Joy chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

“I guess I might believe the friends-with-Slate thing now. He wouldn’t poach a brother’s sister. They’re big about that at Kappa Sigma.”

Small miracles. I sipped my drink and relaxed a bit. The girls all began talking about their summers and asking me about my life. I left out the fact that Crawford was back home because he was in a coma. I wasn’t ready to share that just yet.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

BECAUSE OF THE blackout drapes that Everly had hanging over the window in our room, I wasn’t sure what time it was when I woke up. The room was still pitch black. I reached for my phone. Nine thirty. Wow. I had gotten in bed at ten thirty. I wasn’t sure when Everly got in. At least she’d been quiet.

I turned on my flashlight and shined it at the floor so I could find my way to the bathroom. I could get ready before Everly woke up. That way there would be no trying to share the facilities.

“Turn that thing off, Jesus,” Everly grumbled.

“Sorry,” I apologized, pointing it away from her and toward my baskets by the wall.

“Like, turn it off now,” she snapped with loud rustling of the covers.

“I’m just trying to get my things and get to the bathroom,” I explained.

“Then fucking hurry!”

I grabbed my basket and turned off the flashlight. I would try to not break an ankle or run into a wall in my attempt to find the correct door. I was afraid of the monster in the bed. She didn’t sound like a morning person at all.

I successfully made it into the bathroom and locked myself in before turning on the light. Just in case the light from under the door sent her into a crazed frenzy and she tried to attack. The girl was seriously hard to deal with. I had a pink furry pillow on my bed, for God’s sake. What more did she want?

I turned on the shower so the water could heat before I undressed. The steam filled the room and I looked forward to the warm water. The room was chilly. I heard the air conditioner running all night as well as a fan that Everly had plugged in.

Today I was supposed to have lunch with Knox. He’d texted last night. Then I was going to find the library and get the books I needed to start the reading on my course schedule. Mae had mentioned doing something this afternoon. She had to go check in at a restaurant called Polly’s where she worked last year as a waitress. They had promised her a job when she returned. She said she’d ask for me. Hopefully I could get a job that easily. My parents expected me to make my own spending money. They’d give me gas money only when I came home. Everything else was on me.

I’d seen two other text message alerts on my phone, but due to having to fight my way in the dark to the bathroom I hadn’t read them. I would do that when I was done showering. More than likely it was my mother or one of my brothers checking on me.

I wasn’t homesick yet, but I still carried a heaviness in my chest when I thought of home and Crawford. I wanted to call his mom and check on him, but I worried that the reminder that I was here and he wasn’t would make her sad. I didn’t want to add to what she was already dealing with. I would have my mom get me an update.

After showering, I reluctantly turned off the water and wrapped myself up in my monogrammed towels, one for my hair and one for my body, before reaching for my phone to check my texts.

One was from my mom.

One was from Slate.

I slid my finger over my mom’s text first. Good night, honey. I hope your day was a good one. Love you.

I sent a quick response about making friends and getting coffee and made sure to tell her I loved her.

Then I slid my finger over the other text. Good night was all it said.

I didn’t have a response for that. It was morning now. This text came in the middle of the night. I wondered if Everly had even made it back to the room yet when he’d sent it. I didn’t have time to think about that. It didn’t really matter.

I sat my basket on the closed toilet seat and found my brush. I had a day planned and no thoughts of Slate or dealings with Everly if I was lucky. Neither of them seemed to fit into my life here so far. Everly wasn’t the nicest person around. But I typically got along with everyone, so I’d figure it out. Just not right now.

Drying my hair, putting on makeup, and then getting dressed in the dark took all my concentration. By the time I was out the door, Everly had only cursed at me three times. I thought that was pretty good. Considering.

Since I couldn’t hang out in my room and read or something until it was time to meet Knox, I headed for the coffee shop to grab some morning caffeine. It wasn’t as packed as yesterday, but it was a Sunday so most students were probably still sleeping. Much like Everly.

“You’re up early,” a male voice said, and I turned to see Charlie standing behind me in line. He had his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans and his stance was rather cute.

“It’s after ten,” I pointed out.

He nodded. “True, but it’s Sunday and you should have been living it up last night as your first night on campus. Where’s the exhaustion?”

“I guess I missed that memo. I was in bed by ten thirty.”

He grinned. “You’re a wild one, Vale McKinley.”

“That’s the rumor,” I quipped.

“What can I get you?” the girl behind the counter asked.

I turned back to her and, again, I hadn’t had time to study the menu so I went with a regular coffee. At least I was saving money this way.

“She’ll also have a shot of caramel in that and a cinnamon muffin with icing. Make that two of each, for here,” Charlie said, stepping up beside me and pulling out his wallet. “Breakfast is on me,” he added with a wink.

What was it with these siblings? Now I would owe them both a coffee. I wasn’t going to complain, though. That muffin sounded delicious.

“Thank you. Next time, I treat,” I informed him.

Charlie took the muffins and glanced at me with an amused smirk. “If I ever let a woman buy my coffee, my mother would fly here on her broom and beat me over the head with it.”

The image made me laugh. “We won’t tell her.”

His eyes went wide and he leaned in. “Did you miss the part about the broom? She’ll know. She knows everything. I expect to get a call from her later today asking about the beautiful brunette I shared coffee and a muffin with.”

I felt my cheeks heat from being referred to as “beautiful.” I wasn’t good with compliments. Being with the same boy since you were a kid was easy. Comfortable. This was new.

He handed me the two plates with the muffins and he carried the two coffees as he led me to one of the many empty tables. The one he chose was by a window and the streets were quaint and quiet without all the traffic from yesterday. Oak trees lined the street and flower gardens were everywhere. Even on top of the trash cans.

“I’m going to admit I called my sister last night for details about you. So as much as this seems to be me hitting on you, I’m already aware that you have a guy back home. I won’t lie. I was a little bummed, but seeing you here this morning was fate and I think we might just be good friends after all.”

That made me relax. I hadn’t been sure how to handle things if Charlie asked me out. I didn’t want to make it weird between me and Mae. I liked her and I wanted to keep that new friendship.

“I’d like that,” I told him, then took a sip of my coffee. I’d forgotten he’d added the caramel, and the creamy taste hit my tongue. I was a fan. “The caramel is great.”