Page 13 of Ruthless Legacy

“These legacy students aren’t into sharing information and I’ve never seen anybody walking around with a bodyguard, so I wouldn’t know who to ask.”

Her throat works as she swallows her soup. After taking a sip of her wine, she says, “Coach Wolfe’s family works in the security sector, and he trains MISTIC students, so he might know something.”

Chapter8

Thea

Whenever I come to LJ’s dorm, I can’t help but notice the disproportionate living arrangements around campus. It’s about half the size of Vale Tower with a third more people, and yet this is still nicer than some of the more expensive apartment buildings in Nags Creek.

She and I haven’t had time to just hang out. Her course load this semester is bananas. She’s taking sixteen credits, which include an extra biology lab, and working with the mentor from the scholarship program. My sweet bestie wants to be a doctor.

I tap my knuckles against the door and wait for one of her roommates to answer. I’m meeting LJ here, and I’m a little early.

The door swings open and I’m gifted with a smile from the “fun” roommate, Amy. I use the word loosely, because her idea of fun is bird watching. While I can appreciate the skill of sitting quietly for hours on a recon mission and waiting for your target to approach, not everyone can. “Hey Thea.”

“What’s up, Amy?” I heft the pizza boxes higher as I step into the room.

“Oh my god, that smells so good.”

I set them on the table and flip open the lid. “You wanna slice for the road?”

“Yes! Thank you. I can munch on it as I’m walking to my study group.” She waves at the doors. “Desi’s in there, obsessing over her video games, and you know where Layla-Jean is.”

I give a pointed look at the fourth door. “And her?”

Her, is the most unhelpful roommate on the planet and a Zeta Nu supporter, so she tries to tear LJ and the other girls down every chance she gets.

“She left thirty minutes ago. Probably in The Circle, hanging off of Eloise’s left tit.”

Good. That should keep her busy for a few hours. I walk over and bang on Desi’s door. She yanks it open, headphones on. I hold out the box and a soda to her. She grabs two slices and the soda with a curt nod before closing the door back in my face. I don’t take offense. I know she’ll be glued to her console all night, and wanted to make sure she ate something other than popcorn, chips and Skittles.

“Thanks for doing that.”

“It’s the least I can do, since you guys don’t bitch about all the nights I’m here, like a fifth roommate.”

“Girl, trust me, if we could trade you for Terra, we would.”

“And I’d take that trade.” As nice as Vale Tower is, it’s cold. Empty. At least that’s my experience. I like my alone time, but I’m a little too isolated in that building full of enemies. LJ comes over, but if I’m being honest, I prefer hanging out here with her ragtag group of roommates. Minus the Zeta Nu sympathizer.

“Well, I’m off. We’re doing a marathon study session before our test tomorrow. I probably won’t be back until after the test.”

There’s cramming for a midterm or final exam, and then there’s what Amy and her study cohort do. They hole up somewhere for a marathon study session the night before every announced quiz and test. They’re competitive, but they support each other and I love to see them heckling each other when they get their grades back.

It’s teasing, based on fun and support, not cruelty and humiliation. She waggles her fingers at me as she walks out the door, and I plop down on the couch, waiting for LJ to get back. I’m only alone for five minutes before she comes through the door.

“Hey, you’re here already? Sorry I got delayed.”

“Relax, I haven’t been here that long. You go get comfy, and I’ll pop the food in the microwave.”

She comes back, and we settle on the couch, with pizza and wings on our plates. I take a bite of my pepperoni slice and swallow, washing it down with my drink, then jump and grab the bottle of vodka and cranberry juice I brought. I thought I would be okay talking about this, but it’s hard to get the words out.

LJ studies me, letting me have a mini meltdown. After giving myself a pep talk, I blurt out, “There’s video footage of what happened to me on Mayhem Night.”

She stops chewing and lowers her plate to her lap. “Where? Who has it, and how do we get it?”

Taking a breath, I admit, “I already have it and I’ve watched it. It’s bad, LJ. It’s really fucking bad. I mean- based on my injuries- I knew, but seeing the fight.” I close my eyes, shoving down the fear, the pain. “It almost broke me again.”

She scoots closer, wrapping her arms around me. “Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve watched it with you.”

---