Page 44 of Learning Curve

“Yes, Professor. Sorry.” I frown, and my stupid lips quiver from the erratic game of ping-pong my emotions are playing.

I don’t freaking understand how I got here. Obsessive and unfocused and desperate. So freaking desperate, it’s pitiful.

“It’s all good.” Professor Winslow offers a smile that I can’t match at all. “Just want to make sure you’re prepared for the test.”

On the outside, I nod appreciatively.

On the inside, I’m crumbling. My stomach is heavy, and my heart feels sick. I never dreamed I’d be the type of girl to allow myself such an intense longing for someone who doesn’t deserve it.

I recognize that Dane wasn’t good for me. I recognize that these messages I’m getting aren’t right.

And yet somehow, I can’t seem to make myself recognize the same things about Finn. He’s not good for me, and the way he’s treating me isn’t right.

I don’t want to care anymore.

I shouldn’t care about the texts some coward is sending me from an unknown number. And I sure as hell shouldn’t care about a guy who leaves me alone in his bed with no explanation or why he has a new bruise on his face I can’t account for.

Too bad I do.

Wednesday, October 9th

Scottie

I can’t believe I agreed to this.

Honestly, a smarter girl would have backed out—especially after Finn snuck out of his bed and sent my whole psyche into a tailspin.

But Ace, despite his association with Finn, is the kind of friend you don’t let down. He has your back, so you have his, even when it hurts.

And by God does this hurt.

It’s three o’clock on a Wednesday, and instead of studying in the library, I am in full cheerleader glam in the middle of the Financial District in busy New York City. With practices every day and the course load I’m taking, I’ve been walking a tightrope to keep up with both at the same time. It’s almost laughable that I thought I’d have spare time to find a hospital in the city to volunteer for, too. At home, I spent every second Saturday at St. Mark’s Medical, volunteering in a few of the pediatric wings. I started doing it on a whim—Wren pretty much dragged me with her when she had to get community service hours to beef up her college application. But it only took one four-hour shift for me to find myself enjoying spending time there. It’s…fulfilling and, honestly, still has me wavering back and forth on if should’ve gone premed or something in the medical field that would have me working closely with young patients.

Currently, I’m still undecided, but with my grueling schedule here at Dickson, I haven’t had time to consider my actual degree path. A lame excuse, I know, but all I seem to have time for these days is staying on top of all of my core classes, cheerleading, and well…unfortunately, drama.

Oh, and Ace’s pranks too, I suppose. Insert eye roll.

Thankfully, I’m not the only one getting strange looks from men and women sporting briefcases and smart suits as we walk toward the entrance of the building that bears the address Ace sent our way twenty minutes ago.

Five other girls from my squad—Kayla, Tonya, McKenzie, Emma, and Olivia—have joined me to engage in Ace’s prank on his dad.

“Not going to lie,” Kayla comments, her perfectly manicured eyebrows distancing themselves from her eyes. “I’m feeling a little out of place.”

McKenzie laughs, rubbing a hand down her navy-blue skirt. “Girl, tell me about it.”

A fancy doorman at the front of the swanky financial building pulls the gold-plated door open for us to enter, his smile suggesting he knows the plan better than I do. Kayla and McKenzie are first through the door, Tonya and Emma following, and then Olivia and I bring up the rear. Ace is waiting at the security desk in the lobby, dressed to the nines in a similar three-piece suit to the one he wore to the first college party I met him at.

He looks dapper as hell, and I wonder how Julia can act like his handsome face and tall, muscular body have zero effect on her. Like, I know they’ve been friends since they were little kids, but holy moly, when Ace isn’t actively fucking around, it’s impossible to miss how handsome he is. If he didn’t want to do the college thing, he could easily be modeling for Calvin Klein.

Maybe there was some kind of roommate lottery where they grouped only the most attractive people together in Graham Hall.

Ugh. Finn. He’s the last person I want to think about right now.

“Ladies, so glad you could make it.” Ace grins, rubbing his hands together in excitement. “Thanks again, Frank,” he tells the security guard, sliding him a wad of cash I can only assume is the agreed-upon bribe amount.

Frank smiles and slides the money into his pocket, and Ace gestures for us to follow him toward the bank of elevators on the far side of the lobby. I look around as we move, unable to accept the sheer volume of marble floors and ceilings and sculptures I’m certain cost a bajillion dollars.

“Welcome to Kelly Investments,” Ace announces with a shit-eating grin, spinning in a circle with his arms out wide. Kayla and the other girls laugh, but my nerves have gotten the best of me. I hate not knowing what’s going on.

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