Page 42 of Lords of the Campus

Surrounded by a crowd now, Lyric looks around helplessly, seeking some kind of reprieve. “Will you blow me, since I’m in Alpha Lambda too?” Grant shouts.

“Maybe we should join the frat too, so we can get special favors,” a guy says, nudging his friend.

Lyric’s chest is heaving as she takes in deep breaths, trying to stay composed. She’s got on a fitted, sleeveless turtleneck with black and white stripes and brown leggings that hug her ass, and she crosses her arms over her chest.

Another guy calls out, “How much do I gotta pay for you to lift up that shirt, baby? I gotta see if you look as good as you do in your pictures!”

Shame burns red on her cheeks and she looks frozen in place as men and women alike make fun of her and catcall. They are encouraging her to show them the same slutty side she’s saved for us.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so satisfied in my life, knowing that Lyric has finally gotten what was coming to her. Now everyone knows who she is and what she’s capable of. There’s no running from consequences this time.

24

LYRIC

As I walk across campus that morning, I have a sick feeling of dread in my stomach. Whispers follow me around and people are pointing at me and snickering. Something has happened.

I don’t understand until I see it. There are flyers posted everywhere and I mean everywhere on campus, plastered across every surface with my name in bold, ugly letters, along with a photo of me in lingerie. It’s labeled,Proud Alpha Lambda Slut.

My heart sinks and I feel the blood drain from my face. People around me are starting to notice that it’s me, the girl in the photo. They circle around, calling out ugly names and say crude suggestions of what I can do for them.

Their voices blur together into a cruel cacophony, their words cutting deeper than any physical blow.

“Huh, didn’t realize she was that kind of girl,” someone nearby sneers.

“She’s a freakin’ nerd. Of course she’s desperate enough to slut around,” another voice chimes in.

My vision blurs with tears, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here, not now. I’m frozen in place, unable to move as their words pierce me like the sharpest knife. The world spins around me.

I force myself to start walking, each step heavier than the last. I know that this is fromthem. This is in retaliation for my trying to stand up for myself. I only wanted to level the playing field.

I thought I could handle this myself. I thought maybe if I had pushed back, they would see that things could be different between us. But this… I can’t understand why they wanted to hurt me so needlessly. I can’t face anyone right now, not like this. The humiliation is too overwhelming. I break into a run, needing to escape the suffocating judgment of everyone around me.

I don’t know where I’m going, my feet pounding against the pavement, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I just need to get away, to find someplace where I can be alone.

As I round a corner, I don’t see him until it’s too late. I collide with someone, the impact knocking the wind out of me. I stumble, and strong hands catch me, steadying me.

“Lyric? Hey, are you okay?” Cameron’s voice is gentle and concerned.

I look up, my vision still blurred by my tears and see his worried face. The sight of his kindness shatters the fragile composure I’ve been clinging to. The tears I’ve been holding back burst forth and I can’t stop them.

“I… I can’t…” I try to speak, but the sobs choke the words. Cameron’s expression softens and he pulls me into a comforting embrace.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, rubbing my back soothingly. “You’re safe now. I’m here.”

I cling to him, my body racked with sobs. The dam has broken and there’s no stopping the flood of emotions. Anger,hurt, betrayal—they all pour out of me in a torrent of tears. Cameron holds me, letting me cry on his shoulder.

For the first time since all of this started, I feel like I’m not alone. Maybe Cameron doesn’t know what’s going on, but he’s the first person who hasn’t cared. Right now, all I need is someone to hold onto, someone who isn’t going to tear me down. And in this moment, Cameron is that someone.

As I cry, Cameron strokes my back, whispering soothing words. “Do you want to go sit down somewhere?” he asks. I nod, unable to speak.

He leads me away from the campus grounds, taking me down the street to a nearby coffee shop. It’s quiet at this time of day and he pulls me to a table in the back, where we have a semblance of privacy.

Pulling a chair out for me, he nudges me to sit down and brings me a stack of napkins so I can wipe my face as I try to calm down.

“What happened?” he asks, his voice gentle.

“Did you see the flyers?” I ask, wiping the tears away, a bitter note in my voice.

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