“There’s this new girl—”

“Isn’t there always?” she cuts me off with a roll of her eyes.

I give her a hardy har look. “Very funny.”

She grins, leaning against the locker. “Fine. Tell me about this new girl.”

“Well, she’s new, like new to Honeyton,” I explain as I spin the combination to my locker.

She crinkles her nose. “Oh God, please don’t tell me that’s her.” She points down the hallway.

I turn and spot a blonde girl I’ve never seen before walking down the hallway. She’s shimmying her hips and smiling like she’s some sort of beauty queen on display.

“No, that’s definitely not her.” I open my locker.

“So, there’s another new girl starting today?” Harlow remarks. “That’s kind of weird.”

She’s right. Honeyton isn’t very big, so we don’t get a lot of new students.

“Maybe they’re sisters.”

“Doubtful.” I grab my English book and close my locker.

Harlow arches her brow at me. “Why do you say that?”

“Because the girl I met earlier looks nothing like her.” I nod my head at Beauty Queen.

“Siblings can be totally different,” she reminds me. “Or they could be half-sisters. Or step-sisters.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I say as we start down the hallway. As the bell rings, I turn toward my classroom. “Did you need something? Or did you just do a locker stop to give me shit?”

“As much as I love giving you shit about stuff, I actually need a favor,” she tells me, digging her phone out of her pocket. “I want to leave campus for lunch, but Dad made me use the driver to get to school today, so I’m wondering if I can borrow your car. I know you have to go meet your coach at lunch to sign some forms.”

“How did you know that?”

She shrugs with a mischievously glint in her eyes. “Because I’m a mind reader.” When I lift my brow in challenge, she dramatically sighs. “Fine. I overheard you talking about it yesterday. Way to take away my awesome façade at being a mind reader.”

I shake my head but smile at her. “You’re such a little weirdo.”

“Hey, I’m far from little anymore, but I’ll own my weirdo-ness,” she tells me. “So, can this weirdo borrow your car?”

I waver. On the one hand, I really love my car and rarely let anyone drive it. On the other hand, I really love my sister and have always tried to be a good big brother, despite how complicated she makes that sometimes.

“Fine. Just be safe, okay?” I take my keys out and give them to her.

She grins as she takes them. “Thanks. You’re the best big brother ever.”

No, I’m not. I’ll only earn that title the day I find a way to get her out of my father’s house. Until then, I’m completely and utterly failing.

Fucking story of my goddamn life.

6

RAVEN

Like I guessed, I end up having to walk into first period late. Thankfully, the teacher lets me slide on in without too much of a fuss. And as a double bonus, Dixie May isn’t in this class.