I couldn't close an eye. I kept rolling over in my bed thinking about what Derek is going to say to me tonight.

I grab my textbook and I go to my first class this year.

One hour to sit through a class I don't care too much about.

I walk to the farthest seat from the professor and I sit down, taking out my notebook. I'll try to take some notes.

The class starts filling with various students and I don't even recognize some of them. Probably transfer or exchange students.

Professor Smith walks into the class soon after there aren't many seats. I guess we all try to study and be better the first day of the new semester, then we go back to cocaine and tequila.

Not me.

"Good morning," the professor says as he puts his business suitcase near the desk. "I hope you had a lovely break."

"Disgustingly lovely," a student murmurs, and I turn around to see who is it.

It's Alexander's ex-roommate.

I'm surprised he even goes to class. I think his name is Nathan or Nathaniel.

Thirty minutes later after professor Smith talks about the insurance laws, we hear a guy shout from the hallway and a lot of noise.

I turn around and look at Nathaniel by mistake and he smirks.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. What is that look supposed to mean? And what is happening outside?!

The students freak out as we hear the police sirens and a man yelling.

I quickly stand up, assuming the worst. Maybe Felix was caught on campus again... maybe one of my friends got hurt.

I leave my notebook and phone on the table and I'm the only one who leaves the class. The professor asks me to stop but I don't.

Once I am in the hallway, I see two police officers and a law enforcement dog running to the campus, towards the dormitory halls.

I take a step back, but the door to my class stops me. I bring my shaking hand to my mouth. I can't get a flashback now. I don't know what happened. I need to calm down.

One... breathe in... two... breathe out... three... breathe in

The police sirens stop. Utter silence for a few seconds.

I force my feet to walk ahead out of the hall and I cross the campus. People are staring at the dormitory hall and I start running towards it when I realize the cops are all going there.

Why the police dogs? This is so utterly similar to what happened to Derek...

I shouldn't run. I know I look suspicious, but I do it anyway. When I reach the door to the dormitory hall, a cop stops me.

"Where are you going, miss?" the cops asks as he slowly lets go of my arm.

"To my room... what is happening?"

"What's your room number?"

"312." My voice trembles and I somehow know I'm in trouble.

"I think you might have to come with us."

"Why? What happened?"

"We found cocaine and a gun in your dorm's closet. It's supposedly Irène Lorey's but we need to be sure."

"No..."

Not again.

Irène comes out of the hall with her hands handcuffed to her back and I stare at her until they bring her to me.

I never thought I'd see the day Irène is arrested.

She will be fine, she always pays her way out of it. Probably her lawyers are already around the corner.

I slowly calm down. I know I didn't do anything wrong. They are not mine and Irène would never blame it on me, plus the gun is probably registered.

But how did they know?

Nathan.

He smirked right away. This is revenge, and it's not only for me... it's for every one of us.

~

"Don't say a word," Dominic tells me on the phone as I wait at the police station with Nicole.

"I can't believe she got us into this..." Nicole whines.

"It'll be fine. I'm surprised she isn't already out."

They placed her into temporary jail until her lawyer arrives, which hasn't yet. Extremely weird. It seems like her dad has completely given up. She has the money anyway, but it still must feel terrible to have your dad ignore you.

Dominic paid for our lawyer and I couldn't be more grateful. It's one of the best lawyers but we stand a good chance with a public defendant too. It's not our fault Irène hid the gun and a relatively small amount of cocaine in her closet. Clearly, it's not for selling, but it's against the campus rules. Especially the fucking gun.

I doubt they will kick her out with her dad funding the school.

Nicole taps her fingers on the table worried. Her forehead forms a small wrinkle and a small dimple above her right eyebrow.

"I just don't want to get suspended for this..."

"We won't. We didn't know she had a gun, okay?"

That's what Dominic told us to say. We will deny that we ever knew she had a gun. Well, I didn't know she had cocaine in there too so I guess it's partially true.

"But we did... we can't lie!" she raises her voice and I almost want to slap her.

"Shut up. We did not. Don't ruin it. Maybe we won't get arrested because we knew but for sure we will get expelled, you idiot!" I whisper near her ear.

~

"Let me give you a ride back home," Dominic says as he comes to the entrance of the police station. After hours of interrogation and the lawyer speaking for us, we are finally free and we won't suffer any consequences in college.

But I don't know about Irène... I know she is definitely guilty but I understand why she carried a gun. It was for defense. She was responsible with it... she always locked the safe and hid it but this doesn't make it any better in the eyes of the college dean.

