Page 48 of Bleeding Hearts (Pine Valley College #3)

CHAPTER FORTY

“ I have called this meeting because I have something to discuss while Evan is out buying snacks,” Alek begins, his hands folded on his kitchen table.

After we were told off, we were punished by having to clean the house from top to bottom, which ended in us taking a nap in Alice’s bed before Alek barged in and dragged us down here.

“A meeting, huh?” I prop my chin in my hand, my elbow on the table. My other hand is on Alice’s thigh under the table, drawing circles as we face her brother. “If it’s to tell us Evan is pregnant, I don’t want to know.”

“No—what is it with you and Skylar and men getting pregnant?” he grouses. “Though, we have tried enough.”

“Alek!” Alice covers her ears, making me laugh as I nudge her.

“So have we,” I tease, and this time Alek covers his ears, both siblings in the same position. Sometimes I forget Alek is only a few years older than her, since he acts so much like her dad, but it’s nice to see him having fun.

Evan is good for him. He made him young again, and I love my best friend for that.

Alek drops his hands slowly like he’s worried I will continue sharing, and I wiggle my eyebrows. “Spill. What’s up?”

He looks nervous for a moment before his hands slap the table. “I want to marry Evan,” he blurts.

I blink. “I know,” I reply.

His eyebrows draw together as he looks between us. “Oh, well, I wanted to tell you both before I proposed.”

“You seem confused, big guy.” I smirk. “If you want to marry Evan, then what are you going to offer me for him?”

“What?” he scoffs. “He’s not your family—” He slams his lips together, but my grin widens.

“Yes, he is, so what is his bride-price? Give me an offer,” I challenge him.

He narrows his eyes, but he can tell I’m serious. “I will love him until the day I die. He will want for nothing. He will always have a home in my arms and any money or place he wants. I would die for him.”

I shrug. “Yeah, yeah, that’s lovely and shit, but what’s the bride-price?”

“I could build you a car.” He frowns.

“Not interested. Try again,” I retort.

Alice shakes her head, but she doesn’t stop us.

“I’ll buy you tickets to see that singer you like,” Alek offers, looking desperate.

“Nope.” I sigh. “I guess we don’t have a deal.” I go to stand, but his hand darts out, stopping me.

“I’ll give you my sister,” he blurts, his eyes wide and pleading.

Leaning over the table, I grin at him. “Big guy, she’s already mine, and she isn’t going anywhere.”

“What if I give you permission to have her forever?” he says.

“Deal.” I hold out my hand, and he shakes it. When I sit, I can’t help but laugh.

“I would have done it for the car, but it works in my favor.” I wink at Alice. “Looks like he sold you to me.”

“How will I ever live?” she teases as she leans into my side. “Are you really proposing to Evan?”

“I wanted to the moment we became official, but I didn’t want to scare him off, so I’ve been taking it slow.

I knew from the moment I met him that he was the one, even if I didn’t want to admit it.

I don’t want to waste any more time. Life is too unpredictable.

I want him to be my husband. I want our family. ”

“I’m so happy for you, big brother,” Alice says, tears in her eyes, and he smiles brightly.

“Think he will say yes?” he asks.

“He would be a fool not to,” Alice replies, wiping her eyes.

“If not, I’m sure you’ll just kidnap him,” I taunt just as the front door opens.

We turn when we hear keys and then footsteps. Evan appears in the doorway, rooting around in a bag, but he stops when he sees us, glancing between us as he groans. “Who died now?”

“Your poor ass,” I whisper, and Alice kicks me. “No one. What snacks did you buy?”

He searches Alek’s face with his eyes, but Alek just looks away, so Evan sighs and puts the bags on the table. “Enough food for us for a few days. I was thinking of trying to make that new pasta recipe.”

“Oh.” I share a look with Alice. “Actually, we are going back to my dorm today.”

That brings their attention to us. “What? Why?” Even asks.

“Why don’t you stay here a bit longer?” Alek offers. “It’s been so long since you did. You don’t have to go back straight away.”

Alice and I share a look, unsure what to say, but Evan must understand.

“Babe, they want to go home to be together,” Evan says, smiling sweetly to lessen the blow. “You remember how you reacted after you nearly lost me?”

Alek nods and then looks at us. “Don’t you do those things to my sister!”

“What things did you do to my best friend?” I wiggle my eyebrows, and I’m rewarded by his cheeks tinting. “What kinky shit are you into, father-in-law?” I tease when he doesn’t respond.

“Father-in-law?” Alek groans, covering his face. “This really is one big, fucked-up family.”

Alice laughs. “Absolutely.”

We are back in my dorm. I still have a police detail, but I refuse to live in fear. I want to get my life back on track, and I don’t know how much longer I will be allowed to stay in this room.

“What is it?” Alice asks as I lose myself in my thoughts.

Lifting my head from her chest, I continue to play with her hair. “I’m just thinking about how this room holds so many memories for us. It’s where we became friends, then fell apart, then became lovers. Tomorrow I’ll have my dismissal meeting, and this will all be gone.”

Between Risk and Alice, I forgot the ticking clock, but the deadline is tomorrow.

“But not what we created here,” she murmurs as she cups my cheeks and kisses me. “We can make any room a home.”

She’s right, but still. This became our haven from the world.

It is the place where I realized I love her.

It’s where she gave herself to me and our friendship became more, and I’ll miss that.

I don’t have the money to pay, so I’ll be kicked out, and I’ve accepted it.

I’m not even mad anymore, just sad about what it will mean for us.

I’ll have to find somewhere else to live and a job, which will create distance between us.

I love spending every day and night with my girl.

I don’t want any space at all, but not everything can stay the same forever.

