“Exactly. I’m not gonna take shit from Mom and Dad if you end up in trouble for being nosy either.”
“Whatever.” I shove him from the bed and then get up, walking over to Aurora. “You have studying to do?”
She snorts. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”
I reach for her hand, tugging her toward the door. “Great. Let’s go.”
We runinto Lexington and Percy on our way into the Obeliskos. The former is wearing a thick black sweater while the latter’s gray peacoat is buttoned all the way up, and I can’t tell if they’re coming or going.
“Neither,” Lexington offers when I ask. “We were just arguing over where to get food before heading to the quarry for a Curator party.”
“They’re still throwing those?” Aurora asks, lifting her blond brows.
Percy shrugs. “School didn’t tell them to stop, so why not?”
“It’s the middle of the week though,” I note.
Grinning, Lexington slings an arm around my shoulder, giving me a playful squeeze. “Which is exactly why faculty will be less likely to come and shut things down. They’re usually at office hours or teaching night courses right now.”
“That logic seems…flawed,” I tell him.
“The professors and administrators don’t want to step foot in the Primordial Forest any more than we do,” Percy says.
Aurora frowns. “Then why are you going?”
“For the adventure.” Lexington releases me, sliding his hands into his khaki pockets. “The start of the semester is usually pretty slow for theater majors, so I like to get as much fun in before we start play prep as I can. Professor Dupont monopolizes our time the minute auditions are over.”
My stomach churns at the thought of him, and I scoff. “Dictators are like that.”
Behind us, the revolving glass door swings open, and in walks Sutton at the head of a gaggle of students, as if summoned by the mere mention of his name.
He breezes past us, pointedly ignoring our group.
That Sabrina bitch from class is right on his heels, swinging her ponytail as they head for the study rooms blocked off by the main stairs beyond the circulation desk. She turns just before they’re out of sight, giving me a sharp look of victory.
As if she’s accomplished some great feat by getting to be Sutton’s little ankle-biter.
Big fucking deal. I bet she hasn’t ridden his hand to completion or had his cock inside her.
Nausea spins a web in my gut, something bitter boiling within.
Has she?
No, no. That can’t be right.He implied hookups were unusual and seemed to need to convince himself he wanted to be touched at all. That’s not the kind of professor who makes a habit of fucking his students.
Aurora kicks my shin. “Dude, unclench.”
I release the pressure on my teeth.
“Do you think she was looking at me?” Percy asks, a blush staining his cheeks as he stares after Sabrina.
“Definitely not,” Lexington tells him, chuckling. He gives me a sidelong glance, one that makes me feel completely transparent. “You really get under Sabrina’s skin, huh?”
“Bad habit of mine,” I say. “Mean girls tend to clash like that.”
“Are you a mean girl?”
“Depends on who’s asking.” Glancing at Aurora, I jut my chin toward the back.
