Page 33 of Kings of the Campus

20

ALEC

Watching Tessa leave in a hurry, I feel my fists clench at my sides. The plan was supposed to be flawless, the final move to get Tessa out of our lives once and for all. Seduce her, humiliate her, and make her realize she’s no match for us. But she just friggin left before we could finish the job, rushing out with barely a mumbled goodbye.

I should’ve tried harder, should’ve pushed her to stay. Now all I feel is frustration simmering in my chest, a hollow ache that won’t go away. It was so close—so damn close to ending this once and for all. Instead, I ended up sulking the rest of the night, unable to shake off the bitter disappointment.

The next morning, I drag myself out of bed and head to the kitchen where Jace and Devin are already awake, eating breakfast like everything is fine.

“We need to find another way,” I say, cutting straight to the point as I sit down across from them. “Our plan last night didn’t work, so we need to hit her harder. Make her back off for good.”

Jace gives me a look, his usual cocky grin absent. “Dude, I’m not sure that’s the move anymore. She left, didn’t she? Maybe it’s a sign that we should just stop.”

I scoff, my frustration bubbling over. “A sign? Hardly. She’s still going to be hanging around, still looking for a way to screw us over.”

Devin, surprisingly quiet, finally chimes in, his voice calmer than mine. “Look, I was all for it, but the more we keep this going, the more we lose focus on what matters, Alec.” I stare at him blankly. “The frat. Our rep. That’s what we should be worrying about—not this petty revenge crap.” he snaps.

I blink, thrown off by how quickly they’re backing down. “You’re both just gonna let her get away with that shit? After everything?”

Jace shrugs. “It’s not about winning or losing anymore, Alec. It’s about keeping the frat from crashing and burning. We’ve got a lot to prove to the campus, and if we keep messing with Tessa, we’re just adding fuel to the fire.”

“Besides, Tessa isn’t going to win anyway,” Devin points out. “She can go after us for the pranks because there’s no proof. If we ignore her from now on, keep our heads down, and continue to be the best leaders Sigma Theta has ever had, we don’t need to worry about her.”

Jace nods, looking up from his cereal. “We’ve been so ready to believe she’s poised to take us down that we forgot if we just don’t do anything, she can’t write a bad story about us.”

I sit there, silent, my frustration still gnawing at me. They might be right. But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to give up just yet.

Without another word, I push up from my seat and storm off, needing space to cool down. Grabbing my jacket, I head out the door, slamming it behind me.

I’m supposed to be in charge, but it feels like Jace and Devin are ganging up against me, trying to tell me how best to domyjob. It’s not that I think Tessa is going to go after us, it’s aboutdoing whatever it takes to protect the fraternity, to protect our reputation at the school.

My feet carry me halfway across campus before I realize how far I’ve gotten. It’s not until I’m at the doors to the campus café, door handle in my hand that I realize how petulant I’ve been acting.

Heading inside, I find my way to the counter and order a coffee, trying to sort out my thoughts. While I wait for the barista to finish, I find myself absently scanning the café. That’s when I hear a voice that snags my attention.

Julian.

His voice is low, but sharp, carrying just enough edge to pique my curiosity. I glance over, but from my spot near the counter, I can only see him leaning in close to someone seated in the far corner. Whoever he’s talking to is hidden from view, but it’s clear this isn’t just casual conversation.

I shift slightly, straining to listen without looking too obvious. Julian sounds…irritated? Maybe even angry?

“God, she’s been a real pain in the ass, you know? I just worry that my brothers aren’t taking this situation as seriously as I’ve been. Tessa Collins is bad news, and I think it’s time someone does something about it.”

I freeze, my stomach twisting as he says her name. What the hell is he talking about? I inch closer, keeping my eyes on the barista while my ears are glued to Julian’s voice.

“Dude, I’m sick of it too,” Julian mutters, his voice dripping with frustration. “She always acts so high and mighty, like she’s untouchable, but I’m not about to let her get away with that act.”

There’s a pause before I hear a quiet murmur from the other person that I can’t catch. Julian leans back, shaking his head slightly. “Nah, I’m serious. We can’t let her walk all over us like this. She’s been causing problems for all of us. I say we get even—hit her where it hurts.”

My eyebrows furrow, confusion creeping in as I try to piece together what the hell Julian’s talking about. He knows we’ve been working on trying to take her down a peg, but all this should be stuff that we talk about and discuss as a frat. No one should be striking out on their own, not without running it by me first.

The barista slides my coffee across the counter, but I barely notice, too caught up in Julian’s conversation. I pick up my cup, turning it in my hands as I glance back at them one more time. From this angle, I still can’t see who he’s with, but something about this whole situation feels off. A part of me wants to go over there, to demand an explanation, but I hesitate. Julian’s just frustrated, right? Hell, I’m frustrated too. Maybe he’s just blowing off steam, like we’ve all been doing lately.

I take a long sip of my coffee, letting the bitter warmth roll over my tongue as I try to shake the unease settling in my gut. Whatever this is, it’s probably nothing. Julian’s got a temper, sure, but he wouldn’t do anything stupid. He’s just venting.

Right?

With one last glance at the corner, I turn and head for the door, stepping back out into the brisk fall air. I don’t know what’s going on, but I need to clear my head. Maybe wandering around campus for a while will help. As much as I hate to admit it, Devin and Jace might’ve had a point. We’re losing focus. I’ve got enough on my plate without getting wrapped up in whatever Julian’s pissed off about.

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