22. Tessa

22

TESSA

A fter I get done with class, I head to the Sentinel office, needing to review some podcasts before they get put on air. I slip into the recording studio, putting the oversized headphones on while I start to work.

This latest story from one of our junior writers is decent but it needs some serious tightening—the transitions are a bit clunky, and the pace drags a little. I write a note to myself to schedule a meeting with her tomorrow when someone taps on the doorframe.

Looking up, I spot Ryan Carter standing there, arms crossed, leaning against the frame. "Got a minute?" he asks, his tone more clipped than I expected.

"Yeah, sure," I say, sliding the headphones down around my neck. I haven't seen much of Ryan this year. It's strange because, last year, we were always bouncing ideas off each other. He used to hang out with the team more often, sometimes even looked to me for guidance. "What's up?"

He steps inside, keeping his distance. "I need to talk to you about that assignment on the new club they're starting. Am I still covering that?"

"Yeah, I was just about to ask if you needed more time on it," I reply, trying to sound casual but picking up on the distance between us. "I haven't seen you around much lately, Ryan. What have you been up to?"

His face tightens slightly, and he shrugs. "Just busy, I guess."

The air between us feels…off. I try again, more carefully, "You know, you can always come to me if you need help with anything."

He glances at me but doesn't hold my gaze long. "Yeah, thanks. I'll let you know," he mutters, turning to leave before I can ask more.

I watch him walk away, chewing the inside of my cheek. I can't help but wonder why. I should check in with him soon and see if he needs some help or if something is bothering him, maybe.

I work late into the evening, finishing up a few more edits on the team's podcasts before calling it a night. When I get up to stretch, my body feels sore and I realize I've been there longer than I meant.

Taking a sip of water, I make a face. Ugh. I need to clean this bottle out. There's a weird metallic taste every time I've drank out of it lately.

After the weird incident at my dorm room yesterday, I talked to the campus police and they strongly suggested that I get an escort for a few days so I call for one now, waiting outside the Sentinel building for a campus officer to show up and walk me back.

For the next few days, I continue using an escort if I'm going to be out late, but then I get a call on Thursday that the campus police have caught the kid responsible. It turns out that the perpetrator was just a drunk student who tried to go into the wrong dorm room.

I breathe a sigh of relief, chalk my anxieties up to stress, and try to move on with my life. Besides, the toy drive event next week is coming up and I'm looking forward to going and spending more time with the boys from Sigma Theta. Alec texted me a couple of times but when I tried to text Jace, he apologized for being busy but said he'd see me there.

Putting on my cutest winter outfit, I check myself out in the mirror to make sure I'm presentable. I've chosen a brown plaid wool skirt, a white button-up blouse, and a black vest. I've tied a warm silk scarf around my neck, knotting it to resemble a tie. I've paired the outfit with brown riding boots and a long, tweed, woolen overcoat.

I'm secretly hoping that the boys will be impressed and maybe invite me for coffee at the frat later tonight. I twist the front of my hair into a braid and pin it over the top of my head before placing a brown beret over it.

There. Now the outfit is complete, perfect for the Coffee and Cocoa event. I have a nicely wrapped wooden puzzle that I'm bringing to donate as well, placing it in my satchel before heading out the door.

The air is chilly now and I shiver, even with my layers of wool and the warm, fleece-lined tights under my skirt. There's a winter storm approaching and we're due for some serious snow in the next few days. I huddle up under my coat, pulling it tighter around myself.

I walk into the warm café, spotting Jace's blond hair above the crowd of people already gathered. Walking up, I hand over my gift to Devin with a smile. "Here you go!" I say, flashing my best smile. "It's a wooden puzzle."

"Nice," Devin says, though he doesn't look up as he speaks and there's a disinterested note in his voice.

"I'm planning on getting more presents as the toy drive continues," I add. "I want to help however I can."

"Of course you do," Jace says, giving me an odd expression. He turns his lips upward into his signature smirk and nudges into me. "We knew we could count on you."

As things get started, I'm jostled to the back of the crowd by the sheer number of people present. This event looks like it's going to be a huge success.

I'm cradling my cup of coffee when Jace steps up to address the crowd. His familiar, easy smile quiets the crowd instantly.

"Hey, everyone, thanks for coming out to our Coffee and Cocoa Kickoff!" Jace's voice is smooth and warm, like he's genuinely excited about this event. "We're so excited to get this toy drive started and do some good for the community. We really couldn't do this without all of you."

The applause ripples through the crowd, and I find myself clapping along, though something about the way he's smiling makes the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.

"But before we get into the rest of the night," Jace says, his grin shifting slightly, "there's someone we have to thank—someone who's really kept us on our toes this year. The one and only Tessa Collins."

My stomach drops. My name on his lips feels like a warning, like the calm before the storm. I keep my face neutral, but inside, I'm on high alert.

Devin steps forward, clapping dramatically, his smile just a little too wide. "Tessa's been such a…persistent presence in our lives lately. She's made sure we're always giving 100 percent of our attention, even when we didn't know we needed it."

The crowd chuckles, but it's more out of politeness than humor. My chest tightens as Alec steps up next, his voice laced with amusement that feels anything but friendly. "Yeah, it's not every day you meet someone so dedicated to, let's say, making sure we stay… accountable."

Accountable. The word feels like a barb, sharp and cutting in its delivery. I know what they're doing, and it's not going to stop here.

Jace's grin sharpens his tone just a touch too sweet. "I mean, it takes real guts to put yourself out there the way Tessa has. Her commitment to digging up stories—real or otherwise—has been nothing short of inspiring."

A knot forms in my throat as I realize where this is heading. I glance around, feeling the weight of people's eyes starting to shift toward me. The smiles, the playful words—they're all a cover, hiding the sting beneath.

Devin tilts his head, still playing along, his tone light but laced with something darker. "Not to mention her talent for…creative storytelling. Confidential sources? Who needs 'em when you can spin a tale as well as she can?"

I feel my face heat, but I force myself to stay still. They're making a show of me—of all the rumors they've been spreading, all the lies—and everyone's too charmed by their act to see it.

Alec raises his cup of cocoa in a mock toast, that smirk never leaving his face. "And, of course, we can't forget how easy Tessa makes everything—easy to talk to, easy to get close to…" He pauses, letting the implication hang heavy in the air. "Just…easy."

The laughter that follows feels like a slap, small but sharp. My face burns as I realize the deeper meaning to his words.

Jace jumps back in, voice dripping with false admiration. "Thanks for everything, Tessa. We know we couldn't be the men we are today without you."

The crowd claps, but my hands stay firmly at my sides, clenched into fists. I swallow down the burn of frustration, tears stinging my eyes. I thought they were different. I thought that despite our rocky start, they were the kind of guys who were worth sticking around to get to know.

Shame burns inside of me as I realize how wrong I've been about them. The three of them are just like any other frat guy. They're just like Max. Thoughts of him and the things he did to those girls bubble up and I feel sick to my stomach.

No wait, I really do feel sick to my stomach. The crowd is laughing and chattering after the speech, but everything is just too much for me and I have to get out of there.

I feel like I can't breathe and I push my way through the crowd to get to the door. Once I'm outside I take in a few deep lungfuls of cold winter air, but that seems to make the nausea worse and I have to rush over to the nearest garbage can to throw up everything I've eaten.

As I stand there, wiping the back of my mouth with my coat sleeve, I feel the shame settle into a quiet rage.

I don't care what I have to do. If the Sigmas want to harass me so badly, they can dig their own grave. I'm going to do whatever it takes to find the skeletons in their closet so I can take the fraternity down once and for all.