You Said I Was Your Favorite (A Lancaster Prep Novel)

I lean in as if I’m conspiring with Vivian, murmuring, “What did he do?”

“You mean Archibald?” Vivian rolls her eyes and I muffle a giggle with my fingers. I’m guessing she gets a thrill out of calling him by his full name too. “What does that child not do to aggravate the headmaster on a daily basis?”

“But it’s only the first day of school.” Arch’s reputation is known around campus. He’s the troublemaker. The reckless one. The impulsive one. He gets caught in stupid stunts all the time and it’s a wonder he hasn’t broken a bone or done some sort of permanent damage to himself by now.

He may be intelligent, but he can act stupid with the best of them too.

“Oh, he started it off in typical Archibald style.” Vivian rises from her chair and bustles around her desk, heading for the counter so she can lean over it and talk to JJ. “What exactly happened with your best friend, John?”

JJ turns to look at Vivian, his expression incredulous. “First, no one ever calls me John but you.”

“It’s your name,” she states, her voice flat.

Vivian doesn’t always have the best sense of humor, but I don’t think she’s as mean as everyone says.

He blows out a breath. “And second, nothing happened.”

“Nothing?” Vivian’s brows shoot up.

JJ nods, his expression solemn. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

Vivian sends me a look and I shrug. JJ’s gaze slides to mine and he smiles. “Oh hey, jail bait.”

Vivian’s gaze narrows. “What did you just call her, young man?”

“It’s fine.” I plop my butt on top of the empty desk that all of the office aides sit at and swing my feet. I’d give anything to get out of this itchy skirt and it’s only second period. The jacket is hot too. So hot, I shrug out of it, dropping it on top of the desk. “JJ and I go way back.”

JJ grins. “Yeah, we do.”

Vivian glances over at me. “How far back?”

“All the way to about an hour ago, in the auditorium. That’s his little nickname for me.” I smile sweetly, still swinging my feet, silently daring him to call me jail bait again.

Vivian watches him as if she fully expects him to say it too.

“You’re ballsier than I thought,” JJ finally says, and I swear there’s a touch of respect in his tone. “You can hold your own, Albright.”

The door suddenly swings open and Arch appears, his hair seeming to stand on end and his tie hanging crookedly from around his neck. His biceps strain against the white cotton of his button down and he stops when he sees me, his expression downright murderous.

No one says a word. Not JJ, not Vivian and not even Arch. Eventually, an exasperated breath leaves him and he tilts his head, JJ jumping to his feet, and the two of them silently flee the office, the door slamming behind them.

“Did Arch actually leave?” Headmaster Matthews calls from his office.

“Yes, sir, he certainly did, along with JJ,” Vivian says with relish. I’m sure she’d love for both of them to get in trouble.

Matthews appears in his office doorway, his expression even when he says, “It’s fine. JJ can go. He’ll only defend his best friend anyway, so it’s not like he’ll tell me anything new.”

JJ didn’t mention anything to us either, so I’m thinking Headmaster Matthews is right.

“Daisy, go follow them and grab Arch for me, will you?” Matthews smiles at me. “I need you to bring him back here.”

I gape at him, my swinging legs coming to a stop. “You want me to go get him?”

“He’ll now be helping out in the office during second period, and I’ll need you to teach him what to do.” Matthews inclines his head toward the door. “Go on.”

“But—” I pause, swallowing hard. “I’m the only office aide for second period.”

“And now we have two. Hurry and go chase him down before he disappears.” I can tell by the tone of his voice, Matthews isn’t going to back down.

I’m going to have to go find Arch and bring him back here.

With reluctant steps I exit the admin building and walk outside, wincing from the intensity of the sun and how my new loafers rub against the back of my ankles. There isn’t anyone else outside except for two tall shapes moving across the campus at a pretty good clip, headed toward the parking lot.

Arch and JJ.

I launch into a jog, wincing when my loafers pinch my feet but I push through. I’m grateful I dumped the jacket because it’s so hot outside that I can feel sweat dampening my shirt and the back of my neck.

“Hey,” I call when I draw closer to them, though my voice is weak and they don’t hear me. “Hey!”

JJ glances over his shoulder, nudging Arch in his side as he says something.

Arch doesn’t even bother turning around.

“You guys!” I pick up the pace, ignoring the way my loafers rub against the back of my ankles. “Stop!”

They actually listen to me this time and turn around, matching bored expressions on their faces as they watch me approach. I come to a stop directly in front of them, trying to hide the fact that I’m panting, but they can tell.

“Out of shape much?” JJ asks. He’s an excellent lacrosse player and probably doesn’t know what it feels like to be winded.

“I just—it’s hot.” I smile, brushing wayward strands of hair out of my eyes. I put my hair into a braid to keep it out of the way and it’s all falling out regardless. “Matthews asked that you come back to the office, Arch.”

