Page 10 of Prince of the Palisades

Nathan is striking. Light brown eyes, round cheeks that contrast nicely with his sharp jaw. He pushes long, dark bangs off his face, laughing at something Grace says. His tie is undone, shirt untucked. Under his snowy-white Air Force 1s is a skateboard.

Grace is the girl from the welcome banner. Sharp green eyes. Shiny auburn hair chopped just under her chin. She sits like sheknowspeople are supposed to pay attention. Her uniform’s altered to show off every inch of her toned body.

“Nate’s parents are pharmaceutical researchers,” Morgan says. “Big donors. As in the Lim Science Building.”

I nod as if I’m impressed, even though I’m not.

“And Princess Grace—not my nickname for her,” Morgan clarifies, “is the daughter of a senator and ’80s pop singer. Willow Wood’s sweetheart.”

She waves at Grace, leading me over to the fountain.

“So, the rumors are true.” Grace stands, then nails an effortless curtsy. “Welcome, Prince Jadon. Grace Miller, student body president.”

“And yearbook prez. Student gov prez. Cheer captain,” Nathan lists off, amused. “Editor of the lit mag—”

“Thanks, Nate,” Grace says with a slight edge.

He’s unfazed. With an electric grin, he extends his fist toward me. “Nate.”

“Boring, basic, skater-bro,” Morgan narrates, flopping down next to him.

“You left off podcaster, second chair violinist in the orchestra,” Nathan teases after I reluctantly bump his fist, “and drop-dead gorgeous.”

“Or you could just drop dead,” Morgan says with little heat.

He clutches his chest in mock pain. “Morg, babe. Seriously? Weren’t we supposed to Hulu and chill Friday night?”

“God, Lim, no.” It’s the first time I notice a smile nudging at Morgan’s cheeks. “I’m into girls, remember?”

“And I’m only into guys on the weekends.” Nathan rests his head on her shoulder. “Why’s that stopping us?”

“You’re disturbed.”

Nathan laughs huskily. “Does that turn you on?”

“So,” Grace says, side-eyeing what’s happening to her right. She scoots over to make room for me. “Your Highness—”

“Jadon is fine,” I say for the thousandth time today, but with a prim smile.

“Jadon,” she repeats, smirking. “Enjoying Willow Wood?”

“It’s—” Again, Samuel’s comments from earlier disrupt my urge to unload about how pretentious and overdone this school is. “Beautiful,” I finish.

She cocks her head. “First time to LA?”

“No.”

“Of course not,” Grace says as if she was simply testing my own knowledge on…myself. “Your mom’s from around here, right? Palisades?”

I square my shoulders. “Long Beach, actually.”

“Sick vibes out there,” Nathan comments. On his other side, Morgan crunches on a bag of Takis she must’ve pulled from her backpack.

“And single, too?” Grace arches a dark eyebrow. “Mutual or messy breakup?”

My jaw tightens. I haven’t shared the details about what happened with Léon to anyone. But here’s Willow Wood’s class president, someone I’ve barely known five minutes, staring at me expectantly like I’m going to word vomit my entire relationship history. A familiar itching fire starts in my chest. I’ve officially gone from annoyed towhy the fuck am I still hereterritory.

I don’t let old Jadon take over. Not completely. I flash her an enormous grin, all teeth, no warmth, and repeat what every good royal says when faced with a topic nobody needs to know about: “No comment.”

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