Page 23 of Saint

Especially since still, to this day, no one will admit what that was.

“Lighten up, Patience.” Mila pops through the doorway to the bathroom with Teal on her heels. “We could all use a little break. You andTealeneneed to learn how to socialize.”

Mila stresses Teal’s full name just to get a glare in return.

“I socialize fine.” Teal sits down on the edge of the bathtub.

She’s still wearing the same baggy, acid-wash jeans and white long-sleeve shirt from earlier. Her hair’s in a messy ponytail, and there’s paint caked under her fingernails.

I’ve never seen her dress up for anything, so I shouldn’t be surprised that she looks more ready to paint a canvas than go to a party.

“The art department doesn’t count.” Mila hops up onto the counter.

She’s the opposite of Teal in her short, emerald dress that matches her eyes. And her usually wavy, brown hair is straight, brushing just beneath her shoulders. Between her bangs and the thick eyeliner, she gives off a Cleopatra vibe.

Mila is always perfectly put together. And right now, she’s the only one of us who looks ready to enter the doors of Sigma House.

A place I avoided, even when I was dating Liam.

We kept our relationship and his fraternity separate, and it was for the best. If reality lives up to the rumors, we’d do better knocking on the gates of hell than the ones that lead to Sigma House.

“Stop trying to avoid Declan and suck it up. You’re going.” Mila nods at Teal, taking a stance. “Besides, we can’t let Vi walk into that snake pit alone.”

Teal grinds her teeth at the mention of Declan’s name, but she doesn’t argue. She might hate him, and all Sigma Sin stands for, but she’s one of the most loyal people I’ve met. And knowing what awaits us at these parties, she won’t let me walk through the doors without being by my side.

Glancing around the room at my roommates, I’m thankful for them. Besides Mila, no one wants to go tonight, but they will for me.

The four of us met a year ago when we first came to Briar Academy. At first, I wasn’t sure it would work out, given our different personalities. But we grew close, complementing one another and forcing each other out of our comfort zones. Which is why, of anyone at Briar, I trust Mila, Patience, and Teal to have my back.

A tinge of guilt courses through me at the thought. If I can talk to anyone about what happened last night, it should be them.

So why am I still keeping secrets?

Turning back to the mirror, I run my hairbrush through my dark strands a final time and take a deep breath, trying not to think about Saint, even if it’s no use.

He’s made it clear he’s watching me and that he didn’t like me talking to Kole and Declan earlier. Going to Sigma House is painting a target on all of them, but I need answers.

I have to hope he won’t leave a trail of bodies in his wake now that he’s made himself known. Or that he’ll get bored of me soon.

After all, I’m not interesting. Between work, school, and sleep, there’s not much to see. He might have assumed I was someone else from our online chat, but the reality isn’t going to live up to the girl who shared her darkest fantasies.

“You’re not changing?” Mila frowns, scanning my outfit.

“No. Why?”

Her eyebrows pinch. “I was joking earlier. But turtlenecks, Vi, really? We’ve got to work on your style.”

She shakes her head as her phone chimes with a message. Thankfully, it’s enough to distract her from my clothes because the bruising on my neck and the mark on the inside of my wrist are limiting my wardrobe options.

“Marco says to show up whenever.” Mila types out a response, tucking her phone in her purse.

“Since when are you and Marco friends?”

“We aren’t.” She shrugs. “You don’tmake friendswith a Sigma Sin asshole. You use them for their connections.”

Better yet, you avoid them altogether. Because if you’re smart, you don’t do what I did. You don’t give them your number, you don’t draw their attention, and you don’t date one of them.

“Ready?” Mila looks up to find an irritated Patience and a bored Teal.

---