Page 55 of Heartless Beloved

9

ALEXANDRA

Ghost (dark version) - Confetti

I pack my stuff into my bag and look up to see Chester waiting for me by the amphitheater door. I smile at him and jog to meet him.

“No one, and I truly mean no one, brings as much shit to class as you do, Alex,” he laughs as we exit the room.

“Oh shush, I like to have all my colored pens and my notebooks.”

“We like to take notes on these things called laptops now, or iPads. Why don’t you just use your iPad as a notebook?”

“Because, Chester,” I pull out my favorite notebook, place it next to my face, and point at it, “that’s why.”

“Get it off my desk,” he reads. “I don’t get it.”

“That’s because you’re not a Swiftie. Peach and Ella got me this notebook, so who am I not to use it?”

“Please, tell me you don’t have a notebook that refers to a Taylor Swift song. You’re not thirteen anymore, Alex.” His voice resonates with the laugh he’s holding back while he tries to scold me.

I stop and pin him with my stare. “There is no age to be a Swiftie. Don’t even fight me on this.”

We exit the Political Science building and go down the marble steps leading to the manicured lawn. It’s a beautiful day, the sun shining bright despite being early September, and I smile as I close my eyes and tilt my head back, taking in the warm sun rays.

“I love that we have Introduction to American Politics together,” I sigh happily. “That man is so boring, I’m glad I’m not suffering alone.”

“It could have been because you love me, because I’m your best friend, or because you enjoy spending time with me, but no. It’s because you want us to suffer together.”

I cackle a laugh, looking back at him. “Suffering together is beautiful. True love.”

He smiles back at me, but his eyes tell me what he doesn’t. He’s still hurting that we’re not together anymore. Pretending I don’t notice it, I change the topic of conversation.

“Didn’t you say you had to go to the store? Let’s go together. Should I buy us some Hubba Bubba? We haven’t had those in ages.”

He nods, starts walking again, and drags me along with him. “Yes! I love you when you think of that. Have you got your fake I.D. with you? I’ve been tasked to buy the alcohol for tonight’s party.”

My mouth twists, and I recoil slightly. “I do, but I’m scared to use it. If I get caught, my dad will never let me hear the end of it.”

“Don’t worry.” His bright smile is reassuring. “We’re in Silver Falls now. Not everyone knows who you are.”

Nodding to myself, I smile at him. “Okay, let’s go.” A gust of wind goes through my skirt as we hurry to his car. The uniform we’re made to wear at SFU is just as bad as the Stoneview Prep’s one. The burgundy and white tartan skirts match the color of the ties, and our white button-downs are as dull as they come.

I throw my bag at the back of his G Wagon and hop in the passenger seat. “What do you think will happen on your first night of initiation?” Chester asks as he starts the car. “Ours have been horrible. I puked in class yesterday because they made us drink until seven a.m. And it was the first night.”

I huff and let my head fall back against the seat. “I don’t want to go through initiations. Harper has been so fake to me since the bid party, and I just know she’s going to be horrible.”

I don’t add that I’ve been avoiding her, given that I’m too scared she’s going to find out what happened with Xi.

I want to laugh. Why do I even care? The man ran away as soon as I told him I was a virgin. Girls who don’t have experience don’t excite him. He went as far as making me dinner and pretending he cared just to get me in his bed. But a virgin? God, no.

A few days have passed since we moved into our sorority house. I haven’t seen or heard from him since, and I don’t think I will. He was obviously being a typical fuckboy, which means I can put all of this behind me. As long as we stay out of each other’s way, I don’t have to worry about anything.

I shake my head and look at Chester while he drives, explaining that if I feel unsafe with the Xi Ep girls at any point, I should call him, and he’d come get me.

Chester is such a prince. The kind from the fairy tales. His blond hair always shines in the sun, and his blue eyes make all the girls melt under his kind stare.

He is everything I would never want again. Not after getting a taste of what it’d be like with a more rugged man—someone who would take the choice away from me and couldn’t hold himself from having me.

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