Page 74 of The Heiress
Iarrived at the cafeteriafor lunch, excited to see Elisha. After she’d kissed me on the cheek when leaving yesterday’s coaching clinic, I had high hopes that she’d say yes to going out with me.
What I hadn’t counted on was the chaotic scene in the cafeteria, Beth Van der Wal on the floor covered in a smoothie and Elisha threatening to pour one over Addison O’Day. It wasn’t just the crazy situation that shocked me, but how cute she looked with reindeer antlers on her head.
The mocking tone and taunts from Addison were nothing new, a repetition of the Country Club, and I was immune to them. I’d endured four years of Addison O’Day at Covington Prep, her inclusion in the tennis squad a longstanding point of contention. With her family being generous sponsors to both boys and girls tennis at school, Addison, with her somewhat ordinary ability, somehow always made the team, often playing above her ranking.
But what grabbed at my heart, what set it racing was something entirely unexpected. Not the stunning contrast of dark brown eyes and blond hair and sweet, luscious lips, or the memory of the kisses, it was how Elsiha cared about Beth, worried about her, needed to go check on her.
For a girl who’d struggled with issues of her own, who’d felt abandoned and alone, who’d blocked herself out from everyone, the change was remarkable, but I suspected it was her true nature. That the stuck-up, cold-hearted girl she’d portrayed was the act.
When the bell for the last class of the day ended, I made an effort to rush out to catch Elisha in the hallways. The thing was, I didn’t know her schedule or where her locker was, or her phone number. Elisha was still very much an enigma.
However, my body reminded me I wasn’t able to hurry, that my first week without crutches was taking its toll and my recovery was still in early stages. I couldn’t go from‘boy who needs help walking’to supreme athlete in a week.
The hallways were thinning as I threaded my way through kids making or confirming weekend plans. I chatted to Max and Taylor briefly, but he had to get to his job and Taylor had training. As it became obvious Elisha must have left already, my only choice was to walk over to Whitney Hall, a not so pleasing prospect. I’d never been to the girls dorms before.
I took the slow route to the boarding dorms, hoping less people would be around. I wasn’t confident Elisha wanted to see me or come to dinner or anything. Trying hard not to limp, I took my time opening the gate to the Courtyard to give myself a moment of rest.
“Hey, are you okay?”
I looked over to see Mya hurtling toward me, a girl on a mission.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, holding the gate for her, but she took it from me, letting me through first.
“You don’t have your crutches anymore?” I shook my head, though wishing I did. “Where are you going?” She skipped beside me. “Do you want a chess lesson?”
“Are you offering?” I joked.
“Sure.”
Remembering that Mya stayed in Whitney Hall, I asked, “Hey do you know Elisha?”
Mya nodded. “Yes.”
“I was just going to see if she’s around.”
“I can show you to her room,” Mya said, proceeding to tell me how the seniors had their own rooms, that Beth and Elisha were the only seniors in Whitney Hall, and all the rest shared with roommates.
“Are boys allowed in the dorms?” I asked.
“If they’re just visiting,” she said, peering up at me.
Elisha wasn’t in her room, and after a bit of asking around, it seemed she and Beth had gone off together somewhere. Disappointed, I wasn’t sure what to do, but I was saved by Mya and her chessboard.
It could have been weird being in the rec room with a thirteen year old girl, but Mya shifted into a whole new level when it came to chess, and slowly the games started to lengthen—she wasn’t crushing me in six moves any more.
Deep in concentration, I’d almost forgotten my reason for being here, until Mya looked up and took her eyes off of the chessboard. Her smile and the chatter indicated one thing—that Elisha had entered the room, but in a moment of clarity I saw an opening on the board and I moved my bishop to capture her rook. Mya’s eyes widened in horror.
“Gotcha!” My celebration was a little extreme, but Mya had emphasized the need to protect the rook. “Guess someone wasn’t watching closely,” I teased.
Mya pouted, but all in good spirits. “I must be a good teacher,” she mumbled, studying the board again.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Elisha stood over the table, a waft of sweet perfume enveloping me.
“I’m about to crush him. Again,” Mya said with shameless confidence.
I laughed, but she took my bishop and a few moves later, it was checkmate. I applauded her, but capturing her rook would be enough ammunition to razz her for days.
Elisha and Beth and a few other girls were hovering. I stood and fist bumped Mya before turning to Beth.
