Page 7 of Hush, Hush

The sprawling campus grounds, usually lush and green, are dotted with fallen leaves from the beautiful fall foliage northern New York is known for. Bright oranges, yellows, and reds make for a kaleidoscope of colors, accenting the stone buildings. It’s like I’m walking through an Autumn magazine where everything is staged to inspire the reader, except this is real life. The only thing missing is the aroma of pumpkin spice, which I will happily get later at the campus’ coffee bar.

Tucked away in the northeastern United States, Carnegie University isn’t known to many. We don’t have the same name recognition as Yale and Harvard unless your net worth is an acceptable figure. Among the elite of the elite, Carnegie is the only college to attend, especially when you have a pedigree like mine. My family has been attending Carnegie since the late 1600’s when it was founded. I’ve been visiting this campus my whole life. Alumni luncheons and parties, grand openings of technology buildings and so forth. There’s even an Astor Residence Hall that was named for my family after my great grandfather donated a hefty sum of money back into the university.

Nestled amongst the educational buildings is another layer that not all who attend the prestigious school are privy to; an organization that lies in wait to transform the path of our country’s most powerful young minds. Carnegie University has a low acceptance rate, but an even bigger challenge is gaining membership into the Knights of Arcadia. Like with enrollment into Carnegie, your last name will help you, but it doesn’t do everything. Everyone has to be up to the task, no matter their background.

I’m proud to be the first female member. I like to envision myself on a bulldozer, barreling over obstacles for the next wave of women to finally make it into this old boys’ club because why shouldn’t we have the same opportunities as our male counterparts?

Honestly, I should’ve majored in feminism, but like Carnegie would offer anything as groundbreaking as that as a concentration.

With school break well behind me, I’m looking forward to getting back into the daily grind. The Knights keep us newbies on our toes, and not to mention with my strict academic schedule, I can’t afford to have my head sun-bleached right now. Carnegie has a strict GPA enforcement and my duties for the Knights will be ramping up as they put us through our paces. We may have been accepted already, but to become a fully-fledged Knight, we have to leave Carnegie with our standing intact. Not everyone does, and since I’ll be the only one with breasts in the room, I’m pretty sure I’ll be on their radar as someone they might have an easier time stripping knighthood from.

I always knew my journey would be an uphill battle but seeing Keegan over break brought everything back into perspective. Not to sound like my little sister, but the level of entitlement here is astronomical. So much so that Keegan doesn’t think he has to work at being a boyfriend. He thinks I should just bend over and take it because he wants it.

My face flushes at the thought. I’m not going to pretend I didn’t like what we did together the other night because that would be a lie. However, my feelings are why I have to stand strong. I’ll never gain his respect if I just do what he wants. I wasn’t raised that way. Success comes from hard work, and in my opinion, he hasn’t put in the effort to get between my legs. Just being hot doesn’t gain you free access.

Pushing through the arched shaped door of my cozy residence hall, I drag my bag up over my shoulder as I enter the narrow, wooden steps that lead to my room. Each residence hall is unique and far removed from what other college campus’s boast. The buildings are old but remodeled in the traditional vein. Every student has their own suite upstairs while the downstairs is set up with a common living area and kitchen. The buildings are basically moderately sized mansions, sleeping up to fifteen students. The men and women are separated. CU rules, of course, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of bed-hopping going on.

I use my key to enter my room, taking a moment to breathe it in. I’ve loved my time here at Carnegie. Not that I don’t also love being at home, but since this is where I aspired to attend school even as a little girl, being here means something to me. The girls in my hall are great. The professors are extremely smart and humble. The education is second to none, especially with our small class sizes. The Knights of Arcadia is just the cherry on top.

In a year from now, I’ll be thrown out into the real world, spearheading and growing my father’s hospitality business. Carnegie, and my connections with the Knights, will help me successfully navigate the transition.

I swing my bag onto my bed and start unpacking. Of course, the bikinis and tank tops are going right back into storage. It’s chilly here already. No more falling asleep to the heat of the sun on my face. Soon, I’ll be feeling the biting cold wind whip against my cheeks.

Tucking my overnight bag under my bed, I’m just about to plop onto it, stretching out this moment of freedom before school starts again tomorrow when my phone starts buzzing repeatedly. I fish it out of my pocket and watch as texts come in from Keegan one after the other.

Call coming in

4

3

2

Confusion gives way to shock when my mother’s name pops up on the screen as an incoming call. I stare at her profile pic, wondering what the hell Keegan has to do with this before answering the video chat.

I hold the phone away at arm’s length, smiling tightly at the screen. “Hey, Mom.”

She’s staring down when the call first connects. The phone jostles, distorting the view for a moment before she rights it.

As she gets settled, I say, “I was about to call you. I just put away my clothes.”

Finally, she stretches the phone out and puts it on a flat surface. At the very bottom of the screen, I spy the white iron bistro set that’s set up in the garden back home. Tall bushes flank her all around. Out of shot are a line of manicured flowers. It’s odd. Now that I can see her, I can almost feel being there, too. The way the wind filters through the garden, bringing with it the sweet scents of her massive array of flowers.

She adjusts the wide brim hat on her head. “That’s good, sweetie. Did you have fun on vacation?”

Guilt presses into me, but it’s more my own worries than hers. She knows my father cheats. She doesn’t put up a fuss about it, so I don’t know why Eden and I are the ones that get bent out of shape about it. I feel like I have to tell her every time he does, even though the chances of her not knowing are very slim. “It was great,” I tell her. “It was good to hang out with Eden before she heads across the country again.”

“I missed both of you guys,” she announces. “But hopefully I’ll see you soon. Maybe I can come by some time for a lunch date when you’re not busy, Delilah.”

“Of course,” I tell her. “Anytime.” I sit at my desk chair, using the top to support my elbow as I continue to hold the phone out to make sure I’m still in frame. We both know she won’t be coming to visit me, but it is a nice offer.

“Do you have a moment for me to talk to you about something?”

My brows contract as I try to take stock of her current mood. I notice she’s really trying to stay as loose as possible, but it’s all a facade. Anxiety spreads through my limbs as I realize something is up. “What is it?”

“Oh, nothing,” she says half-heartedly. “I just... Well, I just got off the phone with Alice Forbes,” she states, almost as if she’s ripping off a Band-Aid.

My cheeks heat. She and my mother are close, the same with our fathers. Their friendly relationships are the reason why there’s always been an understanding between Keegan and me, but it’s not the reason why I care for him. I absolutely adore his mother. She’s sweet and perky, and she never tries to look at my breasts when I’m having a conversation with her. Clearly, the bar is set low based upon personal experiences. “Is everything okay?” I ask.

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