Page 6 of The Casualty of Us
Possibly my random late-night absences too.
Fuck.
I definitely should have requested a private room or something. Used this Sutton connection to its full advantage. But then I would have had to self-flagellate over taking up a whole dorm just because of my trauma.
Fuck.
What the hell am I going to do at night? I’m going to have to give her some sort of explanation. How am I going to be able to—
“Oliver! Ollie! Ollie!”
“Ophelia?”
A hand squeezes mine, and I suck down a deep breath, filling my lungs with air and blinking at where Sutton is staring at me curiously.
“Sorry.” I force my lips up, committing to the lie without missing a beat. “Just thinking about how I’m going to decorate my room.”
“Of course.” She smiles back, eyes lingering on me for a second more before shaking her head. “I was hoping to be able to walk you both over to the athletics facility and lake area, butI don’t think we have the time before the next group of students arrives.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” I squeeze Ollie’s hand in thanks before letting go. “I’m sure Oliver will sniff it out for the both of us.”
“That’s right.” She turns her attention back to him. “You talked to the offensive coordinator already, correct?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He grins, smug excitement seeping into his voice. “We have a meeting tomorrow.”
“Perfect.” She pats his shoulder before digging into her pocket and pulling out an assortment of what looks like plain white credit cards but with the Pinecrest logo on them. The letters PC over a coat of arms with pine branches wrapping around the bottom and the school motto at the top. “These are your keycards to enter the dorm and your individual rooms. They are keyed specifically for your rooms, and no one can enter without one.” She passes us both two keycards. “A main key and a spare in case you lose one, but be sure to keep track of them and report it immediately if that does happen.”
Ollie nods seriously, and I manage to jerk my chin down with a quick, “Of course.”
“Oliver.” She focuses in on him. “You’re in room 213, a triple, which means you’ll have two other roommates, although it is a corner room, so there’s plenty of space.”
Oh, fuck. Please don’t put me—
“And Ophelia, you’re in room 427, just a double.”
Thank you universe.
“427,” I repeat with a nod before she can change her mind and put me in some hellscape like a quadruple. “Got it.”
“Your school tablets and schedules will be waiting for you in your room along with the belongings you sent ahead.” She pauses then, seeming hesitant for a second before the lines of her face settle into something more serious. “One last thing, your common room is on the bottom floor, but from there, theboys’ dorm is on the left and girls’ on the right.” Silence reigns after her rush of words, and I blink at her, sensing Ollie tense beside me like he’s trying to work it out as well. “I understand that college is a time for exploration.” She waves between the two sides of the building hurriedly before pointing to the keycards. “But do try not to have me making any embarrassing calls to your mother about an unexpected grandchild or someone getting locked outside naked.”
“Oh!” The sound bursts out of my twin, and I cringe internally as he hurries to say, “Oh, no, ma’am, of course not, we would never—”
Sutton holds up a hand. “I run a school full of people getting their first crack at true freedom, Oliver Fitzroy, don’t take me for stupid.”
“Ha!” I cackle at his expense, the single comment warming me up to her more than any has yet.
“Just…” She waves her hands around some more. “Please remember you are not only accountable for your own safety and actions but also those of others.”
“Got it.” I nod, giving my keycards a flick and taking pity on her. “No sharing Ollie’s fetish porn with the student body, and make sure my lovers use the back door.” I pause as her face goes slack before shrugging innocently. “Notthatback door, obviously.”
A choking noise comes from next to me, and Sutton lifts a hand to her temple with a pinched look. “Don’t make me return you, Ophelia.”
“Never.” I grin. “You probably won’t even know I’m here.”
“Somehow, I doubt that,” she sighs, smoothing down the front of her blouse. “Go get settled in, you two, and don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.” Her eyes move between the two of us a few times before settling on me, and I can see it coming a mile away. “And Ophelia.”—she reaches out, giving myarm a squeeze—“I really can’t tell you how good it is to see you again.”
And there it is.
