Graduating (Covenant College Book 5) Read online

  “I have classes. I have a boyfriend. I have family stuff. I could use a sounding board sometimes,” she said. “You guys are always so caught up in your own stuff, your own boyfriends, and whatever secrets you’re keeping, that you have no time for me.”

  Huh. So, wait, her issue is that she’s needy? “I guess I’m confused how your problems are our problems?”

  “You guys have time for each other,” Heather pointed out.

  “We’ve known each other longer,” I countered. “I don’t really know you.”

  “You haven’t bothered to try to get to know me” Heather said.

  Kelsey tilted her head to the side, considering. “It’s just that, well, it’s our senior year,” she said. “We’re kind of set in our ways. You’re still here another year after this. I think making new friends is just more important to you.”

  “And you three are all about each other and your boyfriends,” Heather said.

  “Well, I think it’s probably better that we’re all about our boyfriends and not about anyone else’s boyfriend,” I said.

  “You always have an answer, don’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you want from me,” I said. “You say we’re standoffish, but you’re the one who spends all of your time hiding upstairs. It’s not just us. And, yes, I’m all about my boyfriend. Have you seen him? We were apart last year, and now we’re making up for lost time. I don’t see the problem with that.”

  “I don’t think there’s a problem with spending time with your boyfriend,” Heather said. “You two just seem to be fornicating every chance you get. It isn’t emotionally healthy.”

  “Fornicating?”

  “She means having sex,” Paris supplied.

  “I know what it means,” I shot back. “I just think it’s a weird way to put things.”

  “It’s not weird,” Heather said. “I’m pro-family values, remember?”

  “You slept with Mark the day you met him,” I reminded her. “Maybe you shouldn’t be casting aspersions on anyone’s morals.”

  “I’m not casting aspersions on anyone’s morals,” Heather said. “It’s just your priorities I find fault with.”

  This conversation had taken a weird turn. “Who are you to judge our priorities?”

  “I’m not judging,” Heather said. “I just think you guys should rethink exactly what it is that you want from life.”

  What I wanted was out of this conversation. I shot her a thumbs-up and a watery smile. “Okay.” Once she was gone, I turned my attention to Kate. “She’s your friend, right?”

  “We know each other,” Kate said. “I don’t know that we’re best friends or anything. She’s kind of intense.”

  “You don’t think she’s weird?”

  “I think you’re all weird,” Kate said. “She’s not wrong about you three joining together and thinking you’re better than everyone else in the house. Kristy and Tally said that you were all self-absorbed last year. They told me that when I agreed to live with you. I just didn’t realize how serious the situation was.”

  “How are we self-absorbed?” Kelsey asked. “We mind our own business.”

  “That would be an example of how you’re self-absorbed,” Kate said. “I get it. I do. You live in your own world, and the rest of the people in this house aren’t a part of it. You might want to consider, though, that if you broaden your horizons, you might find some great new friends.”

  Kate didn’t stick around for very long after her pronouncement. “What do you think?” I asked, when I was sure she’d disappeared into her bedroom. “Are we self-absorbed?”

  “I’m fine being self-absorbed,” Kelsey said. “I don’t have time for them. And, let me tell you something, that Heather girl is weird.”

  “You don’t think Kate is weird?”

  “She’s just looking for attention,” Kelsey said. “She jumping on Heather’s bandwagon because she wants you to spend less time with Aric. She’s so transparent.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “Still … I can’t help but think there’s something weird about them.”

  “You think there’s something weird about everyone,” Paris grumbled. “You’re a very suspicious person.”

  “Whatever,” I said. I waited a beat. “Maybe I should have Scott run a background check on both of them?”

  “You’re doing a great job with that suspicious thing,” Kelsey teased.

  “Hey, stop talking about them and focus on me,” Paris said, her eyes lighting up with mischief. “What do you guys think about me?”

  Yeah, we were definitely self-absorbed. Who says that has to be a bad thing?

  Fourteen

  “We’re going to be taking this class in a new direction,” Professor Blake announced midway through November. “I have another class that will be joining us, and I’m going to be splitting everyone up and pairing them with a partner.”

  “What other class?” One of the girls in the front row – a member of Blake’s fan club – asked the question.

  “It’s another digital media class,” Blake said. “I want to pair one person from each class. The whole point is to take varied perspectives and try to meld them. This class will have one perspective, and that class will have another. That’s why I want to keep the pairings separate.”

  “What’s the goal?”

  “It’s just an exercise right now,” Blake said. “I don’t want to tell you what the goal is until you’re done with the assignment. This is all about perspective and the media. That’s all I can tell you.

  “I have a file up here for each of you,” Blake continued, tapping the top of his desk. “Inside, you’ll find the name of another student and contact information for that student. The specifics of your assignment are also inside. No one will have the same assignment, so cheating and trying to switch partners is not an option.”

  “What if we’re paired with someone we don’t like?”

  Blake smiled, catching my eye for a second before turning back to the rest of the class. “Life is about being paired with people you don’t like. You’ll have to find a way to work with them. You’re not going to like everyone in this world. Life is not a clique. There will be no switching.”

