Page 6 of Loving the Liar

I cannot get kicked out. If I don’t stick to the career path my family has chosen, much worse things than failing college will happen.

I drop my arms. “Let’s admit it. I’m too stupid to even try his class. So I did the best I could.”

There’s one thing I wish didn’t match my image. My brains. Because everyone expects the queen bee to be some stupid girl who only cares about looks. And here I am…as dumb as one can get.

“You’re not stupid,” Alex corrects me right away. “This is not what you want to do. It’s hard to work for a major you never wanted to study in the first place.”

“You were doing a major you hated your first year, and you were still the best in your class,” I mumble, playing with the corner of the page. “Dancing came naturally. I don’t have to use my brain and it’s better that way.”

“You’re a very hardworking dancer and you put yourself through intense training.” Alex is sweet, but I don’t think it’s helping. “You’ve been forced to change your entire future since last year. Give yourself some time to adapt.”

“Professor Reeves has a different perspective.” My tone is bitter, but it’s not aimed at her. It’s aimed at the man who puts so much pressure on us and makes his students compete with each other like his class is some sort of prize.

I’m officially starting my third year, and I only transferred to his class in the middle of last year, but I have managed to make zero friends there because everyone hates each other so much. They’re too focused on trying to get in Reeves’s good graces to help each other out. So, I’ve been on my own trying to navigate this class. I’m not used to that. I’m used to people getting on their knees to assist me.

“So…is this going to be a bi-weekly thing, then?” Peach asks, humor tinting her questions.

A laugh escapes me. “You’re such a fucking idiot.”

“We can rotate if you want. I’ll fuck him so you keep your spot. I’m willing to make the sacrifice.”

I smile dumbly at my friend. “Will you punch him while you do so? I kind of hate him, but he was a good fuck.”

“I will punch him just before he comes. Make it horrible for him.”

“You’re the best, Peach. A true friend.”

She winks at me, ready to change topics as she grabs her phone and unlocks it. “Did you see what Hermes posted yesterday?” Her playful expression is tempting me to check the horrible app we all know so well.

The SFU app is our own unofficial university social media. People can report anonymously to whoever owns it, but only one person can post.

Hermes.

No one knows who that person is. Every single student at SFU has a blast sending Hermes each other’s secrets. My friends and I always assumed they were a freshman when we were sophomores because that’s when the app started. So, now they must be a sophomore. But there’s no way to know if we’re right.

Their motto? Your secrets are safe with me.

Until they aren’t.

Students send countless secrets daily, but only Hermes decides which are revealed. The optimum of rich kids’ toxicity. They’re bored to death and so they decide to ruin each other’s lives.

Hermes spares no one, but they also specifically love my friends and me. We’ve been the talk of the SFU app countless times. Oftentimes, it’s something stupid, but it’s always true. If I know the secrets Hermes exposed about me are true, I know the ones they exposed about others are true, too. And if others know theirs are true…it’s a vicious cycle.

“Please don’t talk to me about that app,” I groan, rubbing my temples with both hands. “I just told you something that could destroy me. If Hermes learns about it, I’m as good as dead.”

“It’s not about you. It’s not about any of us.” Peach licks her lips with excitement. “It’s about Rose White.”

My eyebrows shoot up. Hermes really isn’t scared of anything. Rose is older than us, starting law school this year at SFU. She’s one of my brother’s best friends. They’ve known each other forever. And while Luke lives on the other side of the country, Rose is still around. Anyone with a pair of eyes knows she’s one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Hell, Peach has been completely head over heels for her since high school. But Rose is trouble. Her past is more than turbulent, and I’m pretty sure men have killed for her. Now that she dates three people who I’ve heard are on the wrong side of possessive, I wouldn’t want to mess with her. Apparently, Hermes doesn’t mind.

“Do I even want to know what they wrote about her?” I ask Peach.

She shrugs. “It’s not that exciting, but I thought you’d want to know.” When she pauses for effect, I roll my eyes.

“Come on, spill.”

“You know how every year Reeves chooses a second- or third-year law student to be his assistant?”

“No way,” I gasp, already knowing where this is going.

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