Chapter 34
At the cafe, Andrea spotted Mia and Harper sitting near the window, bundled in their winter coats, their faces lit by the pale winter sun. For a moment, Andrea hesitated before joining them. It felt like slipping back into an old life that didn’t quite fit anymore.
“Andrea!” Mia waved her over, her grin as bright as ever. Harper smiled warmly, patting the empty chair beside her.
“You made it,” Harper said as Andrea shrugged off her coat and took a seat.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Andrea replied, glancing around the table. A large latte sat in front of Mia, untouched, while Harper was already halfway through a cup of black coffee.
“We’ve been waiting to hear all about your glamorous new life,” Mia said, leaning forward, her tone teasing.
Andrea rolled her eyes but smiled. “Trust me, it’s not as glamorous as you think.”
“Sure,” Mia said with a smirk. “You probably have a butler carrying your books to class, don’t you?”
Andrea laughed softly. “Not quite.”
The conversation started with small talk, catching up on each other’s lives.
“So, Harper,” Andrea said, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. “What’s new with you?”
Harper’s face lit up. “Grad school applications. I’m waiting to hear back from my top choice, but I’ve already got two acceptances.”
“That’s amazing!” Andrea said. “What are you studying?”
“Environmental science,” Harper replied. “I want to focus on sustainable development. It feels like something that actually matters, you know?”
Andrea nodded. “It sounds perfect for you. You’ve always cared about making a difference.”
“Yeah, well,” Harper said, smiling shyly. “We’ll see if I can survive grad school first.”
Mia, meanwhile, was uncharacteristically quiet, stirring her latte absentmindedly. Andrea glanced at her.
“What about you, Mia?” she asked.
Mia’s jaw tightened slightly before she forced a smile. “Still looking for a job,” she admitted. “Turns out, a degree in marketing doesn’t mean much when everyone’s hiring ‘interns’ for free.”
Andrea frowned. “That’s rough. I’m sorry, Mia.”
Mia shrugged, her tone sharpening. “It is what it is. Not everyone can waltz into an elite academy and have opportunities handed to them on a silver platter.”
Andrea stiffened, the comment catching her off guard. “It’s not like that,” she said quietly.
“Isn’t it?” Mia pressed, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re at Blackthorn with all those rich kids, probably living the dream while the rest of us are stuck here.”
“Mia,” Harper said warningly, but Andrea shook her head.
“It’s not what you think,” Andrea said firmly. “I worked hard to get there, and it’s not easy. Blackthorn is… complicated.”
“Complicated how?” Mia asked, leaning back with a raised eyebrow.
Andrea hesitated. She couldn’t exactly explain the power games, the threats, or the Sinclair brothers. “It’s just not the perfect picture you’re imagining,” she said simply.
The conversation shifted briefly to high school memories, though Andrea noticed Mia’s mood remained tense.
“So,” Mia said after a while, her voice casual but pointed. “Tell us about these Sinclair brothers. They’re practically royalty at Blackthorn, aren’t they? Rumor has it they run the whole place.”
Andrea’s stomach tightened. “They’re… influential,” she said cautiously.
“And?” Mia pressed, her grin mischievous. “Any of them caught your eye? Or better yet, are you dating one of them?”
Andrea shook her head quickly, trying to brush it off. “No. It’s not like that.”
Harper smirked. “You’re blushing.”
“I am not,” Andrea protested, though the warmth in her cheeks betrayed her.
“Oh my God, you totally are!” Mia exclaimed, laughing. “Spill! Which one is it? Don’t tell me it’s Nathaniel—the broody eldest? Or is it Liam, the flirt?”
Andrea looked down, trying to fight the small smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not saying anything,” she said lightly.
Mia’s laughter faded, and her expression shifted. “Wow,” she said, her tone sharper now. “You really are one of them, aren’t you?”
Andrea blinked, caught off guard. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know,” Mia said with a shrug. “All mysterious and closed off. Like you’re too good for us now.”
Andrea frowned, the comment hitting a nerve. “That’s not fair, Mia.”
“Isn’t it?” Mia said, crossing her arms.
Harper stepped in, her voice firm. “Mia, enough.”
Mia sighed, leaning back in her chair. “Whatever. Forget I said anything.”
Andrea’s chest tightened, but she forced herself to stay calm. She wasn’t going to let Mia’s bitterness ruin their time together.
That night, Andrea lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as the day replayed in her mind.
Mia’s words stung more than she wanted to admit. She wasn’t trying to leave her old life behind, but everything at Blackthorn had changed her in ways she couldn’t deny.
Her thoughts drifted to Nathaniel, to the quiet strength in his gaze and the way he made her feel both safe and unsteady at the same time.
As her eyes closed, her dreams pulled her back to Blackthorn. She saw Nathaniel standing in the shadows of the garden, his dark eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her chest tighten.
“You’re mine, Andrea,” he said, his voice low and possessive.
Andrea’s breath hitched as the words echoed in her mind. The dream shifted, the shadows around him deepening, and for a moment, she felt a strange mix of fear and desire.
She woke with a start, her heart racing.
