Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
"It's all just a big game."
Gabriella seems reassured, and she doesn't press me any further. Instead, she tells me about Dalton's catering successes and Blake's new tattoo. Kain doesn't go unmentioned, either. He's almost entirely recovered from the incident that nearly took his life and back to giving her non-stop orgasms. Seeing her so happy leaves me with mixed feelings. She's my friend, and I couldn't be more ecstatic that she's found ‘the ones’. But my envy is sharp and only adds to my hurt.
I don't finish my sandwich before we both have to leave for our next lecture.
When I'm done for the day, I grab a box of donuts and a carton of milk from the store and head back to my dorm. It's not exactly a nutritious dinner, but I'm in the mood for a sugary overload. When life is sour, only sweet will do.
As I eat a chocolate-glazed donut, I start to type out a request to Dornan. He's the most likely to agree to my crazy plan on the basis that we're friends above everything else. Then, I pause and stop chewing while I consider a different approach. If I send each of them an individual message, they won't see that I've asked the others. If I set up a group, maybe that'll make each of them more likely to want to say yes. A little peer pressure driven by a smidge of jealousy. The friction between Elias and Dornan has built up over years. Regardless of whether they're possessive over me, the competitive spirit lingers. I don't get the feeling that Travis is competitive about women. He seems relaxed about life in general. But at least this way, I'm being transparent.
I call the group Fake Dates and invite them all. Then, I type out my message.
Emergency! Eddie is taking a new girlfriend out to a restaurant tomorrow. Please, can you guys take me there….all three of you for maximum impact? I'll owe you for life!
When I send it, the piece of donut I've been chewing gets caught in my throat, and I have to glug down half a glass of milk to stop myself from choking. The message is delivered, and Dornan is the first to start typing a response. But then he stops. Elias looks like he's typing something out too, but then he stops. Travis doesn't type at all.
I wait and wait, wondering if anyone will answer either way. They agreed to help me with this fake dating game, but now it seems like they're backing out. I rest my phone face down on my desk and press my hands to my face.
An image of Eddie and Abbey sharing food and making a toast with glasses of bubbling champagne floods my mind, making me want to scream. His smug face grins at me from my own imagination, and a bubble of fury swells up inside me, so visceral that I slam my hand down on my desk. My pen pot overturns, and the remaining donuts jump on the plate. The bones in my hand vibrate and then ache from the impact, and I'm immediately regretful. Using my good hand to rub my hurting palm, I grumble. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Why can't I just do what Travis and Gab suggested and forget this whole thing? Why does Eddie's infidelity grate at my skin and crush my soul? I want to be able to put this all behind me, but even considering it makes Eddie the winner in my mind. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
I think about my dad and how easily he left and let the contact between us reduce to almost nothing. Eddie didn't even think about cheating because he didn't think I was worth worrying about losing.
I twist my hands together in my lap, hating the slick, dark pulse of rejection that fills me.
Maybe this final date will be enough? I can put all these ideas of revenge games behind me and move on.
The trouble is that I can't imagine what my future looks like.
My family is shattered.
My mom is resentful, and my dad is absent.
My friends are all partnered up and living their best lives.
My sister is blissfully married with a gorgeous baby.
And I'm just stuck. An outsider. Rejected.
My phone vibrates, and I grab it and check my messages. It's Dornan. He says he'll do it. One down, two to go. Now, I just have to wait to see whether Elias and Travis will step up to the plate.
8
CELINE
"When I return your test papers, I want you to look at where you've gone wrong. For some of you, this might be your first failure. Take note of your errors, apply yourself, and you'll be back on track. For others, this test may be another in a line of below pass marks. If that's you, I'm afraid you'll find it difficult to pick up your grade at this point in the semester."