Page 19 of The Deception You Weave

"A little payback might be necessary,"

"You want to bug her dorm to find out?"

I jump at the idea initially, being able to watch her when she's no idea that I am. But then my excitement vanishes the second I remember who else she hangs out with and what they might do in that room.

"Why not?"

"Because she's not going to tell anyone shit about Vic. She's not that stupid. I'll get it out of her."

"A little less dramatically next time would be ideal."

"I'll see what I can do."It would have been fine if she never dropped that bomb.

"I'm leaving in thirty. Need me to haul your ass upstairs?"

I look down at my sweats and hoodie.

"Nah, I'm going as I am."

"You look like shit."

"I'm aware. I feel it."

It's my own fault. All of it. But also, I've only taken half the painkillers the doctor prescribed because they knock me out, and I don't want to spend the next few days sleeping.

I need to get back to life. I need to see her.

I'm finishing my own coffee when Ellis emerges twenty minutes later with his bag over his shoulder, ready to go.

"Aren't the others in this morning?" I ask when no one follows him.

"Fuck knows, I ain't their father," he spits, marching through to the kitchen to grab some food. "Eat this, you look like you need it." He throws a cereal bar at me and I just about move in time to catch it, although my shoulder fucking kills as I do so. "Are you really sure this is a good idea?"

"I'm just gonna sit in class. It's no different than sitting on the couch."

"Suuure." He looks anything but convinced. "This?" He points to the bag I dragged down the stairs with me and when I nod, he throws it over his shoulder with his own. "Come on then, you don't wanna be late, or everyone will see your battered face when you walk into class. Probably best just to hide in the shadows."

"Fuck you. You're just pissed because even like this, I'm better looking than you," I mutter.

"Oh yeah, that's totally it," he deadpans.

By the time Ellis pulls up in the closest parking lot to the Westerfield Building for my American lit class, I'm regretting not taking more pills. But I refuse to show him that I'm struggling any more than he already knows so the second he kills the engine, I throw the door open and prepare myself for the pain that's about to come.

"What?" he says before I push from the seat.

"What?" I bark, needing to just get this over with.

"If… when." He chuckles. "When you see her, go easy. We don't know the whole story. Having us grilling her ass might be the last thing she needs."

"You're right, you don't know the whole story, so let me deal with Letty, yeah?"

His eyes burn into my back as I drag myself up from his passenger seat but I don't look back. I don't need to see the concern or pity on his face.

The campus is still relatively quiet as I make my way into the building and toward the auditorium for this morning's lecture.

Everyone I pass gives me a double take as if I've suddenly sprouted an extra head. I'm sure they've all heard the gossip about what happened, the team—the Dunns—have probably made a point of spreading the gossip about me being out of practice and missing at least the first two games of the season because of this.

The auditorium is empty and still in darkness when I push through the door and step inside.