Page 2 of Scarlett and the Kiss Thief

“James, be reasonable,” my mom said and grabbed his arm, pulling him into the kitchen.

I couldn’t make out their heated whispers, but I knew the gist. My mom wanted me to be allowed to wear whatever I wanted. She knew how hard it had been for me when I was literally the only girl at school who didn’t break the dress code. And my dad wanted me to dress like a nun.

“Told you,” Liam said.

“Shut up.” I lightly shoved his shoulder.

“Why do you even want to look like everyone else?” he asked. It was a serious question. And I didn’t understand how he could possibly mean for it to not sound sarcastic.

“I don’t want to look like everyone else. I just want to look like I’m not living in a convent.”

“You don’t look like you’re living in a convent, Scar. And I’m sure plenty of the girls at Empire High wear dress code length skirts. Just change. You’re gonna give Dad a heart attack.”

“How would you know what the other girls wear? It’s your first day. And honestly, most of them wear skirts shorter than this. They barely cover their asses.”

“Really?” His eyebrow quirked up.

“Perv.” I tried to ignore him so I could eavesdrop on my parents. I hoped my mom would win this one.

“Why didn’t you just bring the shorter one to change into? Like how you bring a second dress to every party you go to?”

“How do you even know that?”

He shrugged.

I looked up at him. Over the past year he’d gotten taller than me. And he would probably blend into a high school party just fine. But I didn’t love the idea that he was at the same ones I was. “Honestly, that’s a pretty good idea. Maybe I should go change and just…”

“Okay,” my dad said and came back into the foyer. “You and your mom win this time. But just for the record, I think you look beautiful in glasses, pumpkin.” He pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head. “And in appropriate length skirts.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“And your mom also informed me that you used to roll up your old one anyway, so that this was an argument I couldn’t possibly win.”

I felt my face start to redden.

“But let me make myself very clear. If I see that one rolled, you’ll be grounded,” he said and released me from his hug. “For a month.”

I wasn’t planning on rolling it up. But even if I did…it would be at school. So it wasn’t like he was going to see it. Although I didn’t trust Liam to not rat me out. He’d probably just told me about knowing I brought a change of clothes to parties to hang over my head as leverage. I just had no idea what he wanted yet. I’d liked him better when he was shorter than me.

“Come on,” my dad said. “You don’t want to be late for your first day.”

I looked over at Liam, who somehow in the last few minutes had gotten tired of his blazer. It was tossed over his shoulder and his dress shirt underneath had the sleeves rolled up halfway on his forearms. He was literally not wearing any of the uniform correctly. Why the heck wasn’t my dad threatening him with being grounded?

Liam could do whatever he wanted. And I’d been forced to wear thick glasses and frumpy clothes for the last 17 years because my dad was trying to ruin my life.

But none of that mattered now, because today was my fresh start.

“Have a good day,” my mom said with a wave.

“Thank you,” I mouthed silently at her. I followed my dad and brother into the elevator and down to the parking garage. I had no idea why my dad wanted to drive us. He was a professor at a university across town and I was pretty sure he had an 8 a.m. this semester.

My phone vibrated as I climbed into the back seat. It was a text from my best friend and cousin, Sophie: “How did Operation Too Hot To Handle go? Did you escape?”

I quickly typed back. “The first phase of Operation THTH was a go. My dad actually conceded. I got to wear the skirt.”

“Score! Contacts and a skirt that’s above your knees? This is your year, Scar.”

I smiled down at my phone. This was definitely going to be my year.

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