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“Thank you.” I smile at him.
“I said you don’t have to thank me. You wanna go for one of our drives?”
I laugh and shake my head. “It wasn’t that bad of a night.”
“Do it for me?” His brown eyes soak into mine.
Usually it’s me who wants to drive after a bad night, so I’m a little alarmed by the sadness I see brewing in the depths of those chocolate eyes. “Of course. Anything for you.”
He rolls down the windows since it’s a beautiful night in Chicago and hops on Lakeshore Drive. The wind flows through my hair, and he turns up the music, allowing us to both feel as though we’re escaping. Escaping what, I’m not sure.
Chapter 3
Ellery
Junior Year of College
I was running late. I was always running late. I felt as though my body didn’t know how to function unless I was running on barely any sleep and fueled on caffeine. I kept telling myself it was college, but as I steadily walked past my fellow co-eds, none of them appeared to be sweating and on the verge of passing out.
Dr. Mylard had already started his lecture when I reached the classroom. Way to make a first impression. This was my junior year, so it’s not as if I had the excuse of being lost. I was surprised the lecture wasn’t in an auditorium but in a small classroom of only thirty or so students. Was I even in the right class?
Trying to be discreet, I quietly shut the door, but as I turned, I noticed all the students and Dr. Mylard staring at me.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said, making eye contact with him.
He smiled. “It’s quite all right. Who am I to discipline a Wallace?” He signaled with his hand to take a seat.
My cheeks heated, and I walked to the only vacant seat in the back. Sitting so far from the front usually wasn’t my style, but I was thankful to be slightly hidden today. Did he have to call me out in front of everyone? Today was just one of the many times I’d hated my decision to come to this school, but my father would have it no other way. I was a Wallace, and every Wallace since this university was erected had come here.
I looked to my right and startled.
Cooper Rice was sitting beside me, and was he smiling… at me?
Everyone on campus knew Cooper Rice. He was the quarterback for our football team. Sure, my name meant something on this campus, but Cooper’s name meant a whole lot more.
So much football talent, and of course, he was incredibly hot. Dark hair with eyes to match that were rimmed with thick lashes and a trim, fit body.
Dr. Mylard cleared his throat, and I turned away from Cooper’s amazing dimple, unzipping my backpack to pull out my stuff. I straightened in my seat to pay attention.
“There’s a syllabus online, and I suggest you follow it precisely. There is no extra credit, no retaking tests, and no makeup work. You turn in all material on time, be here on test days, and you’ll have a great semester.” His gaze landed on me. “If you’re late, you won’t.”
Cooper snickered, and I glanced over before burying my head in my notebook again.
For the rest of the class, I felt Cooper looking at me, but I didn’t understand why. I wasn’t the type of girl football players went for. My roommate, Bryce, was always trying to get me to go out, but I wasn’t the party girl. Maybe because I always felt as if my dad had eyes on me everywhere.
Cooper’s type was probably the sorority girl, the girl who’d write his number on her cheeks and sit front row, pouring attention onto him about what a great player he was. They probably gave him blowjobs and didn’t expect anything in return. Not that I had a lot of experience in that department.
My body was on high alert by the time Dr. Mylard ended class.
I packed up my bag, swung my backpack over my shoulder, and waited to file out of class with everyone else. Thankfully, Dr. Mylard didn’t call me down to his desk, but his attention did remain on me.
Some professors respect that my ancestors helped build this campus, while others resent it and some of the board’s decisions. And since I had five family members on the board, I was often looked at as enemy number one.
“Wallace!” a voice said behind me as I escaped the building and walked down the pathway back to the student center. I had an hour’s break before my next class.
I stopped and looked over my shoulder, and my eyebrows shot up. Cooper Rice was jogging down the path to catch up to me?
I checked in front of me in case he was calling my cousin, who was a graduate student here. When I turned back around, I saw that some guy was fist-bumping Cooper to say hello. He kept moving until he stopped in front of me, and a group of girls all stared as they walked past.
