Page 87 of Wicked Surrender

“Laura,” I whispered, not caring how desperate I sounded. Just being near her again messed with me, urging me to lean into her and hold her close until everything could be good between us again.

She lifted her soulful gaze to me slowly. Then without a word, without a single gesture, she turned and walked right off the stage.

Leaving me there alone, breaking my miserable, dark heart into chipped pieces I’d never piece back together again.

It was over.

Just like I feared.

She meant it when she said she was done.

Before, I hated the burn of her dismissing me.

And now, I understood how much worse it was to have had her and lost her than her pushing me away before I could get close and savor her sweetness.

29

LAURA

Ileft the stage, holding my head up high as I let Jason’s words replay in my mind.

Intelligent.

Brave.

I wanted to be both of those, even in the light of what just happened.

I hadn’t come here to be embarrassed with that slideshow that I first saw at that party. I came here to start the fight for the future I wanted.

Kristin ran up to me in the backstage area. Her eyes were open wide with shock as she reached me. “He tried to fix it. He tried to?—”

I held my hand up to cut her off. “No. Not now.”

“But he did try to stop that video and?—”

“Too late, too little. Andnot now.” Without having to ask, I knew that presentation wasn’t his doing. He didn’t pull that prank, just like he didn’t when his buddies played it at his frat house. I saw how much it angered him, and that was enough proof that he cared about me.

“But—”

I shook my head. “I don’t care, Kris. I don’t care. So they saw me like that. It’s not true, and if anyone wants to believe it, whatever.” I flung my hand in the direction of the stage I’d just left, fuming and humiliated. I told her that I didn’t care, but I did. It hurt.

“It’s already all over online, so what’s new?” I sought out the coordinator for the presentations. “I’ll be damned if it stops me from what I came here to do.”

My family saw those pictures. Everyone did. And I knew their judgment and disapproval would be waiting. But I was not letting them focus on that instead of my presentation. I intended to take the first step of fighting for the major, the career, and the future I wanted, of my choosing.

And that damn prank was not going to stop me.

Intelligent.

Brave.

Jason believed in me, and at this twisted moment, I would too.

“Oh, my God.” The coordinator ran up to me, apologetic. “I’m so, so sorry. The IT guys verified that someone hacked in and swapped your file with… that.”

I nodded, curt and down to business. “Do you still have the right file?”

Kristin gawked at me.

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