Page 96 of Strings

My attention is diverted. “Yeah. Why all the secrecy?” I spin in my chair to face him again.

Sebastian finishes typing and turns my chair forward again. I’m getting dizzy.

“No secrecy. Don’t you have some studying to do?” He points to my laptop, and the second my eyes land on Constance Corronov’s face, my heart starts pounding in my chest.

Sebastian walks toward Amy and leads her out of the office. They’re talking low, so I can’t hear what’s being said, but I don’t even care. I need to cram. Shit, what should I know about dear old dad?

As I read through his dad’s bio for the second time, Sebastian claps his hands. “Okay, we really need to go.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

I shake my head. I feel like I’m going to hurl.

“I’ll be right there the whole time.”

Promises, promises.

As we walk up the path toward the double doors of the biggest house I’ve ever seen up close and personal, I honestly feel like I’m going to pass out. Sebastian turns me to face him.

“You’re amazing. Everything is going to be fine. Calm down.”

“Don’t you dare leave me alone,” I say sternly.

“Can I offer one small suggestion?”

“Please.”

“You might want to spit out the gum.”

I snap it loudly as he says the words, and my eyes bug out of my head. I forgot I was chewing it. “Where should I put it?” I ask, glancing around.

“Don’t you have the wrapper?”

“No.” I search my purse. I have my phone and my wallet.

“Do you remember where you put it?”

“I’m lucky I remember my name right now.” If he only knew how true that statement was.

He holds out his hand. “Spit.”

“I’m not going to spit my gum into your magical violin insured hand. What if it gets sticky?”

He laughs. “Then spit it in the bushes.”

“For real?”

“Or you could swallow it. Better yet, blow my mom a nice big bubble.”

I turn my head and spit hard. It flies past the bushes and lands smack on the window. “Fuck.”

“You have amazing aim.”

I move toward the window, frantic to remove it before anyone notices. Sebastian pulls me back. “Leave it. It gives the house character.”

“But what if your moth—‘”