“He did, huh?” Arch shoves his hands in his trousers, contemplating me, that bored expression still on his handsome face. With the haphazard hair and partially undone tie, he’s giving disheveled chic, and I have to admit, he looks great. Which is infuriating. “You can tell him I’m not going to be his second period office aide. He’s already got you.”

“Trust me, I really don’t want you to be the office aide either,” I retort, absolutely hating the idea of being in close proximity of Arch Lancaster five days a week. Besides, I’m sure a Lancaster would never want to be a lowly office aide.

The boys share a look, Arch’s lips curling into a faint smile before he returns his attention to me. “You don’t like me, do you?”

“Not particularly.” The words fly out of my mouth with no warning, and for a second, I wish I could take them back. I’m not outwardly mean. That’s not my style.

“Love your honesty, because the feeling is mutual.” His smile is sweet despite his venomous words, and I can only stare at him in shock.

No one has ever told me to my face that they don’t like me. I don’t have a lot of friends here and part of that is my own fault, considering I prefer to keep to myself. People who work at Lancaster Prep adore me thanks to my father. I’ve lived on this campus for years, and many of the teachers and staff have witnessed me growing up. They feel connected to me, and I feel the same way about them. Like we’re one big happy family.

But my fellow students? They don’t think about me much at all. I don’t fit in, no matter how hard I try. I can’t ski in Gstaad over winter break and I don’t summer in the Hamptons or travel all over Europe. I’ve been nowhere because we don’t have a lot of money. I went to New York City a couple of times as a kid with my parents to see a Broadway show, but after Mom died, Dad didn’t have much time for Broadway. Or trips.

He prefers to stay here on campus. Where it’s quiet and peaceful and he can putter around in his garden or in his workshop.

“Y-you really don’t like me?” I ask Arch, still in shock.

To hear someone—the most popular boy on campus—say that to my face is…

Painful.

“No. I don’t. You think you’re better than everyone else. And you’re too quiet, like you’re full of secrets. What are you hiding, anyway? Because you’re definitely hiding something. Right, JJ?”

JJ seems uncomfortable, keeping his gaze cast downward on his feet. “Yeah, right,” he grumbles.

Secrets? I’m not interesting enough to keep any secrets. What is he talking about?

“Plus, you keep gunning for the number one position like we’re in actual competition with each other,” Arch explains, his intense gaze locked on me. “Get comfortable being number two, Albright. There’s no way I’m giving up the top spot. My GPA is solid.”

I wasn’t even sure he was aware that I was right behind him, GPA-wise. He rarely acknowledges me, not that I need his attention. I’d rather fly under the radar.

And I fully planned on trying to surpass his GPA this semester. I took two college credit courses over the summer and everything is advanced this and advanced that. My only relaxing period is in the office and I’m not about to let him disturb my peace. “Isn’t that the whole point? That we’re in competition with each other, trying to do better?”

He makes a scoffing noise. “You’re not competition. You’re just that try-hard girl who thinks she’s better than me.”

Anger fills my blood and I take a step back, trying to calm my breathing. “More like you think you’re better than me.”

“Guess what?” His brows shoot up. “I am.”

Seriously? Did he really just say that to my face?

“You’re a monster.” My words are a knee-jerk reaction and I immediately wish I called him something stronger.

Something worse.

Arch actually grins. “You’re right. Don’t ever forget it.”

“Oh, trust me. I won’t.” I lift my chin. “I’ll let Matthews know you refused to come back to the building with me.”

With those final words, I turn on my heel and head back toward the administration building, my anger growing with every step I take. How dare he describe me like I’m some annoying gnat that irritates him every time I come around. Like I don’t even matter to him. As if I’m somehow…subhuman.

How dare he dismiss me with a few words and a sneer on his lips. Who the heck does he think he is?

Well, I know who he is. And so does everyone else on this campus. He’s a Lancaster.

Meaning he’s untouchable.

I’m almost to the building when I feel someone whoosh past and suddenly Arch is right in front of me, a placating smile on his handsome face. I come to a stop and I’m tempted for the briefest moment to stomp my foot on top of his.

But I don’t. Instead, I say in the most demanding voice I can muster, “Move.”

Arch rears his head back, as if he’s startled by what I said and this…pleases me.

I hate that I’ve stooped to his level but he gave me no choice. And now he’s smiling at me like we’re best friends and this conversation we’re having is completely normal when it so isn’t.

“Hey, we don’t need to keep up this war between us.” He shifts out of my way, keeping pace as I head for the double doors that lead into the admin building. “Let’s present a united front to Matthews. What do you think?”

I come to a halt directly in front of the doors, whirling around to face him. “I think you should take that united front and—shove it up your ass.”

He laughs as I push my way through the double doors, but I keep my back to him and my head held high.

I rarely curse. I don’t say rude things to people and I’m not confrontational. Truthfully, I’m shocked I came up with all of that but wow.

It definitely felt…

Good.