hauling her backpack on her shoulder. She was so small for her age, it almost went down to her knees.
“I know.” She bit her lip. She looked so much like her mother. Cressida got her father’s looks.
“You can always come to me if you need anything. You know that, right?” I wanted to grab her and hug her and tell her I loved her. Instead, I grabbed my backpack and my sketchbook. “Your sister must be waiting for you. Should we head out?”
“My dad called me,” she whispered.
Martin Crawford had almost no contact with his daughters while I lived at their house. He had moved to Malibu with his secretary and washed his hands of them, leaving Ramona the mansion and not much else. At least that was Ramona’s story.
“What did he say?”
“He wants me to go live with him and Alicia for good. He said my mom makes it impossible for him to have a relationship with me.” She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her sweater. “He loves me, Lana. Not like my mom says.”
“You should definitely go see him.” I put my hand on her arm and she launched herself at me, releasing great big sobs against my shoulder.
“She won’t let me! She yelled at me and said I could visit him over her dead body. Then she called her lawyer and yelled at him.” She cried until her tears soaked my blouse.
The school bell rang. I knew Cressida would be looking for her.
“Call your dad and have him buy you a ticket to L.A.” Eden pulled her face away from my shoulder and wiped her face on her soggy sleeve.
“I did. I just need a ride to the airport Saturday tomorrow.”
I laughed. Clever girl. “But what if Ramona—I mean, your mom—finds out?”
“She won’t. She and Cressida are going to Aspen and I told her I’m staying at my friend Bridget’s. I don’t even care if she finds out!” But I knew she’d punish Eden for it if she found out. No naughty room, but whatever happened would be my fault.
But I was done being afraid of her.
“I would love to drive you to the airport. Text me later and tell me what time.”
Her face split into an enormous grin. “You are the best sister ever! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She flung her pale arms around me and squeezed tight. “I love you, Lana,” she said, her voice barely audible.
Sister. She thought we were still sisters. A delicious feeling of warmth spread out in my chest.
The studio door banged open.
“Eden!” Cressida yelled. “I have been waiting outside in my car for twenty minutes .” She spotted me. She whipped her head back to Eden.
“You made me wait so you could sneak in here and talk to her ?” She jabbed a finger in my direction. Eden looked like she was about to start crying again.
“Leave her alone,” I said, stepping in front of Eden. “It’s my fault. She tried to leave and I wouldn’t let her.”
Cressida shot me a venomous look. “Stop trying to get my sister on your side, Lana. It won’t work.”
I ignored her and smiled at Eden. “Bye, Eden, have a great break, okay?” I felt a twinge of guilt as I pushed past Cressida and stormed outside.
I skipped down the stairs, breathless with adrenaline. I was working on a secret plan to kidnap Cressida’s little sister and deliver her to the hated Martin Crawford! What price would they extract from me when they found out?
I realized with a shock that I didn’t care. Defying Cressida was thrilling.
When you decide to stop being scared, your enemies lose their power to scare you. It was so simple. Why had I never realized this?
I walked to my car light as air.
Mare Insularum ~ Sea of Islands
I CRUISED to school with the windows open, singing along to the playlist I made for the airplane. It was the last day before Spring Break. My dad had even gone temporarily insane and let me drive the vintage cherry-red Mustang from his shop. Maybe bad luck wasn’t genetic. It had just been a seventeen-year-long unlucky streak! Crappy childhoods were an American rite of passage,
“I know.” She bit her lip. She looked so much like her mother. Cressida got her father’s looks.
“You can always come to me if you need anything. You know that, right?” I wanted to grab her and hug her and tell her I loved her. Instead, I grabbed my backpack and my sketchbook. “Your sister must be waiting for you. Should we head out?”
“My dad called me,” she whispered.
Martin Crawford had almost no contact with his daughters while I lived at their house. He had moved to Malibu with his secretary and washed his hands of them, leaving Ramona the mansion and not much else. At least that was Ramona’s story.
“What did he say?”
“He wants me to go live with him and Alicia for good. He said my mom makes it impossible for him to have a relationship with me.” She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her sweater. “He loves me, Lana. Not like my mom says.”
“You should definitely go see him.” I put my hand on her arm and she launched herself at me, releasing great big sobs against my shoulder.
“She won’t let me! She yelled at me and said I could visit him over her dead body. Then she called her lawyer and yelled at him.” She cried until her tears soaked my blouse.
The school bell rang. I knew Cressida would be looking for her.
“Call your dad and have him buy you a ticket to L.A.” Eden pulled her face away from my shoulder and wiped her face on her soggy sleeve.
“I did. I just need a ride to the airport Saturday tomorrow.”
I laughed. Clever girl. “But what if Ramona—I mean, your mom—finds out?”
“She won’t. She and Cressida are going to Aspen and I told her I’m staying at my friend Bridget’s. I don’t even care if she finds out!” But I knew she’d punish Eden for it if she found out. No naughty room, but whatever happened would be my fault.
But I was done being afraid of her.
“I would love to drive you to the airport. Text me later and tell me what time.”
Her face split into an enormous grin. “You are the best sister ever! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She flung her pale arms around me and squeezed tight. “I love you, Lana,” she said, her voice barely audible.
Sister. She thought we were still sisters. A delicious feeling of warmth spread out in my chest.
The studio door banged open.
“Eden!” Cressida yelled. “I have been waiting outside in my car for twenty minutes .” She spotted me. She whipped her head back to Eden.
“You made me wait so you could sneak in here and talk to her ?” She jabbed a finger in my direction. Eden looked like she was about to start crying again.
“Leave her alone,” I said, stepping in front of Eden. “It’s my fault. She tried to leave and I wouldn’t let her.”
Cressida shot me a venomous look. “Stop trying to get my sister on your side, Lana. It won’t work.”
I ignored her and smiled at Eden. “Bye, Eden, have a great break, okay?” I felt a twinge of guilt as I pushed past Cressida and stormed outside.
I skipped down the stairs, breathless with adrenaline. I was working on a secret plan to kidnap Cressida’s little sister and deliver her to the hated Martin Crawford! What price would they extract from me when they found out?
I realized with a shock that I didn’t care. Defying Cressida was thrilling.
When you decide to stop being scared, your enemies lose their power to scare you. It was so simple. Why had I never realized this?
I walked to my car light as air.
Mare Insularum ~ Sea of Islands
I CRUISED to school with the windows open, singing along to the playlist I made for the airplane. It was the last day before Spring Break. My dad had even gone temporarily insane and let me drive the vintage cherry-red Mustang from his shop. Maybe bad luck wasn’t genetic. It had just been a seventeen-year-long unlucky streak! Crappy childhoods were an American rite of passage,
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