“You’re an animal.”

We continue bickering on the way inside. A butler who appears as old as Bruce Wayne’s bows in greeting upon seeing us. He’s wearing a butler outfit all complete with white gloves and a white napkin dangling from his arm.

I bow back while Ronan nods in acknowledgement. He doesn’t seem the least bit phased, but then again, he has butlers in his house, too.

These people are on a whole different level with all their butlers and mansion-sized houses. RES is only a stop in a long chain of places they’ll rule in the future. Be it politics or economics or even sports, these guys have it in their DNA to be leaders.

Everything probably starts at school and builds up from there. After all, they’re more inclined to do business or politics with someone they studied with. It’s all about connections.

I was so stupid to think I could belong when I first joined RES. Outsiders like me will always be that. Outsiders.

But then again, I never wanted the connections they offer. RES was and will always be my stop for Cambridge.

Or at least it was until Aiden barged into my life at the beginning of this year.

All my cards are being shuffled without my permission.

My heart caves as I recall my quarrel with Aiden. I can’t believe I allowed Silver to get under my skin.

I look over at Ronan as he guides me down endless halls while texting away at his phone. “Do you guys hang out here a lot?”

“Not really. We usually go to the Meet Up.”

“The Meet Up?”

“Yeah. Our secret hideout.”

Oh. I wonder why Aiden never mentioned it before.

“Then why are we here today?” I ask.

“We come over when Uncle Jonathan isn’t around.”

“Do you bring girls, too?”

“Just Astrid and Silver.”

I come to a halt, my fingers digging into the straps of my backpack. So she’s been coming to Aiden’s house the entire time.

Of course, she does.

“Shit.” Ronan lifts his head from his phone. “Silver doesn’t come anymore, so forget I mentioned her, okay?”

“Why doesn’t she come anymore?”

He shrugs. “King doesn’t want her around.”

That’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t. My pessimistic brain conjures a different type of theory. If Aiden threw her out after he got tired of using her, then he’ll throw me out any time, too.

Ronan smiles. “We all grew up together. It sticks, you know.”

I knew he meant to reassure me, but his words only tie the noose tighter around my heart.

If Aiden discarded his childhood friend, what’s stopping him from throwing me out when he only knew me yesterday?

I’m being dramatic. After all, I’m the one who asked him to stay away from her.

“Margo!” Ronan all but yells.

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