Who has a collection of photos of one person?
“We don’t have anything recent and he told me to ask you if you had anything from the summer when he was playing. I’m sorry, Cass, I tried to argue with him, but he was adamant that you’d be professional about this. ”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Going through photos of Jack wasn’t something I was sure I could handle at this point. But BC was right. I needed to be professional.
“You don’t have to do this. I can tell him you didn’t have any. ” Dani’s sympathy and regret sounded sincere, and I found myself feeling bad for the position she was in.
“No, it’s okay. I’m sure I have something you can use. How many do you need?”
“Just e-mail me a few of your best shots. I trust your judgment. ” I could hear the relief in her tone.
“Okay. Deadline?”
“Tomorrow by noon. I know it’s tight but BC wants it to go out in the Welcome Back edition. ”
“No problem. ” I sucked in a lungful of air.
“Thanks, Cassie. You’re a lifesaver. ”
I ended the call, reaching for my backpack and stuffing my textbooks inside. I slipped my sunglasses over my eyes, tossed a hat on my head, and headed out the door toward campus.
I strolled along the sidewalk before cutting to the left, entering the well-manicured campus. I marveled at how green the lawn was even though I couldn’t remember the last time it rained.
I passed two girls in hand-painted sorority shirts and I swear I felt a few brain cells spontaneously combust in my head.
A larger crowd appeared up ahead and my chest tightened as I neared. The stares were less subtle now and the whispers sounded less like whispers and more like shouts. I hated the fact that everyone on campus felt the need to talk about me like I was some freak in a circus sideshow.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I reached in and pulled it out. Text from Melissa. My fucking savior. I walked with my head down, my attention focused on my cell phone instead of the gossiping people I passed.
In the SU with Dean. It’s not crazy crowded.
With my heart in my throat, I turned in the direction of the student union and punched in a response.
On my way.
If I continued to hide, it would only make things worse. I’d be giving them more things to talk about, instead of less. I had to show them I wasn’t falling apart. That I could survive without Jack in my life. Whether or not I believed it wasn’t the point—I needed everyone else to.
I threw open the glass door before stepping into the familiar smells and sounds. I pretended not to notice as the girls watched my every move, their faces painted with fake sympathy.
I spotted Dean and rushed over, my pace not even slowing as someone called my name. By the time I reached the table, I was practically hyperventilating.
“You’re okay. It’s okay. ” Melissa reached across the table, touching my hand with hers.
My eyes pooled as I squeezed them shut to force the tears to recede. Dean slid next to me, tossing his arm around my shoulder and pulling me against him as I struggled to even my breathing.
“I guess if Jack dumped me, I’d date his brother too. ” A curvy blonde motioned toward us with a snide smile.
“Shut up, you stupid tramp,” Melissa shouted, her face reddening. “All of you just shut the hell up and leave her alone!”
I was silently thankful for her outburst. Thankful she had the guts to say what I wanted to, but was too terrified of actually doing. My actions were so scrutinized that any flare-up would most likely end up on YouTube. It was hard enough simply getting through the day without adding fuel to the wildfire that showed no sign of stopping its ravenous burn.
Cole and Brett grabbed their trays and headed toward our table. When random girls tried to follow, the guys shoved them away and announced loud enough for everyone to hear that they weren’t welcome.
Cole sat down on the other side of me, his eyes still holding the pain I recognized from the day of the beating. “We’re all really sorry about you and Jack, Cassie. And if there’s anything we can do, just let us know. You’re still our family. ”
Brett dropped his tray on the table with a crash. “Girls are such bitches!” he shouted before plopping his muscular body across from me, causing the whole table to vibrate.
“Hey!” Melissa smacked his shoulder.