Page 148 of Filthy Elites

I wrench open the door. “Bid Day.”

TWO

Reagan

By the timeI get to The Green an eerie calm has washed over me. I’m possibly having an out-of-body experience.

I’m used to people watching me. It’s one of the side-effects of being popular. There are eyes following me all the time. They’re looking at my clothes, my jewelry, my shoes, my boyfriend, my everything.

Today their eyes aren’t on me as much as their phones. The video has gone viral, spreading across social media like wildfire, jumping from one device to the other, like a chain reaction. No matter what the result is the same: I’m done.

The field is decked out in balloons and lights. Each sorority is represented, with members holding large cut out Greek letters. In just a few minutes, the recruits will be brought in, lined up and given a ticket to their future.

Not me. I’m no longer one of those girls.

I know there’s no coming back from this, which is why I kick my shoes off halfway to The Green and continue on barefoot. It’s also why, when I see him sitting on a brick wall on the edge of the grass, I don’t hesitate to slap Miller Hansen’s pretty face the instant I see him.

“Jesus Christ!” he shouts, hand moving to where his lip split from the force. The only reason the hit landed is that I took him off guard. I rear back to do it again and he stops me mid-air, hand wrapping around my forearm. “Do it again and things will get much worse.”

His voice is low. Scary, but also tinged with the slightest amusement.

“How could you?” I whisper, completely ignoring the crowd of recruits lining up to get their bids. I can’t even process the balloons and music and excitement. Miller and the other frat boys are away from the field, poised to watch the ceremony. “You promised.”

“It’s not my fault you’re a naïve little girl.” His tongue darts out, licking the blood off his bottom lip. Good. I broke the skin. “This is how the game is played.”

Rage breaks through the remains of my self-control and I lunge at him, grabbing at his shirt. He laughs and pushes me off, but my nails sink into his skin. Irritation flickers in his eyes and, for a minute, I think he may hit me. I want him to. I want to feel something other than this terrible rejection.

Two hands cinch around my waist and drag me off Miller, still kicking and clawing. “Jesus Christ, Reagan, what the fuck are you doing?”

Royer.

My muscles relax and I sink into him, seeking his warmth, comfort. His body stiffens, and he spins me around. His expression is hard, his eyes dark. “Royer. I’m—”

“Blacklisted.”

“What?” A giggle comes from my left and for the first time I glance around. A crowd of people surround us, phones lifted and recording. “I’m sorry. I never wanted—Miller promised—”

“Don’t bring Miller into this,” he says, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “No more than you already have.”

My heart pounds and I look over his shoulder at Miller, who’s wiping his mouth with the hem of his shirt. “Yeah, I know.” He smirks over at his friend. “I mean, I’m the one that told him to do it.”

“You what?” Confusion swirls in my mind. The bribes. The blowjob. The graduation party. I hold out my hands to steady myself. “What are you saying?”

He grabs my arm and drags me away from the guys watching us like a tennis match. He shoots them all a look of warning and pulls me behind a row of square hedges. “It’s nothing personal, Reagan. Every year we pick an overconfident freshman and fuck with them.”

“Then we blacklist them.” I turn to see Andrea come around the corner, dressed in her Greek letters, all ready for Bid Night. She eases up to Royer, who slides his arm around her tiny waist and kisses her on the cheek. She smiles at me. “You were the perfect choice. So willing to doanythingto get in. God, I’ve never seen someone so desperate in my whole life.”

I stare between them, trying to understand. “W-w-why?”

Royer shrugs. “Because we can.”

Andrea steps away from my boyfriend and stands in front of me. “You thought you could challenge me? Take me down? You’re a stupid, naïve little girl who thinks she can play with the big kids.” She reaches out and snatches off the pearl necklace. “Who do you think told him to buy this for you?” She laughs. “You needed to believe he cared.”

My eyes dart to his and he shrugs.

I look back at Andrea, and she’s pulled up her shirt, revealing her tits. She grabs them with both hands. “Oh yeah, these tits are real, and your boyfriend loves them.”

She smiles back at Royer, whose eyes dart down to her bare breasts and grins. “She’s right. I like to lick and suck and fuck them.”

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