Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
Visitors have to be scanned in, so I wait outside the big white doors for someone to grant me entrance. The door opens, and a pretty girl with glossy, stick-straight raven hair greets me with her biggest smile, as if we’re the best of friends.
I’ve never seen her in my life.
“Hi,” she greets warmly, grabbing my arm to pull me in.
“Oh, okay.” I try to quickly acclimate to her level of friendliness and familiarity, and flash her a big smile back.
“I’m Dawn,” she tells me.
“Brynn,” I offer back.
“Hey, Brynn. I take it you’re here to help us with the fundraiser setup?”
“I am.” I nod faintly, looking around the glamorous entryway and eyeing the chandelier hanging in the center of the foyer.
“We’re working right in here,” she says, indicating the archway to the left of the entryway. “Since we obviously had to pull this together pretty quickly, we didn’t have time to get a separate venue for the auction. We’ll turn the dining room into the main area where we’ll host the auction, and as you can see at the back of the room,” she says, gesturing that way, “it opens to the little sitting area out there so we have some more seating.”
There’s nothing little about either room. What she calls a dining room, I call a ballroom, so I can definitely see how they can host a party in here. They moved the tables to accommodate people during rush, too, so I’m familiar with the setup. “Okay. So, do you need me to start folding up tables?” I ask, since that’s what I see people doing.
“Don’t be silly.” That voice comes from behind me, so I spin back around to find Vanessa beaming at me as she comes down the stairs. “She’s with me,” she tells Dawn, flashing her a smile before grabbing my arm.
“Oh. Okay,” I say, smiling faintly. “Where are we going?”
She stops back in the foyer and looks up the winding, elegant staircase. I follow her gaze and my tummy does a tumble when I see Sloane Whitley descending, her well-manicured hand resting lightly on the railing as she walks. Her heels click against the hardwood, and her legs look even longer than usual somehow. Maybe it’s the cut of her tight white mini dress, but man, is she pretty.
Sloane is the Zeta president, and while of course she was here during rush, I did not warrant so much as an introduction. I didn’t feel bad. Most girls didn’t.
Her lips are painted the perfect shade of pinky mauve, and her teeth are straight and white when she flashes me a smile. “Hi, Brynn.”
I’m embarrassed to have a fleeting moment of she knows my name? but it’s like high school all over again, only a girl cooler than any of the ones who ever went to my school is the queen bee and she’s acknowledging me.
“Hi,” I say a bit shyly.
“Thanks for stopping by to help out.”
She casually flips her long blond hair, and it’s like a waterfall of silk. I have to really work at not coming off like a creep, but it’s hard not to stare at her.
I feel a little like I felt when Killian took his mask off for the first time.
People don’t need to be this attractive. It’s borderline inconsiderate to the mere mortals—like me—who are going to make fools of themselves about it.
Sloane is used to being gawked at, though, so if she notices my momentary lapse of composure, she doesn’t mention it. Her gaze briefly rakes over me, though, and I instantly wonder why I didn’t dress cuter to come here. I knew what the vibe at this house was like, and I did not do my part to fit in.
“Sorry,” I say, glancing down. “I look like a total bum.”
I mean, I don’t. I look like a normal student in jeans and a soft pink sweater, but I definitely missed the unspoken message that I should be picture-ready while we worked.
And really, I should have known that. I like the Zetas, but they’re very brand-aware and they post pictures and video compilations of every benefit they put on.
“No, you look great. I love your sweater,” she assures me. “I’ll change into something comfy later, too, but right now, we need to get pictures of everybody for the auction. I’m overnight printing the booklet for this weekend’s event, and I have to make sure the final files are uploaded tonight. We are kind of doing a theme for all the pictures, though. Vanessa should have told you that,” she adds, glancing at Vanessa.
Vanessa swallows. “Sorry.”
“So it’s not your fault that you’re not dressed appropriately,” Sloane concludes with a pleasant smile. “Do you want to borrow something from one of the girls? You can get ready upstairs on the residential floors. We even have showers if you want to take one. Once your hair and makeup’s done and you’re wearing a dress that fits the color scheme, we’ll get a shot of you on the picture wall,” she says, indicating a wall where a girl is presently posing in a cute aqua dress for a photograph. “We’ll also need to get the details for your description. They won’t go in the booklet, that will just be a composite of photos of all the girls participating, but we’ll need that for tomorrow.”