Page 10 of Kings of the Campus

The senior officers filter in one by one, Jace leading the way as he drops into the overstuffed leather chair next to me, offering his usual laid-back grin. Devin plops down with a loud thud, picking up a pen from the table to fidget with it.

Matteo and Julian sink into their seats, exchanging quick nods before settling in. The atmosphere is relaxed but I can feel the undercurrent of tension in the air that I can’t ignore.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” I start, slipping into my seat and leaning forward, my elbows on the wooden table. “We’ve got a lot to cover so let’s get started.”

“First on the agenda is the upcoming charity events,” Julian says, reading from the notes I sent him.

“Correct. We’ve got three lined up,” I say. “And we need to make sure every detail is nailed down.”

Matteo pulls out a folder and flips through the papers. “I’ve been in contact with the organizers for the blood drive, and everything’s set for next week. We’ll need volunteers, but we can get a good turnout if we push hard at the next frat meeting.”

“Good,” I say, appreciating Matteo’s thoroughness. “What about the mentorship program?”

“Still working out the logistics,” Jace chimes in, leaning back in his chair. “But I’ve got a few professors on board who are willing to help promote it. We just need to finalize the schedule and get it approved by the administration.”

“Are we almost done?” I ask.

“It’s not quite finalized,” Julian speaks up, leaning forward. “We’re still trying to get some student mentors signed up. There are a few seniors who promised to help but they haven’t gotten back to me so I’ll get on their case. Should be good to go by the end of the week.”

“Good. We need to make sure everything runs smoothly,” I say, glancing around the table. “These events are our chance to show the campus who we truly are.”

“There’s a murmur of agreement around the table, and I feel a brief surge of confidence, but as the conversation starts to wind down, I can’t ignore the nagging thought that’s been eating at me since the last party. I glance at Devin, who’s leaning back in his chair, twirling his pen between his fingers. “Devin, you mentioned seeing Tessa Collins at the last party. What’s the deal with that?”

Devin straightens up, his usual grin faltering. “Yeah, she was there but it was no big deal. I don’t think she was doing anything.”

“Tessa again?” Julian groans, running a hand through his hair. “What is she, obsessed with us?”

“Maybe she’s just curious,” Matteo suggests, though his tone isn’t entirely convinced. “We’re on everyone’s radar right now. It’s not surprising she’s hanging around.”

“But why us?” Julian asks, leaning forward, a frown creasing his brow. “I mean, she’s already done her exposé. What more does she need? I heard from someone at the paper that she was planning on doing a follow-up podcast on us. Do you think it’s possible that if she can’t find anything she might make something up?”

His words hang in the air, and the room falls into an uneasy silence.

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” I say, my voice low. “She’s ambitious, and she’s already got a reputation for digging up dirt. If she’s looking for something, we need to be careful.”

“Exactly,” Julian says, nodding. “We need to keep an eye on her. If she’s planning something, we can’t let her catch us off guard.”

Devin raises an eyebrow. “So what, we just keep her away from our events? Make sure she doesn’t have anything to report?”

“Don’t you think we’re being a little too paranoid,” Jace asks, an arch in his brow. “What evidence do we have that she might try to sabotage us anyway? She’s hung around the frat at some parties, and talked to a few people about us, so what?”

I frown. “You’ve been keeping an eye on her,” I say. “Anything to report?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Jace says with a shrug. “I think we’re probably overreacting.”

“Maybe,” I say, but I’m not convinced.

“We should focus on the blood drive, not some bloodsucking little reporter,” Devin jokes. “She’s harmless and we’ve got bigger things to worry about.”

Clearing my throat, I glance down at my notes, reminded of why we were here in the first place. “The charity carnival is the next thing we need to talk about,” I say, trying to heed Devin’s advice. “Jace, how is everything going with that?”

“All the sponsors are lined up,” Jace says, a grin on his face. “They’ve all signed the contracts, and we’ve got a dozen food vendors signed as well. Devin and the carnival company have been working through their legal agreement, are we nearly done?”

Devin nods and pulls out his tablet, tapping on the screen to bring up a page. “The agreement has been thoroughly reviewed by the school’s legal team, so we’re completely safe. We’ve decided to minimize the risk of problems by not having any dark rides or the funhouse.”

I nod. “If there’s no places for people to lurk around, there’s less chance of someone trying something. Smart.”

We wrap up the meeting, but I have one last lingering thought before we part ways. “Hey, can you guys keep an eye on Tessa,” I ask, shuffling my papers together. “I know she’s probably harmless, but I’d prefer it if she stopped hanging around the frat so much.”

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