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MIA
“All right, I’ll need you to break down into groups of four.” The instructor stands at her desk in the front of the room and waits for us to shuffle around and find our study group arrangements.
I can’t pretend it doesn’t make me feel good when Posey immediately turns around and points at me, eyebrows raised. I nod quickly and try to hide my happiness. How pathetic. Am I that desperate for friendship? The desk next to mine is now empty, so she scoots over and plops down in the chair. “Awesome. I was afraid she would assign us to people we didn’t know.”
“I know, right? I didn’t think we’d have our own choice.” I look around the room, letting my gaze drift over Zeke like I don’t even notice him. Like I’m not constantly aware of his presence. He’s sitting by the door, one ankle crossed over the other knee while he slouches in his plastic chair. He could be asleep with his eyes open for all I know. He’s not moving.
I can’t help but want to ask Posey if it’s weird, him being here, but I also don’t want to draw even more attention to him.
Another girl comes over, tucking her bright pink hair behind one ear before pointing at the empty desk in front of me. I wonder how I’d look with hair that color. I’ve always wanted to try. “Do you have room for another?” she asks, pointing at the nearest empty desk.
“Sure!” Posey reaches over to the desk and pulls it closer while introducing herself. I wish I had her confidence. I guess it comes from growing up privileged and believing the whole world will move out of your way when you want it to. I might have the same resources at my fingertips that she has, but I don’t have that deep, ingrained belief. I wonder if I ever will.
“Lucky me.” A guy I recognize from class but haven’t yet met slides into the desk in front of Posey. “Finding three gorgeous ladies in need of a study partner.”
“Who says we’re in need of a partner?” I ask. “Maybe we were waiting for the fourth girl to show up.”
“If that’s true, I’ll get up right now.” He shrugs and tries to hide a playful grin. “Four girls pulling all-nighters to get their project finished? I think I watched a movie like that once.”
“We have room,” Posey tells him. “But are you sure you don’t want to group up with your bros?” She nods toward a cluster of guys near the back of the room dressed the way he is: jeans, hoodies, ball caps. It’s like their uniform. Somebody spent a lot of money so they could look sloppy.
He scoffs, rolling his eyes. “No, thanks. I was thinking maybe I could pull a decent grade in this class if I had study partners who actually want to, you know, study.” He flashes me a grin, and I can’t help but grin back. He’s got that kind of personality that makes people feel easy. “I’m Dean Saunders.”
“Mia Casteel.” I don’t know what gave me the confidence to announce my name like that before he even asked. The girls introduce themselves, too. Zoe obviously thinks he’s cute—which he is—and Posey immediately jumps in as the group leader.
“Once we get our assignment, we can break down the work.” Without waiting to see if everybody agrees, Posey gets up and goes to the front of the room to get our assignment for the project.
I can’t help but sigh and wish I was more like her. “She’s going to make a kick-ass CEO someday.”
“Or she’ll just sit back and live off her trust once she turns twenty-one.” Dean lifts a shoulder. “That’s what I would do.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you knew Posey.”
“Her dad’s some big finance guy in Chicago. You never heard of him?”
Now I want to melt into my chair. Zoe is looking at me with interest, too. “No, I don’t pay attention to stuff like that, I guess.”
“Trust me, she’ll be fine no matter what. Unless she wants to take over the company, but I don’t think her brothers would want her to do that.” He jerks his chin at me. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You’re the girl who walks around campus with Frankenstein trailing you all the time.” He turns in his chair, looking toward the back of the room. “And there he is.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cringe. “Are you serious? Is that what people think? Has word, like, spread or something?”
Zoe at least looks sympathetic. “Not like it’s a bad thing. Lots of us know what it’s like to have bodyguards or security or whatever.”
“Just not here, at school,” Dean finishes. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I was only making a joke.”
“It’s okay. Yeah, my dad is super overprotective.” I roll my eyes and try to laugh it off, and it’s obvious from their expressions they can relate.
“If anything, my family is probably glad to have me out of the house. Out of sight, out of mind, right?” Dean and Zoe exchange a knowing look like they can relate to each other. I wonder if my dad feels the same way. I guess I could understand if he did since he’s not used to having a daughter in his life in the first place. I must have mixed things up for him. Now things can go back to the way they were before.
Posey returns wearing a triumphant smile. “We’re group number three. We’ll be studying the effects of organized crime on society.”
Dean sits up a little straighter. “Sweet. I volunteer to watch Scarface and take notes.”
Posey looks him up and down before scoffing. “Don’t even pretend you don’t have a Scarface poster in your room.”
