Page 30 of The Other Side of Green

“I’d say. The college is under siege by the press.”

“What?” I tripped over a hole in the sidewalk.

“Haven’t you seen the news?”

“Not about Jack and me?” I whispered.

It sounded far-fetched, but if the news a member of staff had screwed a pupil broke, I guess it could make the local news.

“No! No one cares about that, yet. No, this is about the Collins family finally being called out for what they are.”

“What?” I repeated, my blood sang too loudly in my ears. “What do you mean?”

“Looks like the truth about your scholarship is out.” Evan chuckled. “Don’t feel bad, everyone is saying you are insanely talented. It’s just documentation has been leaked that you weren’t first on the list.”

“I never was first on the list.” This much was true.

“Second, whatever.” He drew in a breath. “People are fighting for you, Lyra. You need to be prepared to come back, otherwise this might all have been for nothing.”

“Evan, I’m not coming back.”

“So you say.”

“I say.”

“I’ll hold your job.”

“What? You still have the bar?”

“So far.” He chuckled low. “Anyway, I’m just giving you a heads up. Oh, and also my cousin is flying in. Couple of weeks’ time, I think. He’ll let me know his schedule closer to the time.”

“So?”

“So he wants to hear you sing. He’ll make you a star, Lyra.”

A stroller swerved into me from behind. The woman threw me some shade and carried on. “I don’t want to be a star.”

“Ah, Little Lyra, but what if the star inside you wants to come out?”

“Evan, I haven’t even buried Grams yet.”

There was a pause. “I know. And I’m sorry. Let Jack help you, Lyra. I don’t know what happened to make you run, but he loves you. I think you’re the only girl he’s ever given one damn about.”

My chest constricted and I clawed in air.

“Lyra?”

“I can’t.”

“Why the fuck not?”

I sucked in a hard breath. “Because I can’t. Leave it.”

“Sure.” He let a hefty pause drift between us like unchallenged storm clouds. “Take care, Lyra.”

“Thanks.” My voice tightened, making me sound like a bitch.

“I’ll see you when you get home, if not before.” He hung up before I could argue, or before I could remind him none too politely that I was home. At last. Which was what I’d always wanted.