He continued to stare at me, and I stared right back, refusing to back down. He appeared expectant like he was waiting for me to say something else, and my chin rose in defiance. I would apologize for trying to break in once he apologized for knocking me over. He hadn’t even offered to help me up. The sidewalk was damp, and my palms were definitely scraped from trying to break my fall.
One of my hands still pressed against my chest, like clutching my shirt would relieve the weird pressure there, but I didn’t back down. The V in his brow deepened. My lips pursed.His fingers tightened on the door until his knuckles went white. I cocked my head to the side.
“Fucking stubborn.” With a final scoff and roll of his eyes, he went back inside and slammed the door behind him.
It took a full five minutes for the ache in my chest to ease into a flutter, before resolving altogether. I had to slip my arms out of my bag to stand, and then heave it back onto my shoulders. I glared one final time at the door, and the broody bastard somewhere behind it, then left the hospital and resumed my search for Midnight Hall. Hopefully, breaking and entering wouldn’t be required to get into my own dorm.
Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to find. The mass influx of family cars and fathers overloaded with moving boxes was telling. It was the spring semester, but I guess I wasn’t the only one who transferred in mid-year. I tightened my hand around the strap of my duffel bag. Everything I owned was in there; a sparse array of clothes, my meager toiletries, and a pillow. My backpack held all I needed for class, with almost all my textbooks being in digital format that I could read on my used kindle. I’d have to do all my assignments and studying at the library on the provided computers, but I would deal.
I didn’t need a fancy laptop or a horde of people moving me in to be successful here. Squeezing past the overshow of emotion that clogged the shared courtyard between the dorm halls, I checked in at the small table in the lobby and took the stairs to the third floor with an annoyed grumble. Forty-two steps didn’t seem like much, but I’d requested a room on the main floor. Being trapped deep in this maze of hormone-ridden prison cells would slow me down.
However, there was some protection to be found behind a wall of humans. Had to find the bright side somewhere. The carpet in the hall had seen better days, but the doors lining one side were of solid wood. My key slid easily into the lock, and Igot my first good look at where I’d be spending the next six years…hopefully. If I made it through with a high enough score, I could travel anywhere in the country for veterinary school or choose to stay here.
That flexibility was non-negotiable. Would the last two years of undergrad be enough for the tribunal to stop looking for me? Probably not. Which was why I needed the options.
“Are you going to stand there in the door or come in?”
I jumped as the owner of the voice hopped down from her raised bed. There was another on the other side of the room, my side, but it lacked the deep green comforter and throw pillows.
“Jumpy one, aren’t you?” The curvy redhead wore a smile that I tried hard to return. “I’m Rani,” she said. “Marine Bio major.”
I stared hard at the hand she offered for a few awkward seconds before gently shaking it. “Eryn,” I told her. “Veterinary Medicine.”
A real smile graced my lips then. It was the first time I said that out loud. Despite my less-than-bubbly reception to my new roommate, the vibe of the room was easy and not forced. Rani left me alone to unpack and didn’t crowd. It took less than an hour to unroll my sleeping bag on the thin but clean mattress, tuck my backpack under the desk, and put my clothes away. There was still half a closet and one whole drawer empty. I refused to look behind me at Rani’s overstuffed half of the room, but I felt her beginning to hover.
“Is your family downstairs with the rest?” she asked, honesty saturating her tone. “Do they need help bringing it up?”
I wasn’t a rude person by any means, but the quickest way to attract my suspicion was to ask about my family. Too many probing questions always followed. From teachers, it was to see if I was being abused. From classmates, it was to see how poor I was and where I fell in the social ranking. Rarely ever was itactually out of the goodness of someone’s heart. That’s how I justified what I did next.
It wasn’t a violation per se. I didn’t break into her mind or take it over but rather skimmed her surface thoughts. Color me surprised when I read only genuine curiosity. The urge to push further was strong, but she hadn’t done anything to actually warrant the search, and I couldn’t afford to broadcast my magick so soon. Or ever.
“Thisisall my stuff,” I replied with a stern frown.
Her brows wrinkled in an adorable way that I’d never be able to pull off. I was instantly jealous. “You don’t have sheets? A comforter? Toiletries?Anything?”
She was one hundred percent authentic, which made my cheeks burn as I pointed to my empty duffel and the school bag. I wouldn't be embarrassed. Iwouldn’t.
“That’s all I need for school,” I told her, only slightly defensive. “It's worked well enough for me my entire life.”
Rani worried her bottom lip and side-eyed my half of the room. She was obviously torn between insulting me or saying what was on her mind. Just as the silence grew too uncomfortable, and I was sure I’d have to get nasty in order for her to drop it, she smiled.
“Well, I have plenty of everything. My parents are worriers, so help yourself to whatever you need.”
She grabbed my arm and dragged me to her closet, which was filled to the brim with lotions and makeup, shampoos, and body wash. Scents of flowers, sugar, and citrus permeated the air as she pointed out her favorite products and why I justhadto try them. By the time she was done, the top shelf of my own closet bore more self-care products and spare towels than I’d ever need, and I’d somehow accepted her invitation to lunch.
“You may be considered an upperclassman thanks to yourcredit hours, but this campus can get tricky if you don’t know where you’re going,” she said with a grin.
I watched the spirited redhead bounce from the room like she hadn’t just flipped my world on its axis. I’d told her about my online classes and how this was my first time on campus. The fact that she was able to pull anything about my life out of me blew my mind, and I was convinced she used a spell or something. She managed to both confuse me and take me under her wing like I was a lost little chick.
There were no ulterior motives I could sense. I’d know. I couldn’t help but scan her mind again in between her comparison of shea butter versus regular moisturizer and when to use each one. With her larger-than-life personality out of the room, I took the time to snoop for anything out of the ordinary. I sensed no power from her but that meant nothing if she wasn’t actively using magick or if she could shield herself from me.
My search revealed no obvious witchery or tools the djinn preferred, and we were too far from the water for her to be a siren. My eye caught on the narrow window between our beds, and I sighed. Who knew first-floor rooms were in such high demand? My only escape routes were down the stairs, the elevator, or out of that window.
A drop that high wouldn’t kill me, but it would hurt and potentially hinder the rest of my plan if I was too injured. Only if absolutely necessary then. Tonight, I’d mark the other routes and time them. And later, I’d need to practice how long it took from those routes to the bus depot. Obviously, I would have to estimate the window option.
“Are you coming?” Rani popped her head back in, interrupting my thoughts.
A small, but very real smile took control of my lips. I’d never been invited anywhere. Maybe this college thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.
