“How tragic,” he mocks. “You won’t be able to gowinteringin Japan.”
I roll my eyes. “I suppose I can postpone it.”
“How gracious of you.”
“Is that all?”
Colton glances at the expensive wrist-watch on his hand, then back at me. He nods. “Yes. If I need anything else from you, I’ll call for you.”
“Alright,” I grab my handbag, ready to walk out the door. However, something shiny flashes in my eyes.
I glance down at his desk, noticing a small earring. My eyesight’s always been perfect, and the moment I spot it, my eyes widen a fraction. It’s a small ruby earring, in the shape of a star. I’d recognize the design anywhere because it’s one-of-a-kind jewelry, and I had it custom-made for a birthday.
Avalon’s birthday.
“Oh, and Ms. Sloane?”
My eyes snap to Colton’s, as my mind goes into overdrive,trying to process what the hell I just saw. “Yes, sir?”
“Although there were seven people who reported you, there was one who started it all.”
“Yes?” I blink, momentarily taking my mind off Avalon’s earring.
“I can give you a hint as to who it is.”
“Go on.”
“His name starts withSoand ends withren.”
???
“Sophia, wait!”
Avalon’s panicked voice reaches my ears, but I can’t force myself to stop and listen to her. My feet carry me as quickly as possible, the sound of my heels slamming against the stone floors beneath my feet fills my ears. All I feel is blinding rage as I force the door open, letting the cool air from outside hit my face.
It feels as though I can finally think clearly and breathe again. Yet, the anger doesn’t disappear. It still simmers beneath the surface, ready to burst. I stop for a moment when Avalon wraps her hand around my wrist, lightly yanking me back.
“Don’t do this,” she pleads. When I look at her, she’s all but begging, her expression bordering on desperation. “You’ll get in more trouble than it’s worth. What’s next, actually getting expelled?”
“Avalon,” I sigh. “Let go. If I bottle this amount of rage inside of me, I’ll snap at the wrong person.”
“Still — violence isn’t the solution!”
“Yeah, well, sometimes, it’s the only way.”
Her mouth parts, disbelief all over her face. I snatch my wrist back, toss my handbag at her, and she catches it with ease. With a sharp intake of breath, I stroll right across the campus, shoving the door of the boy’s dormitory open.
The dorm supervisor — a man whose name I never bothered to learn — watches me with mouth open agape. I don’t pay him any attention, and can hear Avalon and Grace apologizing on my behalf. The eye roll comes all too naturally, as I walk up the stairs.
The bottom floor is for professors, the second is for first years; the higher the year, the higher the floor. It’s like I’ve been exercising for a whole year by the time I reach the floor where all the seniors are, pausing a moment to catch my breath.
I still remember which room belongs to Soren. The floors may change each year, but room numbers remain the same. It’s room twenty-three. The door stares right back at me. Chatter comes from the inside, and the mere thought of the motherfucker enjoying himself while I possibly face suspension for the lies he spread — and likely paid the other seven to spread around — makes the anger inside me grow.
I start knocking on the door furiously, and if this were the middle of the night, I’d probably wake up the entire dorm. But I don’t care. I bang on the door, louder and harder, my knuckles starting to ache.
The door opens suddenly, revealing one of his friends — Kenzo Raven. He’s always been the quiet, artsy type, with a pair of glasses. A walking cliché, that one. He lifts a brow, surprise evident on his face.
“Sophia, what are you—”
