Page 34 of Sweet Ruin

He looked so tense I was worried the glass was going to shatter in his hand. The events of Halloween only seemed to have intensified his animosity toward me, and I didn’t want to stick around to see what he might do, so I quickly turned away and hurried out the front door.

The air around me felt thick as though William’s disgust for me was following me down the driveway. I’d wanted to forget all about him now that Noah and I were done, but judging by the look in his eyes, William Hastings had not forgotten about me.

CHAPTERTEN

“I’m going to miss you over Thanksgiving,” Wes said. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, making it very difficult for me to finish packing for my trip home. I’d left it until the last minute, so it was a miracle I had anything in my bag at all. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to step from his grasp. Cress had gone to check on Anna, so these were probably the last few moments Wes and I would get alone before we both left for the break.

“I’m going to miss you too,” I said. “You sure I can’t convince you to come to Rapid Bay instead?”

He gave me a sad smile and shook his head. “I don’t think my parents would forgive me if I bailed on the gala. It’s a big deal for them.”

“No, of course,” I replied. “You should be with your family. It’s just going to be weird spending such a long time without you.”

I hadn’t gone more than a couple of days without seeing Wes since I’d arrived at Weybridge Academy, and while we were only going to be apart for a few days, right now it felt like forever. I couldn’t deny how excited I was to be heading home though. It had been a hectic few weeks topped off by the previous weekend’s drama at Luther’s house. If there was anything more embarrassing than turning up at a high-school party you weren’t invited to, it was being totally underdressed at said party and your ex-boyfriend kicking you out. A short break from this school was just what I needed. Of course, I was mostly excited about the trip because I would soon be reunited with my mom.

“We’ll FaceTime,” Wes said. “And speak on the phone every day.”

“We better,” I replied.

His arms loosened around me as the sound of Anna’s voice shattered the moment. “I’m going to missyoumore. No, I’m going to missyoumore,” she cooed as she came through the door. She was dragging two large suitcases behind her and grinning broadly at us. “You guys are so loved up it’s sickening. You’re lucky I’m the one walking in on this and not Sawyer, or you’d never hear the end of it.”

I wasn’t sure Anna’s reaction was all that much better than Sawyer’s would have been, but I decided to ignore her and focus on Wes. I lifted myself up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss goodbye.

“I’ll see you in a few days,” he said as he slowly drew his arms from around me. “Need a hand with your bags?”

I shook my head. “Unlike Anna, I’ve packed light.”

“Hey!” she complained. “This is light for me. I’m always ready for all possible weather and occasions. I don’t like to get caught out when I’m on a trip.”

The door opened again, and Cress came into the room, lugging another bag along with her.

“Please tell me that’s not also for Anna?” I asked.

Anna and Cress looked at each other.

“Okay, so maybe I overpacked,” Anna said, facing me. “But, I swear, it’s harder to pack light than it is to pack heavy.”

“I think you should ditch a bag,” Cress agreed. “Maybe this one. We won’t need cocktail dresses for this trip, right, Isobel?”

“A whole suitcase just for cocktail dresses?” I gasped.

“Ugh, fine, I’ll leave it here,” Anna huffed. “I guess I can buy something in Rapid Bay if I get desperate.”

I laughed to myself. Anna was going to be sorely disappointed if she was expecting an array of shopping options in my hometown. It wasn’t like Rapid Bay had a Fifth Avenue.

“Wes, could you be a darling and return that bag to my room on your way out?” she continued. “My roommate is in there, so it’ll be open.”

“Sure.” He grinned. “Have fun, girls. I’ll see you next week.”

Once Wes had left the room, I threw a few final items into my bag and zipped it closed. I didn’t really need to pack much because I had a closet full of clothes back home. But I’d grown attached to some of the cozy sweaters I had here, and my jeans at Weybridge all fit me far better than the ones at home. I guessed that was the benefit of having your clothes chosen for you by a stylist with your exact measurements rather than raiding the local charity store for every outfit and wearing them well beyond their lifespan.

I helped Anna by carrying her second suitcase down the stairs and out the front door while Cress dealt with her own luggage. The girls were buzzing with excitement as we made our way to the parking lot.

“I can’t wait to see your home,” Cress said.

“Me too,” Anna agreed. “I Googled photos of it, and the beach looks so beautiful. I wish the weather were a little warmer so we could go swimming. I packed my bikini just in case, but I think that was wishful thinking.”

I smiled. Of course, Anna had packed her bikini.

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