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orientation. That caused quite a stir. Along with the T-shirts. I guess you won’t be wearing one on our school spirit days.”
    â€œThe quality’s poor,” Fallon said. “Wearing cheap material makes my skin crawl.” Robbie had all but burned away any desire she had to wear cheap clothes after he became a clothing inspector.
    â€œIt’s not a Dupree thing to do,” he said.
    â€œWhat do you know about my family?”
    â€œWhat everyone else knows. Duprees are sleuths. They inspect everything. They also live up to their own quality standards, be it food, clothing, or dating. This is a small town, isn’t it?”
    Part of her wanted to turn the tables on him. Sebastian had to have been gossiped about at school, if his track record of girlfriends over the past month gave any indication. She was willing to bet he dated and dumped girls no matter the season.
    As if sensing her thoughts, he said, “Barringers have been coming to Grimbaud for years too, but we don’t have a reputation. Until now. I’m doing an awfully good job. You’ve seen the girls at my door this summer?”
    â€œI’m not that nosy.”
    He snorted. “You’ve been leaving tissue boxes.”
    Her breath caught. She hadn’t expected him to notice such a small thing.
    Sebastian flashed a lazy smirk. “I have a lot of ex-girlfriends. That’s kind of you to leave them tissues. You keep buying the expensive ones.”
    â€œThey need the extra care, with you breaking their hearts,” Fallon said softly. “Go away.”
    If Sebastian heard her, he didn’t give any indication. He matched her pace, keeping his gaze on the other side of the footbridge. His bangs fell into his eyes. “I’m bored, Fallon, and dating is as fun a game as any.”
    Fallon’s voice turned bitter. “I have a talent for ruining fun. You’re wasting your time.”
    Sebastian took one long step forward, flashing the white of his ankle. His leather shoe came down hard on the leaf resting there. The shattering sound made a group of crows rise into the air. “You didn’t jump.”
    Fallon blinked. “Was I supposed to be scared?”
    Sebastian cocked his head. He looked back at her over his shoulder. “I don’t know. That’s what’s interesting about you. You don’t act like a princess.”
    â€œAre princesses scared of leaves breaking?”
    â€œOf course. Princesses are delicate creatures. The sound reminds them of bones shattering in a dragon’s mouth. But you’re made of stronger stuff.”
    Fallon sucked in her breath. Her body felt leaden. The shadows shivered and danced around them, the light from the streetlamps stinging her eyes.
    â€œYou could try me out sometime, you know, with the dating thing.” His tone was teasing. “Who knows? We could fall in love.”
    She tried to smile as they started walking again, if only for her own sake. “I doubt it.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œSebastian,” she ventured. “It doesn’t matter what my fortune says. I’m not interested in dating you.”
    His mouth twitched. “More like passing the time.”
    â€œI think you’d have more fun with a real princess,” she said.
    When they reached the student housing complex, Sebastian opened the gate for her. She thanked him, but tucked the gesture away in her brain. She didn’t need to remember nice things like that, coming from a boy who would date anyone.

 
    chapter 4
    OVERDUE
    Sebastian’s words returned to plague Fallon on her walk to the school library the next day. Nothing about her was princesslike. Nothing at all. Fallon lacked classic beauty, an affinity for animals, and was not, as Sebastian insisted, delicate, no matter how well she cared for herself. Okay, so even after a morning of rushing from class to class and sharing her homemade lunch with Nico and Anais,