Page 43 of XXXVII: The Elite

The easiest thing I can do is leave.

But even as I think of that, in my mind, I see my brother in jail.

It’s so hard to put into words exactly why I feel so sure that he’s innocent, especially with no evidence, but I’ve always felt this strongly about it, and that hasn’t changed. Whatever the truth is, it’s here at James Keyingham University. And if it is here, I need to stay too.

“Is there a reason you simply accepted the instruction to clean that desk?”

Dropping the cloth I’m using, I look up and find Dr. Wright has moved closer, watching me work. “You mean I shouldn’t have?”

Dr. Wright crosses his arms. He’s wearing a light blue shirt, similar to the one he was wearing when I knocked his coffee over him, and as he folds his arms, the fabric around his biceps strain.

“You think I did this?” When he doesn’t respond, I pick the rag back up and point to the words that are starting to fade.

“Some girls love attention.”

Instead of flinging the dirty rag at the professor’s face, I hold it in my hand, squeezing it tightly. “I have had more attention in the last few years than anyone would wish for. The last thing I want here is more.”

“Evidently.” His eyes are on my hair.

“I’m the victim here,” I say, refusing to explain my hair to him.

Without dropping his arms, Dr. Wright inhales deeply. He drops his gaze to the desk, staring at it before he raises his gaze to look at me. “Knowing what your brother did, here on this campus, you decided the smartest thing to do was to enroll here?” There’s a hint of incredulity in his voice, but his expression remains stony. “What did you expect would happen when the students found out the sister of a serial killer enrolled in their school?”

“Serial killer? Cole didn’t killanyone. Don’t you dare—”

“And now you’re threatening a teacher?” Dr. Wright cocks his head.

“I am not threatening anyone,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’m merely requesting that you get your facts right.”

Dr. Wright’s eyes narrow and his eyes fill with the same venom I saw in Syn’s. He moves towards me, and I step away, my back almost instantly colliding with the desk behind me. “Before you start preaching ‘facts’, I suggest you actually find out what they are, Ms.Anderson.”

He turns on his heel and walks back to his desk, pausing only long enough to grab his bag before walking out of the room.

I count to ten before releasing my breath and then I fling the cloth onto my desk. My hands are shaking, but its anger raging around my body.

It’s one thing to have these comments from students, but I wasn’t expecting it from a professor.

What the hell does he know anyway? He’s new. I overheard one of the girls behind me saying he started working here at the beginning of last semester.

But to accuse Cole of being a serial killer?

I’m going to make sure I find the truth and get Cole released. And then I’m going to stand in front of the administration building, directly below the clock tower, at the front of campus, with my brother by my side, and wait for every single person to apologize.

And Synclair Keyingham and Dr. Payne Wright will be at the front of that line.

XVIII

Tori

Whispers follow me around all day.

Whispers that are just loud enough for me to hear what’s being said, but whenever I look in the direction of whoever’s speaking, no one says anything. No one even looks at me.

Taking Syn’s words to heart, everyone is pretending I don’t exist.

Which sounds great in theory, until I’m trying to navigate the hallways and paths. Then, if I’m not shoulder-checked, I’m shoved to the side. After one particular push literally sends me flying into a bush as I try to cross the courtyard, I end up taking the least populated routes, even if they take longer.

By the time I’ve finished my last class, I’m exhausted and hungry. Penny is waiting for me outside of my building and hurries over. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

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