Page 103 of Let Us Prey

CSpot: You’re on your own.

TigerWoody: Bro is being real quiet in the chat suddenly.

TigerKing: I will end you, Fitz.

TigerWoody: Well… let our girl spank me first….

A wide grin splits my face, and I do a little fist pump and shimmy before looking around to make sure no one saw me being an absolute dork.

Score one for Dolly.

BabyGirl: I think I did well in everything else but Shifter History. But I have to go because I’m meeting Cori and Rufus in the caf for dinner and celebration. Can we message later?

CSpot: You’re not coming to our spot tonight?

EmoBatMan: It’s okay, petit lapin. Go have fun with your friends.

TigerWoody: No, it’s not, my balls don’t think it’s ok…

LustyLibrarian: Ignore him, Dolly. You can celebrate with us tomorrow.

TigerWoody: …

LustyLibrarian: Yes, your balls. We know.

TigerKing: How the fuck do I get out of this chat?

BabyGirl: Thanks, guys. I’ll message later. Fitz, play with Chess. You can tell me about it later. :wink emoji:

Feeling good about my handling of five men, I look up at the Admin building and take a deep breath.

Okay, Dolly. Joking about sex helped pump you up. Now it’s time to channel your inner badass.

I strideinto the cafeteria with my spine steeled. As I walk to the table where Rufus is lounging, I can feel eyes on my back, but I don’t let it bother me. These shitty assholes are just followers—people who are too scared of the social caste system at Apex to stand up to the Heathers, even if they don’t agree with what they’re doing. I don’t give a flying fuck about their judgment or their pity.

“Hi, Ru-Ru!” I say, making sure my voice carries even in the loud dining hall. “Where’s Coco?”

He gives me a sly grin, catching on to my need for bravado immediately. “She’s scoping out the menu while we waited for you. You know how she loves to sample all the different fish in her tacos.”

Snorting, I plop down on the chair next to him, smiling when I see Raina the raccoon beeline for our table. I was so scared after what happened here, I never came back to thank her for bringing my food and bag to the infirmary the night they chased me down. Raina beams at me as she hands us our menus, and I give her a grateful smile in return. “Raina, I didn’t get to thank you for your help at the beginning of the semester. I’m so happy to see you again.”

“Miss Dolly, I’m thrilled to see you here. I’ll grab you and Mr. Rufus’ drinks while you decide what you’re having. I can’t wait to tell the kitchen staff you’re back!”

The raccoon scurries off, and Rufus arches his brow at me. “What in RuPaul’s name did you do to earnthatkind of service? I thought you just got chased by the bottom feeding dingoes.”

I shrug. “I did. But I was nice to her, and well, I’m sure she knows I’m prey. And Renard is really tight with all the prey staff, so… maybe it’s a combo?”

“Dolly, queen of the downtrodden—it fits you, girl.” He chuckles and waves at Cori, trying to get her to stop flirting with an artsy-looking aquatic shifter by the lake entrance. “Coco needs to shake a leg; I’m starving.”

Before I can respond, a ridiculously realistic-looking newspaper isplopped on the table in front of me. I turn my head, and like a bad case of the clap, the Heathers are back.

As if I didn’t have enough to deal with, my ex-friends seem determined to continue harassing me like creepy stalkers, even though I avoid them. Rufus picks up the paper, not even giving them the courtesy of looking in their direction. When he sees the headline, he hands it to me with a huff of annoyance.

SHOULD APEX ACADEMY ENACT A MORAL CLAUSE IN ITS HONOR CODE?

A Student Perspective by Heather Barrington

Apex Academy has a long tradition of excellence.

---