Page 19 of Fall

When we walk through the doors, an immediate chill hits my bones. The chatter in the room dies to a low murmur as people turn to stare at us. Celeste clutches onto Taylor’s arm, and people start moving out of our way like the parting of the Red Sea. It does not feel friendly.

In fact, by the scowls and pursed lips, it feels like we’re carrying the plague and walking to our execution rather than to the sign-in booth. Screw these rich pricks. They think they’re all knowing, and yet, they don’t know shit.

Celeste stumbles into the table, and the snickers coming from some of the other students boil my blood. They have some nerve to judge her. I snap my head in the direction of the evil giggles when Taylor places his hand just under my shoulder.

“Let it go, Evie. Let’s just get through this so we can go,” he pleads softly. “You might be able to handle a full-on confrontation, but she’s not exactly in the best shape right now to deal with the bullshit these people are ready to dish out.”

“That was partly your doing.” I roll my eyes. “It shouldn’t matter. You’re a fucking Knight, Taylor. Why don’t they show you the same respect that they do Justin or Elijah?” I snap back with immediate regret. I don’t regret my words, just the abrupt movement that only aggravates my aching head.

He doesn’t bother responding as I snatch the pen from his hand and scribble my name on the registration sheet. He doesn’t exactly deserve the attitude, but it pisses me off to know that he’s right. There’s no reason to give these hypocrites a show.

We move across the room to the different booths that we are required to check into in order to certify that we completed our orientation requirements. Why Stratham insists on this is beyond my comprehension and quite frankly stupid.

I step back from the booth to let Celeste sign her name when a tingle slides down my neck and the smell of soap and fresh linen invades the air around me. My body stills and all the air escapes my lungs. I already know it’s him before he speaks.

“As smart as you are, you should have known better than to stay.” Elijah’s breath skates down my neck. His voice is low and gruff while heat pools in my core.

He leans in farther, ghosting his lips across the back of my neck, making my skin pebble. “And since you claim I’m allergic to commitment… How’s this; I promise that I will destroy everything you hold dear if you had anything to do with what happened to Micah.”

At the same time, Celeste steps backward unintentionally. I step back to avoid her running into me and end up with my back pressed against Elijah’s chest. He grabs my arms to prevent me from falling completely into him, and it’s a movement I wish he hadn’t done. My skin ignites at his touch, and the only saving grace I have is that he can’t see my face.

He sucks in a sharp breath and grips my arms to the point of pain, effectively keeping me pressed against him.

“Oh good. You’re finally going to take out the trash.” Genna saunters into view, her arms folded across her chest. “It’s about time someone did something.”

Close behind her are a few of the Zeta Sigma Rho girls who tried to beat me in the locker room last year.

Elijah’s fingers slide down my arms, lingering far too long on my skin before he finally lets me go and acknowledges her.

“Now is not the time, Genna. Go run along and play house or some shit.”

She scoffs in annoyance. “You can’t seriously be allowing her to stay here. How can you after what she did to Micah? London has been sick with worry, and this bitch gets to just walk around? The Knights are supposed to protect us, and she’s clearly a danger to others. How many more students are going to get hurt before you realize that?”

She raises her voice just enough to ensure that some of the nearby students can hear her challenge but not make it too obvious. “Are you really going to let her go unpunished, Elijah?”

A few of the students closest to us stop their movements, making a semi-circle to watch the interaction.

“Whatwedo or don’t do is none ofyourconcern.”

Genna narrows her eyes and continues to speak. “I think maybe it’s time for someone else to be the voice of the student body. Someone who is going to make decisions for the best interest of everyone and not just for themselves. And for the record—what Psi Kappa Psi does or doesn’t do is very much the concern of every student at Stratham.”

She takes a minute to look at some of the students, nodding to her girls and pretending to be overly concerned with everyone’s safety. Playing every bit the part of the politician she so wishes to be.

“Good thing we don’t keep you around for your brain.” He smirks.

Caleb takes this moment to appear out of the crowd with a sour look on his face. “Genna, can I speak to you privately, please?” He attempts to grab her hand, but she moves it out of the way.

“We can talk right here. This bitch hurt Micah, and it’s a little disgusting that you guys are doing nothing about it.”

“Who says we’re not doing anything about it?” Elijah chimes in, his eyes darkening to steel.

He shifts closer to her, causing her friends and the rest of the students who are watching to inadvertently move out of his way. They obviously have a sense of self-preservation that Genna most certainly lacks. Instead of backing down, she pulls her shoulders back in defiance.

Taylor pulls on the inside of my elbow, trying to get me to step behind him to join Celeste, but my feet are cemented in place. I pull my arm out of his grasp and shake my head, but my eyes won’t leave the scene now in front of me.

He grunts in frustration and steps forward to stand at Elijah’s side. Gradually, a few more Knights who are in the room start to move closer to Caleb and Elijah, moving the other students farther back and leaving Genna and her friends to stand alone.

Elijah speaks calmly in the silence of the room. “Do not make the mistake of thinking that because Caleb is fucking you that you have a say in what we do. Your sole purpose is to play the dutiful housewife.”

---