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But now I had to get serious. Three days spent packing up my room meant I hadn’t touched a single textbook. I had two papers to write and several chapters to review, none of which would get done unless I found somewhere quiet to study for a few hours.
The sorority house wasn’t an option, not with Nicole sulking around and following me with her eyes anytime I passed. Word had started to spread about what happened. I’d done my best to smooth things over by telling everyone Nicole and Christian were secretly in love, but not everyone believed it. Even some of Nicole’s close friends were whispering in the hallways of the sorority house about what really could have happened. While I hadn’t spoken to Nicole since that fateful day, she seemed to be taking everything in stride. She got what she wanted, after all. Christian.
I would have given him to her. I would have given her my blessing. Once upon a time, Nicole and I were as close as sisters, and now her distance made all the more sense.
She thought I didn’t deserve him and the life he offered me.
Maybe she was right. Actually, she was right about that. I didn’t want what Christian had to offer. I didn’t think I ever had. Even back when I found myself in love with him for the first time, there was always something off about it, something that made me hesitate to envision a future with him.
Now everyone was happy, right? Nicole got the man of her dreams. Christian would graduate and have a pretty little housewife by the end of next summer.
And I was free.
I bit down on a grin as I hiked up to my usual spot on the third floor of the library. All around me, people were huddled in groups, and whispered conversations fluttered through the air. I felt a sense of excitement in the air. Fall break was only a few days away. Everyone was ready to go home, to see their families, to have a break from the monotony of campus life.
I was excited to start a new chapter in my life, one that had been a long time coming.
“What do your sorority sisters think about all of this?” Jessica asked quietly. She pulled a sticky note free of its pad and smoothed it over a section of her textbook, scribbling a quick note.
“No one can blame me for leaving,” I replied, just as quietly. Our usual spot—always quiet and secluded—was now bustling with groups looking for places to study. “After I graduated with my bachelor’s, I gave up my right to hold any committee seats, and I don’t sit in on chapter meetings. I was just kind of... there when I didn’t need to be. Those days are behind me. I don’t think anyone was upset that I’m leaving, but several have said it’s the end of an era.”
Jessica smirked as I dramatically flipped my hair over my shoulder.
“Now you’re just a boring, broke graduate student like the rest of us,” she chuckled, glancing to the left as another group of students made their way upstairs in search of an empty table.
I wasn’t broke, that was for sure, but I was having to pinch every penny I had. The TA position next semester would cover my room and board until I graduated, but other than that, I was on my own now.
“My mom sent me an email this morning,” I whispered, setting down my pen. “She’s cutting me off.”
“Oh?” Jessica raised her brows, eyeing me through her lashes. “What exactly does that entail?”
“Mostly just cutting off use of the family credit cards, which I never used. Oh, and paying for next semester’s tuition, but I have enough savings to cover that.” I kept my voice upbeat despite the twisting ache in my stomach at the thought of shelling out that kind of money, especially when I wanted to pursue a doctorate. I could get a loan, of course, but it wasn’t like I’d come out of all of this with a medical or law degree that could pay those off quickly.
“Is she threatening to never speak to you again?”
“Oh, yes,” I whispered, shaking my head. A ghost of a smile touched my lips. “That was before the email, and I’ve gotten two more since the first one.”
“And Professor Ellis?”
“What about him?” I eyed her, cocking my head and feigning ignorance.
She rolled her eyes and leaned in to whisper, “You’re single now.”
“And he’s a professor. My professor, actually. Even if I did have a thing for him, the risk of losing my credits for his class or facing explosion from my program is enough to make me want to give him a wide, wide berth.” A lie, of course. Mostly. I’d been avoiding him as much as I’d been avoiding Nicole over the past three days.
Laughter broke out on the far side of the room, followed by hissed shushes. I glanced around, sighing heavily. Jessica did the same. “We’re not going to get anything done here,” she said softly, her brows knitted in frustration. “I’m going back to my place to study for the rest of the night. Want to come?”
“I have a paper to finish, and I’ll distract you by pounding on my keyboard, so no. I’ll stick it out here as long as I can.”
Jessica began to pack up her books and laptop, much to the relief of a young woman standing nearby as she waited for a place to sit. But before Jessica could even rise from her chair, a man slapped his hands down on the table, making us both squeak and jump with surprise.
“Whitney, we need to talk,” Christian hissed right into my ear.
I flinched away from him, grabbing my books and trying to stand, but he grabbed my arm and yanked me out of my seat before I could react and hauled me into the stacks.
“Hey!” I hissed, shoving him away once we reached the quiet sanctuary of the stacks. “Don’t ever touch—”
“You’re going to pay for what you did. I’m supposed to marry you, Whitney. I’m supposed to have a seat on your father’s board.”
