Briarcliff Prep by Brianna Peppins

Author:Brianna Peppins [Peppins, Brianna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2022-10-14T00:00:00+00:00

A TEXT LIT AVI’S PHONE as she strolled through the campus store’s small hair-care section looking for her favorite leave-in conditioner. It was a reminder from Belle to be in the Angelou Auditorium by 1:45 p.m.

Since making up with Belle on Halloween, Avi had resumed her position as a full-fledged member of Belle’s pageant team.

Avi huffed at the sad aisle of hair products, resolving instead to use some of Zazie’s leave-in conditioner tonight. She sauntered over to the books and magazine section, running her hands over used copies of Kindred by Octavia Butler, Odd One Out by Nic Stone, and the most recent editions of Sesi magazine before looking closer at some of the newer releases. Avi picked one up, flipped the pages, and held it to her nose, inhaling the newness of a different story.

“Wow. You really just did that,” said Quincy’s bemused voice from behind her.

Avi jumped, a hand to her chest. “Where did you come from?” She snapped the book shut and held it behind her back like a stolen good.

He smirked as he approached her, and her shock eased. The days of awkwardness and avoidance were over. It was nice for Avi to finally relax around him. She was no longer worried about whether she was trapped in the sister zone or if they would ever be able to exist as friends.

“I saw you through the window,” Quincy laughed. “You smelled that book like how they do in movies. I didn’t know that was a real-life thing people do.”

“Well, they do. Or at least I do.”

She hugged the book to her chest and tried not to make her next deep inhale so obvious. Quincy always smelled so good, like laundry right out the dryer. He looked good, too, in his hooded green Helly Hansen jacket and black jeans. The heavy saxophone case he’d been carrying rested by their feet.

“You do it, why?” he asked, tugging the book out of her grasp and scanning the cover.

“I dunno. New books smell good to me.”

“Okay.” He nodded slowly. “And do you only buy the ones that smell good, or do you commit to buying them as soon as you’ve smelled them?”

“Ha-ha,” Avi said, snatching the book back. “I’m gonna see if Cori will read it, too, so I can have someone to talk about it with other than strangers online. I think she mentioned liking dystopian before.”

She walked toward the register with the book open to the author’s biography. Quincy followed.

“You have to go to rehearsal today?” Avi asked, nodding toward his sax.

Last week, Belle had mentioned that the alumnae running the pageant were searching for students to perform during transitions. Wanting to stand out, Belle took it upon herself to volunteer EJ (who gladly took any opportunity to be onstage) and Quincy (who didn’t mind).

“Yeah,” Quincy sighed. “But they said rehearsal wouldn’t be so long today. I was stuck in that auditorium for three hours yesterday. I forgot a cut appointment and had to give dude a discount.” He shook his head, grieving the money lost.

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