Page 318 of A University of Betrayal

“Since when are you so talkative? What are they doing to you that you just speak your mind like that?”

“You know, Grace,” Julie stepped closer and Grace took a step back. “I just don’t feel as pressured with them as I do with the Circle.” Her expression darkened even more. “Or like with you.”

Grace flinched, visibly caught off guard, and a blind man would have realized that Julie’s words had hit her.

“Then do whatever you want!” Grace snapped, her voice sharp, before turning to leave. “We used to be friends, and you’ll miss that time one day.”

Pearson Specter Litt

Christopher Tyng

When Grace had disappeared, I waited for another half a minute. I didn’t want Julie to think I was eavesdropping, especially after her confession just now.

I was happy if she felt comfortable with us, and – to be honest – I was lost without her. Onlyshecould answer my questions, and she understood how important it was to find out about Alice, precisely because her father seemed to have played a part in the whole thing.

“Julie, hey,” I said, stepping into the hallway. “Larissa said you were having trouble finding something?”

Julie turned to me as if the morose conversation with Grace had never happened.

“I don’t know, there are too many nice dresses here, but I don’t know… I don’t want to stand out like this.” She ran her hand over the fabrics in front of her. “To be honest, I don’t even want to go to the ball.” Then she looked at me. “I’m only doing this for the mission.”

She avoided my gaze.

I gave her an understanding smile and put my arm on her shoulder.

“You’ll have fun. We'll all be there.”

Julie looked at me with a pained expression. “You know the students’ families are invited too?”

My breath hitched.

Oh no...We hadn’t considered that.

“The Copelands, because they own the university and my family, not just because of me and Grace, but also because my aunt is the mayor of the town. And the Councils, most likely because of Harlow.”

I didn’t know what to say. But how were we going to accomplish the mission if all the people who were part of the diary would be there? The thought sent a chill down the back of my neck.

“I just wanted to warn you. Gloria might be keeping an eye on you... as well as on me.”

Great.But should we really let that intimidate us? Wasn’t their goal to scare us into staying away from each other? What would they do if they saw me and Larissa together?

“No matter how well or how poorly you get on with your family, you shouldn’t hide, Julie.”

She shouldn’t let herself be so influenced by this family that didn’t seem to strengthen her at all. Had her family ever supported her?

“I think you look so beautiful, and you would shine in a dress like that,” I confessed with sincerity.

Julie always had something fairylike about her, soft and beautiful. I hoped she knew she was gorgeous.

“It feels like I don’t deserve it,” she sighed with sadness, and my sympathy intensified.

“No, who says that? Grace? That Gloria?” I now placed my second hand on her other shoulder. “Please, try on those dresses you stare at all the time as if they were made by the gods.”

She gave me a shy smile. “Funny, there’s a Quatura story that’s all about a goddess like that.”

I looked at her, sure she could see the question marks above my head.

“Never mind, they’re just stories from my family and I...” She hesitated, then continued. “…probably really shouldn’t be bothered with these people so much.”