"Girlfriend?" Slater chuckled, looking at Rhett, who burst into laughter. "It’s a boy, dearest brother. Most of the boys at Ravenshore love themselves more than they love women, and the school turns a blind eye to it. Anyways, stay away from a guy with the dirty red hair who hangs near the greenhouse," Slater added.
"Last time, Marcus ended up high as the moon and tried to propose to one of the statues," Rhett chimed.
"They sell drugs, too?" I asked, my eyes widening with shock.
"This is a boarding house, Eamon. What do you think happens here besides education?" Rhett laughed. "Ravenshore is rotten to the core, but it has always been. Way before today."
"And last, avoid the student treasurer, Brielle," Slater said again. "She gives out loans to students both underground and officially. She looks like a saint, but she’ll rob your entire bloodline."
"Wow!" I shook my head, noting that Kael had added another toast to my plate.
"The easiest way to survive Ravenshore is to become popular," Rhett leaned back on the chair, popping two pills into his mouth and swallowing with water. "And you can achieve that by beating every student in your form and coming out as the best..."
"Or having superb fighting skills, the school has ever seen—Kael is the best fighter by the way," Slater murmured.
"Or, come from legacy. Perhaps your parents are members of the PTA board or the School board and have d a significant amount of money. Apart from that, being the son of an Alpha doesn’t mean anything here. We’re all sons of Alphas."
"So, Kael is First-year coordinator and the best fighter in the whole school, Slater is Beta Prime, and you’re..." I turned to Rhett.
"A member of the school board," he shrugged, giving me an easy smile. "And the most handsome boy Ravenshore has ever produced. I’ve won the title for two consecutive years. No one has ever done that."
"Wow!" I nodded, "Noted, guys, I’ve taken note of all the advice. Thank you."
Throughout our animated discussion, Kael remained quiet. But I noticed something, he kept refilling my water glass, refilling my plate with food, and quietly providing a napkin now and again for me to wipe my mouth.
I noticed there was one piece of chicken wing left, and as I was about to reach for it, Kael took it instead. I thought he was going to eat it, but instead, I watched in surprise as he carefully cut it into smaller, more chewable pieces before placing them gently on my plate.
Both Rhett and Slater burst out clapping, their eyes dancing with mischief.
Kael looked up, giving both boys an exasperated look. "What now?"
"Well, well, well," Rhett drawled, his grin widening. "What do we have here, Slater?"
"We’ve known each other for two years," Slater declared, pointing an accusing finger at Kael, "and never once—not once-have you given up the last piece of wing for me."
"Or me!" Rhett chimed in. "We’re supposed to be your best friends! Your brothers in arms! Eamon has only been here for two weeks and less and—"
Kael shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "He’d barely eaten anything from listening to both of you trying to mislead him with your ridiculous stories. I was trying to—"
"Just trying to do what?" Slater interrupted, trying to contain his laughter. "Make sure our sweet little Eamon is well-fed?"
"Oh goddess!" Rhett gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "You’re actually taking care of him!"
Slater stretched his hand toward Kael, looking solemn, despite the laughter in his eyes. "Welcome to the family, brother-in-law."
"Shut up," Kael muttered, swatting Slater’s hand away before rising from the table. "Both of you are idiots."
He began gathering the used bowls, ignoring the boys as they taunted him. The only thing that showed he was being affected was the way his ears had gone red.
I watched with fascination and a quiet smile as the boys followed Kael to the sink area, still teasing him.
"Kael’s got a crush," Rhett said. "Kael’s got a crush!"
"I do not," Kael protested, aggressively scrubbing a bowl that was already clean."
"Then explain the mother hen routine," Slater challenged, leaning against the counter with crossed arms. "You were refilling his water glass, monitoring his food and the last piece of chicken wing sacrifice. Last time I ate that, you almost killed me."
"It’s called being polite," Kael said through gritted teeth.
"It’s called being smitten," Rhett corrected with a gleeful cackle.
Watching them, I felt something warm blooming in my chest.
Here, surrounded by their playful banter and genuine affection for each other, I felt protected in a way I’d never experienced.
These boys, who barely knew me, were treating me like family, like someone worth caring about. The feeling was so foreign and precious at the same time that I had to blink back the tears that had gathered in my eyes.
When I finished eating, I took my plates to the sink and returned to my bed to organise my books and review my class schedule. Rhett immediately flopped beside me while Slater was helping with the dishes.
"Let me see your schedule," Rhett said, peering over my shoulder. "I can tell you which professors are total hard asses and which ones you can charm your way through."
I handed him the schedule and shuffled through my books when a small piece of paper fell out.
Rhett’s eyes darted to it immediately. "What’s that?" he asked.
"It’s nothing," I said quickly and made a move to grab it, but Rhett was faster, snatching it away before I could stop him.
"Give that back to me," I tried to reach for it again, but Rhett had stood up from the bed, and since he was taller, he backed me up.
"Whoa, Kael gave you homework?"
I tried to tell him, but he unfolded the paper and started chuckling before it quickly escalated to a full-blown hysteria.
"Oh moons!" he shrieked, doubling over. "I’m so jealous of Eamon right now!"