murdered him in cold blood.

Emmett:I wouldn’t go that far. I’d call it gross negligence, at best. Second degree murder at worst.

Me:She promised him she’d never let go, Emmett. And. She. Let. Him. Go.

Emmett:Was she supposed to drag his frozen corpse around while trying to save herself?

Me:She was supposed to make room for him on that door.

Emmett:You have some strong feelings about this.

Me:I cried for about five hours after I saw it the first time.

Emmett:Oh, my God. Same.

My heartrate picks up when I see the email from Naomi with a subject line that simply says “Convention.” I open it quickly and begin to read, and my lips curl up into a smile.

A slot opened up after one of the fourth grade teachers from another school in our district had to cancel. It’s mine if I want it.

I lean back in my desk chair and stare at the wall as I consider the opportunity. It’sreallyshort notice. The convention is in Los Angeles and starts on Friday night with a welcome mixer. Today is Wednesday. That gives me less than two days to prepare for it.

On the other hand, this convention is worth the trouble. I get to attend every other year, and last year was amazing. And this year, the keynote speaker is supposed to be even better. I really want to go.

There’s only one problem. The reason I go every other year is because Royal and I take turns attending. The convention only accepts one teacher per grade per school. I went last year, which meanshe’llbe there this year. All weekend long.

My shoulders drop as I huff out a sigh. My weekends are sacred to me because they’re my only reprieve from his annoying presence in my life. Do I really want to intentionally attend a convention where I’ll be stuck with him all weekend?

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