Underneath It All

ng for certain Ava Sinclair

e'd make sure everyone at

heen over the manicured lawns of the Westbridge courtyard. Beside her, Ariana King scrol

essing over this girl," Chloe said, blow

than intended. "Caleb's spending too much time with her.

ps-at least, not since you." She tucked a platinum-blonde curl behind her e

always circled back until now. Ever since he started wo

e charity case scholarsh

rumming her nails against her designer handbag. "We n

ad across Ariana's face. "

-

was her second shift of the week at Page & Quill, and exhaustion clung to her like a second skin. S

vourite part

oice drawled as she

corrected quietly,

table. "Technically. You always seem like you're rushing fro

axing wasn't a luxury she could afford not when her father n

ime for that,"

is usual teasing expression had faded. For a brief moment,

uickly, the mask sl

e mood, Tutor Girl." His voice

he page. "Let's focus

-

iel Scott's car, heart thudding softly in her chest

rehearsal?" she asked as Daniel

st her cheek. "The swim team will

not twisted in her stomach. Daniel was sweet, too

r?" he asked, tiltin

biting her lip. "You're just..

ot perfect." His voice softened.

uttered. "I

ere in the back of her mind, Grace couldn

-

ary, Ava was los

tion creeping into her voice as Caleb scr

eyebrow. "I'm

Ava shot back. "Menta

ard, resting his chin on his hand as he

caught off

id, his voice quieter. "Like if you st

uldn't breathe. Beca

nally said, forcing herself to fo

bout the way he looked at her really

t was d

-

abella sat across from her mother,

back," her mother said cooll

o her palm beneath the t

ses. The Hayes family is powerful, and if you c

ella was no matter how many hours she spent

under control," Isa

eyes. "Because I won't tolerate failure, I

d with possibilities. Caleb was hers. And no one es

n their next move. And when the time wa

-

, Ava packed up her books quickly,

o, Caleb called after

ated, gla

urself out," h

wed hard.

d to say more. But then, like always,

t, the wall betwe

-

from a distance. He'd seen the way Caleb

bitter taste

d better. H

ired of watching f