Page 4 of For Three Seconds

I’d declined; I wasn’t in the state of mind to be anywhere near this campus. I told myself I wouldn’t run into him, so I was safe.

“This is your room,” Audrey said as she motioned to the room that was on the first floor near the back entrance. It was painted an ivory color, with a full-size bed with a black comforter. “I’m so glad you’re here, Scar.”

“Thank you. I’m going to get settled.” I gave her a brief smile, and she gave me a sad one.

I didn’t tell her that it was I either lived with Nick or bunked with her. I wasn’t that much of a jerk.

* * *

The days leadingup to the first day of class came rather quickly. I made no effort to socialize with my roommates. The brunette who opened my door on move-in day was Kenia; she was pretty, but kind of a bitch. There was also Delia, who had pale lavender hair and some piercings, but she was sweet. Kenia glared at me and told me not to touch her shit, while Delia told me to help myself to her stuff. All three were gone a lot with cheer practice. I heard them leave in the mornings, and I tried to see if I missed my old life, but that was just it. I felt nothing. I hadn’t for a while.

“Okay, that’s it. I’ve let you mope, I’ve let you get used to us, and now I am tired of it.” Audrey barged into my room with Delia behind her and Kenia at the door.

I sat up from where I was lying on the bed, trying to remember how long I’d been staring up at the white ceiling, and for the life of me, I couldn’t remember.

“I’m not moping,” I said.

“Let me guess, your boyfriend dumped you.” Kenia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Don’t be a bitch, Kenny.” Delia shot her a glare. “If that’s the case, he’s an asshole, and we should all hold hands and pray his dick shrinks a size or two.”

All three of us gave Delia a questioning look. She shrugged it off.

“Kappa Nu is having their welcome back party, and we are going.”

My eyes went wide with terror. I couldn’t go to Kappa Nu or any party in Greek row. I knew Audrey wasn’t into the whole sorority thing, but my ex-best friend was, and she would be at one, especially if this was a welcome-back party. Gigi was all about drinking and partying.

“Delia, bring your makeup kit. Kenny, grab her some clothes,” Audrey ordered.

It was no surprise she’d been cheer captain back in high school. I wouldn’t be surprised if she were captain now too, which made me a bitch for not knowing. Some friend I was, huh?

“I can’t go, Auds,” I pleaded, not telling her why I couldn’t show my face.

Audrey sat on the edge of the bed. Her golden eyes shone with nothing but kindness, and I wondered why she was still by my side when everyone else had left.

“I don’t know what happened, and you don’t have to tell me, but I’m a great listener. I don’t know if this makes a difference, buttheywon’t be there.”

I flinched.

Was I that obvious?

Audrey reached for my hand and held it. “I want my old friend back. The one who was fearless and didn’t care what anyone thought of her. The one who always smiled, even if her world had fallen apart.”

My heart thumped hard, and my throat constricted, making it hard to breathe. That was why I was here, right? I was here to live again. I was here to be normal.

“Okay, just this once.”

The words were barely spoken before Audrey pulled me into her room and treated me like her doll.

Two

The heavy beatingof the party greeted my ears as soon as I got out of Audrey’s Mustang. The night was warm enough that I didn’t feel cold in my whoreish clothes. Well, I guess that was just me who thought I looked whoreish. There were girls with clothes far more revealing than what I was wearing.

The white crop top was okay—a little see-through—and the leather skirt was a bit too tight because I was a little thicker than Audrey. Maybe I’d slouched off a bit when I quit dance.

When we walked to the frat house, I started to panic, and I’ll admittheywere the first people I thought about.

“Hey.” Auds snapped her fingers. “None of that mopey shit. Tonight, you forget about all the bullshit and have fun.”

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