Page 21 of Palm South University: Season 2

“Do you have something totell me, Lei?”

Jess is watching me carefully. I need to swallow, but I’m afraid if I do I’ll give myself away. It’s not that I don’t trust Jess, but Bo is far from ready to tell anyone about us. Or about her, in general. And I’m the same.

“Oh thank God I found you.” Erin slides into the booth next to me, planner in hand, highlighter at the ready. Jess is still eying me, but with Erin here, she knows the conversation is over for now, so she turns her attention back to Jarrett across the room. “I need you.”

Finally allowing myself to swallow, I plaster on my best smile, pulling my long platinum hair over my left shoulder. “What’s up, buttercup?”

“Are you busy the Monday after the auction?”

“I have class but that’s it.”

“Perfect. Can you please take the money we raise to the bank? I was going to after my morning classes but I have something that came up that I can’t get out of.”

I’m still a little too aware of Jess and her question about me and Bo, but I nod and smile wider. “Of course, no problem Ex.”

Erin sighs with relief, and it’s then I notice how tired she looks. Her dark blonde hair is pulled back into a tight bun and she’s barely wearing any makeup, which is strange for her. “Thank you. Okay, I have to run.” She stands, finally turning her attention to Jess. When she does, she frowns. “Uh, J-Love?”

“Hmm?” Jess’ eyes are still on Jarrett.

“What are you eating?”

Erin points down at Jess’ last slice of pizza and I cover my mouth, trying not to laugh. Jess glances at me, anger still evident in her features, but even she cracks a smile. “Um… well, it’s totallynota five-hundred calorie slice of pizza, if that’s what you’re thinking. Because we’re on the Spring Break diet. And pizza is not part of that diet. Therefore, that couldn’t be what it is.”

Erin rolls her eyes. “Whatever. I don’t want to hear it when we go shopping for swim suits. See you girls later.”

Jess and I wait for her to walk out the front door before bursting into a fit of laughter, which almost makes me forget that she’s totally onto me and Bo. It almost makes me forget Xavier and the deal he proposed to me just two days ago. It almost makes me feel like I did last semester, before shit hit the fan and I fell into a hole too deep to climb out of alone.

Almost.