Page 15 of Heartless Lord
I had to maintain a 3.6 grade point average to keep my scholarship, and Stonewall was known to be hard as fuck. Imposter syndrome kicked in, and my heart pounded out a manic beat. What if I couldn’t cut it?
Cordelia rolled over and mumbled something again, jerking me from the downward spiral.
Shoving back the panic, I crept closer and poked her in the shoulder. “You awake?”
“Blah,” she muttered.
“We missed our first class.” After Cordelia mentioned she was taking Geology too, I’d actually been looking forward to having someone I knew in class.
“It’s just Rocks for Jocks. No one cares about that class.” She rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn. “On the plus side, all the hot jocks take it.”
“Now I get the name.”
She sat up and dragged a hand through her messy bob. “Last night was fun. I have high hopes for you, bitch.”
“Thanks.” I smirked. Nothing like inappropriate language to force me out of my head. After only one night with my roommate, I was starting to love the curse word she used as a term of endearment. “I guess I should go. I don’t want to be late for Biochem.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve heard Williams is a hardass, but that’s what you get when you go for a major like pre-med. Overachiever much?”
I shook my head at my new friend. I hadn’t told her about Mom yet. It didn’t feel like a first night, getting to know you type conversation. I’d let her see all my dark, broken parts when I was good and ready. “I just want to make a difference in the world.”
“Oh stop, you’re going to make me puke.” She shot me a grin. “Go save humanity, Lexi. I’ll be right here planning our costumes for tonight.”
My brows slammed together. “Costumes? Tonight?”
“I didn’t tell you about the infamous masquerade the Sigma Delts put on every year?”
“No, no you did not.”
She waved a nonchalant hand. “It’s only the biggest event in all of Copper Cove. The Sigma Deltas are notorious on campus. They’re all secretive and shit, and the house is hella creepy. All the guys are gorgeous, smart and wealthy, of course, which means they’re assholes,butthey’re hot as fuck and know how to have fun.”
“On a school night?”
“Hell yes. Trust me, you’re going to need it after Biochemistry and all those other mind-numbing classes you signed up for.”
My thoughts whirled to my one suitcase overflowing with no-name clothes. “But I don’t have anything to wear.”
Cordelia jumped up, hangover seemingly forgotten, and a huge smile split her lips. “Lucky for you, I’ve attended every year and have quite an array of masks and costumes. Don’t you worry your pretty little head, I’ve got you.” She pushed me toward the door, despite my protests. “Now, go! The sooner this day is over, the sooner we can get to the party.”
An unexpected laugh slipped out as she shoved me into the busy hall. Sure, a masquerade on the first night of school. Sounded like just what I needed.
“Psst.”
Tearing my attention away from the professor, I glanced at the guy beside me. He pointed at the floor, to the silver pen rolling down the aisle between us. I bent down and grabbed it before it darted past. The cold metal felt heavy in my palm. The damned thing probably cost more than my computer. I glanced at the fancy script engraved along the side of the pen:Micah Preston.
Warm hazel eyes met mine through dark-rimmed glasses, and the guy’s lips slid into an easy grin. “Thank you,” he mouthed as I handed him the pen.
The remainder of the class flew by in a blur, my fingers manically tapping across the keyboard of my old laptop. I definitely wasn’t at San Carlo CC anymore. One look at the syllabus had my anxiety through the roof.
“Class is over, you know.”
A warm male voice drew me from my panic attack, and I glanced up to find those light, hazel eyes watching me beneath a tumble of blonde hair.
“Oh, right.” I slammed my laptop closed and stood.
“You’re new, huh?”
“Is it that obvious?”
