Peyton sighs and stares at the wall. “Look, I’ve never hidden how I feel about Kellan. I think he’s a grade A asshole who didn’t know what he had until he lost it, but at the end of the day, I know for Grace to hang around as long as she did that he can’t be all that bad. I’m a firm believer that a tiger can change their stripes and that you shouldn’t hold someone’s past against them unless it’s truly heinous, like rape or pedophilia, know what I mean?”
“I do.”
She nods. “So as far as I know, he’s done nothing like that. I think if you like him, really like him, then maybe you should give him a shot. Give him a chance to show you that he is more than the little boy throwing tantrums last year, but I do think you should talk to Grace.”
I rub my face with my hands. “God, I had coffee with her a while ago, and I almost blurted it out. I wanted to tell her so bad, but at the same time, I couldn’t make the words leave my mouth.”
Peyton laughs. “Hey, I get it. You get zero judgment from me. You know she knows, right? She’s the one who saw you.”
“Oh, I know. Her and Clay.” I cringe.
“Good. Now let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” I ask as I get up, and she does the same.
“We are going over to the hockey house so you can talk to Grace.”
“How do you know she’s home? She might be in class or have plans with Clay.”
Peyton rolls her eyes and shoves me toward the door. “Come on, stop being a little bitch and let’s go. I know she’s home by the way because I was supposed to be there an hour ago to hang out with everyone.”
“Maybe I should stay here and let you guys have your night.”
“You aren’t getting out of this, girlfriend. Might as well quit wasting your breath,” she quips as she links her arm through mine.
Leaving the dorms, we start our walk across campus.
“At least it’s nice out today.”
Peyton tips her chin toward the sky. “Yeah, there won’t be too many more days like this before winter sets in.”
“Hey, don’t wish away the fall from me,” I tease, making her laugh.
“You know, for as short of a walk this is, I hate it.”
“I’m still surprised you agreed to room with me. Especially when you could have lived with all of them.”
Peyton shrugs. “I honestly don’t mind the dorms. Yeah, the rooms are kind of small, but I don’t have a lot of things, and it’s a roof over my head that I don’t have to worry about.”
Before I can think of anything to say to that, we walk up the steps of the house. Peyton opens the door and we walk inside.
“Honey, I’m home!” she yells.
Beckett peeks around the corner and smiles. “Hey, you two. What are you doing here?”
“We’re here to hang out with Grace,” Peyton tells him, practically ignoring him as she walks by him.
Beckett looks at me and raises a brow. “How are you doing, Hellraiser?”
“Hellraiser, really?”
“I mean, if the shoe fits…”
Peyton stomps back, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the stairs. “Stop giving her a hard time when she has enough guilt to sink the Titanic. Grace in her room?”
“Yeah, she was getting some studying done while waiting for you to show,” he says as we pass him. “Hey, Cora?” he says, making me pause and look over my shoulder.
“Yeah?”
