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CHAPTER2
Evie
After standing spellbound before the ornate and imposing edifice of Pinecrest University’s main campus building not ten minutes ago, I was expecting a lot more from the girls’ dorm rooms. The wood paneled hallway with its moody, gold-framed renaissance paintings gave me hope, but so far all I’ve seen are bright, open plan interiors with IKEA-style furniture.
My guide, Willow, stops outside a closed door and gives me a timid smile. When I wasn’t peeking inside the rooms we passed, I was staring at her mousy-colored bun as it bobbed, wondering if I had to start dressing down so I wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb around here. Her faded yoga pants cling to anorexic legs and her big, baggy hoody hides whatever’s going on above her knock-knees.
Maybe wearing my newest jeggings and a freshly laundered blue blouse was a mistake.
“Ta-da!” She throws out her arms, but her enthusiasm quickly dwindles when all I can muster is a nod. “Thanks, Willow.”
“Tour’s not done, yet,” she says, nodding eagerly. “Go drop off your stuff, then I’ll show you—”
“No.” I’m suddenly clinging to my cardboard box. It’s not large, and neither is the backpack hanging from my shoulder, but it’smystuff, and after everything that’s happened the past few weeks, I’m hesitant to let it out of my sight.
Willow’s eyes go round. “It’ll be safe.” She rummages around in her hoody’s pouch and pulls out a black keycard. “Just lock the door.”
“Yeah, I know, I just, I’d like to get settled in. It was a long drive.”
Longer than she’lleverknow. Pinecrest is a tiny town in the middle of fucking nowhere. Which is probably why my father thoughtthisuniversity would be a fresh start.
Willow can obviously sense some of the shitty thoughts floating around in my head, because her smile solidifies as she plops my keycard with its black-and-gold Pinecrest University lanyard on top of my box. “You’re smart. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
How would she know? Did she see my transcript?
I push away the sour thought. My father had to pull a lot of strings to get me in here. I did exceedingly well in high school… up until a few weeks before graduation.
That’s when all hell broke loose.
Thankfully, it seems Pinecrest University was willing to look past some truancy and a massive scandal. I’m sure the small fortune my father paid them hadnothingto do with their decision.
Willow looks relieved as she starts to walk away. “If you have any questions, just ask your roommate.”
Shit.
I’d almost forgotten about that. I wasn’t entirely happy to find out that I’d been matched up with a second-year. Then again, I’m not happy to be here to begin with.
As if summoned, someone plucks open the door and lets out a hoarse, “JesusChrist! Is letting me get a fucking nap too much to ask?”
I turn back to the door and flinch at the pair of fierce green eyes glaring in my direction. “Hi.” I shift my box so I can stick out my hand. “I’m—”
“Evie.” The girl leans her hip against the doorjamb as she flicks the tail end of her bright blue braid over her shoulder. Paired with her neon-green leggings and pink tank, she makes me wish I was colorblind. “You’ll have to be a lot quieter if this thing is going to work.”
“Of course, yeah. Sorry.” My cheeks are already heating up, and the girl makes matters worse by scanning me like I’m an underage kid trying to get into a night club.
“Looks like I got my work cut out for me,” she mutters, dragging me inside by my sleeve. As soon as I take in the room, I wish I hadn’t done so much internal bitching about the rooms we passed. They, at least, had floors. Beds. Other pieces of furniture that weren’t covered in clothing.
I assume this place has a floor, but I’d need a shovel to find it.
“You’ll get used to it,” the girl says.
I’m so shocked, she manages to take my box out of my hands before I can stop her. She clears space on one of the beds with her elbow and unceremoniously drops my stuff onto the mattress before marching back to what I assume is her side of the room.
“You’re not wearing that to the Burnout,” she says. The chunky jewelry draped over her wrists clatters as I shake her hand. “Katiana Oakes, but everyone just calls me Kat.”
Kat starts digging around in her clothes. I was hoping she was sorting them out, perhaps making use of the dresser or the closet now that I’m here, but she seems content to hunt through the piles like a scavenging badger.
I leave her to get on with it, and head over to the dresser on my side of the room to unpack.
