Page 83 of The Dare

I wind my arm back to hurl my phone across the room, but Sasha catches my wrist before I can let go. She grabs the phone out of my hand and fixes me with a stern look.

“Let’s not make any rash decisions,” she advises, before pulling me into the restroom across the hall. “Talk to me. What did he say?”

“He’s not coming. No explanation. Just, sorry, bailing on you again,” I say, seething, gripping the edge of the sink to stop from putting my fist through the mirror. “I mean, what in the actual fuck? He didn’t just decide this today, he couldn’t have. He’s been blowing me off all week. Which means heknewhe wasn’t coming. He could have just told me! Instead he waits until the last second to really drive the knife in.”

I let out a scream and punch the stall door instead. Not quite as satisfying when the door just flies open from the force. It still hurts, but at least I didn’t shred my knuckles.

“Okay, She-Ra, settle down.” Sasha corrals me in a corner with her hands up, as if she’s settling a cranky rhino. “You really think he’s doing this to hurt you?”

I push away from her. I can’t stand still. “What other explanation is there? This is probably all part of some long con he was running on me. Maybe I was the dare all along. Some bet with his teammates. Now the game’s over and they’re all laughing at me. Poor pathetic fat girl.”

“Hey.” Sasha snaps in front of my face to stop my furious pacing. “Shut the fuck up. You are not pathetic and there’snothing wrong with the way you look or the shape of your body. You’re beautiful, funny, kind, and intelligent. If Conor Edwards has some fucking malfunction, it isn’t your fault. It’s his loss.”

I can’t hear her. Not really. There’s a white-hot ball of rage in my gut and it’s building with every second that I don’t have an answer.

“I need to borrow your car,” I burst out, holding out my hand.

“I don’t think you’re in any condition to drive right now—”

“Keys.Please.”

Sasha sighs and passes the keys over.

“Thank you.” I dart out the bathroom door like my ass is on fire, with Sasha hot on my heels.

“Taylor, wait,” she calls after me in exasperation.

Rather than wait, I tear down the hall toward the lobby. My pace is so fast that when I skid around the corner, I slam into one of my sorority sisters. Half a dozen or so Kappas are milling in the lobby, along with a couple of Sigma guys lugging chairs.

The brunette I just bulldozed stumbles forward. With her long hair falling over her eyes, it takes a second for me to realize it’s Rebecca.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I didn’t see you there.”

Regaining her balance, she instantly casts her eyes downward at the sound of my voice. I’m already so testy thanks to my anger over Conor, that Rebecca’s mopey scowl triggers another rush of ire.

“For fuck’s sake,” I snap at her. “We made out freshman year and you felt up my boobs, Rebecca. Get over it.”

“Meow,” cackles Jules, who’s standing a few feet away and overheard me.

At her, I snap, “Shut up, Jules,” and then brush past her and Abigail’s douchey Sigma boyfriend, leaving their wide eyes in my wake.

Sasha catches up to me just as I’m throwing open one of the double doors at the entrance.

“Taylor,” she orders. “Stop.”

I force myself to stop. “What is it?” I ask.

Worry playing on her face, she touches my arm and gives it a soft squeeze. “No guy is worth losing your self-respect over, okay? Just remember that. And wear a seatbelt.”

30

TAYLOR

CONOR’SJEEP IS IN THE DRIVEWAY WHENIGET TO HIStownhouse. Foster answers the door, donning a big dumb grin when he sees me. He lets me in without a question, saying Con’s upstairs in his room. For a moment it crosses my mind to interrogate Foster. If any one of the roommates were to crack, spill the tea for a glimpse of some cleavage, it’d be Foster. Right now, though, I just want to nail Conor to a wall.

I barge into his room to find him totally alone. I guess part of me expected there to be a skinny naked woman in his bed, but instead, it’s just him, dressed like he’s going somewhere and about to leave.

He doesn’t even look surprised to see me. Disappointed, maybe. “I can’t talk right now, T,” he says with a sigh.

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