ThatI could answer. “Sterling Weston.”
“Sterling Weston,” she repeated, connecting the dots. Then her eyes grew wide. “Holy shit. You banged Sterling Weston? Do you have any idea who he is?”
Picking at a white thread on the bed that had come undone, I mumbled, “The president of Chi Sigma.”
“No. I mean, yeah he is, but that isn’t even the tip of the iceberg.” A bit too much excitement laced her voice, and I began to worry. “He’s one of theWestons,” she stated as if I should be impressed.
I stared at her blankly. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
She shook her head at me, looking disappointed. At what, I didn’t know, but I was confident she would fill me in. “Mads, you need to pull your head out of that cloud of cigarette smoke. The Westons are one of the oldest and wealthiest families, not just in this state but in the country. They’re like the Hiltons of the East Coast.”
Unlike Kenna, I didn’t keep up with who was who in the world of old money. Or even new money. I could barely keep the Kardashians straight, let alone an entire society of rich people. “And you’re sure Sterling is one ofthoseWestons?” He hadn’t struck me as someone who dripped money. Then again, I hadn’t even known his name. Did I have any right to assume anything about who Sterling was?
I didn’t.
Just as he knew nothing about who I was.
Kenna rolled her eyes. “Is cotton candy pink?”
I gave her a flat, unamused stare.
Getting a little too enthusiastic about a guy who I wanted to avoid like last week’s moldy pizza, Kenna said, “It’s him. I’m sure of it. My grandfather knows Sterling’s grandfather, who happens to love to brag about his perfect grandson.”
This must have been her paternal grandfather, as we shared the same grandparents on her mother’s side.
“It doesn’t matter to me where he comes from. I just want him to forget we ever met.”
“I get that considering what you have going on with Micah, but this isSterling Weston.”
“Are you actually encouraging me to go out with him?” Something dark and uneasy slithered over my mind, confusing the situation more.
She scooted closer to the edge of the bed. “Did he ask you out? If the answer is yes, then so is mine.”
“Kenna!” I groused. “I am not going out with him, so get it out of your head. You are not helping.”
“I’m still not understanding what the problem is.”
I was two seconds away from burying my head into the pillow and screaming. “I’m not sure, but I think he seems to be under the impression that I’m into him or something.”
“Again, how is that a problem? This sounds like a good thing. Sterling is, like, a big deal on campus.”
Only Kenna would think another guy hitting on me was a good thing. “I have a boyfriend, who also happens to be your brother’s best friend,” I reminded her. Where was the loyalty? She might think Micah wasn’t good enough for me, but weren’t my feelings what was important?
“Aren’t you over him yet?” she asked dramatically. “You’ve been pining after Micah for so long, I can’t remember you ever being into another guy.”
That was because I hadn’t. Even when I was angry, bitter, and basically boycotting all things Elite, I still thought about him. “No.” I tried to make it clear and simple for her.
She snapped her fingers. “So that’s why Micah was such a dick last night. The pieces are starting to fit. Okay, I have a plan to solve both our problems.” Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she settled again, a glint in her eyes that made me leery.
“I didn’t realize you had a problem.” Kenna had a frightening knack for turning everything back to her. Selfishness? Just one of her many personality traits, but to be fair, she was also loyal, protective, and sometimes crazy.
Excitement glimmered in her brown eyes. “I do. I’m boyfriendless, and I told myself college would be my year. I’m starting fresh. New school. Fresh faces. And he checks all the boyfriend boxes.”
“Are you sure you’re ready to start dating?” Kenna never had the chance to date like most high school girls, not seriouslyorcasually, and I could understand her interest. She strived to be normal, regardless that her life experiences had been anything but. Being raped at almost sixteen put a screeching halt on her dating life. I took it as a good sign that she wanted to try, but with Sterling, a guy who I had a one-night stand with? Not what I would call a prime candidate. Although, I didn’t think he would hurt her. He wasn’t that kind of guy, not like Carter.
I hoped.
The truth of it was I didn’t know. He could be a serial killer for all I knew, which would be pretty fucked-up, considering I’d slept with him. Not something I wanted on my résumé.