Page 322 of A University of Betrayal

“That’s what I told you!” Larissa came closer and walked around me.“Damn hot,Bayla Adams!”

Then I noticed that neither of them had changed their clothes. Julie’s hair was still in a messy bun.

“Why haven’t you changed yet? I thought we were leaving now?”

Larissa rolled her eyes. “Because a certain lady doesn’tfancythe ball.”

I looked at Julie, whose cheeks glowed red.

I walked over to the table and sat down next to her at an angle. “Come on. It’s only half as much fun without you,” I began calmly, and Julie took her eyes off my dress and looked me in the eye, but just for a second. “Look, you already bought a dress, and Larissa and I need you for the mission.”

I tried to forget how many times I had called Mady and that she had rejected every call. I couldn't fail with Julie too.

“That’s sweet, but you’re enough people for the mission. Maybe I’ll join you later,” Julie replied meekly, and I didn’t know what else to say to change her mind when Larissa pulled me off the chair by the arm.

“How about this: You already go, and I’ll take care of it.” She gestured at Julie, who sighed with dissatisfaction. “Don’t let Julian and Miles think we’ve called off the plan.Mr. DeLoughreydoesn’t answer his cell phone anyway.”

I looked at the two of them for a few seconds, and the tingling in my stomach increased. I was too excited to go alone.

“I can wait, too,” my best friend said.

Suddenly her phone rang, and she answered it. “Yes?” Larissa looked at me and I got a bad feeling. “No, she’s probably put her phone on silent. But she’s on her way.” Larissa grinned mischievously in my direction. “See you in a bit, Julian.” Then she hung up and I looked at her, annoyed.

“Well, come on. Your dress is perfect, your hair is done and if you don’t show up, the others will worry for no reason.”

Larissa pushed me toward the door and opened it, and I immediately felt the cool evening air on my skin.

Could it not have been a summer ball?

I turned to her again, and she pressed a kiss to my cheek.

“You can do it without me. I’ll try to be there in thirty minutes.”

I hoped so and left.

Chapter 55

Julie

Night

Christopher Tyng

When Larissa came rushing back to me from the front door, I knew she wasn’t going to let up, so I didn’t even give her the chance to speak.

“Please don’t be mad at me, but I’m not leaving this house. No matter what you say.”

Instead of extending the discussion we had started five minutes ago, she took a stool and sat on it. She then moved closer and put her hands on my knees. I could feel how cool she was. Funnily enough, it didn’t bother me, not even that she was touching me.

“What’s therealreason?” she asked with an intensely scrutinizing look, and it only took those words to overwhelm me.

An involuntary tear ran down my cheek, and then another. Finally, I could no longer hold them back. I could no longer hide it from her, not from Larissa.

“The pregnancy test. It was mine.”

Larissa’s eyes widened, and she slapped her hand over her mouth.“Shit.”

Before she could say anything else, I started talking.

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