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I nod for her to take the call and pause at the entrance to the first floor hallway. Betty is her assistant, which means it’s about work.
My hip makes contact with the wall as I lean against it, Jace standing across from me, and we enter into a staring war.
His aqua eyes settle on mine as he focuses on me. When I narrow my eyes, his turn to slits. When I arch a brow, he raises both.
Laughter swims in his irises as if our little battle is the most hilarious thing in the world, and I want to ask him what the hell’s so funny when my mother’s frantic voice pierces my thoughts.
“Brynn, honey, there’s been an emergency with the appetizers for the Pierce wedding.” Mom’s gaze is frantic as she rejoins us.“Apparently, Jay, the summer hire, took the charcuterie cups with him to the shower and they’re halfway to Cleveland.”
“Mom,” I say, reaching a hand out to calm her. “Just go. It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, glancing at the time on her phone. “But I was supposed to have another hour. I wanted to help move you in and get your room set up and meet your roommate and—”
“It’s fine. Honestly. Please, go ahead and fix it. You got me here and that’s all that matters. Besides, I’ve already met my roommate, remember?” I lie again. “It’s all good. I can unpack a couple of suitcases and set up a bed on my own.”
She chews her lip, and I can sense she’s torn between me and her duties, so I smile, doing my best to reassure her. “Seriously, go.”
“You’re sure?” she asks, eyes searching mine.
“Positive.”
“I can help her get settled, Nikki,” Jace chimes in, and it takes everything in me to keep the smile on my face.
“That would be wonderful,” Mom says, glancing between us. With a sigh, she stretches her arms out and pulls me in for a hug.
Behind her back, I flip Jace the bird.
“Thank you so much for understanding. You call if you need anything. Check in with us tonight, all right? And we’ll see you soon?”
I nod and pull away, knowing she won’t leave unless I do.
Once she’s out of sight, I turn to Jace and drop the smile. “Great. You can go now.”
“And break my promise to your mother? Never.”
“Oh, yes. I forgot,” I say, lugging the plastic bin in my arms down the hallway, “you’re so noble.”
I pause in front of room one-twenty, suddenly unsure of what the protocol is for entering my dorm for the first time. If myroommate is already here, surely she’s expecting me, and it’s my room as much as it is hers. But it feels kind of weird to go barging right in. What if she’s in the middle of changing, praying, or saying goodbye to family of her own? I don’t want to be rude and ruin the moment.
In my peripheral, I can see the pinched set of Jace’s mouth at my internal struggle, so I quickly make a decision and stick my key in, waiting until the lock gives before lightly knocking as I push the door open.
I step inside and my gaze immediately falls on the girl seated on the bed across from me. My eyes widen as I struggle to compose myself and keep the shock I’m feeling from my face. But in truth, what I see is nothing short of terrifying.
She’s wearing ripped, black tights under cutoff shorts and a black top with a giant pentagram on the front. A shaved head reveals a tattoo on her skull, but my eyes have no idea what to focus on between that and the multiple piercings in her brow, which appear to be ordinary safety pins. Clutched in her white-knuckled hands, I’m almost certain is some kind of spell book.
I swallow as my gaze darts to the wall behind her, trying to find something positive to focus on, but all I find is a poster with weird symbols taped to the wall I’m not sure I want to know the meaning of. Glass bottles line the top of her dresser, each containing a liquid in varying colors of the rainbow.
I take a single step across the threshold, noting a weird smell permeating the air. Cigarette smoke? Weed? Burning flesh? I have no idea.
I offer her what I think passes for a smile, because underneath it all, I’m sure she’s a very nice person.
Her black lipsticked mouth curls into a sneer. “You must be Brynn,” she says, and it sounds more like an accusation than a greeting.
I swallow while my heart stutters inside my chest. “Yep, that’s me,” I say with a half laugh. “And you’re Cate?”
She says nothing, just continues to stare.
Behind me, the heat of Jace’s breath tickles my neck as he leans into me from behind, whispering, “Mmm-hmm, you’re right. I totally see the similarities.”
