Prep School Experiment (5 page)

She didn’t get to talk to him again until the director finished his remarks. Then, she had to fight the crowd to get to him, a crowd that mostly contained girls. This was it. She could fade into the background like she had at Shay Prep or she could make her move. Pulling out her inner New Yorker, Kaitlin elbowed past the girls and past Elena, who was getting news from home.

Kaitlin tilted her head back and stared at Rhys. “So, you know. We should go out. No one else matched at 98%.”

Rhys looked at her like she’d asked him to redesign the New York subway system. “I’m not really into assigned dating.”

Elena gave her a protective look. “He’s really not, Kaitlin. He’s really not your type.”

Kaitlin frowned and shook her off. “You let Elena take your opportunity. Are you going to let her take me from you, too?”

“When you put it that way, I guess you could show me around.” Rhys’ placed his arm around her shoulders and trouble glinted in his green eyes.

Kaitlin held in the shiver.

Elena tried again. “Rhys, she’s nice. Really nice. Don’t—”

Kaitlin’s face heated and she stared hard at Elena.
Please. Stop.

“Stay out of it, Elena,” Rhys drawled.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head. “Don’t take out being pissed at me on Kaitlin.”

“I’m not the one with the misplaced rage.”

Elena blanched. “No. You’re all surface rage and action, and Kaitlin’s all heart and open. I’m saying, don’t screw her over.”

Rhys’ green gaze dropped to Kaitlin. “What can you show me?”

Anything you want to see.
Her mouth opened and closed. No words came out.

The vultures circled. Two girls got close. But, before they said anything, Rhys said, “What’s up with the phones here? Why aren’t they fixed?”

“They’re trying,” one girl said. “It just hasn’t worked.”

Rhys looked dumbfounded. “This is Alaska, not Canada.”

Kaitlin found her voice. “The earthquake messed with the lines and the satellite tower.”

He made a derisive noise.

“Yeah,” Elena said. “It’s weird here.”

Rhys checked out the crowd. “What kind of weird? Flash mobs? Plankers?”

Thane strode toward Rhys, ignoring her shaking head. The thought of him stirring it up again made her brave. “What do you want?” she asked and threw an arm around Rhys’ waist.

The crowd retreated. Elena stayed close, a worried frown on her face. Thane put his arm around Elena and kissed her. He straightened with an open expression, all hostility gone. “What are we talking about?”

Rhys’ mouth gaped then shut. His eyes widened at Elena with unholy glee. “You’re
not
dating him.”

Elena flushed, shifted on her feet, and shook her head. “No.”

“Yes,” Thane said, contradicting her.

Elena flushed harder and put her hand to her forehead.

It wasn’t like Elena to be at a loss for words. Kaitlin didn’t like seeing her worried. “They’re not matched or anything,” she explained more to Rhys about the soul mate project. Rhys just looked confused.

Elena recovered herself and supported Kaitlin. “Did you explain about how you’re the most compatible pair here?”

“Oh, yes,” Kaitlin said. Rhys hadn’t acknowledged it exactly. But explained. She just needed more time with him. “It’s a lot for him to take in.”

The director went to the microphone and announced a group meeting for the newcomers, effectively taking Rhys away from her.

Despite the angry welcome he’d received, Rhys had agreed to join their team. He sat down with her, Elena, and Thane, for a meeting. Kaitlin tried for a little more subtlety than she had shown on his arrival and nudged a puff sugar cupcake toward him.

Elena bit into her own cupcake. She poked her finger in the icing where Kaitlin had drawn a heart.

Kaitlin hoped Elena didn’t mention that she’d mixed three batches of icing to get the shades right: Blue for Thane’s eyes, for him and Elena to eat. Green for Rhys’ eyes.

Rhys ate his in two bites and licked some green icing off his finger.

Oh.

Wow.

His mouth was perfect. His hands were perfect.

Heat flooded her body. She wanted to take him away from the group. Was he thinking the same thing? Would he make an excuse for them to leave?

“We should warn Rhys about the weirdness here,” Elena said.

“Weirdness,” Rhys said. “Yeah. Elena dating Thane. How’s that going to work at Thanksgiving? Can you pass the gravy? Can you give me my legs back?”

