The Revenge Pact (Kings of Football, #1)(59)

“I know.”

“If you never get your degree, you might never. And that’s okay. It is. Maybe I’ve pushed you too much for the education. I believe in you and know what you’re capable of. I wanted you to show everyone how very smart you are, but my concentration is shit, just muddled lately, and maybe I put too much on you.”

“Mom…”

“I suppose what I’m trying to say is something has to give. Your semester ends Friday. Look out for yourself. Take what’s yours. Just put your mighty hands on it and take it. Maybe it’s your Anastasia. Maybe it’s school. Maybe it’s football. You decide what your dreams are.”

I exhale.

She pushes out a laugh as Callie says hi to me through the phone. I talk to her for a few minutes, then she gives it back to Mom. Her voice is stronger. “Ah, yeah, Callie and I, we’re going to color, then get her ready for the play. We’ll talk more tomorrow?”

“Send me a picture,” I say.

“Always. Bye. I love you.”

She clicks off and sends an image through.

It’s a selfie of her and Callie, their heads pressed together as they sit at the kitchen table. In the den, I see the Christmas tree with the gifts under it, the silver garland they put up on the staircase. Life keeps going, the world keeps spinning, Christmas still comes, even when she’s sick.

My heart clenches as I look at her. She has a huge smile on her face, but her eyes… I see a woman barely hanging on.

I drop my backpack and send her one of me smiling. It hurts, it hurts to smile, but I do it.

I’ve walked for five minutes, my head churning, before I glance up and notice people. The pledges have wandered off, but Harper, Mellany, and Audrey stand near the steps of the big fountain in the center of the quad, a hangout spot. They have their phones out, laughing, as I stalk over.

I’m in their space before they notice.

“River!” Audrey squeals and latches onto me.

“Don’t touch me.” I peel her off and look at Mellany. “Did you take down that post like I asked?” It wasn’t really asking. I went to the Delta house Sunday night before Anastasia came over, got in Mellany’s face, and told her to take it down. I actually went to their house on Saturday morning after I dropped Anastasia off, but she’d left town for the rest of the weekend. Otherwise, it would have been taken down earlier.

Mellany shrugs, a guarded look on her face. “I did what you said.”

“Good. I’d hate to blacklist you from my frat, but I will if I see anything about Anastasia or Donovan posted, feel me?”

Harper laughs nervously. “Of course. It was the heat of the moment, River. It’s over, done, and gone.”

Yeah, but not before they made sure everyone had a chance to save it or screenshot it or whatever these drama queens do.

I flip around but then turn back. “One more thing, it would be super great if you three could not take the elevator in Wyler anymore. Stairs are good for cardio. In fact, now that I think about it, if you see Anastasia coming, just turn around and walk the other way. And be polite about it. Harper, stop flashing your bracelet in front of her. Nobody gives a shit. Oh, and in case you missed it over the PA system, he tried to give her one and it was bigger than yours.”

They gape at me. Yeah.

On Monday, when they got on the elevator with us, I plastered myself next to Anastasia, a line of defense against them.

I’m on her side.

“What’s up with you?” Audrey asks.

My nerves are stretched thin is what’s up. “I take care of my people. She’s one of them.”

“We get it, River. She was a little sister, and you’re trying to smooth things over for the frat,” Harper says, her eyes hard. “But she never fit in with the Kappas—”

“He’s done with you, isn’t he?” I say curtly. “He ran to you, but it didn’t mean jack. He used you to cut her off.” I’m not sure if it’s true, but it’s what I suspect.

Her lips tighten as she tugs her sweater around her shoulders. “Stay out of it.”

Ha. Too fucking late for that.

If she only knew the dark strings I pulled at the party…

My finger twists my ring, pushing that guilt away.

And Donovan?

He found me at the house on Monday afternoon, right before I met Anastasia in the library for the first time—which I didn’t tell him about.

I said horrible things to her, River. I hate it. So much. Did I make a mistake, did I, what if I did? How can I fix this— I kick down those thoughts.

“Yo! River!” comes Benji’s voice as I pivot in the opposite direction of the Deltas. Donovan is with him and they jog over to me. Tension rolls over me and I clench my fists.

Jesus! Not now.

Donovan looks like crap, face drawn, his eyes flitting between me and the Deltas as they walk past us. Harper acts as if she might join us, even taking a step toward us, but he frowns, and she doesn’t.

Called it.

After they’ve gone, he licks his lips and looks at me. “I meant to ask…did you see Anastasia in class yesterday? How was she?”

My jaw tightens.

Yeah. I sat next to her. I smiled at her. Then, I walked her to her next class.

“The usual.” Lie.

“She didn’t seem…upset?”