Page 18 of Rot

“Yeah, you know, someone you study with,” he explained the most obvious thing ever. “A study buddy. Don’t tell me you don’t have those where you’re from.”

“I do, I just don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say it like that,” I said, stopping once I reached my new locker. I did the combination and stuffed everything inside.

No one’s ever wanted to study with me before… although, if Elias was right, then all of this was a joke. Jordan just wanted to get in my pants.

I might let him. I didn’t know. I hadn’t decided yet.

As Jordan talked about how he wasn’t the greatest at taking tests or studying, so he could use some help too, we walked to the cafeteria. I went with him in line in the kitchen, where he got a tray of whatever the cooks had made today. None of the food looked appetizing. I was glad I didn’t eat.

We emerged from the kitchen, and as Jordan led me to his table, where his friends sat, I surveyed the room. The cafeteria was in the front of the school, near the main entrance, so there was a wall of windows overlooking the parking lot. Not the greatest view.

I spotted Elias sitting near the windows by himself, eating something he’d brought from home. A few tables away, Dana and Carly sat, surrounded by other girls. She wasn’t right by Elias, but she was close enough she could keep an eye on him—which was exactly what she was doing right now.

Jordan led me to a table where three guys sat, along with two girls. If I had to guess, based on how close the girls sat to two of the guys, I’d say they were dating. That left the third guy and Jordan as, perhaps, girlfriend-less?

Every pair of eyes turned toward me when I took up a seat next to Jordan.

“New girl,” one of the girls spoke, eyes wide. “I heard there was someone new. It’s Sloane, right?”

I nodded.

“Cool name. I’m Anya. This is my boyfriend Tod.” She grinned and slapped her boyfriend’s arm, a friendly gesture with a matched smile, but I knew she was letting me know Tod was taken.

Which was fine. I didn’t want Tod. Hell, I didn’t really want Jordan, either. I wanted…

Well, it didn’t matter who I wanted.

The other girl was named Leah, and her boyfriend was John. The other guy was Alex. They seemed nice enough, though I could tell based on the clothes they were wearing that the guys were also athletes. I’d be surprised if the girls weren’t cheerleaders, either actual cheerleaders for the school’s team or just cheerleaders for their boyfriends in the stands.

“You want any?” Jordan offered me some of his food, but I shook my head.

“I don’t like eating lunch.”

He shoveled some sketchy-looking mashed potatoes into his mouth before asking, “So, how do you like Blackrain so far?”

“Yeah,” Anya spoke, flipping some of her brown hair over her other shoulder. “Is it everything you thought it would be and more?” She sounded almost teasing, but I didn’t think she was teasing me. Then, she finished off with, “God, I hate this place. I can’t wait to get out.”

“Same,” Leah said in agreement.

“It’s… definitely different than where I’m from,” I started, not wanting to insult this school, but also not wanting to tell these people where I came from. If they knew I had money, if they knew I came from more money than they could imagine, they’d change. Treat me differently. That’s what money did to those who didn’t have it.

Leah leaned forward, asking, “Where you from?”

I didn’t remember seeing her or Anya at the party on Friday. I vaguely remembered the guys, though. I think they were the ones Jordan had wandered off to once I’d disappeared for my long pee break.

“Nowhere, really,” I spoke with a shrug.

Now it was Alex’s turn to say something. Out of the group, he was the tallest. Also the skinniest. I’d peg him as a basketball player—though I didn’t know much about basketball. “I heard you’re living with Elias Whitenbaker.”

I looked at Jordan, and he let out a chuckle. “Yeah,” Jordan explained. “I might’ve told the guys that I talked to you at the party on Friday. I was gonna introduce you then, but you kind of disappeared.”

“Sorry,” I said, though I wasn’t really sorry at all. “Elias wanted to leave, and he was my ride, so—”

“I could’ve driven you home,” Jordan said. “Don’t feel like you gotta rely on that guy just because you’re living with him. He’s…” And then he trailed off, glancing at his friends to back him up.

It was Anya who spoke in a whisper, as if Elias had super hearing and could overhear anytime he was mentioned, “He’s a little weird. Ever since his dad died, he’s gotten really mean.”

“No,” Leah corrected her, “he’s always been mean. He just got worse after. Who can blame him, though? He watched his dad die. That’s bound to fuck anyone up.” Her words earned her nods from the others, including Jordan.

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