Page 36 of Kings of the Campus

Frowning, I glance down at myself in the mirror. There’s a wet spot at the front of my jeans and I pull them off, mind racing. Was this whole thing just an excuse to get me alone again? Was she just using me like she did last night?

A knot forms in my stomach. Is this some kind of game to get more “evidence” that she can use against us with campus police?

She wouldn’t do that. Would she?

I’m angry with myself. I can’t believe I let myself get close to her again. When will I fucking learn that Tessa Collins is not to be trusted? What will it take for me to stop thinking with my dick for once?

A snarl rips out of me and I bang my hand against the dresser, causing my headphones to fall off. My hand stings as I bend down to pick them up, but it’s a painful reminder that Tessa has never given us a truly good reason to trust her in the first place.

We need to make her pay for using us, and we need to do it soon.

22

TESSA

After I get done with class, I head to theSentineloffice, needing to review some podcasts before they get put on air. I slip into the recording studio, putting the oversized headphones on while I start to work.

This latest story from one of our junior writers is decent but it needs some serious tightening—the transitions are a bit clunky, and the pace drags a little. I write a note to myself to schedule a meeting with her tomorrow when someone taps on the doorframe.

Looking up, I spot Ryan Carter standing there, arms crossed, leaning against the frame. “Got a minute?” he asks, his tone more clipped than I expected.

“Yeah, sure,” I say, sliding the headphones down around my neck. I haven’t seen much of Ryan this year. It’s strange because, last year, we were always bouncing ideas off each other. He used to hang out with the team more often, sometimes even looked to me for guidance. “What’s up?”

He steps inside, keeping his distance. “I need to talk to you about that assignment on the new club they’re starting. Am I still covering that?”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask if you needed more time on it,” I reply, trying to sound casual but picking up on the distance between us. “I haven’t seen you around much lately, Ryan. What have you been up to?”

His face tightens slightly, and he shrugs. “Just busy, I guess.”

The air between us feels…off. I try again, more carefully, “You know, you can always come to me if you need help with anything.”

He glances at me but doesn’t hold my gaze long. “Yeah, thanks. I’ll let you know,” he mutters, turning to leave before I can ask more.

I watch him walk away, chewing the inside of my cheek. I can’t help but wonder why. I should check in with him soon and see if he needs some help or if something is bothering him, maybe.

I work late into the evening, finishing up a few more edits on the team’s podcasts before calling it a night. When I get up to stretch, my body feels sore and I realize I’ve been there longer than I meant.

Taking a sip of water, I make a face. Ugh. I need to clean this bottle out. There’s a weird metallic taste every time I’ve drank out of it lately.

After the weird incident at my dorm room yesterday, I talked to the campus police and they strongly suggested that I get an escort for a few days so I call for one now, waiting outside theSentinelbuilding for a campus officer to show up and walk me back.

For the next few days, I continue using an escort if I’m going to be out late, but then I get a call on Thursday that the campus police have caught the kid responsible. It turns out that the perpetrator was just a drunk student who tried to go into the wrong dorm room.

I breathe a sigh of relief, chalk my anxieties up to stress, and try to move on with my life. Besides, the toy drive event next week is coming up and I’m looking forward to going and spending more time with the boys from Sigma Theta. Alec texted me a couple of times but when I tried to text Jace, he apologized for being busy but said he’d see me there.

Putting on my cutest winter outfit, I check myself out in the mirror to make sure I’m presentable. I’ve chosen a brown plaid wool skirt, a white button-up blouse, and a black vest. I’ve tied a warm silk scarf around my neck, knotting it to resemble a tie. I’ve paired the outfit with brown riding boots and a long, tweed, woolen overcoat.

I’m secretly hoping that the boys will be impressed and maybe invite me for coffee at the frat later tonight. I twist the front of my hair into a braid and pin it over the top of my head before placing a brown beret over it.

There. Now the outfit is complete, perfect for the Coffee and Cocoa event. I have a nicely wrapped wooden puzzle that I’m bringing to donate as well, placing it in my satchel before heading out the door.

The air is chilly now and I shiver, even with my layers of wool and the warm, fleece-lined tights under my skirt. There’s a winter storm approaching and we’re due for some serious snow in the next few days. I huddle up under my coat, pulling it tighter around myself.

I walk into the warm café, spotting Jace’s blond hair above the crowd of people already gathered. Walking up, I hand over my gift to Devin with a smile. “Here you go!” I say, flashing my best smile. “It’s a wooden puzzle.”

“Nice,” Devin says, though he doesn’t look up as he speaks and there’s a disinterested note in his voice.

“I’m planning on getting more presents as the toy drive continues,” I add. “I want to help however I can.”

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