I shrug. “He wanted it and deserved it more.”
Ben doesn’t disagree, knowing I’m right. My phone buzzes in my pocket, briefly distracting me as Amelia calls out the new assistant news editor.
Scooby Gang:
Kami: Did you get it?
Levi: She’s probably busy.
Jake: She’ll tell us once she knows.
Jake: Are we still going to Roxy’s later?
I roll my eyes at Jake’s message. A hand grips my shoulder, almost causing me to drop my phone.
“Jesus, Ben. What the hell?”
His grin is so wide that it terrifies me.
“Emma,” Amelia calls from where she’s leaning on her desk.
I swivel my head in her direction and find everyone who’s gathered around us staring at me.What did I miss?
She looks at me, confused, and then rolls her eyes. “I’ll say it again. You are next semester’s new features editor at theDriscoll Wolf Weekly.”
My body freezes in confusion, shock, and a million other emotions.
“I am? What about Aby?”
“She quit,” Ben says. “She’s changing her major. Took us all by surprise. It’s beenthegossip of the week?—”
“Shut up, Ben.” Amelia throws her hand in the air, dismissing him. “Now that we’re done with Emma, let’s keep going.” She gives me a quick glance and a small nod. Somehow, I manage to do the same. “As for the science editor…”
I block out her voice as Ben takes my arm and brings me tothe back of the crowd. He has complete control over my body at the moment. My mind is still going haywire and trying to figure out how this happened—how I got the editing position in the field I’ve always been most interested in, but didn’t think I could have.
“Emma.” Ben snaps his fingers, grabbing my attention. “How did you not know about Aby?”
I swallow past the knot in my throat, building from the happy tears I’m about to shed. “I’ve been busy and all over the place. No time for gossip, really.” It’s the truth. With the long weekend, finals coming up, making plans with friends, and hanging out with Grayson as much as I can, I haven’t had much time to myself the past couple of days.
Grayson. He’s the first person I want to call to share the good news.
Not Kamila, Jake, or Levi.
Him.
Finally, I knock myself out of my stupor and place a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I need to go.”
“What? You aren’t going to wait to hear if Samantha got a position or not?”
“And the final editing position for lifestyle is…Paula Ruiz.”
I cringe. “Ouch. Now everyone knows that Samantha will never be an editor on theDriscoll Wolf Weekly.” Which doesn’t bring me any joy. It’s been months since the Simone’s incident, and I got over it in a couple of days. Although Samantha is most certainly not a good person, I feel a bit bad for her. “I already submitted everything I needed for tomorrow. Happy Friday. Gotta go.” I run to my desk, grab my purse, and leave the room to exit the building while putting on my coat.
Luckily, I got out just before six p.m. and have time to grab a good matcha latte at The Howler, which is a fairly short walk. The Howler and the café in my dorm are the only two places on campus where a girl can get a good matcha latte. Although I enjoy a regular latte, coffee isn’t my first choice.Never has been, and ever since I told Grayson that, he’s taken the time to makeme one whenever we’ve seen each other. The first time he did it, his eyes shone with excitement and nerves, waiting to see what I’d say and whether I liked it. My chest filled with so many emotions at the small yet meaningful gesture that I set the cup down and gave him the deepest kiss to date.
And a blow job.
As soon as I enter the warm building, order, and am handed the cup, I jog to the back door that leads to the parking lot, where no one is around, and dial Grayson’s number, knowing that the lecture he’s substituting for isn’t ready to start for another ten minutes.