Still Jaded (Jaded #2)(61)

"Yes!" I exploded. Was I wrong? I didn't think so. "I'm sorry if I take some satisfaction in the fact that I didn't die. I didn't die!"

Corrigan's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything. Then he reached up and unwound my hands from his shoulders. I waited for him to push me away, but he didn't. He just held my wrists in his. My body was still pressed against him.

He breathed out, "You lied to Bryce."

Everything was held on pause. I wasn't even sure if I breathed in that moment. "Yes…"

"He knows you lied."

I whispered my admission, "I know."

"He knows why you lied."

"I know." Everything inside of me broke down. I felt the fight leave me and slumped against Corrigan. He caught me and then brushed some hair from my eyes.

"Corrigan," I murmured against his shoulder. My lips brushed against his shirt.

His arms tightened around me. "Yeah?"

"You're my best friend." Wrapping both of my hands in his shirt, I pushed back with enough strength to look him in the eyes. I saw they were full of concern and knowing. I wanted to look away. Corrigan was wrong on some stuff. I didn't like people knowing me better than I knew myself. I wanted to hide from those people and I wanted to hide from him in that moment. Corrigan was looking inside of me. He always did, always would.

Something switched in his eyes, and he nodded. "I know."

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Someone dropped their books on the seat beside me, and I looked up in surprise. I hadn't thought anyone would be brave enough to sit next to me, especially with Grace and her newfound family at the back of the room. This girl smiled before placing her bag on the floor. Another four girls filed behind her. Two sat on my other side and the last sat on her empty side. They seemed to all sit down at the same time and stare straight ahead. Even their chests lifted as one as they breathed.

That's when the first girl flashed me a smile and held out her hand. "I'm one of Leah's sisters. You're Sheldon Jeneve. My name is Carolina."

I eyed her pink sweater and yellow skirt when I shook her hand. "You're a sorority sister?"

She flipped her brown hair over her shoulder and glared once towards the back of the room. "Anyone who is friends with Leah is friends with us. If they want to fight, they've got a fight. Leah finally told us everything. We hadn't known the righteousness of Cadence's bitchiness, but we do now. You're going to be witness to a whole other phenomenon."

"Oh…kay." I looked back and saw Grace swallow. She looked around, saw that her other sisters were glaring back and squared her shoulders. When she lifted her chin in a challenge, I smirked back at her. Grace seemed to wither.

My newfound friend laughed. "She's about ready to piss her pants. Nice. The stories of your rage and power have not been exaggerated. We could use a sister like you."

My eyes snapped to hers. "Ah—what?"

Carolina's eyes sparked in warmth. "Leah told us everything about you or she filled in the empty spaces from what we'd already heard. When there's a girl who is best friends with the up-and-coming President of Alpha Mu, we take notice. Plus, your ex being one of the hottest soccer players in this century already makes you infamous around these parts."

It wasn't often that I was lost for words, but somehow this Carolina had done just that. I couldn't figure out how she did it, but she did it nonetheless. Anything else that might've been said was interrupted when Miss Connors walked into the room. She paused when she sat that I was in the front row, then her eyes jumped to the back, and I could already see the questions in her mind.

"We can swarm her with questions about the presentations."

"Huh?" I looked at Carolina and saw her watching Miss Connors, a pink pen between her teeth. She grinned, reaching into her bag. "You can escape that way. She won't weigh you down with soul-searching questions. That's what you're worried about, right? She was your high school counselor? Did I not get that right?"

Who the hell was this girl? "How do you know all this?"

"Unlike Cadence the Bitch, I do my homework. I'm faster and I'm smarter than her."

The confidence that rolled off this girl took my breath away. No one did that. Ever.

When Miss Connors started class by assigning presentations to groups, Carolina winked at me and raised her hand for a question. When she was called on, Carolina had a comment for every discussion that Miss Connors raised soon after that. The rest of the class passed by, but I tuned it out.

To be honest, I hadn't come to learn anything. Corrigan had made me uneasy so I figured the best way to be distracted was a fight. I knew Grace would be in the class, and I knew some of her newfound friends would be too. I had been ready for them until Leah's sisters flanked me. And, honestly, I wasn't sure who I should be more wary of, Cadence or this Carolina girl. I understood Cadence. I knew what made her tick, but this new girl was an alien to me. Then I remembered all my problems and figured she was the last thing I'd need to worry about.

At the end of class, Carolina squeezed my hand once. Then the girls shot straight towards Miss Connors and kept asking questions. It was almost amusing to watch because I saw the surrender in my old counselor's eyes. She looked at me and then saw that I had no intention of sticking around. I almost felt her sigh in defeat.