Page 158 of Ruthless Court

“Kane Haverhill kissed me.”

Silence.

Then the rest tumbles out.

“And I liked it.”

Lila screams.

Not a normal scream.

A glass-shattering, hands-over-her-mouth shriek that sends Noor’s pen rolling off the desk.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Kane Haverhill?”

“There’s only one.”

“The basketball player?”

“How many Kane Haverhills do you think attend Stanford?”

Lila launches herself off the bed and grabs my arms.

“You kissed the king of campus.”

“He kissed me.”

“And you liked it.”

“That part is becoming less enjoyable every time you repeat it.”

She starts bouncing.

Actually bouncing.

Noor doesn’t move.

Her expression has gone still in a way that makes the excitement drain out of the room.

“Oh, no,” she says.

I point at her.

“Exactly.”

Lila stops. “Why are we saying no? This is excellent.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“He’s beautiful.”

“That’s part of the problem.”

“He plays basketball.”