The Aurelian Circle, an invitation only social club for high-performing Sovereign King’s University students with a desire to make a change in the world through charity and philanthropic efforts.
Gracie points to a line on the screen. “Looks like it was defuncted, in the spring of ’05.”
My expression knits, and I scowl without meaning to. “That’s the year my mother graduated.”
“Does it say why they shut it down? My mom never said anything about being in this club.” Gracie reaches over me to take the mouse and control the search. “That’s it?”
She goes to the top and types the club name into the search bar, but the only thing that pulls up is the same description. That’s weird. Everything else we’ve searched had loads of results but this stops here. The more I look into things, the deeper the hole gets, and I’m no closer to finding out the truth.
Before I can say anything else, a voice cuts through the quiet behind us.
“Look, girls. If it isn’t the rejects.”
Christina.
They laugh as I hop to my feet and spin to face them. Christina walks closer with two girls at her side, both in matching sneers.
“What did you just say?” I step forward, my fist already balled tight.
My nerves and emotions have been dragged through the mud more times than I’d like in the last forty-eight hours. The last thing I have time for is this bitch and her band of flunkies.
“You heard me,” she snaps back.
Gracie stands, and I don’t miss the way her entire posture changes. Her spine snaps straight, eyes blinking rapidly, breaths uneven.
“Hey, Gracie Poo.” Christina waves, her tone antagonizing.
“Fuck off,” Gracie bites back.
She cackles. “That’s the best you can do?” She peers at her friends, who join in on the laughter. “Oooh, I’m scared.”
“I don’t know what your problem is with me or Gracie, but this little mean girl act of yours is getting real old.”
“I told you Jackson was off-limits. But you had to go throwyourself at him like some desperate puck bunny. But why am I surprised? Sluts flock together, right? First Gracie, then you.”
From the corner of my eye, I notice the color drain from Gracie’s face as her body starts to shake.
“The only desperate one around here is you. Hung up on a boy who’s clearly not that fucking into you. Maybe your focus should be on your self-esteem and not who does or doesn’t want your sloppy seconds. And fighting over a piece of shit like that… Girl, are you good?”
“Watch yourself,” she seethes.
“I’ve played it cool, let all the little slick comments and jabs slide, but I’m warning you. Back the hell off.”
“Ladies,” a stern voices cuts through the tension. “Do I need to call security?”
Neither Christina nor I break eye contact, but I can feel the librarian looming near us.
“Let it, go, Christina,” one of her friends advises while grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the exit.
Christina walks away, her shoulders rising and falling in rapid succession. She’s not used to people standing up to her—girls like that never are. They expect people to just roll over and take whatever they dish out. Think they can do what they want, consequences be damned.
I’ve kept my cool, stopped myself from fighting back because all it would take is for one more thing to get back to Chancellor Williamsburg, and he’ll make good on his threat. But not tonight. All the pent-up emotions, all the years of anger and resentment, came boiling to the surface, and I can’t just let this go. Not this time.
Christina throws a glance back at us. “Bitch.”
“Your momma,” I snap back before she makes it out of the library.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
