Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
God, this whole situation has been so humiliating. But if I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I’m proven wrong. Sebastian apparently chose to dismiss himself from the situation, and at his request, Dr. Jen walks me back across campus. The sun is out, and it’s the middle of the afternoon on Saturday, and the campus is full of students. Students who all seem to have their attention on me. I smooth my hair back and keep my head down, trying to walk faster.
“Ignore them,” Dr. Jen says.
“Does the school know what happened?” I ask.
“Not that I’m aware of,” she answers. “Officially, you were signed out by your aunt yesterday. AKA me. Sebastian didn’t want you to get into trouble.”
I give her a funny look, and she must notice.
“I know he comes off as harsh, but he has his reasons. Just don’t take anything he says too seriously, okay?”
I want to ask her more about it, but before I can think of anything else to say, we’re back at my dorm. “Thank you so much for your help. I’m so sorry if I inconvenienced you.”
“You didn’t.” She smiles, offering me a card with her phone number on it. “And I’m still available, if you do decide you need to speak with someone.”
“Thanks.” I shove the card into my pocket, and we say our goodbyes before I disappear into Lawrence Hall.
I can’t even make it past the common room before Louisa and her lion pack push their way into my path.
“Oh, look everyone, it’s the resident slut.” Louisa sneers.
“You’re overexposed, Louisa,” I respond flatly. “It’s not a good look for you.”
Amusement washes over her face, and both the girls at her side start laughing too. “Last I checked, I’m not the one splashed half naked all over the LA Underground app.”
I don’t know what she’s talking about, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like it. She knows I’m at a disadvantage, and she’s getting off on it. But before she can give me any more trouble, Sybil appears, pushing them aside as she pulls me down the hall into her room.
“Oh my God, Stella.” Tears well in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I am so, so sorry. You must think I’m such a horrible friend. Are you okay?”
“It’s not your fault,” I assure her. “I shouldn’t have taken a drink from anyone. I shouldn’t have even gone.”
A tear splashes against her cheek, and I feel awful that she feels so awful.
“I was so worried about you,” she gulps out. “Please tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m okay.” I sit down on her bed. “What is Louisa talking about, though?”
Sybil worries her lip between her teeth and sits down beside me. “Okay, well the first thing I think you should know is that Ethan was expelled last night.”
“He was?” Some of the tension bleeds from my body as I consider the fact that I won’t have to see him again.
“Yeah, they did an afterhours search of his room based on a tip. No idea where it came from, but they found a bunch of Xanax and alcohol in there, so they expelled him.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah, and then he had a meltdown,” Sybil continues. “Loyola has a private social media app made by one of the students. Ethan went on there and posted pics of you in your bra and underwear last night, along with some snaps of him kissing you.”
“Oh my God.” My stomach drops, and I jump up. “Are they still on there?”
“No.” She shakes her head quickly. “They went live this morning at like nine o clock, and within ten minutes, his account was removed from the app. Then another hour later, the entire app was gone. It was crazy. Someone in the staff must have seen. That’s the only thing I can think of.”
I hang my head in my hands and resist the urge to cry. I have a feeling I know exactly who saw them and exactly how they were removed. The same man who took care of me last night. The same man who got Ethan expelled. And the same man who now hates my guts.
“This is insane,” I whisper.
“I’m so sorry.” Sybil pulls me in for a hug. “But the good news is the photos are down.”
“And the bad news is everyone saw them, and now they’re calling me a slut.”
“That’s just Louisa and her gang of bitches,” Sybil argues. “But I think you’d be surprised. Everyone knows how slimy Ethan can be, and there were a lot of people calling him out on the app before those photos got deleted. People defended you.”
“This is just so embarrassing,” I whisper.
“I know.” She frowns. “But I think the only thing you can do at this point is own it. Who cares what anyone else thinks? You are Stella fucking LeClaire. Rockstar photographer. Badass bitch. You are gorgeous and smart and funny, and people will want to take you down. But don’t let them, Cherrybomb. You’re better than that.”