Page 76 of Prince of the Palisades

I clench my teeth. This is the Léon I’ve known forever. The one whose walls come up so swiftly when it comes to his parents.

“Then what did you come here for?”

“To…” He pauses, eyes finally on me. “To help you, of course.”

“Talking about what happenedwillhelp.”

“No, it won’t.” He taps my temple. “You’re thinking too much.”

Before I can argue, he shuffles over to Nathan, swallowed up by the sea of bodies.

It’s just me, alone, like always. A fate I’m so accustomed to, I don’t even allow myself two seconds to be angry or sad.

I march out onto the terrace, Ajani trailing behind.

For a moment, I watch the deep indigo skies from the railing. A line of red brake lights edges up Ocean Avenue. Palmtree fronds sway. Winking neon stars form Pacific Park. Santa Monica Pier is a constellation in the black sea.

I snap a photo. It’s a good one. The clash of colors will pair beautifully with my Tokyo Bio Hack Jordans.

On an empty sofa, I scroll my phone. Haphazardly, I end up on @TheReelReiss’s grid. I double tap his birthday post, a slideshow of pictures from age five to the latest of him with his family in front of the Hollywood sign, before clicking on his newest stories.

Pirate Dominic chased by Reiss dressed as Ghostface from the Scream films. His parents in Thing 1 and Thing 2 onesies. Dominic’s friends getting brain freezes from lime-green milkshakes. Those same kids dancing with Reiss. Then, Dominic snoring on his brother’s shoulder.

I’m surprised by my own soft smile. They’re so…normal. A life I don’t know. All my family vacations are shared with photographers. Birthdays celebrated with the palace staff instead of my parents.

This is the longest Annika and I have been around each other in three years.

“How appropriate,” a voice says above me.

I tip my head back. It’s Karan, dressed as the Phantom of the Opera.

“Creeping on my bestie’s IG,” he goes on before I can say anything, “when you were just holding hands with your new ‘bestie.’ ”

His air quotes are as aggressive as his scowl.

My forehead wrinkles. “What are you—”

He cuts in. “I saw how he looks at you. It’s the same way Ilook at—” He stops short. The white half-mask doesn’t hide his blush. “Are you sure you’reonlyexes?”

“Karan, listen.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I pause, reminding myself that Reiss hasn’t told his friends about us dating in secret. About why I’m hanging around Léon. He’s respecting my situation, which I should do better about thanking him for.

Eyes start to flit to our corner. People casually observe us. I stand, hands raised in a universalcalm downgesture.

“Maybe we should talk—”

“You need to be honest with my friend,” he demands. “I’m used to people like you. They’re everywhere at Willow Wood. But he deserves better.”

“I agree, which is why—”

“Some prince you are.”

It’s like cold water to my face. His icy tone. The four words he spits. My lungs are overheating. I can’t stop the way my teeth grind, the venom in my response.

“You don’t know me. At all.”

He laughs, a short, tinny noise that echoes. “Apparently.”

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