liked the idea that Connor had seen something special in me and told me to apply for the program. I wished that I didn’t need that kind of reassurance, but sometimes it’s just nice to feel wanted. “That’s really funny.” It came out more flatly than I would have liked.
“Anyway, he’s a mint chocolate chip guy,” Sabine said.
“Good to know.”
“I’m totally dying to know where we’re working first,” she said as she searched in her bag. “Do you have any idea?” She pulled out her phone and gave it a look, scrolling.
“No.” I drifted off in thought for a moment. The idea sent the slightest shiver down my spine, as I recalled my last boss, the stunning and lethal Aurelia Brown. I couldn’t imagine what tomorrow would bring.
“Awww.” She smiled at her phone then quickly flashed it at me: it was a photo of a handful of girls in someone’s living room, a HAPPY NEW YEAR banner behind them. The text message read Miss you!!!! “Weird not to be home tonight, right?” she asked, her thumbs tapping out a response.
“Yeah, I know,” I said, even though I didn’t exactly feel that I had missed out on anything. Back home, I still would have spent the evening with Lance and Dante; we just wouldn’t have been dressed as nicely.
“How late is it there?” she said to herself, thinking.
“Boston? It’s an hour back so, wow, like two?” I answered.
She nodded and began dialing. “Have you ever been to Boston?”
“No. For me it’s like there’s an electric fence keeping me in the Midwest. It’s amazing I managed to convince Joan to let me go this far.”
“I think it’s so cool that you call your mom Joan.” I had told Sabine I was adopted, but that’s all she knew, and really all she needed to. I was good at not sharing a whole lot about my past. “Anyway, it’s a great town. You have to visit. We’re just outside of it, but it’s a short ride in to Newbury Street, all the good shopping.” She put the phone to her ear. “Hey you! Happy New Year! How are you?! . . . I know, I just got it. So cute!” Moonlight trickled in from outside our window, reflecting off the glossy-white wraparound balcony. Might as well give her privacy. I unlocked the latch, pushing the window open. I sat on the sill and then just scooted my legs over to the other side to climb out. The air had grown chillier and I felt the goose bumps rise on my skin. I could still hear the dull roar of Bourbon Street in the distance.
“You know there’s a door right there?” someone yelled from part of the balcony diagonally across the courtyard, an arm waving. I leaned over the railing and could see him in the hazy light. Connor. I waved back. He pointed off somewhere to my left. I looked over to a door that must’ve been located at the end of our hallway.
“Yeah, you know, I don’t like to make things too easy,” I called back.
“I like that about you,” he answered, then, with another wave, said, “Night!” He turned and let himself in through a similar door over on his side of the building. Muffled voices from another section of the balcony traveled my way. It was dark over there, but I could see two figures sitting, talking, and watching the courtyard below. Above them, the third story of the mansion next door loomed over our more modest home, like a bully in the shadows.
“Get a room down there!” shouted one of the people from across the way.
I leaned over and spied two figures entwined on the chaise. I squinted to see who it might be. Two faces looked skyward, and both bodies sprang up and scurried inside.
Behind me the window whooshed open. “Hey!” Sabine said. “Whatcha doin’ out here?”
“I do believe I just witnessed the first dorm hookup.”
“No way.” She stomped her foot in mock outrage. “I’m jealous. Get in here and give me the scoop. You can fill me in while we fight over the beds. Don’t know about you but I’m totally zonked,” she said.
I climbed back in and
“Anyway, he’s a mint chocolate chip guy,” Sabine said.
“Good to know.”
“I’m totally dying to know where we’re working first,” she said as she searched in her bag. “Do you have any idea?” She pulled out her phone and gave it a look, scrolling.
“No.” I drifted off in thought for a moment. The idea sent the slightest shiver down my spine, as I recalled my last boss, the stunning and lethal Aurelia Brown. I couldn’t imagine what tomorrow would bring.
“Awww.” She smiled at her phone then quickly flashed it at me: it was a photo of a handful of girls in someone’s living room, a HAPPY NEW YEAR banner behind them. The text message read Miss you!!!! “Weird not to be home tonight, right?” she asked, her thumbs tapping out a response.
“Yeah, I know,” I said, even though I didn’t exactly feel that I had missed out on anything. Back home, I still would have spent the evening with Lance and Dante; we just wouldn’t have been dressed as nicely.
“How late is it there?” she said to herself, thinking.
“Boston? It’s an hour back so, wow, like two?” I answered.
She nodded and began dialing. “Have you ever been to Boston?”
“No. For me it’s like there’s an electric fence keeping me in the Midwest. It’s amazing I managed to convince Joan to let me go this far.”
“I think it’s so cool that you call your mom Joan.” I had told Sabine I was adopted, but that’s all she knew, and really all she needed to. I was good at not sharing a whole lot about my past. “Anyway, it’s a great town. You have to visit. We’re just outside of it, but it’s a short ride in to Newbury Street, all the good shopping.” She put the phone to her ear. “Hey you! Happy New Year! How are you?! . . . I know, I just got it. So cute!” Moonlight trickled in from outside our window, reflecting off the glossy-white wraparound balcony. Might as well give her privacy. I unlocked the latch, pushing the window open. I sat on the sill and then just scooted my legs over to the other side to climb out. The air had grown chillier and I felt the goose bumps rise on my skin. I could still hear the dull roar of Bourbon Street in the distance.
“You know there’s a door right there?” someone yelled from part of the balcony diagonally across the courtyard, an arm waving. I leaned over the railing and could see him in the hazy light. Connor. I waved back. He pointed off somewhere to my left. I looked over to a door that must’ve been located at the end of our hallway.
“Yeah, you know, I don’t like to make things too easy,” I called back.
“I like that about you,” he answered, then, with another wave, said, “Night!” He turned and let himself in through a similar door over on his side of the building. Muffled voices from another section of the balcony traveled my way. It was dark over there, but I could see two figures sitting, talking, and watching the courtyard below. Above them, the third story of the mansion next door loomed over our more modest home, like a bully in the shadows.
“Get a room down there!” shouted one of the people from across the way.
I leaned over and spied two figures entwined on the chaise. I squinted to see who it might be. Two faces looked skyward, and both bodies sprang up and scurried inside.
Behind me the window whooshed open. “Hey!” Sabine said. “Whatcha doin’ out here?”
“I do believe I just witnessed the first dorm hookup.”
“No way.” She stomped her foot in mock outrage. “I’m jealous. Get in here and give me the scoop. You can fill me in while we fight over the beds. Don’t know about you but I’m totally zonked,” she said.
I climbed back in and
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