Page 64 of Whispers of Obsession

I’ve changed. I know I have. Lizzy, who went to college across the country, comments on it whenever we video call, but my new friends don’t know any different. The Cora they’re friends with is harsher, a little sharper, less trusting and a whole lot less naive.

Sometimes I get the feeling that eyes are on me. When I walk into a room, or a class, I find myself searching the faces of the other students. But who’s watching me?

I can’t help the hope I feel as I look for Slater either, wanting to see his face among the sea of students. But I never do. Thecampus is large, and he’s older than I am, so we don’t share any classes.

Still, I look, and I hope, and I daydream.

I wonder if he’s thinking of me, too? Is he actively avoiding me? I’m sure he knows I’m here.

I have other things I need to worry about. Like my new job.

I start my first shift at the bar tonight. I’ll be a hostess. I’m excited. So excited. Elated…

Maybe if I keep telling myself this, I’ll actually feel it.

For now, I shake all thoughts of my new job away, and meet up with my new friends at the on campus coffee shop. It’s become my new go-to spot because it’s easy and cheap.

“Hey, sexy mama,” Stephanie says as I make my way over to the booth she and my other new friends always inhabit. She claimed it on day one. And the rest of us just sort of followed her.

“Hey Steph,” I reply absently, searching the faces of everyone here. Not that I actually expect to see Slater. In the two months since I set foot on campus, I haven’t seen him once. I doubt he’s going to pop up now.

“So in honor of your first day at your new job, we’ll all be at the restaurant tonight!” Steph says excitedly, as she looks around at our friends. At first, her words don’t register. Slowly, I turn back to them, taking the seat Brandon offers me as he scoots closer to Trish.

I met the three of them my first day on campus. Walking into orientation, actually. Steph took one look at the three of us and claimed us. We’re all freshmen, but Steph is two years older than the rest of us. She comes from a wealthy family, who paid for her to travel Europe for two years. Apparently she needed to find herself, and when she did, she came here. I think her rich family were less than impressed by her need to shave her hair, pierce her nose and get covered in tattoos in order to find herself, but she’s unapologetically herself and I like that about her.

I’m not sure what there was to find, considering she spent those two years neck deep in dick, but I’m not judging. Steph is wild, outspoken, and completely in touch with her sexuality.

Brandon is quiet, shy, and reserved. A bit geeky and scrawny looking, with his round out-of-style glasses and weird Math t-shirts that I don’t understand the punchlines of. I like him well enough because he supports each of us girls, even though we’re wildly different…but he does sometimes make me a little uncomfortable.

Trisha is full on cotton-candy goth with a major in art. She likes to get drunk and cry her eyes out, and I swear she changes her hair color more often than she changes her panties.

Then there’s me. Quiet, awkward, scared of my own fucking shadow.

But I’ve made it my mission to change that. This year, I will no longer be the scared little stepdaughter that gets pushed around. I’ll face my nightmares head on and fucking slay them.

In theory, anyway. In practice? I guess we’ll see.

“Stephanie.” A girl from our freshman class walks over to our booth, and glares at Steph. My friend lifts her chin and glares right back. “You have no shame, do you?” the pretty redhead asks, and Steph lifts her shoulder.

“Depends. What are you here to accuse me of?”

“Fucking Alex,” sassy red sneers, and Steph snorts.

“You’ll have to be more specific. I’ve fucked many Alexes.”

“Alex Chapman, my boyfriend. He confessed everything!”

“Okay. I don’t see what this has to do with me. If he’s your boyfriend, your beef is with him. He told me he was single.”

“Well, he wasn’t! You?—”

“Oh my god, she said her piece. Go dump Alex, and leave Steph out of it. Why are you blaming Steph? She’s not loyal to you. She isn’t the one who made a commitment to you. Alex is.Steph didn’t even know you existed,” I huff, not sure why I’m suddenly so aggravated by this entire exchange.

Sassy red stares at me for a long moment, her long hair swishing as she turns to me. When I finally look up at her, meeting her blue eyes, she sniffles. Ah, I’m a jerk. This girl is clearly in pain and came here looking for a way to disperse some of that pain.

“Men suck,” she finally whispers, and I nod my head.

“They sure do.” Steph stands, and wraps her arms around the redhead.

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