Page 475 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

My cheeks heat as I wrench his hand off my ass, and just in time. Eliza glances suspiciously at us over her shoulder before facing ahead.

“I doubt those stockings are part of the uniform,” I tell Jude.

“I hope they are,” Jude says. “I’m already imagining tying you up with them.”

“Oh my God, would you stop?” I point at Eliza’s back. “She’s going to hear you.”

He shrugs like he doesn’t give a shit, but I know he does. We still carry our relationship around like a dirty little secret...and honestly, I think it makes it that much hotter.

Eliza points out a few of the sights—the library, the cafeteria, the block where the classrooms are. Then we enter a massive courtyard, open to the sky, with several massive oak trees scattered over the perfectly manicured lawn.

“Girls’ dorms are there,” Eliza says, pointing. “Boys’ over there.” She gives Jude a cool stare and then fishes a keycard out of her pocket. “I’m sure you can find your way. Top floor, room 304.”

Then she heads for the girls’ dorms, not bothering to check if I’m following. Jude holds up his phone, tapping the screen and mouthing, “Five minutes,” before heading for the boys’ dorm.

I stare after him for a second with a smile on my face before Eliza calls me. “Dearth! I don’t have all day.”

I catch up with her, staring around at the school’s magnificent architecture as we walk through the courtyard. “So you’re also a freshman?”

“Obviously,” she says dryly.

“When do classes start?”

“Next week,” she says, giving me another look that makes me feel like I’m missing the mark on what I decided to wear today. “Good thing you came early. Best way to avoid all the hazing.”

“Hazing?” I force a swallow. “But I’m not pledging.”

She shrugs. “Your point is?”

“They haze students who don’t pledge?”

“Oh my God, Dearth, the seniors hazeeveryone.”

We walk in silence the rest of the way while I curse whoever decided Eliza should be my guide becausefuckI have so manyquestions. But I’ll rather ask someone who might actually care that I get the right information.

On the top floor she hands me my own keycard and points down the hall. “Second last door on the right.” She takes her phone out of her blazer, briefly pausing to adjust the silver bow around her neck. “Is your number still the same?”

“Uh...yeah.”

Eliza swipes over her screen a few times and then shrugs. “Oh. I don’t have it anymore.” She looks up, eyebrows cocked. “Well? Are we swapping digits or what?”

“I’d...rather not.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “High school was forever ago, Dearth. Move on already.”

I glare at her for a second before I remember that I’m better than that. “I’d still prefer not?—”

She sighs heavily and pinches the bridge of her nose. “If you have questions and shit, you need to call me.”

“I’ll ask someone else?—”

“Fuck it. I tried.” Eliza sweeps away without a backward glance, her blond ponytail swishing wildly from side to side. I watch her go and then let myself into my room with a sigh.

God, I hope Jude and I made the right choice coming here.

Epilogue: Jude

As soon as I’ve checked to make sure my bags are in my room, I head back to the girls’ dormitory. I meet Eliza as I cross the courtyard and she turns to watch me before calling out, “Where do you think you’re going, Dearth?”

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