Chase looks at me with a deep frown creasing his forehead. His hair is rumpled from sleep and so are his clothes. He must have changed into pajamas at some point, but I’m stuck wearing the same thing I was yesterday. I’m desperate for a shower and some breakfast, and my temper is on a short leash.
“I told you already. This is your room.” He sets the cars down methodically. Taking care with each one, setting them at just the right angle. My eyebrow raises as I watch him.
“Very funny. Cut the shit out and just show me.”
He runs his hands down his face, exasperation evident. “I fucking told you.”
I stare at him for a moment and for the first time I wonder if he really isn’t fucking with me. Mouth slightly agape, I struggle with what to say next.
“Are you just going to stand there looking like a fish, or can I get back to sleep before my first class?”
I uncross my arms, fury rising. I feel my fists clench into two balls ready to swing on him. I’m not normally a violent person, but catch me without food and coffee, and you better not be in my way.
“Listen here, you privileged little shit–”
“First of all, nothing about me islittle.” I feel my eyebrows raise and cheeks heat at what he’s implying. “And second of all, I’m not fucking lying. I didn’t sign up for this arrangement any more than you did. So, either deal with it, or get out.”
“Fine! Gladly.” I grab my purse and luggage and rush past him, anger licking at my heels and my face burning red. I hate him. I fucking hate him. Of all the stepbrothers I could have been shackled to, why did I end up withhim?
The campus is so vast that I get lost multiple times in search of the dean’s office. Thankfully, I have a standing appointment already set up. My feet are screaming at me by the time I hobble down the right wing. It’s filled with cubicles and office doors and a not so friendly receptionist named, Phyllis. She looks like they plucked her straight out of the tv show,The Office, with the same hairdo and round glasses, only more cunty.
“Melody Wessex?” An older looking woman with an ebony completion and gray streaked shoulder length hair asks, peeking her head into the room.
“Here,” I say, gathering my things.
She gestures for me to follow, and I do. Right into a beautifully decorated room, filled with an array of books, plants, and several plush chairs. The walls are lined with academic and musical accolades. A violin sits tucked away in a case near the window.
“How can I assist you today? I assume this is about your schedule?” She hands me a piece of paper with a detailed list of classes and teachers. My eyes flick over the content hungrily, curious as to what my day to day will look like. It blurs together as I remember why I’m here.
“Yes, but also–”
“Yes?” She looks over her moon-shaped wire frames, eyebrows wrinkling her forehead.
“I was wondering about my rooming situation?”
“Your stepfather has arranged all that. He asked that you stay with his son since you’re family now and all. You know he’s quite the brilliant student and should be able to help you find your footing at this school. Normally, we don’t make exceptions for just anyone, but the Milfords are a staple of our establishment.”
My stomach drops like bricks being tossed off a ledge. A whirring of what sounds like a heater kicking on fills the room with a rush of hot air licking at the wooden floorboards. The warmth snakes up my legs as the information she’s given me takes root. I’ll have to live with Chase. Which means he wasn’t lying.
“Are we sure there isn’t somewhere else I could stay?”
Her eyes dim and she raises her hands into a steeple beneath her prominent chin.
“Seeing as the year is well under way and the strings that were pulled to get you in, I would be grateful for what you have, yes? Beggars can’t be choosers after all.”
Her words linger in the air, heavy with the reminder that I’m only here because of my new stepfather. It’s like ice being thrown over me, sliding down my spine and stabbing my bones. I’m a charity case, and they won’t let me forget it.
“Is it possible to get a mattress then?” I ask.
Her eyebrows raise. “There should have been one sent yesterday for your arrival. I’ll check with maintenance for you.”
I give her my thanks and a small, tired smile. My head is fuzzy with trying to come to grips about my living situation. I’ve never roomed with a guy before and especially not one as abrasive as Chase Milford. God, this is going to be a disaster. What if he brings home a slew of girls? Where do I go? Is the sock on the door thing something that people actually do? My head hurts just thinking about it.
The sound of my luggage wheels rolling over the uneven cobblestones keeps a steady beat in time with my pulsating despair following me back to the room. My goal is to find my way back with only one wrong turn, but instead I’m wandering around lost in a dance corridor after several wrong red bricked buildings and one long trek through the arts wing. I’m distracted by one of the rooms that’s in the middle of a ballet lesson. It’s impossible not to look for a moment as they gracefully leap in the air. And the guys in tights aren’t too bad to look at either. They bend and sway in a synchronized routine that’s mesmerizing to watch. It’s clear why this school has the reputation it does. Picking the best of the best. I feel like a fraud being here. I don’t come from the same background as the students here, and I have no idea how I’ll measure up to the school’s lofty standards. All I can do, is try my best and hope I have enough talent to carve out a space for myself. I might not belong yet, but I know I’ll work as hard as I can to earn my spot here.
“Going on a trip?” Liam’s voice asks from behind me, making me jolt up with surprise.
I turn and find him watching me with an amused smile splayed upon his full lips.
