“Hey, guys.” Beth joined the conversation. She glanced over her shoulder. “I almost got bowled over by Jamie. Why’s your sister’s boyfriend shaking like a leaf out there? He looked ready to piss his pants.”

“What?” Hannah was taken aback. “What are you talking about? He was just in here, being an ass**le to Alex.”

“Oh.” Beth swept speculative eyes over me. “Maybe I got it wrong.”

She hadn’t and I knew she knew she hadn’t.

Hannah muttered more derogatory names at her sister’s boyfriend as she led the way inside the cafeteria. After placing our bags on a table, we separated for the different buffet lines, but I felt Beth’s knowing gaze on my back the whole time. When my tray was full, I headed back to our table. She was already there, waiting for me.

She placed her glass on the table and leaned over it. “What’d you do to Jamie Striker?”

“Nothing.”

We both knew I was lying.

“What’d you do? I didn’t get it wrong, but I don’t know how Hannah is clueless. You did something. I know you did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Stop lying to me.”

Okay. Well. How was I supposed to explain it to her? That I opened a compartment inside of me and let him see the darkness my parents had created? That’s what had happened, but it would sound crazy out loud. Lying was the best option. It made the most sense and I’d go back to forgetting about the rage inside of me. I’d been doing a damn good job at it since coming to college.

Beth sat back, defeated. “Fine. Don’t tell me; just don’t do anything to hurt my cousin.”

“Tiffany?”

She gave me a disgusted look. “Hannah. I don’t give a shit what happens to Tiffany.”

“Oh.”

The topic was dropped, but she started another one. A corner of her mouth curved up. “So what are your plans with boytoy tonight?”

“He’s not a boytoy.”

“What is he then? You’re screwing the hottest guy at school and you won’t say a word. I know only because I walked in on you two.”

“What’s your point?”

She gave me an incredulous look. “That you wouldn’t have told me either. So he’s not your boyfriend. You’d tell people if he were, that leaves boytoy.”

I frowned and starting picking at my salad with a fork. “Your logic sucks.”

Laughing, she reached for her glass again. Her knees were lifted and she settled back against her seat with her feet propped up on it. “Say what you want. I think I’m right. And you never answered my question.”

“What question?” Shifting in my seat, I looked to see where Hannah had gone. She should’ve been back by now.

“What are your plans tonight?”

“We haven’t discussed it. Why?”

“Because we’re going to Club T again if you want to come.”

“The club you ditched me so both of you could have sex with people? That one?”

With her straw in her mouth, she grinned around it. “That’s the one. Wanna come?”

I sighed, “Sure.” Jesse could pick me up if he wanted, but I’d been telling the truth. We hadn’t discussed it and I refused to let myself sit at home, twiddling my thumbs in case he called. I’d never been that girl before, but I felt like it at times. When he said jump; I asked how high? I wasn’t going back to that. I couldn’t. I’d be destroyed if I did.

However, after we ate and went to the dorm to dress, my phone started buzzing in the car. I ignored it. Not the most mature move, but I knew if it was him, I’d read whatever he sent and I’d go to him. The last month had been like a slow drug. I was becoming more addicted to him the more time we spent together.

It was when we had gotten inside, my phone kept flashing through my purse and Hannah had enough. She snapped, “Just answer it already. Whoever’s calling isn’t going to stop. It’s annoying.”

Taking a deep breath, readying myself, I was prepared to keep my hormones in check.

I didn’t need it. It wasn’t from Jesse. It was from Cord.

Call me back. Entire damn paper is gone. Come to the house, we have to work on it tonight.

Fuck me. My night was over.

“Who was it?” Hannah asked, throwing her elbow back as someone bumped into her. “This place is crazy packed tonight. What band is playing?”

Beth had been staring me down. She ignored her cousin. “What’d he say?”

Interest sparked with Hannah. She forgot about the crowd. “Wait, what? You have a boyfriend? You have a boyfriend and you haven’t said a word about him?”

Glaring at Beth, I replied, “No boyfriend and it was Cord. Something happened to the paper. He wants me to go to their house to work on it tonight.”

“It’s a Friday night.”

“I’m aware.”

“You don’t do homework on a Friday night.”

Beth started snickering.

Hannah had a point. I texted Cord:

Why tonight?

He responded:

Have something going on. Need to get it done tonight, proof it Saturday and do other homework Sunday night.

I shared the text with the girls.

Hannah’s face scrunched up. “That sucks.”

“Wait, doesn’t Cord live with Jesse Hunt?”

My foot ached to make contact with Beth’s butt. I settled for glaring instead.

Hannah threw her cousin a confused look. “Yeah. So?” A light bulb clicked on. “He’s way out of our league, Beth. Although I like the way you think.”

Now it was her cousin’s turn to grow wary. “What are you talking about?”

“We have homework to do, right? Let’s go with her. Besides, I don’t want Jamie to talk to her like that again.”

“No, wait. That wasn’t what I meant—”

It didn’t matter. Hannah was starting to gain speed. Her eyes lit up. “Yeah and Cord will be there. Obviously. So when you guys need a break, I can be there ready to give him a massage. He won’t turn that down. And I bet Chandra won’t be there, not if Cord’s doing homework. She hates it when he studies. I think she gets a rash and goes crazy. She itches all over. We should go.”

Beth’s mouth joined mine on the floor.