Page 680 of Filthy Elites

She gave him a cautious smile. “Hi, Adrian.”

“I should apologize.” Adrian shoved his hands in his pockets. “I was an asshole to you and Drew.” He had not known what Parker had planned, but he had given both Drew and Gwen a hard time whenever he had the chance.

Gwen sighed. “You’ve already said you were sorry.”

“I’m pissed that I didn’t realize how out of control Parker had gotten. You knew though, didn’t you?”

“Not in the beginning. He got worse when things didn’t go his way until he completely cracked.” Gwen shifted her bag on her shoulder. “I’m glad you weren’t involved in all his plans.”

Adrian looked away. “I should have known.”

“We can’t look back.” Gwen said as she turned toward her building. “It’s not too late to change.”

Adrian wrinkled his brow as he watched her walk away.

* * *

Janie rushedinto the humanities building for her history class and Kelsey continued toward the social sciences center. Kelsey wished they had gotten to campus sooner so she could get some caffeine, but that would have to wait for her sociology class to get done.

Kelsey slipped into her usual seat, which was second from the back of the class along the windows. Her place had been strategically selected so she could watch what was going on in the courtyard where students liked to hang out. She spent most of every class wishing she were with whoever was out there.

Every class from the moment roll was taken to the second his time was up, the professor read word for word from the book in a monotone voice that bored everyone to death. More than a few students would fall asleep. The cute guy in the back row against the wall would be snoring in a matter of seconds. She had no idea how he could fall asleep that quickly.

Kelsey smiled when she noticed a few men jogging together around the perimeter of the courtyard. She knew they were exercising there to draw the female population’s attention and she was fully supportive of their efforts. They were going to make sociology tolerable. The only thing better would have been if they were running shirtless.

She felt a tug on the back of her hair and spun around expecting to see her friend, Gwen, but was shocked to see someone else in her place.

“I heard what you did. The whole campus knows,” Alyson sneered.

Kelsey groaned and she was pretty sure it was audible. She turned back to the window, not wanting to give the mean girl in her class any time or attention.

“I can’t believe you.” Alyson tipped the desk closer to Kelsey. “You’re lucky Adrian’s going to be okay.”

Kelsey whipped around. Of course, the campus would have already found out that she almost hit Adrian in the parking lot. News traveled quickly at Blackstone. She blew out a frustrated breath. “He’s just fine,” she said aloud and then muttered quietly. “I didn’t actually hit him with my car.”

“I can’t believe you! You tried to destroy his life and kill him?” Alyson pointed a bright red manicured nail at Kelsey. “You think you’re hot shit on student government, making decisions that ruin people’s lives, but you’re nothing but a loser with no friends.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kelsey hadn’t thought about what the girls on campus would think and say about their beloved crew member being suspended. She had known that he attracted a flock of females wherever he went, but she hadn’t realized his fans would be angry with her. She should have known.

“You’re in my seat.” Gwen Mason glared at Alyson as she stood next to her desk.

“There are no assigned seats.” The tall blond flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Gwen smirked and shrugged. “I’ll just go sit by Conner. He won’t have to fake he’s sleeping so you’ll leave him alone. He’ll probably thank me.”

Alyson hopped up from the desk. “You better watch your back,” she hissed at Kelsey before hurrying over to the chair in front of Conner.

Gwen slipped into the chair Alyson just vacated. “What was Ms. Malicious spewing about today?”

Kelsey wasn’t sure if she should mention it to Gwen or not. Adrian’s problems were wrapped up in what his teammates had done to Gwen. She didn’t want to bring up a raw or painful memory. “She, uh, was just being her normal nasty self.”

Gwen shook her head. “It takes up way more energy to be negative and bitchy than it does to be nice. I don’t understand girls like that.”

Kelsey could tell she was thinking about Alyson’s friend, Clarissa, who had been arrested along with the others for her part in the campus scandal. Clarissa’s jealousy of Gwen had morphed into hatred after her plans had been ruined when Parker and Eric had gotten incarcerated. She had freaked out and tried to kill Gwen. “How are you doing?”

Gwen gave her a small smile. “I’m… happy. Things are really good with Drew, and we can just live our lives in peace. I know there will always be problems at times, but we’re not going to worry about that.”

“I’m glad things are getting better.” Kelsey couldn’t believe everything Gwen went through.