Page 1 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

PART I

FRANKIE & CASSIE

1

CASSIE

The black cars are threatening, mysterious and decidedly wicked, and I am not the only one who is mesmerized by them. I swear, anyone with a beating heart in Rockwell Academy is observing the procession in awe.

“Is this normal?” Imogen whispers beside me and I don’t remove my eyes from the scene as I whisper back, “Definitely not.”

We are transfixed as they reach the main building, drawing to a stop in front of the grand entrance in a space usually reserved for visitors. They could be, I suppose, but as this is the first day of the new semester and everyone is arriving in their droves, I’m certain this is yet another student—but who?

Jack whistles beside me. “It could be somebody we know. Frankie perhaps?”

At the sound of his name, my blood runs hot and my heart curls with desire.

Frankie Majerio.The flame that burns in my heart has only burned brighter all the time we’ve been apart for the holidays.

He returned to his home, and Jack and I returned to the compound. I was ecstatic to be home, but it was bittersweet because I missed him like crazy and I never thought I would.

Imogen’s voice raises an octave as she grasps my arm.

“The door’s opening.”

It’s as if the world stops spinning and time freezes as a man dressed completely in black exits the front passenger seat and proceeds to open the rear passenger door. A man emerges and my mouth dries when I sense the power accompanying him.

He is wearing a black suit paired with a black shirt, dark shades covering his eyes, his expression blank as he reaches inside and helps a woman from the car.

“Wow!” Imogen nudges me. “I love her hair.”

The woman’s hair is pale pink and hangs past her shoulders, dusting the collar of a black fur coat. Dark sunglasses shade her eyes and she is clutching a designer purse in her hands.

“Look!” Imogen is excited, reverence lacing her words as our attention diverts to another car behind theirs and a lone figure steps out and wastes no time in heading toward the couple in front.

They speak in a group and I stare with interest at the young man, who has an air of indifference that I can relate to. Frankie wears that most of the time and it appears he has a double because this guy has the same dark, brooding presence that makes you sit up and take notice.

“It’s not Frankie.” Jack almost sounds disappointed as the group makes their way inside the huge wooden front door.

“I wonder who he is?” Jack says with a tone more curious than reverent and Imogen says brightly, “I’m already in love with this place. It’s nothing like Mountain Grove.”

I turn to my best friend and impulsively hug her hard. “Thank God you came to your senses and joined us at Rockwell.”

Jack chuckles behind us. “I sense this semester is going to be a challenging one.”

We turn and regard him with a joint roll of our eyes.

“The two of you together can only spell trouble — for me.” He groans. “Babysitting Cassie was bad enough last semester. Now I have two souls to defend.”

“Fuck you, Jack. I don’t need anyone’s help.”

I face him with my eyes flashing and he grins, the lopsided one that melts my heart every single time and turns my mood instantaneously.

“I can’t believe I’m here.”

Imogen stares around with curious interest, reminding me she is new and supposed to be somewhere else.

“We should head to your dorm.”

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