The sting of betrayal intensifies, and merely looking at Ren right now makes me want to punch him in the face.
“I don’t know if I can believe anything you say anymore.”
“Fuck, Quinton.” He throws his hands up in frustration. “Tell me how to fix this. I can’t take this bullshit between us.”
“I don’t know how we can fix the trust, but if you really want to make it up to me, you could start with two things. One, I want to know how you got those recordings. Two, I want you to help me make Matteo’s life miserable. I’ve started already, but it’s time to kick things up a notch.”
“Well, one is easy. Your father sent them to me.”
“Of course, he did.” That was what I was thinking.
“I’m not sure what you have planned for Matteo, but I can promise you, I’ll have your back there. We can make his life hell while he is here, and I’m all for it.”
“Good, because I already have something in mind.”
Let the fun begin.
15
ASPEN
Another day of trying to stay afloat on a life raft that has a gaping hole in it while a hundred sharks circle beneath, waiting for me to slip into the water. And by that, I mean attending Corium.
I hate being so vulnerable and helpless, and I’m fucking tired of feeling this way. As soon as I get this cast off, I’m done with this. I’m done letting them push me around. I’ll spend every waking hour in the gym if I have to, but I will get stronger.
After seeing Quinton and Anja together, my hatred for him and this place explodes ten-fold. I try to blend into the background, but when everyone already hates you, and you now have an exposed weakness, it’s harder to go unnoticed.
I thank my lucky stars that I’ve made it through another day of classes without becoming the target for someone else’s amusement. I’ve been grumpy all week and think it would be good to get some sunshine. I remember the sunroom and how it rarely has many people in it, but it’s been a while since I’ve been up there.
I guess if it’s too busy, I’ll just return to my dorm. My arms have healed, and it’s not as painful to get around. Plus, I can take the elevator up and won’t have to hike a flight of stairs. I leave my room and hobble down the hall to the elevator.
People are moving about the corridor, but it’s not nearly as congested as it is in the morning. I ignore the people around me and make a beeline across the hall to the elevators. I’m almost there, when out of nowhere, someone slams into the side of me.
My nails dig into the wall as I try to gain purchase on something to stop myself from falling on the floor. One of my crutches clatters by my feet, and I peer over my shoulder just in time to see Anja smiling while walking past me. What a fucking bitch?
I want to ask her what the hell her problem is with me but keep it behind my lips. If it has anything to do with Quinton, I don’t want to be a part of it.
Catching my breath, I stand there for a moment while people pass by without even blinking in my direction. Someone could slit my throat in this hallway right before their eyes, and I bet they wouldn’t notice.
I look down at the ground. The crutch is resting on the floor beside my foot. I’m afraid to bend down and pick it up because if I lose my balance, there won’t be anyone to help me up, but there isn’t any other option. I guess if I fall over, I’ll have to army crawl my way back to my room. The thought of doing that makes me laugh.
Having wasted enough time, I bend down, pick up the crutch, and continue on my way to the sunroom. My mood is already lightening, just thinking about the feeling of the sun on my skin. The warmth and joy that you get from a dose of vitamin D. It’s exactly what I need.
The elevator comes to a halt, and there’s a chime before the doors open. I hesitate to step out when I see numerous people occupying the sunroom.
Shit! I don’t know what I was hoping for, but I didn’t think there would be that many people here. I surprise myself when I take a step forward and step out of the elevator.
I’ll just keep to the walls and do my best to blend into the background. My crutches make little noise as I enter further into the room. I can already feel the rays of the sun on my skin, melting my cold interior. The sound of laughter fills my ears, and I turn toward it, glancing at the group of men, but not just any men, Quinton, Ren, and their friend, Nash, are sitting and laughing at something one of them said.