Page 18 of Cruel Legacy

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

I glance over at the girl standing next to me. I can’t help but notice she’s got a bit of drool on the corner of her mouth. She’s staring at the guys who’ve just exited the auditorium.

They’re basically standing in the middle of the walkway, forcing people to wait or go around them. I recognize them right away and refrain from sharing my opinion about them.

“They’resooohot.” She says, in a dreamy voice.

Admittedly, they’re attractive, but I have to deduct about fifty hot points because of the shit they pulled in the hallway the other day. Bringing them down to only slightly above average in the looks department, which solidifies my assessment that the stranger in the bar is still the hottest piece of sex on legs I’ve ever seen.

Locking that thought and memory back away, I ask, “Who are they?”

She’s staring at me like I’m a sideshow act. “What do you mean, ‘who are they?’”

Am I supposed to know? Sasha, says celebrities and children of influential people are enrolled here. If they’re famous, it would explain why they’re walking around like they think the world revolves around them.

“Are they like reality tv stars or something? I never really got into watching those things.”

“Reality tv? Girl, that’s Holden Sullivan, Finley Jefferson Rhodes the Third, and Paxton Cox.” She says, pointing each one out.

After our run-in, I’d say the cock part fits. He’s a certified dick. “I’m still not tracking.”

“They’re The Trium.”

I still have no idea what she’s talking about and shrug. “The Triumph? Is that the school’s football team, or something?”

“The Tri-um, or Triumvirates. The top three legacies on campus.” She looks around, then leans in close, lowering her voice. “And they’re Wrens.”

When I still show no sign of recognition, she explains. “They’re prospects for The League of the Daggered Ravens. The secret society was founded on campus but they don’t really operate on school grounds anymore.”

Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. College fraternities. Not my jamat all. “If this boy’s club is a secret, how do you know about it, and who's in it?”

Her brows furrow, like nobody’s ever asked her that question before. “I don’t. Well, not concretely or anything, but I heard Paxton’s great grandfather was a member and things like that are passed down through the families, so he’d be expected to join. It’s safe to say Finn and Holden would, too. If they were joining some other organization, they wouldn't be friends anymore.”

I study her face while she’s talking. She’s serious about this. “You’re saying this fraternity makes you ditch your friends?”

“It’s asocietyand yes. I hear they’re very particular about who they interact with. It preserves the sanctity of the membership and its secrets.”

“Seems to me if you choose some new people and their secret handshakes over your old friends, you were a shitty friend to begin with.”

She nods, though I’m not sure she agrees. Just one more thing that’s different around here. Loyalty means a lot where I come from and dickheads who dump you for notoriety are the worst kinds of back stabbers.

Everyone’s just standing around ogling them, but I’m over it. I turn my attention back to what I was doing, heading to lunch, and walk down the path that leads to the dining hall. I leave her to stare and drool at asshole one, two, and three in peace. After sitting through that useless assembly, I’m starving. The shuffle of feet on the sidewalk behind me gets my attention. The girl’s following me. She’s slightly out of breath when she finally catches up. “Geez, you walk fast,” she says, as she struggles for air.

I know I do, and I don’t apologize for it. There have been plenty of times when I’ve had to make a quick exit. Sometimes running draws too much attention, so I learned to speed walk away from some messy situations. Although, I don’t think I was walkingthatfast.

She’s about my height, with curves to die for and dark brown skin with wide almond set eyes, and a wide mouth with the kind of lips girls pay good money to achieve. Her hair is parted in the middle and falls in soft waves against her shoulders. She’s gorgeous.

We’re one of the first ones to make it to the cafeteria. Another bonus to not waiting around with the masses is I can strategically choose a table to sit at and I’ll get the first wave of food. I order my food and fix myself a cup of coffee while I wait for my order.

By the time I get my tray, I’ve scoped out where I want to sit. It’s on the back side of the room, near the doors which lead to the outside patio area. It’s the one spot in the dining hall with the best sun exposure.

I head there and lower my ass towards the bench, when the girl who seems to have attached herself to me shrieks. I drop my tray on the table, ready to fend off an attack, but there’s no one else around. She’s staring at me with a horrified expression on her face.

“What?”

“You can’t sit there.”

I look down at the seat to make sure I didn’t miss the sign that someone was holding this seat. There’s nothing here and I don’t see any stains that might ruin my clothes. “Sure I can. It’s open.”

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