Page 3 of Through The Woods

“Did you ace your midterms?”

I turned toward the voice. “Do I know you?”

The man laughed and extended his hand, raising his voice to be heard over the music. “I don’t think we’ve formally met, but you were in my stats class. I’m Paul.”

I shook his hand. “Neve.” I could tell he was waiting for me to elaborate and I gave a small sigh before adding, “I failed my midterms. If I give up sleep, I might have a chance in hell at getting out of my first semester alive.”

He regarded me thoughtfully for a moment and I downed more of my beer, trying to fill the awkward silence between us.

“You’re only a freshman? You’re the one that got special permission from the dean to take a senior level lab, aren’t you?”

I bristled at his words. “So? It’s not like it matters now. I’m failing almost everything.”

He rocked back on his heels. “What if I knew someone who could help you?”

I snorted. “What—like a homework helper? How much is that gonna set me back?”

Paul shook his head and chugged the contents of his cup before latching onto my arm and pulling me toward the stairs. “I know a guy. You see, I was in your shoes my freshman year and I wasn’t ready to watch all my hard work turn to shit.”

I tried to wrangle myself free, spilling beer onto my hand. “Let me go—”

He stopped walking and turned back to me. “What did you just say? If you didn’t need sleep, then you might have a chance at passing. What if I could give you that?”

“What do you mean?” This guy had to be off his meds. Leave it to me to find a lunatic at my first party. I risked a quick glance over the railing and found Sofia and her frat boy wrapped around each other on the makeshift dance floor. Obviously, she wasn’t going to notice if I went missing anytime soon.

All the more reason to stay downstairs.

Paul leaned in. “I can get you something to stay awake. It’ll keep you focused too.”

I should’ve broken free and run back down to the safety of my wall, but his words had piqued my interest. I’d tried energy drinks…coffee…you name it. Nothing helped keep me awake for longer than a day. “What is it?”

He pointed toward a closed door. “Clint—he—just come meet him and see for yourself.”

This was exactly what after-school specials had warned me about. Yet, here I was, following this perfect stranger upstairs to meet ‘Clint’ and get something to keep myself awake.

“Twenty percent of female college students will report being raped during their time on campus,” I muttered to myself as I trudged after him.

Paul gave me a strange look. “What was that?”

I shook my head as he opened the door to reveal a gorgeous man on a leather couch, watching television. His sandy brown hair was spiked up into a fauxhawk and as he turned toward us, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by his piercing green eyes. Eyes that were now narrowing in suspicion.

“What the fuck, Paul?” He complained, while remaining in the same position on the couch, as if his body was unaware of the tension in the room.

Paul pushed me forward, spilling even more beer onto my arm. “My girl needs the goods, man. Get her in the mood.” He said the last part with a wink.

“I am absolutely not his girl.” This was never about helping me with my grades. The prick just wanted to get into my pants. The bass from the music downstairs vibrated the floor beneath my feet and I wondered if Sofia was still tangled up with her guy or if she was looking for me. It obviously hadn’t taken much beer to impair my judgment because I’d now put myself in a very precarious situation.

The man picked up a glass from the side table and took a sip of the amber liquid, suddenly seeming much more distinguished than the punk I’d followed up here. He exuded power and sophistication—heck, even his clothes were designer. He watched me carefully. “You didn’t come with him?”

I shook my head. “I told him I was falling behind with my grades and he said Clint could help me. Obviously, that was a lie so, I’ll just be on my way.”

“Did he try something with you?”

I risked a glance at Paul and noticed the sweat beading along his hairline. He was scared of this man and I knew that if I said yes, Paul was going to be in a world of hurt.

Damn you, Sofia. Damn you for insisting I get out of the dorm for a night.

I shook my head again, while contemplating calling my dad. “No. He just got me up here under false pretenses.”

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