Page 13 of The Hunt

“Unfortunately, yes. Hence that being my first guess.” Her brows dipped in a frown. “But why are you only arriving here now? After the breakup?”

“Like I said… long story. Sure you want to hear it?”

“Of course.” Tessa waggled a finger. “If I ever say no to hearing a story, it’s because I’ve been replaced by alien body-snatchers.”

I let out another soft laugh. “Noted. But I’ll try to make it as short as possible so we aren’t up all night.” I paused to clear my throat. “So, we met when we were kids. Became really goodfriends. That turned into a relationship, albeit long-distance most of the time, because I’m originally from Missouri and he’s from Rhode Island. We were officially together for six years. Spent every summer together.”

“Aww, childhood sweethearts! That’s so cute!” Tessa said, brows rising and eyes sparkling. Her face quickly fell flat. “At least it would be if I didn’t already know how it turned out.”

“Yeah. He wasn’t so sweet in the end,” I said. “Anyway, he was always set to attend Hollingsworth because he’s a legacy. I went to Blackwood because they offered me a really good scholarship, and to be honest, I totally needed it.”

“Oh, right.”

“He kept making comments about how he missed me so much. Telling me I should see if I could apply for a scholarship here so we could be together all the time. Stuff like that.”

Tessa’s eyes filled with sympathy. “But he didn’t really mean it? He was just sweet-talking you?”

“Yep. He assumed I wouldn’t do it, because getting into Blackwood on a scholarship was such a big deal for me. He thought I’d never give it up.”

“Ugh. What a prick. He totally led you into doing it!”

I grimaced. “Yeah, he’s definitely a total prick. But the thing is, I had no idea. I mean, like I said, we’ve known each other for over a decade, and we were together for so long. I genuinely believed he wanted me here, because that’s what he told me. So I looked into a few things, and I was able to get my courseandmy scholarship transferred because Hollingsworth and Blackwood are part of the same collegiate network.” I lifted a hand. “Hugefuck-around, by the way, and unfortunately irreversible. You can change, but only once.”

Tessa visibly cringed. “I see where this is going now.”

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “I was due to visit him over the summer, and I figured that’s when I’ddrop the big news. But that’s when I found out… all the bad stuff.”

“And by then it was already too late to go back to Blackwood?”

“Exactly. I was totally locked into Hollingsworth at that point.” I lifted my hands in a theatrical surrender. “So now I have to be here whether I like it or not.”

“Ugh, that sucks so much.” Tessa slowly shook her head. “I mean, you practically gave up your whole life to move for him, and he just…ugh.I hate this guy already.”

“Me too.”

“If it makes you feel any better, Hollingsworth is amazing, and I’d never switch. Not even for a billion dollars,” she said. “I love walking around and looking at all the old buildings. Especially in the fall. The vibes are justsoooright then, you know?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve seen photos. It’s beautiful. Also, my ex is a senior this year. So I guess I’ll only have to worry about running into him for a year before he’s gone.”

“See? It’s not so bad.” Tessa smiled. “Also, I might be a hugely annoying gossip queen, but I make the best flavored teas. So as long as you’re stuck here, you’ll never be dehydrated.”

I returned her smile. “You’re not annoying. And I love tea.”

She leapt up. “I’ll make some now. Youhaveto try my caramel apple pie flavor. Oh, and this probably goes without saying, but please don’t ever mention to the RAs that I have an electric kettle in here.”

I mimed a zip going across my mouth. “My lips are sealed. Unless I’m opening them for your tea. Herbal or verbal.”

Tessa grinned. “I knew I liked you,” she said, eyes sparkling. She paused and lifted her hands, displaying her palms. “Also, it’sprobably a bit late for me to say this, and awkward as hell given your situation, but… welcome to Hollingsworth!”

My first twoweeks of sophomore year ended up going much better than I expected. My professors were all nice, the other students were mostly pleasant, and I didn’t run into Jake anywhere on campus. I didn’t see Rhett, either, as much as that rankled at the tiny, hidden part of me that craved dark thrills.

Tessa had very kindly integrated me into her main friend group, which was originally a trio including her, a gorgeous Alt girl named Bree Bennett, and a petite, freckled brunette named Sloane Parker. Bree was vibrant and cool with a fierce edge, and Sloane was sweet and insanely smart. Above all, the three girls were really nice, allowing me to slot right into their group as if I’d always been there.

I was beyond grateful for their acceptance of me, especially after the rumors my old Blackwood friends had shared about Hollingsworth. They’d begged me not to leave my old course, telling me they’d heard it was difficult—or even impossible—for transfer students to make new friends at Hollingsworth, due to the presence of so many cliques along with the palpable air of exclusivity. I’d heard horror stories about groups of rich legacy kids who seemed to rule the social landscape, viewing so-called outsiders or scholarship kids with total disdain and treating them so poorly they ended up dropping out.

Upon my arrival here, the sight of the sprawling campus and imposing Gothic architecture had already made me nervous enough. My unsettling encounter with Rhett had only worsened that anxiety, making me wish I’d listened to my Blackwoodfriends and never transferred. But Tessa, Bree, and Sloane had shown me my worries were for nothing.

Sure, there were assholes here—like Rhett and Jake, obviously—but there were assholeseverywherein the world. Really, it was just like any other university, albeit with a few more rich kids, given the college’s uber-prestigious reputation and proximity to Havenport, which was one of the East Coast’s wealthiest towns. Nothing to stress about in the grand scheme of things.

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