Page 136 of River of Deceit

We’re never going to be close mentally or emotionally ever again.

“Sure, technically.” Pandora stops on a page and mumbles under her breath as she reads.

In her mind, the topic is done. But even if she doesn’t think much of Zayden, his word is still law at Kappa Alpha, and the other frat brothers wouldn’t dare disobey him. After hearing what she’d done to Declan, most of them hate Pandora too.

The only reason nobody has tried to report her is because Declan’s secret stash would then also be revealed.

I take a deep breath and say, “You’re banned from the frat house, Pandora. You aren’t allowed at any of their parties, nobody’s supposed to associate with you. I could get kicked out if they see me with you.”

Pandora pulls away from me so she can look me in the eyes. “Uh, what?”

“You heard me,” I say steadily. “You’re persona non grata with Kappa Alpha. I’m risking all of this by being here.”

So whyamI here?

She rolls her eyes very pointedly. “No, you aren’t. Blaze won’t let them kick you out. And if somebody tries to snitch, you know the saying. Snitches get?—”

“Stitches,” I say, right when she concludes with, “murder.”

Of course she’d say murder. Why wouldn’t she?

“We try not to skip right into the murder parts,” I tell her. “Then we’d have to…”

Would you help me bury a body?

I remember the question all too well. I remember telling her I’d bury the body of Rachel’s killer, no questions asked, too.

“Then knock a few teeth out, or cut out a tongue. I don’t know. Be creative!” Pandora catches somebody staring, and she waves to the other student. The student picks up her bag and walks away, probably wondering if Pandora is being serious or not.

It’s a good thing she doesn’t ask me, because I’d probably tell her the truth.

Pandora is always serious when she’s talking like this.

I underestimated that once, and I will never, ever do it again.

I remember that I’d grabbed my own sandwich, but my appetiteis gone. Still, I pull it out, wanting to give myself something to do. I take a tasteless bite, chew and swallow, then I tell her, “I guess you’ll have to be creative enough for both of us.”

Pandora pats my knee. “I’m always creative. Which is why you should come with us next time. But you and I can do something creative together, too. Asch mentioned there’s a boxing gym in town, and they sometimes host fights. We could do that. Oh, and when’s your next match for the school? I’ll be there to cheer you on.”

“Next Tuesday,” I tell her before I think about it. “But you don’t need to be there, and we don’t need to do anything together.”

It’s a bad idea on so many levels.

“It’s a date!” Pandora says. She gets up, hefting her schoolbag over her shoulder. “And now I’ve got to get to class. Professor Richter already doesn’t like me, for some reason.” She bends down to kiss my lips. “I’ll see you around. Don’t leave me on read again.”

Then she walks off, obviously not even caring what my response is.

“I’ll leave you on read if I feel like it,” I mutter to myself, but I’m being more childish than anything. I sigh, getting up. I toss the rest of my sandwich in the trash, unable to take another bite, then grab my bag.

I’m unsettled, pissed off, and jealous, and it’s not a combination I like. When I feel like this, there’s only one place to go.

Class can wait.

I have a date with a punching bag.

26

BLAZE