Fighting Fate (Granton University #1)(12)

A white hot needle of pain and memories pierced her chest as she watched her suitemates play tug-a-war over the framed photo. “Thanks, but…no. That’s not a boyfriend. He…he’s my brother. Trace.”

She had invited the two over to watch a movie after supper since she’d finished all her homework and wanted a little company. Since they still talked about how much they loved Mariah’s television, they’d readily accepted. But now, she wasn’t so certain if having them around was a good idea, not with them both ogling her picture of Trace.

She’d yet to tell anyone in Granton about him or about any fragment of her life, really. And it had been nice. She could pretend to be a normal college student with a normal past full of two normal parents and a normal, live sibling.

With no murderers lurking in any of her classes any longer, she’d been able to pass herself off as a real girl.

But she couldn’t pretend forever.

“He died a few years ago.”

Both Bailey and Tess lifted their faces to gape at her, their mouths dropping open in harmonized horror.

“Oh my God, how awful.” Tess quickly set the picture back where it had been resting on top of the desk.

“Geesh.” Her face bright red, Bailey stuffed her hands into her back pockets and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I…I’m sorry.”

Paige shrugged, practically tasting the awkwardness in the air and regretting that she’d opened her mouth. “It’s okay. It happened three years ago.”

She decided not to bring up her mom, or her dad’s addiction, or Logan Xander’s existence. One uncomfortable issue at a time.

“Hey, you know, there’s this guy in my World History class,” Tess blurted out. “Kevin. He’s super cute. Dark brown eyes. Wispy blond hair.” She sighed with longing as she fanned herself. “Give me minute here.”

Bailey rolled her eyes. “Okay, if that’s your idea of a conversation changer, it kind of sucks, hon.”

“No, no.” Tess blushed and waved at Paige to make her listen. “I actually have a point. Anyway, I built up the nerve to, you know, talk to him today before class started. When I asked if he was going to movie night out on the football field tomorrow, he said he couldn’t because—” she grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, letting Paige know she was finally making her way to the point of her story “—he has grief group every Tuesday night at seven over in the Crimson Room of the Student Union.”

Bailey opened her mouth again, but Tess hushed her by slapping her hand over her friend’s mouth, all without taking her attention off Paige. “When I asked what grief group was, he said it was this student organization for people who’ve lost loved ones. He was really excited about it and told me how much it had helped him.” She shrugged. “I guess he lost his dad in a car accident when he was eight.”

“That’s awful.” Paige knew how crushing it was to lose a parent. But she’d been a teen and somewhat self-sufficient by the time she’d been abandoned. Her mom had virtually disappeared from her life before she’d actually died. But poor Kevin with the dark brown eyes and wispy blond hair had been so young and probably very dependent upon his father.

“Yeah, well…” Tess motioned uneasily to the image of Trace. “Maybe you’d like this group too.” She flushed. “I mean, I hope that wasn’t too intrusive or anything. I only thought—”

“No.” Paige stopped Tess’s blustering with a big smile. “I think it sounds great. I’ll give it a try.”

In high school, everyone had pushed her toward counseling, but talking about her pain, sharing her story with anyone else, had just been too much. But hearing Logan Xander openly admit his haunted feelings to Mariah had shaken her. She couldn’t bear the thought of him being more courageous than her, of embracing his suffering and accepting it when she couldn’t do the same.

She wanted to be better off than he was, and if counseling got her there, she’d at least try it.

Tess looked surprised. “Really?”

With a nervous laugh, Paige nodded. “Sure.”

When she didn’t say anything else, Tess cleared her throat. Bailey ducked her head and drew a circle on the carpet with the toe of her shoe.

Wishing she could bring the buoyancy back into the room, Paige opened her mouth to say something silly, but nothing came to mind. Grasping her cross amulet, she ran her thumb over the smooth surface of the ruby.

Bailey looked up and glanced around until she spotted a microwave sitting on top of a plastic crate. “Is that yours?”

“No.” Relieved for a shift in topics, Paige slid open a drawer in her desk and yanked up a package of movie theater butter microwavable Orville Redenbacher. “But the popcorn is.” She winked and put on a great, goofy grin. “So…you guys want some?”

“Hells yeah.” Bailey snagged up the TV remote and clicked on the channel guide. “You make the food, and we’ll see if there’s anything good playing.”

And just like that, the tension oozed out of the room.

As Bailey manned the remote, Tess camped out on Paige’s bed, making herself at home. She flipped open the novel Paige had left on her mattress while Paige popped the bag into the microwave. “Is this any good? I haven’t read it yet.”