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“Well, you say it’s not, but if I’m going to be getting rid of an innocent, I need to know why.” I stop in my tracks and stare up at the dorms in front of me.
“She’s far from innocent. She’s out to destroy this family!” he yells into the phone. He pauses for a moment, and I hear him clear his throat. “And that is all you need to know. She will cause trouble, cause this family trouble. Do what I asked you to do, and don’t give me a hard time about it.”
“Yes, sir.” I click end on my phone and throw it back into my pocket, running my hand over my face and letting out a long breath.
What is she connected to? She seems so aloof. She’s different from the students here, not trying to fit in and not even trying to buddy up to us. How can that little spitfire destroy our family? And to that question, what family? After my mother left us, we became two strangers. Emily Emerson was the glue that held us together.
But trying to create a family with someone who wanted nothing to do with us became too much. My father is cold. Honestly, I’m surprised I’m even on this earth. Though he has always told me that his marriage to my mother was a contract. That’s all marriage is, really. Her duty was to bear a child after they married, an heir. Basically, her marriage was a loveless contract that she was stuck in. Her only way out was to leave, so she abandoned me.
By the time I reach the top floor of the dorm, I can feel the tightening of my muscles. I rub the back of my neck and let out a sigh. Walking through the living area, I head straight to my room to drop off my stuff. I need to find Colt and see what he has found.
Before I step out of my room, my phone dings with a message, and I pick it up to see it’s a text and video from Mason.
Mason: Our little birdie can sing.
I click on the video, and it’s Phoenix in the theater with her headphones on, singing on stage. It’s a song I recognize,The End of the Dreamby Evanescence. And holy shit, she can sing. Her voice gives me goosebumps; its beautiful. I’m captivated by every single word she belts out. The notes she can hit, the confidence she holds up there on the stage. Fuck, it’s spellbinding.
I replay it, completely enthralled by her. Fuck me.
Me: When did you get this?
Mason: After study hall, she ran off to the theater. Followed her. Dude, she’s mesmerizing up there. My dick got hard just listening to her.
Not gonna lie. Mine did, too. But he doesn’t need to know that. We all need to keep our focus.
Me: Keep it in your pants. That’s not what we need to be thinking with.
Mason: Buzz kill.
I lock my phone and go off to search out Colt, finding him in his room.
Colton may be organized when it comes to his computers and whatever he needs for finding out information, but his fucking room looks like a bomb went off in it. There are clothes thrown everywhere, books laying haphazardly on every surface of the room, and his bedding has been tossed about. It’s just a good thing he doesn’t eat in here; I’m almost positive there would be science experiments growing by now.
Colton is a bit more introverted than Mason or me. He just doesn’t really like being the center of attention. Which is rough, considering he’s a king. But Mason and I tend to steal the spotlight away from him, and he’s okay with that. He never really got into sports, but Colt’s always down to work out with us. He’s a brother, a nerdy-face-in-the-computer-all-the-time brother, but still a brother.
A very messy brother.
Maybe I need to call a weekly maid for him.
I knock on his open door. “Hey.”
“Hey, what’s up?” Colt says as he turns to face me, away from the four computer screens he has running.
“Find anything on our girl?” I sit on the corner of his bed.
“Actually yeah. A lot.” He turns back to his computer screen and pulls some files up. “Phoenix Hayes, born September 13th—”
“She’s got the same birthday as me? No way! What are the chances?” I grin. My little spitfire and I share a birthday.
“Well, technically there’s a .27 percent chance …”
I slap his shoulder. “It was rhetorical, Colt.”
“Anyways,” he continues, “currently she lives with her aunt, Julie Trivits. Well, before she moved here. So that’s at least her home away from Darkwood.”
“Trivits … Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Well known software developer, Ronald Trivits. Made his money on startup companies. He actually developed the accounting software your father uses. He was also on the board of Darkwood right up until we got here.”