“Lila, you’re in two classes with Soren’s sister, aren’t you?”
“Who, Astrid? Sure, why?”
“What’s her take on all of this?”
Lila shrugs. “We’re not exactly close. She’s a year younger, so the only class we have together is advanced mathematics. She’s very, very smart. We talk in passing and all, though this doesn’t seem to bother her.”
“That’s odd,” Grace mutters. “If it were my brother, I’d track down the person who leaked the tape, and probably nail them to the wall.”
I laugh. “Astrid’s always been passive. Even back when Soren and I would fight in high school, she stayed out of it.”
“Does that mean you have no bad blood with her?”
“I don’t like her, and I’d never be her friend. But I don’t hate her.”
“Anyways,” Avalon switches the subject, eyes falling on the bright pink logo of the Sinners & Saints website on my laptop. “Did you ever wonder who’s behind it?”
“Yes,” Grace groans. “Whoever it is, they’re good at hiding.”
“Do you think it’s someone in our year?” Lila asks, taking more of her chips.
“We’ll see soon enough,” I respond. “If the website shuts down, or stops being active after we graduate, it means it’s someone in our year.”
“But by that point, we’ll all leave the campus and won’t have a way of knowing who it is.”
“Does it really matter?” I ask, leaning against the headpost of the bed. “It’s entertaining.”
Lila scoffs. “It’s entertaining because there’s almost never anything on you.”
“That’s because I’m careful about the way I conduct myself. The biggest gossip they have on me is the fucking cheating issue that I’m trying to work through. But from the comments left under the article, no one seems to believe it, anyway.”
“Lucky,” Grace mutters. “I’ve had all my dirty laundry aired. No wonder I’m the black sheep of the family.”
“For what it’s worth, at least your family is trying to improve the relationship with you,” I smile. “Besides, it can’t be that bad?”
Grace blinks. “They said I offered a random man at a bar a blow job for some cocaine. If I wanted cocaine, I would’ve bought some!” She groans, slumping into the bed, exasperated. “The worst part is that people said it’sbelievable! Do I really look like someone who’d give a blow job for cocaine?!”
“Well—”
Avalon’s interrupted by a sharp glare from Grace. “Don’t you fucking dare say it.”
“Anywho,” Lila clears her throat. “Although Astrid seems uninterested, I did overhear her talk to her friends.”
I immediately shift my body, positioning myself to give Lila a better look. Grace looks excited to hear the new gossip, while Avalon seems almost wary, for some reason. Lila glances between us, then, with a sigh, she starts talking.
“It’s nothing dramatic, really,” she snorts. “Their parents are very upset that there was even a tape to begin with. So, to reprimand him, they’re forcing him to do community service for the remainder of his suspension.”
“So, he’ll be doing community service for the next two weeks? That’s amazing,” I burst out laughing. The mere thought of theasshole being forced into actually being a good person is hilarious. “Where?”
“Somewhere nearby. I’m not sure, though.”
“Speaking of suspension,” Grace piques. “Do you think you’ll get suspended for the cheating allegations?”
“I’ve that board meeting tomorrow,” I sigh. “I don’t think so. But at this point, I don’t really care. As long as they let me retake all the exams, I’ll do anything.”
“Oh, good luck with it, Soph,” Avalon grimaces, and I know she’d hate to be in my position. “But hey, it’s you. I have no doubt you’ll ace all the exams again.”
“Hopefully they let me retake them, because if they don’t, I’ll be tempted to commit a homicide.”