  There was something about this whole setup that wasn’t sitting well with me. I just couldn’t put a name to it. Blake had something up his sleeve.

  After retrieving my file and sitting back at my desk, I flipped it open. People say I’m suspicious, but there’s a reason behind it. I shouldn’t have been surprised that the name staring back at me was a familiar one: Matilda Foley.

  I pressed my lips together and met Blake’s gaze across the classroom. The rest of the class was buzzing and talking, comparing assignment sheets as they tried to figure out Blake’s ultimate aim. I already knew what he wanted, though. He wanted to pair me with someone he thought was my enemy to see what would happen. He obviously didn’t know that, while Matilda and I weren’t friendly, we also weren’t at each other’s throats.

  “Do you have a problem with your assignment, Ms. Lake?” Blake looked just a little too full of himself.

  “Nope,” I said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Good.”

  MATILDA and I agreed to meet at the University Center. The phone conversation had been short and fraught with nervous energy. A public setting seemed like the best way to go – for both of us.

  I found her sitting at a table by the window in the coffee shop. I waved at her, pointing to the counter to indicate that I was going to get a coffee, and then joined her a few minutes later.

  “So, I’m sorry that this is so weird,” I said. “Blake only paired us because he wants to poke me.”

  “I figured,” Matilda said. “It’s not a big deal.”

  “Still, I don’t like that he swept you up in all of this,” I said. “He’s just being a douche.”

  “What else is new?”

  I lifted my eyebrows.

  “No, seriously, what else is new?�
� Matilda asked. “Why is he so fixated on you right now?”

  “He’s mad about some things that happened last spring,” I said. “This is his passive aggressive way to pay me back.”

  “What happened last spring?”

  I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, sipping from my coffee to buy time. I didn’t think lying to Matilda was a great way to start things off. “There was a fight,” I admitted.

  “Isn’t there always a fight? Isn’t that just how your life goes these days? Do you want to be more specific?”

  Matilda was aware of the paranormal problem – and Blake’s monster hunters – so I didn’t see the harm in telling her the truth. “Blake was trying to use a bunch of vampires to wipe out the Alpha Chis. I got involved and stopped him. He’s still a little bitter.”

  Matilda eyebrows shot halfway up her forehead. “You’re kidding. I thought he disliked supernaturals. Why would he try to use them as weapons?”

  “You’ll have to ask him that.”

  “And how did you figure into all of this?”

  “The same way I figure into everything on this campus,” I said. “Blake wanted to use me to get what he wanted.”

  “And I’m guessing that didn’t go very well,” Matilda said.

  “Nope.”

  “Why did you take a class with him?”

  “I didn’t,” I said. “I purposely signed up for the class that was being taught by Professor Halloran. I even called the registrar’s office to make sure. Yet, the first day of class, guess who was teaching it?”

  “Blake.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you think he purposely set it up?”

  “I don’t believe in coincidences anymore,” I said. “People say I’m suspicious, but look at what happened to us today.”

  “That was Blake manipulating the situation,” Matilda said. “There was never any chance of it being a coincidence.”

  We were quiet for a moment. “What about you?” I asked finally. “How are things for you?”

  “They’re quiet,” Matilda said. “That’s the way I want them.”

  “You know, we never really talked about what happened,” I said. “After that night, you just disappeared, and I was kind of freaked out and let you. There was a lot going on then.”

  “I was embarrassed,” Matilda said. “I didn’t realize what was going to happen. I know I should have. You must think I’m incredibly naïve. I knew we were going to do something, but what happened … well … I just never expected it.”

  “I didn’t expect what happened with Laura either,” I said. “I kind of expected the Jessica stuff.”

  “You knew we were in over our heads from the beginning,” Matilda said. “Well, at least I was.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  Matilda nodded mutely.

  “Did you know what Laura was? I mean, did you ever figure it out?”

  “No. She had me fooled. I was just as shocked as you were when it all came down,” she said.

  I believed her. I was almost sure of it. “You know, if you wanted to hang out some time – come to one of our parties or something – you’re more than welcome. We don’t have to pretend like we don’t know each other.”

  “Thanks,” Matilda said. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, though. I thought I wanted to be in the center of everything on this campus. That’s how I got into trouble in the first place. I just don’t think I want to be in the middle of anything anymore. I’m fine being on the sidelines.”

  “I get that,” I said. “If I were you, I’d stay far away from me, too.”

  “It’s not you,” Matilda said. “I like you. I’ve always liked you. It’s everyone around you that I can’t take. You’re a trouble magnet.”

  I snorted. “I am.”

  “Let’s just … do the assignment and leave it at that,” Matilda said. “I hope you understand, it’s not personal. I just don’t want to be a part of this stuff anymore. I think it’s dangerous for someone like me.”

  “I totally understand,” I said. “I wouldn’t be a part of it if I didn’t have to be. And, just look at it this way, once Blake figures out that his little plan backfired, he probably won’t try to use you as a weapon against me again.”

