“Two weeks! He’s had two weeks!” He holds up two fingers to the president as if he can’t count.
Dad clears his throat. “Let’s take a moment here. My son will do his duty. There’s no question about it.” My stomach sinks as his icy-blue eyes narrow with an unspoken demand.
President Harvey speaks up. “So you’ll make sure your son follows the order.”
Dad nods. “Of course. There’s no need for panic,” he says, addressing the dean. “I’m sure Aiden has planned how to surprise your lovely daughter with the news now that the Game is over.” He stands and beckons me to follow. “We’ll get this taken care of. Let’s go.”
Practically shoving me out the door, he strides at a hurried pace toward the circular driveway. I know better than to say shit in this house. There’s probably a bug in every corner.
My dad points to his Bentley, and I slip into the passenger seat to await his scolding.
His fingers clench around the wheel as he stares straight ahead at the swirl of falling autumn leaves. The last of the colors have soaked into the ground, and the sky turns gray as everything dies off for winter.
“Propose to the girl next weekend at the Winter’s Giving Ball. Make it a spectacle.”
That’s not happening.“Dad, I don’twantto.”
With narrowed eyes and tight lips, he turns to me. “Since when do you care about this stuff?”
But it’s bait. He knows…
“I don’t want her,” I tell him quietly.
With a deep sigh, his head hits the back of his seat with frustration. “Aiden? You’re not pickingthat girl. I know you’ve been toying with her since she came here to NU. She’s whyyou got that concussion, right? Street racing against her ex in some pissing contest?”
I stare out the window without a change to my stoic expression, giving him nothing. Someone from the clinic must have told him about that. Maybe Henry let it slip about the race.
Sitting up, he commands a final warning. “Get your shit together. Ditch the Donovan disaster. She was trouble back then, and she’s now proving herself to be a continued issue. Do what you’re told. Forus.For your family.”
He waits so long that I meet his gaze, and stones fill my belly as he says, “You can fuck whatever women you want to…butnot that one.”
I don’t argue. Just give him a short nod. Then I step out of his car, the exhaust curling around me like poison. I watch the taillights disappear through the iron gates. Then turn back toward campus, nostrils flared with crisp air, lungs steadying with something colder.
I’m getting out of this.
One way or another.
Even if I have to slaughtereveryoneto do it.
thirteen
“Another rashof incidents on campus has left one senior student in NU Hospital’s ICU with severe burns.Omega Nu Epsilonmember, Sutton Marris, is in critical condition.Beta Kappa Etasophomore, Julien Ellery, has died due to severe intoxication at a fraternity party.”
Outside my textiles class, I overhear the Northview University news report on the hall television and balk. Trailing a sharp gaze over passing students, I wonder if any of them even listened to what was said. No one’s paying attention.
Julien didn’t drink. Hetoldme that. More than once.
And they didn’t evenmentionthe little wound in his chest. I don’t know what bullet holes look like, but I don’t think that’s what it was… I could be wrong.
Hands on my hips, I huff in outrage that no one’s looking into this.
This is the very reason I didn’t have friends. Not that I necessarily chosenotto.
Get close enough to someone to share something personal…
And then they leave you forever.
Right there in the hallway, I slump to the tiled floor and cry. Not dramatic. Gutted. Like a toddler denied her favorite snack, but lonelier.