Page 50 of The Brat: Prequel

*Maxim sends picture*

Victoria: Ooh, I like you in navy blue! You only used to wear black before

Maxim: You look beautiful, pchelka

Victoria:

Victoria: What are you wearing to my graduation ceremony btw? I’ll make sure we match

Maxim: You don’t need to do that, Victoria

Victoria: Sure I do!

Maxim: I guess navy blue seeing as you like it so much lol

Victoria:

TWENTY-FOUR

HE WANTS ME TO DATE OTHER GUYS?!

“You can’t tell me you won’t miss this place.”

I pluck the cigarette from Shay’s hand and take a long drag. “Why are we smoking this again? It’s disgusting.”

“Because it’s an act of rebellion that won’t get me arrested and go on my record. When I’m forty, nobody can say to me, Mr. President, is it true you were caught getting high on your high school football field with a commie sympathizer?”

“Hey! Stereotypical, much?!”

“You’re a communist,” Shay argues. “At your core.”

“Being Russian has nothing to do with it. I came by my values honestly,” I say primly.

He takes another drag and coughs too. “You’re right. This is disgusting. Mom said she smoked when I was younger. I don’t know how.”

“That explains your massive forehead.”

He flips me the bird. “You will miss it, won’t you?”

Glancing around Midland’s football field, I shrug. “I guess. It was better than my last high school but still a school. I’m ready for college.”

“You’ll be finishing up that internship with Uncle Conor soon, right?”

“Technically, it finished when the season ended.” I try and fail to blow a smoke circle. Then cough. “What are we doing out here again?”

“It’s the end of an era.”

I roll my eyes then grimace because the smoke’s made them dry. “You’re such a romantic.”

“Hapless,” he concurs, then flicks a look at my cell when the screen lights up.

“Nosy,” I chide, grabbing it and reading the notification.

Maxim: Why weren’t you the speaker?

I feel the smile creeping into place. The one that only he can put on my face.

Me: Because I’m not clever enough