“I’m not hungry.”

“And I’m not asking. Come on now, you need to put some meat on those bones.”

Ugh. Kill me now.

Like the maintenance chores, each week we’re assigned cooking duties. So far I’ve only had to set the table and wash vegetables. Turns out today, I’m on pancake duty with Victoria. Fucking yay.

She starts mixing as I pull out the large portable skillet thing they use to cook on.

I’ve seen them but have never used one before. It kind of reminds me of the hot plate we used at home, assuming there was something worth making.

When I get stuck staring at the dials, Victoria sighs and reaches over, showing me how annoyed she is with the flick of her wrist as she helps me out.

“Thanks.”

“Whatever.”

Okay then.

About fifteen pancakes later, and she starts talking.

“So.” She adds more water to the batter. “What happened with you and the Brays?”

“Not sure what you’re referring to.”

“Rumor has it, last week someone saw you riding Maddoc in the back seat while the other two drove you around.”

“Bet that was a sight to see, through the tinted ass windows and all.”

She scoffs, turning to me. “You trying to deny it? Chances are someone took a picture. And the front window isn’t as dark.”

“I’m not trying to do shit. Think what you want, I don’t really give a damn.”

“Wouldn’t matter if you did anyway, they seemed to have already passed you on.” She goes mute on me after that, just the way I like her.

A little over an hour passes before I’m able to start on my outside chores. Thankfully, all I have left for today is watering the plants out back and spraying down the swing set.

Soon as I stand from wrapping up the hose a whistle sounds and I turn, squinting down the dirt road I’m not allowed on.

Royce jerks his chin, lifting a joint in the air in offering.

I glance at the house, finding the only girls outside busy with their own jobs, so I head his way.

“Wanna burn?”

“Why not, got nothing else to do.”

He scoffs and points to a few logs laying at the edge of the dirt and together we move to it.

“So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

He squints at the trees. “Not sure.” He shrugs. “Got bored. Had a joint and ended up here.”

“Your boy won’t like this,” I sing-song and he glances my way. “He told me to stay away from you.”

His eyes narrow a moment before dropping his head with a light laugh. “I knew I was right, but I half didn’t wanna be.”

“I’m sorry, Riddler, did you say something?” I snatch the joint from his fingers.

“Nah. Nothing.” He glances my way. “But you should watch out. Maddoc don’t play.”

“Seems to like to.”

Royce considers that a moment before a grin splits his mouth. “He does, don’t he?”

I laugh lightly.

He stares at me, a crease forming at the center of his eyes before he speaks. “Come to a party tonight. A Bray party.”

I shake my head. “Hard pass. I’m not interested in being your punching bag, and your little game of ‘sharing is caring’ is over so no need to flaunt an old toy.”

“All right. I’ll rephrase.” He shifts to glare my way. “Be at the party, or – same drill, slightly changed – Maybell finds your bed empty, since you like to sneak out after your curfew when you think no one’s around.”

I look away, but he continues to stare at my profile.

“Where do you go?”

I leap to my feet. “None of your fucking business.”

“I’ll see you tonight then.”

“What is with you guys, surely you don’t always get your way?”

“’Course we do. Sometimes it takes a little forced effort such as this to make it happen, but in the end, we win.” He grins, and for a second he seems almost innocent, until the joint hits his lips and he walks away with more swag than should be allowed for a single human.

With a roll of my eyes, I head back for the house.

Soon as I walk inside, Victoria is leaning against the frame to the room I currently live in, her arms folded over her chest.

“Thought you weren’t fucking them?”

I tell her what she wants to hear to get her to go away. “Guess I’m a liar.”

I drop onto the bed and lie there a moment before plugging in my earbuds. I pull my pocket knife from my bra, slide my hand under my pillow and pass out.

Maybell wakes me up for dinner and evening clean up. As soon as all is said and done, I’m antsy from sitting around all day – it’s hard to let myself relax indoors when I’m so used to needing an escape. Not sure I’ll ever convince myself there’s a soft place to land when a roof is involved. I throw on my knock-off Vans and head out the door with nowhere to go in mind.

“Can I tag along?”

I glance over my shoulder at Vienna. “I’m just going for a walk.”

“I could use a walk.” She falls in line beside me, and together we head down the road, passing the park the boys play ball in.

Vienna looks over the broken-down court. “You know our school was built by a Brayshaw back in the day?”

I cut a glance her way. “I figured, yeah. Brayshaw High...” I trail off, curious where she’s going with this.

“It was. Before, students below poverty weren’t even allowed to attend, they’d actually bus them to the town over. It was only for the power families and their spawns. But then one day, all of a sudden, they were bringing in people like us.”

“Strange change of heart.”

She scoffs. “I heard it was because kids who had nothing, had nothing to lose. I mean, think about it ... if all the kids at the school were meant for greatness, who did that leave to do the dirty work when dirty is needed?” She trails off, effectively planting a damn seed.

I don’t comment and now I can’t shut my brain off. It sort of makes sense what she’s saying. Power trickles down.

It’s like in my neighborhood. Every dope dealer has a dealer who has a dealer, and so on. There’s the piss on selling dime bags to kids on the corner, but that bag traveled from a bigger hand somewhere else at some point.

“Speaking of the Brayshaws,” she mumbles, bringing me back to now. “Looks like they’re having a party tonight.”

“What makes you say that?” I give her a side glance.

She motions to the school parking lot that has just come into view. There are at least two dozen cars there, students all around, laughing and acting like fools, having fun.

“This is how it goes. The Brays plan a party once or twice a month, set a time for everyone to meet here and together they all head over, sometimes there’s even a theme to keep it fresh and fun. If you don’t make it here before Leo, one of the guys on their team, you can’t go.” She glances my way briefly before returning her eyes to the scene. “They don’t give out the location and everyone has to check their phones at the door. It’s like some super-secret shit.”

“You ever been?”