Page 3 of The Surprise Play

It wasn’t until I went to college that I started using my favorite items in my wardrobe once more.

Glancing at the clothes I chose for today, I skim my hands down the skirt I’m sporting and wince. Oh no. DidI make a really bad mistake? Mom gave it to me for Christmas, and I should have known better than to wear it today. I didn’t think Jade would be back already! College has been this refreshing new start for me, you know?

Last year, I felt like I was finding myself.

But now they’re here with me.

And the only difference is the location… and maybe the merciful fact that we don’t have any classes together. Although, I still have to pass them every now and then. Thankfully, Nolan U is a big campus, and I’m learning which routes to avoid as I get to know their routines.

This morning, I’m completely thrown.

Surviving high school was so freaking hard. I tried to stay silent and strong, ignoring all of the notes and passing comments, grateful that the girls hadn’t resorted to cyberattacks. I have no idea why they never did, until Jade made a snide remark one day that they wouldn’t want to ruin their social feeds with my ugly face. Apparently, I wasn’t worthy of using up their data. Not when they could harass me in the flesh and get away with it.

After she’d said that, I turned back to my book, the pages blurring as I tried to disappear between the pages. That was my only saving grace. Books. Studying. I thrived on learning. On the promise that if I did well enough, I could get into a good college and be free of Team Evil.

But I didn’t go far enough away. I’d been too afraid to move to the other side of the country. My parents were only forty minutes away in Fledgling. This was easier. They needed me. I was their only child.

So, I’m going to survive this year somehow. At least she’s not in the same dorm building as me, and at least Ican duck around corners if I ever see her or her new friends.

My only priority right now is making it up the stairs without them noticing. Like I’ll be able to concentrate at all on a tutoring session if they’re on the same floor as me. It’s bad enough that I’m meeting with Wily Wilson. I don’t need the threat of them just around the corner distracting me.

Inching out from my hiding place, I dart my eyes at them, relieved they all have their heads dipped over their phones. Hightailing it upstairs, I try to keep my clunky steps soft as I creep out of view and make my way up to the second floor.

It’s much quieter up here, thank God, and I weave around the first table, heading for one closer to the back. There’s a man studying at the table I want, so I move to the one behind him, banging my hip on the chair. With a little wince, I rub my thigh and avoid his glare.

Okay. So not someone who likes to be disturbed.

Dipping my chin, I keep my eyes on the floor, slowing down and carefully avoiding all furniture until I reach the chair I’m aiming for and pull it out.

Plunking into it, I find my phone and text Wily with quivering fingers, letting him know exactly where I am.

Checking the time, I lay my phone down, pull out a pen and paper, plus my laptop… and wait for this inevitably awkward meeting.

CHAPTER 2

WILY

Shit, I’m so fucking late.

If this Elizabeth chick hadn’t texted me to tell me what part of the library she was in, I’d still be lying in bed, happily dozing my morning away.

I set my alarm.

I set two!

But I’m still recovering after an epic New Year’s Eve bash that kept me up the entire night. I spent yesterday sleeping, so then I was up half the night, and now my body’s all out of whack.

I can’t believe I’m having to spend part of my winter break studying.

I want to keep celebrating our epic quarterfinal win! I definitely don’t want to think about school and how I have an assignment due on Monday. It was actually due weeks ago, but my academic adviser helped organize an extension for me due to football commitments. The professor wasn’t very happy about it, but he gave me the winter break to get it done.

The problem is, my tutor quit on me and I haven’t been able to find a decent replacement, so my final assignment for that course is still hanging over my head, and if I don’t get it in on Monday, then I’ll fail the class and not have enough credits to graduate.

Shit!

I’ve tried to choose the easiest courses I can for this semester in the hopes that I can sail through to the finish line, get my degree, and then go on to be an NFL superstar.

But I can’t fucking graduate if I don’t pass all my classes. I’m hanging on by a thread, and I fucking hate it.