36. Viviana
Viviana
A fter weeks of cramming my brain full of information, I’m spent and truly exhausted.
Zane, Sloane, Sandy and I met every free chance we could to study like our lives depended on it.
I’m ready for summer already and I still have an entire semester to finish before then.
Even after exams I’ve been too stressed waiting for grades to come out to get any good sleep.
It’s the moment of truth. I’m sitting in criminology class Monday morning while Cain passes out our graded exams. When he places mine on my desk, I receive a little smile and look down to see the number ninety-one written in red ink on the top right corner of the page.
I could have done better, but with all the stress I’ve been dealing with lately I’m just glad I still got an A.
We’ve actually learned a lot of interesting stuff this semester and I’m just glad that I’m taking an extra criminology class this year, since I only took one last year.
When Cain dismisses us, I head toward the quad. Usually I’d sit and study between classes but today Sandy’s sorority is having a bake sale. She got approval for her sustainability project and now they’re just working on raising the money needed for it.
I find Zane waiting for me in front of the building and we walk over to the bake sale together.
He reaches over to grab my hand and I catch him looking around before he tries to pull his hand away like he’s worried someone could be watching us.
I just hold on tighter. When he looks over at me, I shrug.
“I don’t care who sees. I’ll stab someone before I change how I act with you.
Fuck what everyone else thinks about us. ”
Zane pulls me closer and wraps his arm around my shoulders as we continue to walk. “It’s so hot when you threaten to stab people.”
I lean into him. All this has been hard on him and Sloane too.
People have been calling me the worst names, but neither of them are getting away unscathed.
After Nox got the posts taken down, I overheard him telling Cain about the comments that had been left on them.
I’d been called everything from a harlot to a whore.
Then Zane and I had a conversation that Nox was very uncomfortable with while Sloane just laughed at the whole situation.
Nox had to explain, in detail, why people were calling Sloane and Zane cucks and how it could be considered an insult.
All that really did was confuse me and give Zane some ideas which he whispered to me while he fucked me that night.
I’ve had fantasies about having Cain tied to a chair in the corner and being forced to watch while I have my way with each of the other guys since.
Zane and I are pretty sure that we could take him down and get him tied up, we’re just still considering the ethics of something like that.
Consent is the real sticking point, though.
I might just have to challenge him to a contest again and make that my reward.
“…narrowed down a few leads. We’ll probably be able to move in this summer and get the problem taken care of.” Zane has obviously been talking for awhile while I’ve been daydreaming.
“Move in on what?”
He grins down at me. “That thing Enzo and I got into the other night. Nox is following some electronic leads to see how far the connections go. It’s pretty big so he doesn’t think we’ll be able to make a move until summer.”
I frown at that. They saved some kids on that last job, but there are more out there who weren’t as lucky.
None of us are naive enough to think this was the first time they’ve trafficked kids.
I do get why Nox wants to wait. If we move in too fast on the small fish, the big ones will go underground and we won’t be able to help as many of the kids.
It’s just hard knowing that there are innocent children out there who need help and not being able to do anything.
Knowing more than us and waiting for more information must be even harder on Nox.
When we get to the bake sale, I make sure to put a pleasant expression on my face.
This is a big day for Sandy and I don’t want to worry her.
The quad is teaming with people, all clustered around the tables Sandy has set up covered with sweet treats.
She looks overwhelmed by the turnout, but when she sees me she smiles and waves.
Zane and I walk around the tables to see what they have left and I follow Zane into line at the table covered with different types of fudge.
“I’m so glad you guys could come,” Sandy says, before she pulls me into a hug.
I hug her back. “You would have had to mortally wound Zane to keep him away from sweets.”
He frowns at me over his shoulder. “I’m not that bad.”
I don’t bother responding to him as I turn back to Sandy. “How has it been going so far?”
She absolutely beams. “It’s been amazing. We’ve already raised two thousand dollars. Who knew that college kids would be this supportive of my project.”
I grin and elbow her lightly. “Or do they just really like sweets?”
A soft laugh escapes her. “True, but some of that total comes from just donations. All of the environmental science teachers pooled together and donated five hundred dollars of their own money.”
“That’s great. I’m so glad it’s going so well.”
She nods, her eyes wide with excitement.
“It is. We’re nowhere near the capital we need yet, but we’re getting there.
And it’s still early. Also, we sold out of those peanut butter squares that Nox sent in.
They were a huge hit. Do you think he would share the recipe with me? My mom would love them.”
“I’ll get the recipe and send it to you later,” I offer, already knowing that Nox won’t have an issue with that.
“Great! I’ve got to get back but thank you so much, I couldn’t have gotten this far without you.” She gives me another hug.
“I just helped you research more about the process. This is all you and the Deltas.” I give her a tight squeeze back.
She pulls away, her eyes shining. “But you were supportive. Most people just kind of looked at me like I was crazy for thinking I could do something like this. If I hadn’t gotten a straightforward plan in place I probably would have given up before I even started.”
She better not cry, because if I end up crying in public it will really lower my street cred.
None of the mobsters back home will ever let me forget it.
Thankfully she manages to get herself together before she talks again, “I’ll call you later and tell you how everything went. ” She waves goodbye as she walks away.
Zane comes over with an arm full of fudge. “Did I miss Sandy?”
I grin as he opens his backpack to stuff it with his haul, keeping one out and offering it to me. “This one has raspberries in it.”
I accept it with a soft smile. “Thank you.”
His arm wraps around my shoulders again. “I’ll walk you back to class.” He doesn’t wait for a response, just starts leading me back toward Huron Hall.