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Chapter 38
Astrid
I don’t wait for goodbyes as I head toward the main door with quick steps. I glance over my shoulder, and Bryce is heading down the aisle with Pierce, Wyatt, and Justin following close behind. I don’t wait for them, not that it really matters. Half the school knows I’ve been with all four of them, but I feel that right now, keeping our arrangement private might be a good idea. Our arrangement? What the fuck is it? When I asked Wyatt, he tried to explain to me how they plan to let me decide which one I’ll choose. It’s all on me.
I walk up the path toward my dorm, and I try hard not to look behind me. That’s what screwed up Euripides and his wife. He couldn’t keep his cool long enough for them to escape without being nosy. I laugh at myself and that odd reference that I wouldn’t have thought of before. I must be studying too hard.
Casually, I slip down into the basement, past the old boxes and to the locked bathroom door. I unlock it, and one by one, the boys come in, and immediately the damage control starts, with quick thinking whipping around the room.
“What the fuck. Why was he there? What was he doing? Never mind.” Pierce has to be reminded repeatedly to lower his voice as he paces around the old bathroom. “Who was supposed to text him?”
“It was me.” Justin sits on the couch and reaches down into his messenger bag on the floor. He holds up his phone, so we can clearly see the text that he sent to Getz. “I made it clear that it was last night.”
“What’s going to happen?” I ask, sitting between him and Bryce. “Do you think they’ll link him to us?”
“Don’t know, but it’s going to be a shit-fest for Rawlins,” replies Bryce. “A Stonehaven professor caught running out of a sex club without pants?” He rubs his eyes, digging his fingers into his skin. “At least he wasn’t balls deep in some chick.”
“That wouldn’t have been hard.” Pierce laughs at his joke and then looks right at me. The jerk needs to play it cool. Instead, he keeps looking at me until I squirm.
Leaning against the opposite wall, Wyatt eyes me and then talks to the entire room. “We need to check his office and make sure none of our stuff is lying around in there.”
“I’ll go and do it.” I hold out my hand, palm up. “I need the key.”
“No, you’re not going,” Wyatt says over the other boys’ murmurs, all vetoing my suggestion. “I’ll go with Pierce.”
Pierce scoffs, trying not to laugh. “So we can start fighting and get caught? Justin and I will go. No one ever suspects that Justin is up to no good.”
“They’ll question it this time,” replies Bryce, “It’s Ted, and Justin cannot be seen anywhere near Getz’s office. In fact, Justin, you need to check your studio, just in case.”
Justin lowers his head and fails miserably to hide the hurt in his eyes. “Ted has no interest in my work. I know without looking that there’s nothing there.”
“Fuck. Astrid’s tattoo.” Pierce fists his hand and punches the other one. “Double fuck. What if someone finds a sketch of Astrid in your dad’s stuff?”
I don’t know what happens. My brain sort of shuts down when I hear what Pierce says. A mental image of that night flashes into my mind of Ted standing over me and my shorts slowly being peeled down off my hip. His eyes stare lewdly at my ink while he licks his moist lips. I shudder, and when I open my eyes again, I’m lying on the couch by myself, looking up into four anxious faces.
“What happened?” I whisper, holding myself in my arms. “What happened to me?”
“I’m sorry, Astrid.” Pierce’s face is twisted in pain as he kneels beside me. He reaches for my hand and holds it tightly in his. I’ve never seen him look this way before, really upset and concerned for someone’s feelings. There’s no rage in his eyes, only sadness that he caused me pain. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I shouldn’t have mentioned that…”
“Well, don’t do it again.” Wyatt strikes Pierce on the shoulder with his fist. His face contorts with anger, but a flash of something else passes quickly through his eyes. It’s jealousy, and I tremble when I see it because I’m not one of those girls that get off on men destroying one another to make me look hot.
I close my eyes, turning my face away, and my nose presses against the smelly couch. I wince from the odor and quickly struggle to sit upright so I can smell stuffy air. Hands reach for me, but I push their outstretched hands away. I don’t want them to touch me. What have I done? I’ll never be able to choose one, and what will happen when I do?
“I’m okay.” It would’ve sounded convincing if I weren’t shouting. I grab my book bag off the floor and rush to the door, where I pause. “We don’t have time to indulge in emotions,” I tell them. “We have to make sure there’s nothing that points to us, or it won’t work. I need this to work. I won’t let him get away with it. Wyatt and I will check the office. So, who has the key?”
I don’t miss the evil looks as Pierce slams the key into Wyatt’s palm. Bryce glares at Wyatt from the corner of his eye. Justin stares at the floor while poking out his lip. And Pierce gives Wyatt the once over before shaking his head dismissively.
I picked Wyatt. It doesn’t matter that it’s for a dirty job that could lead to severe consequences if we’re caught. All that matters is that I picked him.
