Chapter 12

The week passed as usual, with Camilla and Lydia still being extra nice to me, a hang out with Lex and Matt after school Tuesday, and talk of a Friday get together as well. When I told the group that I had to work on Friday, everyone seemed so surprised. None of them had jobs, so they had forgotten that I did. I only got one message from Duke during the week, and it was just saying HI.

But when Friday arrived and Camilla strolled into homeroom, she looked angry. She usually had this look about her that was always excited to be wherever she was. She was outgoing and overall friendly, too. So when she dropped into the seat beside me and was quiet, I knew something was up. When Lydia and Sam came in, a few minutes before the class would start, she exploded.

"Duke broke up with me," she said, but not too loud. She wasn't looking at me, at least. I could see her face and it was red.

"Last night. He showed up at my house, which is, like, crazy. He knows my parents don't like him. But he went on and on about how he needs to figure out what he's doing, and how his life is too crazy right now."

"Oh my god. Like his life is so hard. Poor guy, with his rich parents and his mansion." Lydia rolled her eyes and laughed.

But Camilla looked upset, still. "I can't believe I liked him. And, like, wasted three months dealing with his shit."

"Totally," Sam agreed. "You're so way better off without him. But... I bet he was, like, so good in bed." She giggled and her face turned pink for a second. "How could a guy that good looking not be?"

Lydia made a face, but Camilla covered her mouth. "Oh my god, so good. Like, an animal. I will miss that."

I couldn't listen any more, but it wasn't as if I could just cover my ears or walk away.

"Brett already asked me to the Winter Ball, so at least I have a date," Camilla went on, and just like that it seemed like she didn't really care about Duke anymore.

I looked at my notebook, hoping the class would begin. I just needed Camilla to stop talking.

I checked my phone at lunch, assuming to have a message from Duke. But there was nothing. I hated how it made me feel, that empty feeling in my chest. I really didn't like how I was suddenly this girl who waited around hoping to hear from a guy.

The rest of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about whether or not he would show up at the library that night. He broke up with Camilla, but there were still reasons why I knew I shouldn't get involved with him. There would always been reasons.

"Do you want to come to Matt's tomorrow?" Lex asked me at the end of the day, as he followed me to my locker. "We are just going to watch a movie or something."

"You, Lydia and Matt?" I asked, blinking at him. "I'm going to see Asa, remember? I have to see how it goes, when we get home-"

"Is he really coming back?" Lex wanted to know.

"I hope so. My mom is-"

Suddenly Lydia was there grabbing Lex's arm, so I stopped talking. I couldn't talk about my family in front of anyone but Lex.

"Have fun tonight," I said to them instead. "Lex, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay," he nodded, then gave me a quick hug.

The library was busy for awhile that evening, with only Mrs. Walsh and I working. Busy was okay, though. When I finally got to take a break, I grabbed my phone and went to sit in the back room.

Still no message from Duke.

SO, YOU BROKE UP WITH CAMILLA? I sent to him.

I waited, but he wasn't online. When it was time to go back to work, my phone finally buzzed a few times. I was about to sign back in to work.

I WANTED TO TELL YOU IN PERSON, TONIGHT. ARE YOU WORKING?

UNTIL 8.

It was almost 7P.M. already. Of course I wanted to see him, but I was terrified of what might happen. He didn't message back, but he was in the doorway when it turned 8 P.M. I knew I had to keep playing hard to get. I couldn't give in to anything so easily. I also knew this was the start of something out of my control.

"Hey," he began, then shoved his hands into his pockets of his jeans.

He wore a long sleeved shirt, green with black trim, and his hair was that messy, poofy style that it always seemed to be lately.

"Hi," I said back, leading him out the door.

I saw his car across the parking lot. I could picture myself getting into it, sitting beside him in his car. He looked cautious, and even nervous now. I'd never really seen him look that way before.

"So, Camilla?" I asked.

He winced. "Yeah."

"She told everyone you broke up with her."

"Was she pissed?"

I considered this. "She was, I guess. She said she wasted three months with you."

Now, he looked annoyed more than anything. "Her parents wouldn't even let me into their house, in three months. They hated me. I mean, besides parties when they weren't there. Camilla always acted like she was ashamed of me."

"She doesn't sound like a very good girlfriend," I said, without thinking.

He shrugged, leaning against the building. "It's not like I was perfect. I don't have a good idea of what a healthy relationship looks like."

"Why?" I asked, curious.

Duke looked away, then back to me. "I may be from a rich, famous family... but no one knows the truth."

I nodded, because not very many people knew my truths, either. How could I expect Duke to share his life with me? I had only lied to him so far about mine.

"Can I take you home tonight?" he asked, then added, "It's going to rain."

I could feel it, too. A storm was coming. And this time, I wasn't going to say no to a ride.

I clicked the seat belt in and listened as Duke started the car. Before he had a chance to ask where I lived, I spoke.

"I don't want to go home."

He looked over, a small smile on his lips. "Okay."

"But I have to admit something, in order to tell you where I do want to go," I went on, nervous suddenly.

"I'm listening."

"I live in... Brooklyn," I said, just praying that he wasn't going to freak out.

"Wait, what?" But he just looked confused. "How do you get home from here this late?"

"The train," I admitted.

Duke took in a shallow breath. "I could have driven you. You lied?"

"I knew you were this guy with money and a famous mom... I didn't want you to think-"

"Penelope," he interrupted. "I don't care where you live."

"Well... it's not just that. I have a single mother who - up until recently - was an alcoholic. And my brother is in a detention centre in Long Island."

Duke glanced and me and saw that I was breathing heavy; he grabbed my hand, calming me. I finally took a long breath. We were still just sitting there in the parking lot of the library, and I was just putting it all out there. I had to close my eyes because I couldn't believe what I had just said to him.

"It doesn't change how I feel about you. You thought it would?" he asked, still holding my hand.

"Of course. The people I go to school with don't even know. They all have big, nice houses here, with parents who care about them," I answered, shaking my head.

"So, you've never fit in because you live in Brooklyn?" he asked.

"I was too afraid of people finding out where I live."

"I go to a private school in Greenwich Village, am treated different because my mom is famous, but everyone basically hates me for it." He paused. "It's not always greener on the other side."

I didn't know what to say so I just looked out the window, waiting.

"Penelope, where do you want to go?" Duke asked me, after a couple of minutes.

"In Williamsburg... there's this park. I used to take my brother there all the time. It was just sort of..." I let my voice trail off, but he nodded.

"Just tell me where to go."