Page 25 of White Hole

“Please. I only date smart guys.” I spoke loudly enough that I hoped Xavier heard me through the bedroom door.

She chuckled. “Okay. Well, if you want to talk boys, don’t be a stranger. I know I’ve been busy with Xavier, but I don’t want to neglect our friendship.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you.” I quickly made it across campus to the testing location. When I arrived, I tugged on the doors, but they were locked. Confused, I tried again. They didn’t budge. A handwritten note was posted on the glass that stated the location for the MCAT had changed and listed a room number somewhere near the art building.

As I read the paper, Maurice, a TRZ member, came up behind me. “Oh, hey, Kinsley.” Maurice had been sitting at our lunch table earlier that day. I shirked at his approach, embarrassed at running out of the cafeteria so dramatically.

“Do you know about this?” I asked, pointing to the sign.

“Yeah. Heard some of my brothers say the location changed to the fine arts building.”

“Oh. That’s weird.” I turned, but paused to see if Maurice was able to open the doors or not.

He tried, but the doors would not open. “Huh. These doors locked?”

“Yeah, I guess. Well, I’ll see you.” I ran off towards the fine arts building.

I was late. I’d never been late for anything. My heart raced and sweat poured from my forehead. Would they still let me in to take the exam? I had already paid for the course, so hopefully, they would. It would be horrible to have less time than everyone else.

When I threw open the doors of the fine arts building, I scanned the directory to find the room listed on the note. It was in the basement. What a weird place for the MCAT. As I approached the windowed door of the classroom, however, the lights were off, and no one was inside.

I panicked, not knowing where to head from there. Digging through my emails on my phone, there was nothing from the test prep company about a location change. Strolling in a daze, I made it back to the quad. As I wandered, I spotted Maurice, Jackson Riley, and another guy in a TRZ hoodie standing near the science building. They were laughing loudly.

I sauntered again towards the building, and a new notice was stuck to the door. In block letters, it read:

From: your favorite ogre

Infuriated, I pulled on the door’s handle, and it opened. I ripped the note from the door, and the TRZ guys howled with laughter. My face flushed, and every muscle in my body tightened. I ran as quickly as I could to the original testing locale. The moderator narrowed his brow as I opened the back door. He held a finger up to his lips to tell me to quiet down.

Filled with rage, I was unable to concentrate on the exam. My mind kept racing with ways to annihilate my enemy. It was my worst practice test to date.

George would pay.

I turned in my test booklet early. There was no use trying to figure out the answers when my brain was fried with fury. Marching back to my apartment, I almost made it inside the glass entry doors when I felt extremely woozy. Before I knew what was happening, the world faded to black.

“Kinsley?”

Mary, one of the night resident advisors, was standing over me. I felt clammy and nauseated.

“Wha-what happened?”

“I don’t know. I think you fainted. You were coming in the door, then just sort of sunk to your knees and fell over.”

I started to get up.

“No, I had to call the campus emergency service. They’ll send the paramedics.”

“No, I’m fine. I just probably need to eat something.”

“Well, I’m not getting in trouble for you. I already got in enough trouble over Elle’s visitors.”

I didn’t know what that meant, but Elle liked to party. Maybe she’d had some late-night guests over.

Mary made me lie there until the emergency services arrived. As I suspected, my blood sugar was low when they checked. They gave me some nasty glucose syrup, but I assured them I would go upstairs and eat.

Sharice was in the dining room, painting her nails, when I got in.

“Hey, you look like shit.”

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