Page 10 of The Bad Boyfriend Curse
“Yeah,” Liv says. “Pineview isn’t, like,Torontodiverse, but it’s not a sea of white either.”
I like Liv so far. She’s not super bubbly like Sadie, but she seems smart and insightful.
“So, what’s the story with Cherrybridge High, then?” I ask. “What’s that school like?”
James laughs loudly. “You meanCherry Pop High?”
Sadie glares at him. “That’s rude, James.” She turns to me. “It’s Cherrybridge’s oldest high school but has a bit of a bad reputation. There were a bunch of teen pregnancies and violent incidents last year. Mostly kids from the other side of the river go there.”
“So this side of the river is the privileged side, and the other side is the less-privileged side?”
Quinn nods. “They’re significantly different socioeconomically,” he says.
And it seems that there isn’t a whole lot of intermingling between the two sides of Cherrybridge. I think about Noah accusing me of being one of thosenever cross the bridgetypes. The whole dynamic puts such a bad taste in my mouth. In my school everyone hangs out with everyone, no matter how much money their parents have. I mean, Adanna’s mom is a corporate lawyer, and Keeley’s dad is a veterinarian, but neither of my friends ever looked down on me and my mom.
But also, this talk about Cherrybridge High just reinforces that I should distance myself as much as possible from the other CROP kids. I doubt that everyone at Cherrybridge High is bad, but I do know that the kids in CROP are. That’s why they’re there. If I don’t want to anger the curse further, I should only hang out with people with the same values as me—and right now I value finishing up my community service and getting out of Cherrybridge as fast as I can.
“It’s the rough part of town,” Reagan explains. “I wouldn’t want to be in the area after dark, or alone.”
“There’s no need to go there,” Kaitlyn adds, grimacing. “Randell and Pineview are on this side of the river. And the mall. Plus, this café, too. Don’t worry about that side. It’s not the real Cherrybridge.” Kaitlyn waves her hand in the air like she’s brushing all thoughts of the other side of the river away, before she smiles at me. “Now tell me, are you single? Because I know theperfectguy for you to have a summer fling with. Or are you into girls?”
It doesn’t sit well with me that Kaitlyn called the side we’reon the “real” Cherrybridge, but I don’t know these people well enough to open up that conversation. And when I glance at Sadie and Liv, they don’t seem bothered by the comment, so I let out a little sigh and answer the question. “No. I mean, yeah, I’m straight, but a relationship is a bad idea for me right now.” I let out an awkward laugh when I’m met with confused looks. “I’m not looking for a fling.”
Kaitlyn shrugs, mischief in her eyes. She is definitely the troublemaker in this group. “Never say ‘never.’ Wait till you see the guys at the club. Cherrybridge is packed with beautiful people. I mean, look atus!”
I squeeze my lips together. I actually think she might be right. On my first day in Cherrybridge I’ve met guys hotter than any back at my school in the city. After spending the morning with Noah, I already wondered if swearing off all guys will be possible. This summer is going to be hard.
Maybe I should join a convent and take a vow of celibacy. I hope nonreligious convents exist.
CHAPTER FIVESo Now I’m a Liability?
We stay at the café for a few hours, and it’s actually kind of fun. No one says anything else classist, and Sadie and Liv are trying hard to include me. Maybe the summer won’t be that bad after all? Not that I wouldn’t jump at the chance to go back home right now if Mom would let me, but at least there might be people here I can hang out with who won’t steal my headphones.
After Liv drops me off, I let myself into Jason’s house with the key he gave me. I’m not sure if Jason or Mom is here, because they both keep their cars in the enormous garage. But as I walk in, there are voices coming from the kitchen. I’m about to yell that I’m back, when I hear Jason say, “I really hope moving her here wasn’t a mistake.”
I frown, quieting my steps. Movingwho where? Is Jason talking about Mom? Is healreadyregretting marrying her and moving her into his massive Cherrybridge house? My fist clenches. I guess the curse really never ends, because Mom picked a man who has second thoughts less than a month after their wedding.
“Iknowyou don’t mean that,” my mother says. Okay, so if Mom’s the one Jason’s talkingto, then… he’s talking aboutme.
I scowl. Mom promised me I wouldn’t have to live with him after the wedding, and she probably promised Jason the same thing, and now he has regrets. This morning he was pretending to be the cool stepfather showing me around town, all while he was wishing I wasn’t in Cherrybridge at all.
No one speaks for a moment. I wonder if they heard me come in. “I’m sorry, Neelam,” Jason finally says. “I shouldn’t have said that. Meera isalwayswelcome here.It’s just…” He sighs. “I’ve been a councilor so long that I thought the mayoral campaign would be straightforward. But it looks like my family, including you and Meera, are going to be scrutinized closely.”
Wait. Jason is running formayor? That’s huge. No one told me that.
Mom’s going to be the mayor’s wife.
“Jason, you have to trust me,” Mom says. “Meera’s a good girl. She hasn’t had a rebellious bone in her body until now. She’s naïve and needs to grow up a bit, and she can be a little sassy, but she’sseventeen. Who doesn’t hate their parents at that age? She’s a straight-A student and a compulsive rule-follower. And even if she wasn’t, as I told you on our first date, Meera and I are a package deal. You want me here with you, then you have to have her in your life too.”
“I know,” Jason says, his voice lowering. “And youknowI want you here. I want you with me more than I want air to breathe.” They’re both quiet for a while, and I wonder if they’re kissing.Ugh. So gross. I’m about to sneak upstairs when Jason speaks again. “I think it would be better if Meera agrees to stay here in September and attend Randell like I did. It’s an excellent school. She’d be seen as a LeClair instead of as an outsider.”
“I agree with you, but Meera will not,” Mom says. “She’s dead set on finishing high school in Toronto. I have the summer to convince her to stay.”
“Well, at least she went with Sadie and her friends today. They’re good kids. As a juvenile, her criminal history is sealed, so that shouldn’t be an issue. But if anyone asks, we can say she’s volunteering in the CROP program because conservation of natural spaces is important to her.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Mom says. “Meera doesn’t like change, but once she settles in, you’ll see. She’ll be an asset to your campaign. I promise.”
They’re quiet again, so I take the opportunity to sneak upstairs, because I really don’t want to listen to my mother making out with her husband.Ew.
