When I got to the administrative building, I had to wait in a short line to speak to someone. I pretended to look at things on my phone so that no one would talk to me, but I really didn’t need that prop because no one ever tried.
Once it was my turn, I sat down in a rickety wooden chair in front of the desk of a smiling woman who introduced herself as Ilsa.
She asked me a few identifying questions, discussed the parameters of the scholarship with me, and made sure everything was correct in the system.
The back of my neck prickled with an uncomfortable awareness, and when I turned my head, I found the stranger from the woods standing at the far side of the room by himself. He was leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and one foot propped on the wall.
And he was staring right at me.
When he smiled and winked at me, my face heated and I could feel the tips of my ears start to burn.
I whipped my head back around and tried to concentrate on what the woman was saying, but I couldn’t.
Fuck.
Was he actually a goddamn student here? It wasn’t a very big school, either, so what if we had classes together?—
“And you’re all set in your room, right? Found everything okay?”
I raised my gaze to Ilsa’s and nodded. “Yeah, it’s great. Thank you.”
“Good, good. There should be a placard in your hall with all the maintenance and utility information—numbers to call and such, if you ever have any issues. And I’m sure your fellowstudents will help you, too.” She smiled at me, then turned her attention back to the computer and started typing something.
I glanced over my shoulder.
He was still there, staring at me.
When he blew me a kiss, I turned around and shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“Excuse me, but…is that guy a student?” I nodded toward the asshole from the woods and was glad when she seemed to find who I was talking about right away.
Her face lit up with delight, and I died a little inside. “Oh, you don’t know? It’s Dakota Voss, Dean Voss’s son! Such a lovely duck. So talented, too. All the dean’s sons go to school here, and they’re all equally lovely.”
A lovely…duck?
I knew about Dean Voss, but that guy was his fuckingson?
His name sounded kind of familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d heard it before. Maybe I hadn’t heard it anywhere and he’d just made me feel like I should know who he was with his arrogant question.
You really don’t know who I am?
My stomach churned with unease, and the need to leave brought with it an anxious energy. “Sorry, I’m gonna—was there anything else you needed? I have to go,” I said, pushing my chair back.
“Oh.” She looked a little surprised, then shrugged. “I was going to print some helpful packets for you but—I mean I suppose you could come by some other time for those?”
“Yeah, I’ll come back tomorrow,” I lied.
“Oh wait!” she cried, startling me. “Before you go—oh, gosh, I can’t believe I almost forgot to tell you.” She laughed nervously, and now I was fucking nervous. She scribbled something on a piece of paper, then handed it to me. “Here. Dean Voss would like to meet with you on Friday.”
Oh, fuck me, what had I done now? Had Dakota told him something? Was I about to get kicked out before the semester even started? Was this about what happened at Tagerton? Or something else entirely?
The panic I was feeling must have shown on my face because Ilsa waved her hands and said, “No, don’t worry! It’s nothing bad, he likes to meet with all our scholarship students. It’s quite standard and won’t take very long.” She smiled, and I stared down at the card like the date and time of my death were written on it. “And, well, he did mention wanting to discuss the details of your departure from Tagerton.”
Fuck.
I cleared my throat and said, “I, um—thank you for all your help.” I gave her a smile that probably looked like a grimace, but smiling was the last thing I felt like doing right now.
I practically ran out of the building and prayed Dakota didn’t follow me.