What?
Kaitlin frowned and glanced between Thane and Elena.

Elena didn’t answer him, and she tried to withdraw her hand from underneath Thane’s. Thane tightened his grip, not letting her go.

Kaitlin inched closer to Rhys. “When couples face challenges, they just have to work them out.”

“Off subject, people,” Elena said. “The layers of freakiness go deep.” She lowered her voice. “They have vats of drugs in the restricted area. I’ve seen them.”

“When?” Rhys asked.

“When Thane and I snuck upstairs to see our friend, Geneva, who got sent home.”

“We can’t make sense of this if we don’t have all the pieces. So if you see anything weird, share the information.” Thane slid a hand into her hair and she leaned on his shoulder.

They were so cute. Maybe she and Rhys would look like that one day.

Rhys shook his head and stared at Thane’s hand on Elena. “Dude, that’s so weird.” He glanced at the restricted area. “Why wait? Let’s go up there.”

“We tried, but once we lost the access badge we couldn’t get in anymore.” Elena withdrew one of the vitamin packets from her pocket and turned the label so they could read it. “What vitamins are marked
for experimental use only
?”

“I always thought payment for being here seemed weird,” Rhys said. “If I’m going to be in this zoo, I want to know the real reason I’m pushing a lever for a food pellet.”

Kaitlin hated that he’d said
if
. It implied he’d leave. “No one else seems to notice or complain.”

“Oh, they notice,” Thane said. “They’re just not complaining.”

Kaitlin shuddered. “We’ll figure out something. I know we will.”

Rhys looked at her and tilted his head, his eyes curious.

She really needed to get him alone. Maybe tomorrow.

Alaskan Boarding School – Rhys

Elena’s roommate Kaitlin caught up to him by the wall of faux blue ice blocks. He didn’t get her at all. He was fighting how much he wanted to. Damn. He’d only been here a few days and he already had a major temptation luring him to sway from his vow—no more rich girls. Not that Kaitlin paraded the fact that her family had money. It was in the small phrases she used: lifelong dance classes, favorite Manhattan deli, no clue which college she’d go to and then she’d named several private schools.

She would not fit in in the trailer park. Her parents wouldn’t let her near a guy from a trailer park. He was staying away from her.

Kaitlin held out a cupcake. Pink frosting. Mercifully small. She was a god awful cook. Rhys took it from her carefully. Her cherry lips curved into a fragile smile, and he knew he’d have to eat the freaking thing. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Her big brown eyes widened, and her gaze rose to his. The possessiveness in them should have made him wary. Instead, he found it fascinating. Really fascinating. And he wished he didn’t. For a guy who had gone all his life without being claimed, there was something about that look that appealed to him far too much.

Rhys stepped closer. Kaitlin’s irises flashed with bits of silver blue and her creamy cheeks flushed. He loved stirring her up and wanted to see what would happen when he touched her. He tightened his grip on the cupcake instead.

God.

He had to get away from her.

Rhys took a step back. He stuffed a bite of the pink cupcake into his mouth to keep from doing or saying something really stupid.

Strawberry. Sweet.

His gaze went to her mouth, and her cute, curvy body.

His imagination kicked in. Heat filled him.

Stop.
“Gotta go.” Rhys strode off, gaining distance from temptation. He needed to get outside these freaking walks. Arctic air. Do something unappealing. He was glad he’d already completed The Scientist’s weekly health check questionnaire that asked, “How are you feeling?” If he had to answer right now, his response would have burned up the page.

***

Though Rhys hadn’t arrived at the boarding school in time for all the team events, the coordinators said he’d be eligible for the trip home if he was on the winning team. He wondered what the Wentworths would think of that, and how it would even work. He’d soon find out because they were on the last event and his team was in the top three.

They got into the carved-out log—Kaitlin, him, a padded bar and then Elena and Thane.

Coordinator Steele pointed at the snowy vista. Blue and red flags waved in the distance. Their color stood out in a sharp contrast to the whiteness. “It’s a ten-mile timed track. At each intersection, make a choice of leaning into the slower straighter track marked by blue flags or taking the high-speed, steep track marked by red.”

Coordinator Steele backed off and moved to the wooden plank holding them in place at the top of the hill.