Nicole was let go a bit earlier than me because she never had any trouble with the law while I was arrested once and implicated in Derek's drugs thing. I was never interrogated for that, but I was with him so I was mentioned. And let's even mention Felix's shady business and how we reported him and I had to say how much implicated I was in it. I slept with him.

The cops must think we are all trouble and they will for sure keep a closer look on us.

I get into Dominic's car without a fight. I am tired, I slept like shit the past two days and today was very stressful.

I put the seatbelt on as he puts on some music on low volume and he starts the engine.

I know I have to talk to Derek but I haven't heard from him since last night.

"I'm glad you aren't in jail," he breaks the ice.

"Are you amused by this?" I ask jokingly.

"Not really since you are out." He turns around and jokes. I slightly push his shoulder.

"Is Irène going to be okay?" I ask even though I already know the answer.

"When isn't Irène okay? She always has things handled, don't worry."

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who knows her, other times not at all. But my gut is telling me this time it's different.

"There have been traces of Felix at an abandoned warehouse, but when the police checked he already left."

"Amazing. I just wonder when is this gonna end," I mutter sarcastically.

I don't want anything more than just to jump in my bed and sleep there for days and days.

"Have you heard from Derek?"

"Nope, not at all," Dom replies.

Maybe Derek changed his mind and doesn't want to talk to me anymore. There wasn't much to talk about either.

"Did you sleep with him for real or was I too drunk?"

"You were definitely too intoxicated because I did not sleep with him," I lie.

I don't know why I lie to him, I just know I need to keep this a secret. Keep my heart guarded for as long as I can, especially now that Derek flaked on me.

Dominic is silent the whole ride, pretty unusual of him but I'm grateful for the moments of silence I finally get. Tonight I'll sleep alone because Nicole is staying at Dominic's apartment since she was freed earlier.

A few days later

I've never been to Irène's house before. She is always secretive and I didn't even think her house could be this big. I expected it to be like Shanice or James' villa but not an enormous mansion.

"How come you chose to live in the dorms?"

She shrugs. "Less lonely."

"I thought you wanted to be alone."

"Not as much as you think," she says as she grabs the letter she received from the college. She hasn't opened it yet.

I never thought she could care about going to college. She has enough money to make it in life either way, and it's not like she ever opened a textbook but her possible expulsion still affects her.

"It will be fine. Your dad funded the college several times, plus he is a politician," I encourage her.

"Somehow I'm not sure it's going to pull me out of this mess now. My dad is detaching since he is running for mayor and I'm affecting all his chances with my constant arrests. I had to get my own ass out of jail and the food is horrible there. Even for just two nights."

They didn't give her better food? Not even a 5 stars jail room? Weird. Indeed.

"Do you want me to read it for you?" I say as the maid hands us two cups of chamomile tea.

Irène nods.

Dear Irène Leroy,

It's our duty to inform you have been expelled based on the constant threats and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia and weapons on campus. We appreciate all the funds from Arthur Leroy but we cannot accept them anymore. This decision is permanent and cannot be appealed as we have thoroughly revised your case and forgave your past actions.

Notice of your termination has been sent to the appropriate authorities at Atlanta University including the Registrar's Office.

Peter Jones

Associate Dean Of Academic Affairs, Atlanta University

Oh. Now how do I tell her this? I feel somewhat guilty because the gun was to protect us... I can't say the same about the cocaine though.

I can help her by getting revenge. If I tell her Alexander's ex roommate did it then she will have someone to hurt.

"I'm sorry..." I say as I fold the letter back.

Irène puts her elbows on the table and her face between them. She lets out a long sigh.

"Nathaniel, Alex's ex-roommate told the police about your drugs and gun," I spit out. She looks up and I know I probably shouldn't have told her that but he is a piece of shit just like Alex.

How did that guy even know? Was he in our dorm or did he overhear us?

"I knew already."

"I thought you'd do something about it," I say."

"Oh, I will."

She doesn't drink her tea and she stands up.

"You will be fine, another college will take you."

"Nah. I don't want another college. I was happy there."

I don't know how to help her, she seems defeated and I wish I knew what she has in mind for Nathaniel but it doesn't seem to make her any happier, just like her every other revenge mission.

Revenge feels good until you have it.

"Do you want something to eat?" she asks.

I nod and the maid shortly brings up brunch for us, but Irène isn't eating much. Neither talking.

I try to make small chat but she quickly shuts it off so I decide to tell her about Derek.

"I don't know if you know but at the party Derek and I-"

She interrupts me. "Listen, I genuinely couldn't care less about your stupid drama with that guy."

I widen my eyes in surprise and annoyance. "O- okay."

"Do you really want to help me?" she asks as her eyes lighten up and a mischievous smile appears on her face.