Dirty Little Secrets (Hillcrest Prep #1.5) - Trilina Pucci Page 0,3

any situation. The line quiets down as the laughter dies, and I suddenly don’t know what to say. I’ve never been surer about something I want, but this is the longest I’ve been away from everything I’ve ever known. And when school starts in the fall, I’ll be here, living a life without my people.

“You must be tired. You should get some rest, baby,” Mom offers, but I nod instead of answering.

“And don’t you spend too much time worrying about us. We’re happy to get rid of you for two weeks,” my father jokes, keeping the grin on my face.

“Yes, sir,” I answer.

Mom sniffles before saying, “The weeks will go by in a split second, and you’ll be home.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I agree.

“We love you, son.”

“I love you too.”

The line dies, and I stare at the ceiling of my starkly decorated room. Can you miss people before you leave them? Because I think I feel that.

My cell vibrates, and I lift it to my face, swiping it open to the waiting message.

Holt: Don’t hog all the pussy. I’ll need something to do when I visit.

I smile and shake my head, rolling over to stand so that I can make the bed and get a good night’s sleep. Gripping the blanket, I toss it on the adjacent desk and grab the sheet, just as there’s a knock on my door.

I look up, but before I can take a step, another knock follows, harder this time.

“Hold your horses. I’m coming.”

The banging picks up over and over as I take quick steps. My voice raises as I tug the door open. “What the hell—”

The rest of my sentence vanishes. I’m bum-rushed. All the wind leaves my body as my feet lift off the ground with a hit to the gut. Two guys wearing ski masks enter swiftly, shoving a black sack over my head.

“What the fuck!” I roar.

I swing, connecting with someone because I hear a grunt. Yeah, asshole, that’s what you get. I’m ready to brawl, but I’m blind. All I see is black. Hands grab my biceps, throwing me onto the bed and holding me still as I fight back. I try to kick, but it’s no use. My palms smack together by force, and the sound of a zip tie fills my ears as the plastic bites my skin.

“Get the fuck off me,” I growl, struggling against the hold on me.

A voice I don’t recognize whispers close to my ear, “Welcome to Hillcrest. It’s initiation time, bitch.”

Aww shit.

Ava

Laura and her friends have been holding court for the last hour from the stone ledge around an enormous fireplace. The party is already in full swing. Kids are everywhere, drinking and smoking. It looks more fun than what I’m doing, which is sitting in this spot and listening to banal conversations.

They’ve ignored me for most of the night, basically treating me the same as they do in school. The one thing I’ve noticed, though, is Laura wasn’t lying when she said they run this school. Every boy seems to want to sleep with them, and the girls smile but only to conceal their jealousy. I guess I never paid much attention to the inner workings of the popular girls before, but now that I am, it’s more frightening and just as lame as I assumed.

Although, currently, I’m massively entertained by the conversation playing out in front of me.

Liam, a hot crew team charmer, who’s hosting the party, walks up to Caroline, reaching out to tickle her side. It’s so weird because the Caroline I’ve heard rumors about would have someone’s hand removed for touching her. Liam seems to have a different set of rules. My shoulder leans into the wall as I watch their stare-off.

Caroline tosses her long brown hair over her shoulder. “The expression you’re wearing is as ugly as the shirt you have on, Liam. What do you want?”

It takes everything in my control not to laugh as my eyes jump between them, but Liam just stares down at her under his divinely long lashes.

“Carebear.” The way he says it makes my lips minutely tip up. “Drink this so you can be more of a funshine than a grumpy.”

She swats at the cup, but he moves it away before she connects. Oh shit.

“I hate you,” she spits.

He winks. “You wish that were true. I’m going to hang out with my real friends now.”

Damn.

She doesn’t respond as he walks off to scoop up a girl named Donovan, making her squeal. Caroline scowls—looks