Page 482 of Filthy Elites

“Nope Kennedy, the surname is a screwup in the offices, they keep changing it to Kennedy and it changes right back to Lockwood,” I say, hating that I’m having to explain I’m not a Lockwood again. Evan is an asshole for doing this. Maybe the first time it was amusing to him, and hurtful to me, now it’s just annoying.

“I’ll have to call student liaison services to double-check, we don’t want you attending the wrong classes he says with a sigh.”

“Go ahead, speak to Brenda, she’s the one who’s changed it the twice it’s happened already,” I say, rubbing at my temples with my fingers.

Desk guy pulls his cell out and proceeds to have the same conversation with Brenda that the registration and ID people did.

“Starling.”

Spinning around at the sound of my name, my mouth falls open when I find Courtney standing behind me, flanked on either side by two beautiful preppy-looking girls. All three of them have matching sneering smiles plastered across their faces.

“What the hell are you doing at Kingsacre?”

The hostility in her voice surprises me. I mean, I wasn’t expecting a hug, but I’ve literally never done anything but be a good friend to Courtney. She’s the one who abandoned me, not the other way around.

“Hey, Court, I er, I didn’t know you were coming to this school. What happened to Princeton?”

Her brow furrows and she scoffs. “Princeton is for ugly, rich geeks and poor people, do you even know how many nobodies go there? Kingsacre is exclusive, which is why I’m wondering what the hell you’re doing here.”

“I’m beginning to ask myself that exact question,” I reply.

“Okay, Starling, Brenda confirmed that for some reason your records keep changing back to Mrs. Starling Lockwood no matter how many times we amend them,” the orientation guy says, sliding back into his seat behind his table.

“Lockwood,” Courtney scoffs. “Are you seriously trying to use Bastian’s name to get ahead?”

“Nope, just Evan’s idea of a joke,” I say quietly.

“Evan’s a darling, although they all are really. We had quite the reunion when they all came back this summer, it was just like old times.”

“Fun,” I say through gritted teeth, as I’m reminded all over again that she gave me up for them so easily.

“I always have fun with Bastian, we have so much in common, our parents play golf and we’re practically neighbors. Our children will be unstoppable,” she tells me with triumph in her tone.

“I’m sure they’ll be delightful,” I offer dryly.

“God, you’re such a bitch. I have no idea how someone so low class can think so highly of themselves. Just because your mom sucked Evan’s dad’s dick and got a ring on her finger doesn’t make you anything but a gold-digging whore’s daughter. He offered you the world and you threw it back in his face. But just because you’re back, don’t get any ideas about trying to claw your way back into his bed. He’s mine now.”

Smirking, I try to swallow the laugh that bubbles up from my throat, but I just can’t contain it and I throw my head back and bark out a loud laugh that probably makes me sound like a crazy person. Courtney and her friends eye me like I’m insane, and maybe I am, but the idea that I might actively seek Sebastian out is ridiculous. “Oh my god, I needed that. Thanks, Court, it’s been so fucking great seeing you again.”

Rolling her eyes dramatically, she looks me up and down and then purses her lips as though she smells something unpleasant. “Whatever, bitch, just stay away from all of them, especially Bastian.”

Saluting her sarcastically, I turn my back on her. “Well okay then,” the guy behind the table who just listened to her call my mom a gold-digging whore and me a bitch says. “Here’s your schedule,” he says, sliding a printed piece of paper and a map across the table toward me. “So we are here,” he marks anXon the map showing the quad we’re standing in. “You’re mostly taking required courses this semester so your English, history and humanities-based courses are in this building.” He highlights the courses on my schedule in pink and then circles a building on the map in the same color. “Your math, politics and eco are in this building, he does the same with these classes in blue. Here is the cafeteria, gymnasium and pool and all of the administration offices are over here.”

By the time he’s finished, my schedule and map look like a three-year-old went to town on it with a box of highlighters, but I don’t want to be here longer than I need to be so I just pick up the papers, nod, thank him and leave.

It’s only a little after eleven a.m., but with no classes today and no real interest in meeting new people, signing up for any clubs or societies or running into Courtney again, I grab a couple of prepacked sandwiches and three bottles of water from the cafeteria and start to walk back to the house.

“Hello, little sister,” a voice says from behind me a moment before a heavy arm lands across my shoulders.

Freezing, I snap my head around and find myself looking up at Evan, a smug smirk etched across his face.

“Jesus, it’s like blast-from-the-past hell,” I mutter. “Hello, Evan.”

“Got to say, sis, I’m disappointed you haven’t come to say hi, we are family after all.”

Shrugging, I dislodge his arm and then step to the side and out of his reach. “We’re not family, our parents just got married, that doesn’t makeus”—I motion between us—“anything.”

“Harsh,” Evan laughs. “Your mom is my mom now, that makes us siblings.”

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