“I’ve been better. What is this?” I asked, taking the paper.
“We have a student who is dropping your class.”
I looked down to see Evelyn’s name. “But she’s here on an academic scholarship that requires her to keep a full schedule.”
The older lady shrugged. “I just do what I’m told. Have a good day, Professor.” She turned and walked toward the door just as everyone was moving in for class. I stood behind my podium with that slip in my hand, waiting for her to arrive and tell me it was just a joke.
She never did.
EVELYN
“What do you mean you’re going home?” Madison asked as she watched me move around my room, tossing my things into a duffle. “You’ll lose your scholarship, Eve.”
“I won’t lose my scholarship,” I told her, not slowing down on my packing. “I told the counselor that I was having a hard time dealing with things this year because of my parents, and he said that I could take my classes online for the rest of the semester. I dropped the only class I had that wasn’t offered online, and I picked up another one, so I keep my full-time status. I’ll move back home and do everything online, and then I can transfer somewhere else next semester.” I had it all planned out. It wasn’t ideal, but it would work, and it would get me away from Elliot.
“I just don’t understand why you’re doing this so abruptly. We just hung out last weekend, and you were happy.”
“Yeah, well… Things change.”
“What did Gabe say to you when you told him you were coming home?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t told him, but the house is mine too, so it’s not like he can stop me. I’m sure he wouldn’t try to anyway.”
“And what about this apartment? Didn’t you sign a lease?”
I nodded. “I’ll lose my deposit.”
It sucked, but I didn’t have any other choice. There was no way I could stay there. I didn’t know if Elliot would put up a fight or not, but either way, I couldn’t continue to sit in his class every day. I couldn’t stand to see him, to look into his eyes and not melt. Not after the things he’d done.
I still hadn’t wrapped my head around it all yet. Some things didn’t make sense. I understood his need for revenge, and I even got why he’d drag me into it. Of course, he wanted to be the one I gave it all up to, but if that’s all he wanted, why didn’t he shove it all down Gabe’s throat the minute he sealed the deal? Why did he keep it going? Why did he make me fall for him? He had what he needed. Why take it further?
The voice in the back of my head told me why: because he’s fucked up. Because he wasn’t satisfied with just breaking Gabe. He wanted to hurt me, too.
It was all just a game to him. I needed to figure out what I was going to tell my brother when Elliot went to rub it in his face, but I didn’t have it in me to care. I didn’t care if my brother knew that I’d been fucking his ex-best friend.
Deep down, I knew this would hurt Gabe. We didn’t get to talk as much these days because we had our own lives, and I always felt so guilty because he spent years making sure I had everything I needed, that I didn’t want to be a bother to him as an adult, especially not when he was newly married to Linsay and expecting a baby.
I shook the thoughts from my head and decided to stay focused on packing so I could get out of there.
“I gotta get to class.” Madison stood and pulled on her coat as she watched me. “Want to hang out later? I’ll order a pizza and we can binge-watch Netflix?” Her brows rose in hopefulness.
“I’m going to finish packing, and I’m taking off. Thanks, though.”
She walked over to me and pulled me in for a hug. I felt the tears sting my eyes, but I closed them and willed them away.
“I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too,” I whispered, meaning it. I would miss her. Madison and I had always been together. I thought we’d always stay together, too, but after everything that happened, there was no way I could face Elliot. The only choice I had was to tuck tail and run like I should’ve done the day he offered that deal.
What the hell was I thinking?
She pulled away. “I’ll call you tonight and make sure you got in safe.”
I nodded.
“Love you, Eve. Be safe.”
“Love you too,” I replied, watching her go.
