Page 41 of Ruthless Court

Jules shrugs and returns to her lip liner.

Piper comes closer.

“I’m sorry if we were being mean earlier.”

“You were.”

“I know.”

She tucks a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

“I’m excited and nervous, and I want this to work. Us being roommates, I mean. I think you’re cool.”

I study her.

The apology appears genuine. There’s no smirk waiting behind it.

“I want it to work too.”

Her shoulders relax.

“I just don’t understand why athletes bother you so much.”

“They don’t bother me.”

All three girls look at me.

I amend the statement.

“Some do.”

“Is it the partying?” Piper asks.

“No.”

“The WAG thing?”

“That part is strange.”

“It’s not strange to want security.”

“It is when you’re choosing a husband based on his draft projection.”

Kenzie walks past us toward the mirror.

“I’d marry a first-round pick.”

“You don’t know any.”

“That’s why we’re going to the mixer.”

Piper smiles at me. “What are you here for, then?”

“Besides the Ivy-level education?”

“Stanford isn’t technically Ivy League.”

“You understood the point.”