ONE

♛

Faye

DAD, I CAN'T GO IN THERE."

"And why not?" He dropped my Dora the Explorer twin suitcases at my feet and gave me an incredulous look.

"He's gonna kill me." Dad waved me off busing himself with getting Morgan's suitcases out of the car. I can bet all the money in the swear jar that at least three of the five suitcases Morgan has is filled with computer guts and circuits. He was a fourteen year old genius and a pain in my ass.

I rounded on him. "You're forgetting the last time Cole and I spoke, I dropped a wrecking ball on his car and he vowed to ruin my life. I'm pretty sure if you leave me here in the next half an hour you're gonna get a call saying that they found your seventeen-year-old daughter's body in a dumpster behind the department store on fifth street tied up with a pretty, pink bow."

Dad paused and raised an eyebrow, "A bow, really?"

"He's a psychopath but he's classy." I shrugged. "That's not the point. You're literally throwing me for the wolves here, Dad. Don't you love me?"

Dad sighed and pulled me in for a hug. I leaned into him already missing his scent. He smelt like Starbucks, toffee and home. A mixture that suddenly had me yearning for the ancient toffee grandma used to give me whenever I helped out with chores on the farm.

I don't get why I couldn't stay with her.

I mean yeah, she lives so far out in the country there isn't a school in seven miles of the place, and there's barely any reception but I could make it work. Anything is better than here.

Dad stepped back and cupped my cheeks forcing me to look into the tired eyes of the man who would run to the moon for his kids. "I do love you, cupcake. But you know how much I need this job. Besides, it's only for a couple of months. Kris told me she'll keep an eye on you and Morgan while I'm gone and she said this will be a good time for you to patch things up with that Cole boy. And frankly, I agree, this feud between you two has to stop. You're both seniors now, it's time you act like it." I groaned aloud and he chuckled stepping back. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it."

He slammed the trunk of the twenty-year-old SUV and turned to the mansion. I knew once I step foot in that house there would be no turning back. I'll be locked in there for god knows how long before Dad gets back from his business meeting with Mr Knightly. I had to try again.

"You know, you could let me take care of Morgan. I could be responsible when I want to."

"Ha. The last time I left you alone you almost burned down the house trying to make Ramen. Hell's gonna freeze over before I let you near that kitchen again and a long time before I leave you alone."

"It was an accident!"

"Who the hell forgets to put water in Ramen."

"I got distracted. I can't help it I'm a sucker for Bellamy." (The 100 is that shit).

Dad rolled his eyes and my suitcases to the front door of the huge mansion I'll be spending the rest of my school year in. He rang the doorbell.

The Knightley's mansion isn't your run of the mill super house. Oh no, this five-story monstrosity holds a dozen bedrooms, seven showers, a pool, a library that is filled to the ceiling with books I doubted the members of the family barely touched. A tennis court and two garages to house their many ostentatious cars. They weren't just rich, they were I-own-everything-on this-fucking-planet rich. And by God's blessing, my Dad worked for them.

He was Mr Knightley's PA. The two was going on a super-secret meeting to wherever, on a project that was going to take months to complete and Mrs Knightly, Kris, saw it fit to babysit us until Dad gets back.

I mean I love Kris like the mother I never had and staying here isn't the problem.

Staying here with her demon spawn of a son, that's the problem. He's the bane of my existence the reason I was suspended twice from Eastdale Prep last year.

To be honest with you, I don't understand why he hates me so much. Not gonna lie, I have contemplated the reason for years but none of our encounters in the past should warrant that much loathing.

All it took was a day during Gym class in freshmen year when I got a dodge ball in the gut to start our feud. I knew it was Cole. While his friends were laughing at my expense he locked eyes with me and did that annoying thing he does with his mouth when he's smug. He smirked.

Of course, the prissy girls here would've laughed it off and call it a day but not me. I grew up with four brothers and neither played nice because I'm a girl. So when everybody else was busy running laps and he had temporarily forgotten that little incident, I drew back my arm just how my brothers showed me and launched the ball right at his family jewels.

We never got along since. We never tried to. It was a mutual loathing on both our parts.

Morgan climbed out of the car finally, opened the front door and just walked in like he owned the place. Dad opened his mouth to scold him but Kris's sudden appearance had him swallowing his words.

Kris was the epitome of wealth and class but there was a warmth to her that isn't there with any of the other wealthy wives in the small town. She is an open book filled with love and wisdom. This is the woman who bandaged my cuts when Cole tripped me in the principal's office after we were called for disruption of class. Who read Morgan bedtime stories whenever Dad was away. Her platinum blonde hair was delicately tied up in an updo that would end in a disaster if I ever tried to copy. She wore a white pantsuit and diamond earrings that cost as much as our mortgage. She was beautiful, still beautiful for her age of forty.

A bright smile came over her when she saw us at the door. "Faye, princess," she said pulling me into a bone-crushing hug that wasn't natural for her size. "You got so big."

I grinned. "I would say it's that it's the all-natural foods you made me promised to start eating but it's a lie. I just couldn't torture myself for that long."

Kris laughed at that. "I'm surprised you lasted that long anyway."

I shrugged. I can't either. Two days is a long time.

My dad pushed in front of me to greet the woman. "Walter," She greeted him back with just as much enthusiasm and familiarity. "Where's Morgan?"

Dad frowned. "Already raiding your fridge, I believe."

Kris laughed. "Don't worry about it, Walter. This is their home too. I don't mind." Dad still had a disapproving frown on his face but said nothing else. Just then footsteps sounded from above us and Kris smiled. "Here he is."

Cole appeared on the curved landing on the stairs and his eyes never once meet my own- his, was dead set on his mother.

My jaw slackened as I take him in. The summer has been kind. He had a strong jawline and piercing green eyes that made you weak in the knees. He was easily six feet-something tall, broad shoulders and sculpted arms that was a result of trading blood, sweat and tears in the gym.

He was easily the most beautiful man in Eastdale- look at where he got his genes from, who would doubt it.

Why were the hot ones always such dicks?

I was intimidated at first. He had gone from rich-preppy dude that starred in my nightmares to sexy-thug-looking dude that starred in my fantasies—I mean nightmares, in a matter of two months. He rests his arms over his broad chest and then turns his gaze to me. My heart beats a little faster.

"Cole, come greet the new members of our family."

The predatory way he's looking at me is not good and being looked in a house for the rest of the school year with that, I should start planning the house party in hell.

What the fuck is wrong with you, Faye?

Since when did you let Cole knightly intimidate you, don't be a pussy. I chastised myself then straighten my spine and looked him dead in the eye with a look that said 'Fuck you and your glow up.'

His eyes narrowed and his lips twitched at the unspoken challenge then without warning he turned and walked back upstairs oblivious to his mother's disapproval.

Kris sighs exasperatedly. "I'm sorry about him. He's in a mood. I am sure by tomorrow he'll be a little more welcoming."

I doubted it but I didn't say it aloud. I didn't want to crush Kris's optimism. It's not her fault her son hates my guts. But she was kind enough to take us in and I am not gonna ruin it because Cole wanted to play Ice Prince.

I'm going to make the best of staying here. Cole could go screw himself.