“Thanks. He’s probably the only one that has something to smooth this over.” Mason followed Rob out of the cafeteria.
“Are you okay?” Kennedy asked.
I nodded, even though I wasn’t.
“I guess I should go find Cupcake. I’ll see you later.” She dumped her tray of uneaten food in the garbage and hurried off.
I didn’t know if she was sick. Or if she hated me. All I could think about was how many times I had dreamed of sitting at the Untouchables’ table. The first time I’d been here, Isabella poured milk on me. And this second time? I was sitting all alone at their table. Isabella had tricked me with her fake niceness again. I was so naive.
I stared at the empty table. I’d been right all along. I didn’t belong in their world. I didn’t want to be an Untouchable. And I didn’t want to be with someone like Matt.
Elite - Chapter 19
Monday
“Please, Miller,” I said from the back seat. I tried to hide my tears from him. Matt and Rob hadn’t shown up to our entrepreneurship class. I hadn’t seen any of the Untouchables the rest of the day. Even Isabella had left me all alone. Felix was ghosting me. And Kennedy hadn’t shown up with a smile and her camera at my locker to walk me out of school. It was like the whole school was hushed. And being alone with my thoughts? I felt like I was being swallowed whole. I needed my best friend. I had to go see Kennedy. I needed to fix whatever was broken between us before I lost everything.
“She’s not on the list,” Miller said.
“Please.” My voice cracked.
He didn’t respond. He just kept driving in the opposite direction of my old neighborhood. “Only if you tell me what’s wrong,” he said.
I lifted my face out of my hands. “It doesn’t matter.” Blabbing on Isabella the first time just made everything worse. I wouldn’t be making the same mistake twice like I had at lunch. As far as I was concerned, around Mr. Pruitt and his staff, Isabella’s name would never fall from my lips again.
“It matters. Tell me and I’ll turn the car around.”
For the first time since James had lunged across the table at Matt, I felt a teensy bit of hope. Miller was going to let me see Kennedy. “There was a fight at school…”
“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
“No. Nothing like that.” How could I say this without incriminating my devil sister? “Everything just blew up between some of my friends. Matt…he…lied.” I know he technically just hadn’t told me the truth. But the truth was momentous enough that his omission felt even worse than a lie.
Miller kept driving in the wrong direction, so I figured he needed more than that.
“James is upset with him. They’re all upset with each other. And I just need to talk to Kennedy.”
He still didn’t turn around.
“I think she’s upset about what happened at Felix’s this weekend. I haven’t had a chance to clear the air with her.”
No response.
“And Felix is mad at me too. I’m pretty sure you already knew that. Can you please, please just take me to Kennedy’s? She’s the only person still speaking to me and I’m worried that she’s going to pull the plug on our friendship too. And I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Miller put on his blinker and I breathed a sigh of relief.
I didn’t say anything else in fear that he’d change his mind. When we pulled up to the curb of my old apartment building, I practically flew out of the car.
I pressed the call button. “Mrs. Alcaraz, it’s me…”
The door buzzed before I even had a chance to explain why I was there. I didn’t even realize that Miller was following me until I heard his heavy footsteps behind me on the rickety old stairs.
Mrs. Alcaraz was standing in her doorway, an apron around her waist and the smell of delicious food hanging in the air around her. “Mi amor.” She pulled me into her embrace and I felt calmer than I had in days. The familiar smell of spices in the air and the soft fabric of her worn clothes almost made me want to start crying again, but this time from joy. It was so good to be home. She squeezed me so tight, like she was happy I was home too. I didn’t ever want to let go.
“I’m so glad you’re here. She won’t talk to me,” Mrs. Alcaraz said. “I’m worried sick.”
I pulled myself out of her arms. I guess I wasn’t the only one worried about Kennedy. But Kennedy and her mom talked about everything. I was surprised Mrs. Alcaraz wasn’t shaking her head at me for being a terrible friend.
