Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Who would have suspected that when we came in freshman year, that they’d all get snatched up?
Trust me, the girls on this campus cried their little hearts out when Rowan Michaels, Brayden Kendricks, Easton Clarke, Carson Roberts, and Crosby Rhodes were taken off the market.
My attention settles on Brayden. No one can deny that he’s a real heartbreaker. He’s hot enough to give Ford a run for his money. The thought is enough to make me smile.
Sydney Daniels, his soccer-playing girlfriend, flashes a grin and waves when she catches sight of me. We had a business class together freshman year and lived on the same floor in the dorms. I make a mental note to give her a call sometime soon so we can get together. I miss hanging out with her.
After returning the gesture, I search the crowded area for Juliette. Just as I catch sight of her dark head, our gazes lock and she gives me a cheery smile. As I beeline in her direction, a few other girls gravitate toward the empty table. Stella, Viola, and Fallyn. I’ve only met Viola and Fallyn recently. They’re cousins who live together in an apartment off campus. Viola transferred to Western at the beginning of the school year.
From what I’ve noticed, she likes to keep a low profile and doesn’t party. Unlike Juliette, who stays in and studies most weekends, I get the feeling there’s something else holding her back. But I don’t know her well enough to dig deeper. My guess is that she’ll open up on her own when she’s comfortable.
I greet the girls before dropping down onto a chair with a huff. Only now that I’m off my feet do I realize how exhausted I am.
“Hope you don’t mind a turkey and Swiss on toasted ciabatta bread,” Juliette says, sliding the sandwich and a can of sparkling water toward me.
“Have I mentioned how much I love you?” I say with a contented sigh. Already my mouth is salivating. After two hours of dance, I’m famished.
“Nope, not today,” she says with a smile.
“Well, I do. And don’t you ever doubt it.”
I dig into my sandwich as the other girls do the same. We talk about classes and how the semester is half over, which seems crazy. Senior year is flying by. Before I know it, graduation will be here, and we’ll all be moving on with our lives.
At least, Juliette, Stella, and I will. Viola and Fallyn are juniors.
Midway through lunch, Stella waves to a girl with gorgeous caramel colored hair that falls down her back in soft waves. She has bright green eyes that dominate her face. As soon as Stella grabs her attention, the girl flashes an infectious smile and beelines toward the table.
She gestures toward the newcomer. “This is Britt. She just started at Western.”
We all introduce ourselves before Stella encourages her to pull up a chair and join us. Then we scootch over to make room. There are a lot of girls at this university who are cliquey. Juliette, Stella, and I have never been that way.
“It’s nice to meet you, Britt. Are you a freshman?” Juliette asks.
My guess is that she’s a transfer. She looks older than someone straight out of high school. As I study her more closely, I realize there’s something familiar about her face, but I can’t put my finger on it. I’m almost positive that we’ve never met. More than likely, I’ve seen her around campus.
“Technically, yes. I took a few years off after high school to work and figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”
“That’s cool,” Fallyn adds. “What are you majoring in?”
“Psychology. I’d like to be a therapist.”
“You know what they say about people who go into psychology—” Fallyn says, who’s studying the same thing.
“That they’re really just trying to figure their own shit out,” Britt finishes for her.
They smile in understanding.
Already I can tell that these two will be fast friends.
“Yup,” Fallyn says.
“Unfortunately, it’s not a lie.” The wattage of Britt’s smile dims. “My family can be pretty extra. It’ll take years for me to unpack all that baggage.”
The other girl sobers. For just a second or two, darkness flickers in her eyes before it’s immediately banished. “Same girl. Same.”
Before the mood can take an unexpected turn, Stella glances around the table. “Why don’t we have a girls’ night out? It kind of sounds like we could all use one.”
“I’m definitely up for it,” Fallyn says before glancing at her cousin. “What about you? Think you’re ready to come out of hiding yet?”
Viola’s eyes widen before she smacks Fallyn in the arm. “I am not in hiding.”
“Sure, you aren’t,” Fallyn replies dryly.
Dull color seeps into Viola’s cheeks. “The engineering curriculum here is more challenging than I expected. I’m still trying to find my bearings.”