Page 1 of Calculated Risk
Chapter 1
Marcus
I'min the middle of mediating a dispute between two business students when my phone buzzes for the third time in five minutes.
I silence it without looking. Sebastian taught me never let people see that something else has your attention. It suggests their problem isn't your priority. If I’m honest sometimes I don’t care about their problems.
"So what you're saying-" I address Jason, "-is that you deserve the treasurer position because you have the highest GPA. And you—" I turn to Michelle, "—believe experience matters more than grades."
"Exactly," they say in unison.
This conversation has been going on for so long now that I want to walk away from them both. We’re going around in circles, and I’m getting a headache.
"Then here's what we do. Jason, you become treasurer with Michelle as your deputy. You handle the books, she handles vendor relationships and event budgets. You both get what you want, and the fraternity gets the benefit of both skill sets." This is the only other thing I can think of to make them both work together and stop annoying me.
They look at each other, considering my idea.
"That works," Michelle says finally.
"Yeah, okay." Jason nods. "That's fair." Now Jason doesn't sound one hundred percent on board with it, but they shake hands and leave my study room, crisis averted. I make a note in my planner:Business Frat - Treasurer resolved. Follow up in 2 weeks.
Because I know I will have to follow it up, I’m about ninety percent sure they will kill each other if I leave it any longer than that. But if one of them phones me complaining about the other then I will have to step in sooner.
My phone buzzes again. Four times now. Who the hell is calling me so much?
I finally check it. Three texts from Isla, one from Carter.
Isla:Marcus, I need your help. It's urgent.
Isla:Please. I know you're busy but this is important.
Isla:It's about Lilah. She's in trouble.
Carter:Yo, Rivera's asking about your matchmaking services. I want to know if you can set him up with someone on the women's soccer team. Thoughts?
I respond to Carter first.Tell Rivera I'm not a dating service. Also, half the women's soccer team would eat him alive.
Carter:Fair. But you DO matchmake. You got like a 90% success rate.
Me:That's different. I give advice. I don't arrange dates like some Victorian marriage broker.
Carter:Semantics.
I switch to Isla's messages. My thumb hovers over the keyboard.
It's about Lilah.Is the only thing I can think about.
Delilah Rodriguez. The one person on this campus I actively avoid. The one problem I've refused to solve for three years. Theone girl who makes me feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff with no safety rope.
I don't do cliffs. I do calculated risks, carefully planned outcomes, and controlled variables.
Lilah is the opposite of all of that.
Me:What kind of trouble?
Isla:Can you meet me at the art gallery? Now?
I check my schedule. I have office hours in thirty minutes, then a Legacy Council meeting at four, then I'm supposed to help Ethan revise his grad school applications.
