She was now cleansing the room with sage.
“What’s her deal?” I asked, changing my socks.
Impeccably clean floors or not, I wasn’t about to dirty up my bed with them on.
“She’s a hypocrite. I’ve known her since I was ten. Our moms were in the same class and Fawns together.” She blew air through her lips. “I haven’t been a fan since she told my mother to throw out all my Barbies since they were against feminism. I looked her straight in the eye and told her she could drag Skipper and Ballerina Barbie out of my cold, dead hands.”
Daphne rested the sage on an ashtray and pulled out a bag of Cheetos from her drawer stash. “Anyway, you look like hell, and we need to sleep. And please, I beg you, pray for no more unwanted guests. I’m waiting for the damn bogeyman to come next.” She ate a Cheeto and licked cheese residue off her fingers. “If someone does come, they’d better have more snacks.”
I frowned with apology. “I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be, babe.” She ate another Cheeto and swallowed it down. “This place is dull, and the entertainment you’re providing is nice. That’s probably where my issues stem from.” She offered me a Cheeto. “I’m glad you’re here, and I will help in any way I can. Just do as I say, and we’ll survive the wrath of Enzo.”
I swiped a Cheeto from her bag, and we tapped them together, like a secret cheesy handshake. “Good night. See you in the morning.”
“See you in the morning,” she sang out.
As I got into bed, I pulled the flimsy, ripped curtain shut. I kept the chandelier illuminated above me while staring out the window, expecting to see a neon mask.
When I didn’t, I collapsed on my back, having no idea what tomorrow would bring.
Because now, I was officially a Fawn.
Twelve
Blair
The day wasoff to a good start when Enzo didn’t show up to class the following morning.
I didn’t care why he wasn’t there. Maybe he skipped, was sick, or was attending his weekly meeting in hell.
His absence eased my worries, especially since I hadn’t worn his shirt. Violating the dress code could risk me earning another strike from Arisono.
It was Friday, so I hoped Enzo had left campus for the weekend. I also hoped to figure out a way to do that myself, since I needed a new laptop and phone. Handwritten notes weren’t cutting it for me.
I ditched the library and decided to eat lunch in the cafeteria. Just like the rest of the university, the stone-lined passageway that led to the cafeteria had a curved ceiling. Brass sconces lit the way, and the light from the stained glass windows streamed distorted patterns across the polished marble floors.
When the hall opened up to the cafeteria, I halted.
Calling the room a cafeteria was like saying the stars at night weren’t big and bright deep in the heart of Texas.
The space reminded me of a high-end European restaurant.Not that I’d been to one, but I’d seen them on TV. Big fan ofHouse Hunters Internationalhere.
The ceiling was painted gold, or possiblywasgold, and stretched high overhead. Crystal chandeliers hung low from it.
Like this was a formal event, candles flickered from the white-clothed tables. This wasn’t a simple lunch where we ordered crappy microwaved food or plucked items from a buffet table. Servers moved between tables, carrying trays.
Lingering near the edge, I backed up against the wall, feeling like I didn’t belong.
This wasn’tme. I’d grown up eating at tables my father had built with his bare hands. Tables that gave you splinters when you cleaned them. The cafeterias at my other schools had plastic furniture and flimsy trays.
“Blair!” Daphne’s voice cut through the room.
I glanced up, searching for her, and stepped away from the wall in relief when she waved me over.
I beelined to her table in the center of the room, nearly colliding and apologizing five times to a server. Adelina scooted her chair over to make room for me.
For the first time here, I felt a sense of belonging.