A phone vibrates, and we share a tense look before remembering. Laughing, she reaches over and checks it, and I realize it’s mine. “Evan says to turn on the TV.”

Flipping over so I’m lying back between her thighs, I find the remote and turn on my TV. The news channel we last watched plays a breaking report.

“Senator Kellen was arrested this evening after a massive investigation was launched into his involvement in the now viral game, Risk, which has most recently occurred in Pine Valley and resulted in the tragic deaths of many students from the college. Kellen is also being investigated for fraud, money laundering, and drug trafficking, alongside five Pine Valley police officers and business associates of Kellen who were involved in the game. We will keep you updated on this breaking story as it unfolds, but one thing is for sure—the horrors Risk brought to Pine Valley are over, and it's all due to one student’s courageous acts. Laila Stewart live streamed—” I turn it off and roll my head back to see Alice.

“It’s over. It’s really over,” I whisper. “I wonder if they’ll get away with it.”

“I don’t think so, not this time,” Alice says as she strokes my hair. “It’s all thanks to you.”

“Don’t make me a hero. I don’t want to be one,” I caution her.

“Then what do you want to be?” she asks softly.

I lean up so I can kiss her. “Just yours.”

She laughs, but she’s blushing. “So what now?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I guess we’ll take it one day at a time, but honestly, I don’t care as long as I have you.

” I kiss her cheek as she laughs. “Thank you, Alice, for loving me even when I didn’t love myself.

Thank you for sticking around when no one else would.

” Looking down, I lick my lips. “Thank you for never giving up on me.”

“What are friends for?” she teases.

“Friends, huh?” I pull her down the sheets. “Want me to show you just how friendly we are?”

Her laughter fills the air, but it ends in a moan as I slide my hand into her shorts, reminding her exactly just how much we aren’t friends.

I feel like I’m walking toward a death sentence, but Alice’s hand is in mine, and she’s giving me a supportive look that stops me from running. I won’t do that anymore. It won’t change anything. The board called this meeting to discuss my payment or dismissal from Pine Valley.

I can’t pay. I won’t take the money from anyone despite them offering it multiple times. This is my life, and I want to make my own way. If that means leaving Pine Valley, then so be it. At least I will know I tried, and that’s all I can do sometimes.

No matter what my future holds, I know Alice will be a part of it, and so will the idiots I spy waiting outside of the administration building.

Alek, Evan, Skylar, and Bones all stand there with handmade signs.

Alek’s reads “She’s a pain, but she deserves to be here.”

Evan’s sign is more subtle. “Let her stay.”

Skylar’s has boobs all over it, but it reads “Don’t make me hit you.”

Bones’s is more logical. “As stated in your code—everyone shall be given a second chance at Pine Valley.”

As I read them, I can’t help but smile. “How long have you idiots been here?”

“All morning. We watched them go inside and made sure they saw us.” Evan smiles. “It’s going to be okay, no matter what they say.”

“I know.” I look at them. “Thanks for coming.”

“That’s what family is for.” Alek pats my shoulder. “Give them hell.”

“Always.” I look at Alice then steal a quick kiss. “For luck.”

“You don’t need it. Whatever happens, I will be right here, okay?” she assures me.

Nodding, I take a deep breath and straighten my blazer. I’m even in slacks today, and my hair is styled. My makeup is subdued, but I couldn’t quite cut out my entire personality, so my tank under the blazer reads “This is my top, but you should meet my bottom. She’s prettier.”

“You’ve got this!” they cheer as I head inside. This time, I control my panic. I stride past the desk with a nod at the receptionist and push the doors open. There are two men and two women waiting within, one of them Mr. Weaver.

“Ms. Stewart,” he greets kindly. “Please take a seat.”

I sit opposite them, refusing to cower.

“I’m sure you know why you are here,” he begins carefully.

“I could not pay my tuition. This meeting is to dismiss me from Pine Valley College,” I reply calmly as I cross my legs. I have been through far worse, so I can survive this as well.

They share a look, and he leans forward.

“Actually, we have changed this meeting’s agenda.

Ms. Stewart . . . Lally, you have done so much for this college by exposing Risk, something even we could not do.

We have decided to reinstate your scholarship.

It would be a dishonor and a waste to lose a student like you.

We will forgive your prior breaches of student conduct, and you are free to carry on as normal as long as you promise to, um, behave more. ”

I gape, shocked to my core. “Wait. I don’t have to leave?”

He smiles. “You’re an asset to this institute, Ms. Stewart. If we let you go, we would be fools. Everyone should be given a second chance, and I hope you will give us a second one and stay.”

“I don’t have to pay?” I whisper.

“You earned your scholarship. As long as you promise to behave from now on, we see no reason to take it away. We offered it to you in the first place for a reason. You were right. As a school, we should have done more to support you. We failed you, and yet you still tried to save our students. Such bravery should be rewarded, Lally. Don’t you agree? ”

I nod mutely, and he stands. “Good, then I believe you should be in class, should you not?” When I just stand, he laughs. “Don’t let me down, Ms. Stewart. I’m expecting great things from you.”

Everything starts to sink in, and I rush toward him, picking him up and swinging him around. When I put him down, I grin. “Sorry, not sorry. Thank you!” I look at the others. “Even you in those horrible suits, thank you. I won’t let you down, I promise.”

“Yes, well, go to class,” Mr. Weaver mutters, but he’s smiling.

Grinning, I nod at them. “Thank you!” I yell, dashing from the office before they can change their minds. I descend the stairs swiftly and rush to the front doors, sliding on the polished floors.

I race out of the doors, and they slam behind me. My family whirls on the steps where they were waiting, Alice covering her mouth.

“I get to stay, motherfuckers!” I shout, and their cheers echo mine as they surge toward me.