Page 223 of Swallow Your Sorries

“Hmm?”

“You promise it’ll be just like before you won that scratcher?”Before you let the ghost of Jarett back into our lives.

“Just like old times. I’m trying to relive them, remember?” She laughs but it sounds hollow.

“So everything’s fine?”

“What’s gotten into you Elle? Everything’s fine. I’m heading to the apartment in an hour and then I’ll start packing for our mini road trip tomorrow.”

“Then we’ll go back to the apartment.”

“Where else?”

“Okay.”

But it’s not okay as I end the call.

Gant was right. About me being scared. About my feelings for him. About Mum.

She’s lying to me. All for him.

All for Jarett.

“Are you going to South Korea over the break?” I hear Bae ask lowly.

“Why? Do you and the other chaebols need another joke already? It must be so boring when the hafu isn’t around right? Is that why you came all the way to Beaulieu? So you can keep laughing?” And then she’s stalking off, disappearing somewhere backstage.

Bae doesn’t follow her but he stares at where she was for entirely too long.

Gant

“Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your flowing hair.”

I swat the curtains back to see Aria climbing the vines with the grace of a cat.

“Do you want the dorm master to hear you?” I watch her almost in awe as she slips over the railing and slides past me into the dorm.

“You meanLexy,who's on his way to see Ms El-Agha? No. I even tipped off Ms.Trix about it for good measure to keep her occupied. So, no, I’m not worried about any interruptions.”

I close the curtains behind her, shutting the massive diamond pane window that doubles as a door.

Aria scans the room. “How’d you get rid of Étienne?”

“I didn’t. Rin did.”

Her expression is blank but I can see the light dimming from her eyes as she settles on Bae’s bed and not Étienne’s. But I don’t have time for their bizarre step-saga right now.

“I’ve waited patiently.”

“So patiently,” she coos, drumming her fingers on Bae’s duvet. “You deserve a cookie for being such a good boy.”

“Tell me what the fuck you want, now,” I ask, barely able to hold on to my patience for a second longer.

“Hospitality is dead. Not even an offer of a beverage. I’m parched after all that climbing.”

“Aria.”

“Not even a how are you, Ari?”

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