  “I’m actually glad he did,” Matilda said. “It gave us a chance to talk about a few things.”

  “Me, too.”

  Matilda forced a smile onto her face. “So, do you want to talk about the assignment?”

  “That is why we’re here.”

  When it was all said and done, I realized Blake had done me a favor. Sometimes people can come back from the brink and be better because of it. It was a good lesson to learn, even if I’d learned it because Blake was trying to hurt me.

  Fifteen

  As the days got shorter, and the temperature dropped, I found myself lulled into a false sense of security. I knew in my head that Covenant College was still a dangerous place. The first three months of school had been so calm and so quiet, though, that I almost forgot.

  The college wouldn’t let me forget.

  I was walking back from class on a Thursday afternoon, thoughts of a long weekend with Aric dancing through my head, when my inner danger alert pinged. I slowed my pace, glancing to each side and peering into the tree line in front of me. I was close to the library, which meant there were plenty of spots for someone to hide.

  I cast a look over my shoulder, but there was nothing there. I had just about convinced myself that I was imagining things when it happened again. The hair on my neck was standing on end, and I closed my eyes so I could concentrate on the feeling.

  Something was calling to me, something close, something that was just around the corner of the library. I followed the feeling, knowing it was a mistake the entire time. When I rounded the corner, nothing could have prepared me for what I found.

  There were bodies. Yes, bodies plural. The number wouldn’t fix in my mind, and I was too scattered to count.

  Focus!

  I sucked in a deep breath. Okay, what was I seeing here? Maybe this was just some Halloween prank gone awry. Of course, Halloween was a month ago, and the tableau in front of me was far too real to be fake, but my mind couldn’t wrap itself around what I was seeing.

  The sound of a scream dislodged me from my reverie, and I shifted my gaze to a spot behind me where two blonde girls were screaming and pointing. Well, at least I knew I wasn’t imagining it.

  “Someone call the police!”

  Oh, good. I hadn’t seen the police in months. They were probably missing me. I sank down to the ground, my mind jumbled. I couldn’t focus, and darkness was prodding the outskirts of my mind.

  I’m not a fainter, but part of me hoped that if I did pass out, I would wake up and find this was all a dream.

  No such luck.

  “SO, LET me get this straight, you just happened to stumble on a multiple-murder scene on campus and your reaction was to sit down?”

  I glanced at the detective, rolling my eyes when I recognized him. This wasn’t the first time I’d had dealings with him. The first time – when I’d nicknamed him Officer Obnoxious – had been when my freshman roommate Tara disappeared. The second time was when I discovered a body during Earth Day celebrations that same spring. What was his name?

  “Hey, are you listening to me?”

  “Dale Perkins,” I said suddenly. “Your name is Dale Perkins.”

  Perkins looked me up and down. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “I think I’m just a little slow right now,” I said. “Everything seems to be going in slow motion. I’m fine. Continue.”

  “When did you discover the bodies?”

  “I was just walking back from class,” I said. “You know, lost in thought, and when I rounded the corner there they were.”

  “Why didn’t you call 911 right away?”

  “I just couldn’t figure out what I was seeing,” I admitted. “I thought it was a Halloween prank at first. Th
en I remembered it was November. Then … then I just needed to sit down.”

  “What’s the first thing you remember?”

  “What?”

  “What’s the first thing that jumped out at you when you rounded the corner?” Perkins asked. “What was the first thing you thought?”

  “I thought ‘hey, there’s a bunch of dead bodies in the shape of a pentagram on the lawn of the library,’” I said.

  “A pentagram?” Perkins raised an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder.

  The police had erected tape around the scene – which was quite large, so the expanse was extensive. Since they need photographs, they couldn’t remove the bodies, and a crowd was starting to develop on the other side. Nothing brings a campus together like mass murder.

  “Huh, I hadn’t realized that it was a pentagram,” Perkins said, his eyes flashing suspicion. “How did you notice that?”

  “I watch a lot of movies,” I said. “It just jumped out at me.”

  “It’s weird to me that you would key in on that first,” Perkins said.

  “Well, you asked.”

  There was a commotion behind us, causing Perkins to hold up a finger. “Stay here. Don’t even think about moving. I’ll be right back.”

  “I can’t wait.” I didn’t bother to see what – or who – had caught his attention. I was just happy for the reprieve.

  “Sir, I can’t let you beyond this point.”

  “That’s my girlfriend.” I recognized Aric’s voice and swiveled, relief washing over me when his worried brown eyes met mine.

  “I understand that, sir,” Perkins said. “You still can’t move beyond this point. Your girlfriend is fine. You can see she’s fine. You have to stay here.”

  Aric scowled. “Do you know who my father is?”

  I was surprised. Aric rarely played the senator card. He must be desperate.

  “If memory serves, Senator Winters is your father,” Perkins said. “Isn’t that what you told me two years ago when you and your girlfriend discovered another body?”

  “Well, it still hasn’t changed,” Aric said. “I don’t care about the scene. I just want to be with my girlfriend.”