“I don’t even know what that means.”
“I didn’t expect that you would.”
Ben exchanges amused glances with the others, before pointing to Lucy who flails her hands in protest. His grin widens. “So Lucy here likes the dark, broody type and was wondering if you’d sober up for a bit and take her out. I know that may be a lot to ask, but she’d make it worth your while.”
My lungs burn as I hold my breath. You are not jealous.
“Sure, it’s a date,” he says dryly without opening his eyes.
“Really? Wow, it’s your lucky day, Luce. This gem is all yours.”
“You’re being an ass, Ben,” Lucy grunts, crossing her arms.
“And that’s different than every other minute, how?” Daniel asks with a weak push up from the floor.
“Funny,” Ben replies. “But hey, you’re the expert on social performance. I can tell things are really working out for you.”
“Yeah? And how’s the harem working for you? You snag Rebecca yet, or is she still holding out? She’s cute. She’d make a nice trophy in your collection.”
Ben glares at him, and my jaw drops. Daniel doesn’t acknowledge me as he staggers along the wall toward the exit.
“Thanks for the chat, you fucker!” Ben yells after him. Daniel lifts a middle finger without looking back and disappears through the crash-door. “Don’t listen to him,” Ben says to me. “He just made all that up.”
Right.
I stare after Daniel, still speechless. His insight about Ben comes as no surprise—that’s not the problem. I already sensedBen views us as tokens in his entourage and never really trusted him. Each passing second proves I’m strong enough to resist Ben’s biological charm and calm the chemicals in my head.
It’s the audacity of his enigmatic rival that’s stolen my fascination. The fact that even after his warning, everything in me wants to run after him. What am I supposed to do with that?
Chapter 3: Enigma
After this morning’s tension, the warm smile waiting for me in my counselor’s office feels out of place.
“You must be Rebecca. I’m Anna,” the older woman says, motioning for me to enter. Well, older than I am, anyway.
Anna’s office may have the same grave furnishings as the rest of the mansion, but her personal touches make it less intimidating. A framed picture of her dog here, a small succulent there—I almost feel a breath of peace after the whiplash of my introduction to Madison Academy.
“You seem to be intrigued by something,” she says.
“I was just admiring your office. This place can be so dark, but your room has a certain warmth that’s lacking everywhere else.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I return her smile. “It was.”
She adjusts her stylish glasses and settles into her chair. “So let’s talk about why you’re here.”
“You want to know about my gift.”
“That’s an important piece. But I also want to hear about why you finally decided to join us at Madison.”
Her questions come with an authentic tone sorely lacking from Chambers’ class, but I’m not sure how to cram a two-week conversation into twenty minutes.
“I see things about people,” I say finally.
She nods, and I like the fact that her expression doesn’t change. It gives the illusion I’m not a freak.
“What kinds of things?”
