All the Little Lies (English Prep 1)

Ollie threw his head back and howled with laughter. “Kingdom?”

She crossed her arms. “Not my words. But regardless, Christian likes to think he’s the king of this school, so...”

I snarled. “Well, if the crown fucking fits…”

Ollie laughed harder this time, and I pushed past both of them, heading straight to the headmaster’s office.

I glanced back and saw that he had flung his arm over her shoulders as they trailed me. He better not even think of befriending her. She was the enemy, and that was how it had to stay.

Chapter Thirteen

Hayley

My leg bounced up and down as I sat beside Ollie in the waiting area. Christian was asked to go into Headmaster Walton’s office alone, so Ollie and I had to stay out here.

If I had to go back to Oakland High and be around Gabe, I’d lose it. This wasn’t even about not getting into an Ivy League, or scholarships, or the great faculty recommendations from a school like English Prep. This was wholeheartedly based around survival. The mere thought of being around Gabe sent me straight into a spiral of panic.

“So, why does my brother hate you?” Ollie whispered as he kept his eyes on Ms. Boyd who kept glancing at us from atop her tiny, gold-framed glasses.

“He didn’t tell you?” I whispered back, my leg still bouncing.

Ollie placed his palm on my leg to stop it from jiggling. Normally, a random touch from someone would have made me recoil, but with Ollie, all it did was calm me. Ollie had always been the sweet brother, the caring one. Whereas Christian was the hothead who never backed down from a fight, Ollie was the one who thought things through. He always seemed to have a plan back when we were kids. “Not a single word. But that’s not surprising. Christian isn’t exactly an open book. Never has been—and especially not after Mom died.”

I thought back to when we were younger. Ollie was cute and constantly wanted to hang out with Christian and me. His light hair was usually messy, and his face was always stained with dirt. He’d had crooked teeth, but those were fixed now. I didn’t think anyone could deny that he was attractive. He and Christian didn’t look a whole lot alike, but they were both cut from the same perfect stone.

My heart ached. “I’m sorry about your mom, Ollie.”

His hand squeezed my leg gently. “I’m sorry about your dad.”

“Ollie?” I asked, feeling a bit braver around him than I did with Christian.

He tipped his chin after checking to make sure Ms. Boyd wasn’t looking at us.

“What did I have to do with your mother’s death?”

“What?”

“Christian said that I was the start of it all. How?”

Ollie’s eyebrows drew together. “He said that?”

I nodded, but before I could elaborate any further, Headmaster Walton’s door flew open, and Christian walked out looking like the hot, smug bastard he was. His eyes instantly fell to Ollie’s hand on my leg, and I could have sworn his nostrils flared, but I didn’t dare look him in the eye. Not only was I embarrassed I had a slight breakdown in front of him, but even more so as his voice was the only thing I could focus on to get me to calm down. Talk about pathetic.

The headmaster appeared behind Christian. “Ms. Smith, I’d like to talk to you for a moment. Ollie, you’re free to go back to class with Christian, but in the future, please don’t punch your teammates while they’re trying to leave the locker room, even if you are trying to protect someone’s privacy.”

Someone = me.

I hurriedly stood up, Ollie’s hand falling from my leg. I passed by Christian without sparing him a glance.

This could go either way. Christian could have walked in there and told Headmaster Walton a lie, and I’d be getting thrown out of English Prep, or he could have told the truth, and Madeline would make my life a living hell.

I wasn’t sure which was the better option at this point.

“Ms. Smith, please take a seat.”

Sinking down into the leather chair, I felt my heart slide to the ground. Headmaster Walton waltzed over to his seat and sat down, smoothing his hand over his tie. “I was made aware of the little situation that occurred yesterday.”

This is it. I’m getting thrown out of English Prep.