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“Greener,” she mumbled sadly.

“We’ll work on that,” Aunt Kasey, who’d been trying to teach his mother how to cook for the past two years, promised with a warm smile as she finished chopping the pot roast and vegetables and placed everything in the frying pan.

“You people need to focus!” came the demand from the pantry that had Sebastian once again glaring.

“What exactly are we going to find out, sooner or later?” his father asked, helping himself to another cookie as he waited for Sebastian to start talking.

Realizing that he didn’t really have a choice anyway, Sebastian opened his mouth only to once again glare when Mikey said, “We’re filling out applications!”

Really wondering why her parents didn’t beat her, he said, “We’re applying to private high schools.”

The stunned silence that followed had him biting back a sigh. This was one of the reasons that he didn’t want to tell his family. Besides the fact that they were going to ask questions that he really didn’t want to answer.

“You’re applying to high schools?” his mother asked with a hopeful smile.

He opened his mouth and–

“We’re applying to private high schools because the public school won’t let him in!”

Narrowing his eyes, Sebastian stalked over to the pantry, threw the door open, and–

“Uh-oh,” Mikey mumbled when he reached inside and grabbed her.

“Be careful! I’m precious, damn it!” the little traitor said as Sebastian threw her over his shoulder and carried her back into the kitchen.

“No, you’re spoiled,” Sebastian said as he shrugged her off his shoulder and dropped her on Uncle Reese’s lap.

“I prefer appropriately adored,” Mikey said with a firm nod as she shifted to get more comfortable.

“You really are,” Uncle Reese said, wrapping his arm around her to stop her from falling over as he grabbed another cookie, which Mikey immediately helped herself to.

Nodding, Mikey said, “I know,” as she gestured with the cookie in her hand for Sebastian to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Sebastian said, “I want to go back to school.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” his mother asked, looking really relieved while his dad…

“What happened with the public high school?”

“They told him that he can’t go because of his expulsion and if he wanted to go that he had to do the virtual option,” Mikey said, shrugging it off as she nibbled on her cookie.

“You have a big mouth,” Sebastian snapped as he snatched the cookie out of her hand and shoved it in his mouth.

Shrugging, Mikey said, “I know.”

“Why are you applying, Mikey? I thought you were looking forward to playing for the Warriors?” Aunt Kasey asked, sounding curious.

Panic took over Mikey’s expression as she shot him a helpless look, making him damn near roll his eyes because she should know that he would never do anything to hurt her.

Revenge?

Absolutely.

But he would never do anything to hurt her and she knew it.

“She’s hoping to get on a team in a better division,” Sebastian said with a look that told Mikey that she owed him.

Nodding quickly, Mikey said, “I really am, which is why we’re going to need you to sign a few things so that we can apply.”