Thane said, “We take the fastest courses all the way. Agreed?”

Kaitlin waved her arms, pointing right then left. “As soon as I see red, I’ll yell the direction. Right, left or whatever, and you guys lean and repeat it back.”

“Got it,” Elena said.

Coordinator Steele shoved at a crank and a metal restraint dropped into the snow. The log teetered and then lunged forward, taking the course fast, sending an icy spray over their face and shoving Kaitlin into him.

They sped down the frozen path, leaning, yelling, watching for the other teams. The track wove through trees.

“Left,” Kaitlin yelled.

“Left,” they repeated and leaned.

“No. Right, right,” she screamed, sounding panicked.

Rhys’ arms tightened around her, and they leaned right. The log bounced and rode roughly, reluctant to take the altered path until the chute smoothed out and the incline eased off.

Blue flags fluttered past.

Kaitlin pointed to the left. A herd of spindly-legged, winter-fluffed reindeer crossed onto the red path.

Defeated by Bambi. Guess he wouldn’t be showing up at the Wentworths for a surprise dinner after all. He felt weirdly disappointed, and his arm tightened around Kaitlin again.

The log angled around a corner, and the other teams came into view below, finishing first and second. Elena screeched behind him until Thane shut her up by kissing her.

Ahead of them, a large overhanging branch dipped down, like a drunken elbow. The log slid closer, and a large cracking sound came from the tree.

Shit.

“Guys,” Kaitlin said.

Rhys threw his arms over her head.

With a powerful snap, the branch broke, dropping. Their log slammed into it, spun, and rolled.

Air.

Weightless.

Cold smash into snow.

They crawled upright, the four of them covered in powdery, sparkling snow. Elena lost it, laughing out loud—a loud contagious laugh that set them all off.

Rhys fell back and looked over at Kaitlin, who was forming a snow angel with open abandon. He did the same and they played in the snow, reluctant to head back to the school until the last possible minute.

They hiked back together, the snow making the trek more difficult than any hike he’d ever done in the flat area around Trallwyn.

By the time the finish line came into view, everyone had gone except two coordinators. They paced, checked their watches, and the sky. Coordinator Steele said, “What took you so long?”

No one answered.

The Science Coordinator waved a hand down the side of the mountain. “I don’t understand. You are so much more capable than the other teams. How are you feeling? Tired? Sick? Did you eat more cupcakes? Did you take your vitamins?”

Elena moved slightly in front of Kaitlin, as if she’d give them away. “Sure.”

Coordinator Steele narrowed her gaze. “They’re liars. They were probably making out in the snow. It’s all over them.”

Kaitlin brushed snow off her sleeve and flushed.

The Scientist said, “So you took your vitamins, and you still came in last?”

Thane stepped forward. “Why are you so focused on the vitamins?”

Kaitlin bit her lip and then opened her mouth as if to confess something.

Rhys tilted his chin. “I’ve never taken one.”

The Scientist’s face blanched. “You consented to take them before you came. It’s a key part of the program.” He jotted down some notes. “Did you hold up your team at any point?” He looked up when Rhys didn’t answer. “You did eat the cupcakes though, didn’t you?”

“Not today or yesterday.”

“But before?”

“Yeah.”

The Scientist stared hard at Kaitlin, his expression pointed and calculating.

Kaitlin made a leap that they all reached at the same time. The Scientist was too focused on the cupcakes, as he had been before. He’d done something to the ingredients.

Kaitlin gasped and covered her mouth with her mitten. “I’ve been putting vitamin mix in the cupcakes instead of some other ingredient. Is that what you’re saying?”

The Scientist rubbed his temple with his palm then glanced at the coordinator. “See? I can’t tell how much they’ve ingested. Their data is useless.”

Rhys’ mind spun around the possibilities and landed on what Elena had told him about the bins of powder she’d found. He stepped closer to Kaitlin and then looked at The Scientist. He repeated the exact words from the label Elena had shown him. “
For experimental use only
. What does that mean?”

“Are you testing on us?” Thane asked.

“Shut up,” Coordinator Steele said.

The Scientist flushed. “Why would you even ask such a question?” His voice pitched high.