Where The Ice Gives Way (Charlotte and Blake) novel Chapter 227

Where The Ice Gives Way

Chapter 227 Pretty Hair and Past Mistakes

Emily

“Ex… flings?” I echo Jessica’s words, my heart dropping hard enough to bruise something on the way down.

I mean, I knew Theo wasn’t innocent. Of course I knew that. He smiles like he invented the word trouble, and even before I him properly, I understood he had probably spent a lot of time being chased, adored, and forgiven far too quickly.

But knowing that and seeing it walk toward me are two very different things.

Especially when it looks like them.

Three girls move across the courtyard with the kind of confidence I have only ever seen on people who have never had to wor they belong somewhere. Their uniforms fit perfectly. Their hair looks perfect. Their faces look perfect. Everything about them polished, pretty, and painfully perfect.

I glance down at my too-short skirt and Charlotte’s borrowed blazer, suddenly aware of every inch of myself.

At the same time, Sasha growls low inside me.

Mine, she snaps.

I look to Theo, and his hand is suddenly wrapped around mine beneath the table in a death grip. I wonder if he is trying to com me or stop himself from fleeing into the snow.

His eyes are locked on the approaching girls, and he looks guilty as hell.

“Theo,” the girl in the middle says when they stop in front of our table.

She has blonde hair, long lashes, and the kind of mouth that looks made for sin. Her eyes flick over Theo, then to me, and all the idle chatter at the table dies.

I can practically hear Theo swallow.

“Monica,” Annabelle says with a warning in her voice I haven’t heard from her before.

Monica lifts both brows, entirely unimpressed. “Oh please. You can’t blame us for being curious, can you? Her gaze moves to me again. “We heard Theo was spotted actually holding hands with a girl this morning.”

The girl beside her, with dark black hair cut just below her chin, folds her arms. “In broad daylight too.

Beves thought we’d see the day,” the third girl adds.

She has brown hair, a little like mine, though hers falls in fuese waves over her shoulders. She leans jutward, evering the side of

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Chapter 227 Pretty Hair and Past Mistakes

her mouth from Theo like she is sharing a secret, then loudly whispers, “He’s a dick. In more ways than one.”

Theo chokes. Blake coughs into his hand. Charlie drops his sandwich. Charlotte makes a strangled sound beside me, and Jess presses her lips together like she is fighting for her life.

My brain goes completely blank.

Monica elbows the brown-haired girl, shooting her a scolding look. “Eliza.”

“What?” Eliza says innocently. “She deserves the truth.”

Theo drags a hand down his face. “Can’t you all just leave us alone?”

The black-haired girl smiles sweetly. “No. Thanks. But no.”

Monica sighs, then looks back at me, and I brace myself for the part where she looks me up and down and starts judging me.

“Anyway,” she says, “we thought we’d come and introduce ourselves, because Theo has no manners and would never do it.”

“That’s not true,” Theo mutters.

Everyone looks at him and he sinks slightly lower on the bench. “Fine. It’s a little true.'”

Monica points to herself. “I’m Monica. This is Meg.” She gestures to the black-haired girl, then to the brown-haired one. “And th

Eliza.”

Eliza gives me a little wave. “Welcome to Wellington.”

Meg nods. “We don’t get new faces very often.”

I stare at them, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it doesn’t.

They seem curious, maybe a little amused, but there’s no cruelty there. No challenge.

And that only confuses me more.

“I’m Emily,” I say, even though they clearly already know that.

Monica smiles, “We know.”

That sounds creepy,” Meg says

Manica rolls her eyes. “Everyone knows. It’s a small town. News travels faster than common surse here

Then’s thom moves over my krakles, but he still looks like he wants the table to swallows Min

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Chapter 227 Pretty Hair and Past Mistakes

I look from the girls to him, then back again. “So… you came over because you were curious?”

“We’re nosy,” Eliza says as she shrugs. “Sue us.”

“And we wanted to see the girl who finally made him act like a person,” Meg adds.

Theo groans. “I was a person.”

Monica gives him a flat look. “You were a dick.”

Ov

These girls clearly know a version of Theo I don’t. A version of him before me, and I’d be lying if I said that didn’t sting a little because I think he wants them, but they remind me that he had a whole life before I came along.

Monica must notice something going on with my face, because her smile fades at the edges.

“Hey,” she says, quieter now. “We’re not here to be awful.”

Eliza nods, suddenly softer too. “We don’t want him back, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“No offence,” Meg adds, glancing at Theo.

“Some taken,” Theo mutters.

“Good,” all three girls say at once.

1 laugh before I can stop myself. It just slips out so quickly.

Monica smiles again, but this time it is gentler. “Theo was never cruel. Just…” She looks at him, considering. “Careless.”

way we were the idiots who thought we would be the special one,” Meg says.

Eliza shrugs. “Clearly we weren’t.”

“Clearly hunca agrees.

abelle clears her throat loudly. “This is weirdly wholesome. I was prepared for violence.”

Chapter 227 Pretty Hair and Past Mistakes

I look from the girls to him, then back again. “So… you came over because you were curious?”

“We’re nosy,” Eliza says as she shrugs. “Sue us.”

“And we wanted to see the girl who finally made him act like a person,” Meg adds.

Theo groans. “I was a person.”

Monica gives him a flat look. “You were a dick.”

These girls clearly know a version of Theo I don’t. A version of him before me, and I’d be lying if I said that didn’t sting a little

because I think he wants them, but they remind me that he had a whole life before I came along.

Monica must notice something going on with my face, because her smile fades at the edges.

“Hey,” she says, quieter now. “We’re not here to be awful.”

Eliza nods, suddenly softer too. “We don’t want him back, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“No offence,” Meg adds, glancing at Theo.

“Some taken,” Theo mutters.

“Good,” all three girls say at once.

I laugh before I can stop myself. It just slips out so quickly.

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