Page 8 of Revere

I meet his arrogant wink with a hard glare. Of course he assumes I’m a naive college girl, too enamored by his looks to see that he’s only doing this to feed his own ego.

“I didn’t need you to distract me.” I force my chin up.

“You’re welcome anyway.”

I turn back to the window, refusing to look at him again. It figures he’s just like any other man, thinking so highly of himself that he floats on a pedestal above us all.

Eventually, out of the corner of my eye, I spot Jacob pulling out headphones. We’re quiet the rest of the flight, but I don’t stop thinking about our conversation as I stare out at the clouds.

And when the plane finally lands and he walks away with no more than a nod of goodbye, I remind myself it’s better to keep my tongue as sharp as my defenses. Letting anyone be a distraction—much less a vulnerability—will only get me hurt.

They can think I’m a bitch.

Coldhearted.

An ice princess.

They can think whatever they want so long as they never see the truth.

3

I GOT LUCKY

PATIENCE

When Violet walksinto the classroom, I’m surprised to see she’s managed to detach herself from Kole long enough that he’s nowhere to be seen. She catches my gaze from across the room, and when she finds me sitting in the front row, she frowns.

Violet is brilliant, but she hates being called on, so she tends to hide in the back of class. While I prefer to be up front so I don’t miss anything.

She tugs her bag up her shoulder, heading in my direction.

“You had to pick the front.” Violet frowns, dropping into her seat.

“It sets the right impression. The last thing I need is Professor Gray thinking I’m not taking his program seriously.”

Violet shakes her head, and although she doesn’t say it, I can tell she thinks I’m trying too hard.

The truth is, I’malwaystrying too hard.

One slipup—one mistake—is all it takes. I learned that the hard way more times than I care to recall, so I tug my sleeves down and sink back in my seat.

“You left the apartment early this morning.” Violet pulls out her laptop. “We could have driven here together if you’d waited.”

“I wanted to check out the library before our first session,” I lie so she doesn’t catch the hint that I’m planning to avoid her Sigma Sin boyfriend as much as possible this summer. “Besides, you and Kole don’t need to babysit me. I can take care of myself.”

“No one would ever doubt that.” Violet rolls her eyes.

Her comment is more an insult than a compliment.

I should be used to it by now. There isn’t a soul in Bristal who doesn’t see me as the uptight, overly guarded Lancaster daughter. But something about my friend pointing it out stings.

Not that I blame Violet when I’m not the easiest friend to keep.

My defenses were built and fortified long before I forged friendships with my college roommates, and it’s nearly impossible to break through them.

That used to be a good thing.

“Well, for the record, I was hoping to grab breakfast before class.” Violet sets her phone down after responding to a text. “And before you ask, it would have been without Kole. Just because he’s in LA this summer doesn’t mean he feels the need to hover.”