Page 6 of Group Studies

Guilt curled in my stomach. Saffron had two lovers and a fan club. I was either his job or his dirty little secret. No wonder Mercedes hated me.

One of the Dealership chiseled ‘homewrecker’ on the door of my dome. I looked up the word, but it wasn’t wrong. Whatever Saffron and Mercedes had going on, I unintentionally placed myself in the middle of it.

“How in the fuck do you always have chocolate chip cookies?” Ashe asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I shoved the last of my half-eaten cookie into my mouth and handed him one, as we walked toward my dorm.

Ashe lightly bumped me with his shoulder. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“I just do,” I said vaguely.

I talked to Ashe about many things, but the other men in my life were not one of them.

Ashe’s eyes crinkled in concern. “You know Alice’s probably the only genuinely nice person here. She’ll understand. It’s not your fucking fault that piece of shit you had for an advisor destroyed the hoodie.”

I swallowed and tried not to look behind me. “Ah, technically, Ram did take it.”

Ashe growled, clenching his fists. “Fucking bull shit. I’ve no idea how that happened. This is not how the MA works.”

I bit my bottom lip. It was precisely how the MA worked as far as I knew. Justice existed for those who could afford it. Ram and his trust fund, not me.

After the fight at the portal, Ram’s dead and injured girlfriends littered the scene. His magical signature had been everywhere. Every student at the school could testify Ram and Advisor Crowe were close. Ram still walked the halls of the Institute while his girlfriends who survived the fight paid for his mistake with their lives.

My skin prickled and I glanced around nervously, looking for my would be kidnapper. I pushed closer to Ashe. Shadows filled the alcoves housing the steepled windows lining the halls. But Ram seemed to be leaving me alone tonight.

I bumped Ashe’s shoulder. For a moment, I thought the Gentle Giant would put his arm around me.

“I see your doubt,” Ashe said, sliding his hands into his pockets instead. “The MA are the good guys, A. They rescued you.”

I let out a nervous breath and forced down my fear of Ram. “They lit fire to everything I ever knew.” I didn’t like the truth ringing in his words. “I hate them. They destroyed everything and dumped me here, us here. I don’t understand how you can keep standing up for them.”

“I fucked up,” Ashe said. “I used magic to kill an innocent. I deserve to be here.”

I scowled. “You said it was a mistake.”

“It doesn't fucking matter.” He punched the air with a fist. “I was running drugs, A. It was a matter of time. I knew it. The MA’s giving me a second chance to turn my shit life around.”

I trained my gaze on the ground.

Instead of arguing again, I changed our topic of conversation. “I need to make it up to Alice. I need to make it right. I’ve got an idea, but I need an outlet for my magic first, so I can focus.”

Ashe narrowed his eyes and grunted but otherwise didn’t respond.

Our footfalls echoed in the empty dim halls. I wished I didn’t need to rely on Ashe, but my life here had been far from smooth sailing, and I still struggled with the quiet.

I wrinkled my nose as we approached my dorm room. Another layer of graffiti decorated the door. ‘MA is your fault’ sat in bright green above partially washed off layers of ‘freak’ and ‘traitor.’

Guilt burned in my stomach. I used to see students of all ages using the lounges. Even on my first day here, I walked past pods of them gathered in the halls chatting. With the MA patrolling, I didn’t see that anymore. My classes felt fuller. No one was willing to ditch, even if they saved up enough rations to enjoy a day off.

“Sleep well, Kitten,” Ashe said, thankfully choosing to ignore the new graffiti.

I blushed, remembering the new nickname from the library as well. “Ah, you too, um, Ashe - ”

“I know, Kitten,” Ashe said before I finished saying thank you. “I fucking need to be needed, and you’re the neediest shit in this place.” He mussed my hair. “It shouldn’t work like this. My brother told me about the Institute before I got here, and something’s fucked up. Not that I can do anything about it, but we’ll hold on. It will get better.”

He squeezed my shoulder, and I slipped into my dark dorm room before he could see me blush again.

The sounds of light snores and the occasional rustle of one of my roommates shifting in their sleep met my ears. I looked towards Mercedes’ empty, decked-out fairy-lit bed. Unless he found a way to get rid of it, my magic still coursed through Saffron. I tried not to be bitter, but I’d love to know how he explained any of this to his girlfriend.

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