22. Pandora
PANDORA
I resist the urge to scratch my chest and open up my scabs. I’ve already done it a few times, but I don’t think I want to cause drama by bleeding through my bright pink shirt.
Reaper might handle it well, but Carly probably wouldn’t.
The cuts would heal faster if I stopped poking at them, too. A few days haven’t been enough for them to heal completely.
Carly and Reaper are both standing in front of my snake enclosure, oohing and aahing over my cute little Echo. Okay, Carly is cooing, Reaper is standing there looking kind of grim—ha!—but clearly still interested.
“I can take her out and let you hold her,” I suggest from my seat on the bed. “She’s pretty well socialized, and even if she bites it won’t hurt much.”
“Much,” Reaper repeats. “Sure.” I think he’s scoffing at me at first, but then he looks expectantly at me, and I realize he was agreeing.
I hop off the bed and grab my keys so I can open the enclosure. Sure, it’s a little inconvenient to have to lock and unlock it every time, but I’m taking no chances. Nobody is going to steal Echo from me .
I’m already imagining my roommate finding out about Echo and letting her loose on purpose, and it makes my blood boil.
Echo tries to evade my hand and slither under one of the hides, but I grab her easily. She’s cool and smooth, and she immediately starts curling around my wrist.
Carly backs up a few steps, but she’s still smiling. “Very cool. And so tiny!”
“She’s still a baby,” I tell them. “Only a few months old. Blood pythons don’t get that big though, just very thick compared to other snakes.”
“Not that big? So, what, a foot long?” Carly asks.
I start laughing. “Sorry. They don’t get as big as anacondas or Burmese pythons. Average size is four to six feet. Echo’s mama is five and a half feet.”
“Impressive,” Reaper remarks. He reaches out for her, and I’m reminded of how badly Blaze had panicked over the tiny rat snake I’d rescued. “So she’s bigger than Carly.” His voice is deadpan, but there’s a slight smirk on his lips as he glances at his sister.
Carly pouts and slaps him on the shoulder. “I’m not short. You’re stupidly big.”
I hand Echo over to Reaper, and he takes her carefully. I nod in approval at how he holds her, and I’m confident that he isn’t going to drop her. Carly strokes Echo’s back, apparently awed by the feeling of scales, too.
I go back to the bed and tap my leg impatiently.
“Are you allowed to have her here?” Carly asks after a while.
I nod, and in a complete deadpan say, “She’s my emotional support snake.”
“Things like that are why people hate the idea of emotional support animals,” Reaper says, but he doesn’t seem too perturbed.
“No, seriously!” I say to Carly’s skeptical expression. “If I didn’t have Echo to care for, who knows what I’ll do in my free time!”
Like stab even more people, probably.
Actually, it might be time to start doing that, because Blaze, Asch, and River are all avoiding me. I get Asch is probably brooding, and maybe I understand why River isn’t around, but Blaze? He’s supposed to be tossing me around in his macho attempt to subdue me.
Okay, maybe I’m horny, too.
I could go find one of the many other college boys on campus who are hard-up, but for some reason it’s not particularly appealing. Most of them would freak out when they saw my cut-up chest, and the ones who didn’t… meh.
“Speaking of free time…” Carly comes to sit next to me on the bed. “What did you mean with your text? About Declan?”
Reaper turns his attention to me, though he’s still lightly stroking Echo’s scales as she twists around his arm. He’s surprisingly deft with her, keeping her in his hands instead of allowing her to crawl too much over his arms.
“Well, I wanted to castrate him, but the other Chaos douches got there in time to rescue him,” I tell Carly.
“I’m figuring out a plan, though. He’ll be incapacitated for a while anyway, and I found his stash of roofies.
” Reaper’s cheeks flush red, but he doesn’t comment as I continue, “I crushed it all up and scattered it to the wind, don’t worry.
Anyway, that means he’s not going to be doing this again to anyone anytime soon. ”
As I talk, I notice Carly getting more and more still.
“Why is he incapacitated?” Carly asks quietly.
A niggling voice in the back of my head tells me it’s time to shut up, but if I listened to reason, I wouldn’t be me, now would I?
“I stabbed his leg. I missed the artery though, which is a bad job on my part. I guess I subconsciously did want him alive for the castration part.”
Carly’s face pales, and she shakes her head. “Why would you… You could go to jail , Pandora.”
I laugh, because it’s such a stupid sentiment.
I’m not going to jail.
Certainly not for something as simple as stabbing a frat boy. Even if Declan did want to press charges—I know he won’t—Blaze wouldn’t let him go through with it.
And, hell, if Declan tried anyway, Papa and Daddy and Uncle Slayer would make any charges go away.
“He hurt you, Carly! I wasn’t going to let him get away with that.” I smile at Reaper. “You agree with me, right?”
“No,” he says.
It surprises me enough to where I stare at him instead of replying.
He continues, “It’s my job to protect Carly. Not yours.” Ah. So that’s really what’s going on. He’s sore because he’s not the one to have avenged his baby sister.
“Fat lot of good that did Carly at the party,” I say viciously.
Reaper’s eyes narrow, anger flickering dangerously in his expression. “I’ll handle it,” he says tersely. He holds Echo out to me. “Thank you for identifying who it was. But I’ve got it from here.”
I take Echo back, and she slithers around my wrist. Carly gets up from the bed too, and her smile is strained.
“Violence isn’t the answer, Pandora,” Carly says. “I appreciate that you care, but revenge really does leave everyone blind.”
Reaper’s lips thin into a line. He seems about to say something, but he glances at Carly, then stops himself.
Yeah, Reaper knows what’s up. His name is fucking Reaper . If that’s not a gang moniker or at least a really apt nickname, why would he use it?
“I’ve still got both eyes, Carly,” I point out with a grin. “But don’t worry, I promise not to gouge any out. Fingers are more traditional anyway.” At Carly’s horrified expression, I add, “I’m kidding .”
Actually, the eye thing sounds like a great idea, except it’s probably really messy. I think Papa once mentioned how gross eyes are. All goopy inside or something.
Better to avoid it entirely. I don’t want to lose my grip on my knife just because eye juice squirted everywhere.
Reaper is watching me steadily. “It’s going to be taken care of,” he repeats. “You don’t need to do anything, Pandora. Stay out of it. ”
“Sure, sure.”
I obviously have no real intention of staying out of it, but I do need to wait until I’m healed up.
“I mean it,” Reaper says, and while his voice is quiet, there’s a not-so-subtle threat there too.
“I said I got it!” I snap. Reaper is getting less and less fun with every minute.
I get up to put Echo back in her enclosure. She slithers underneath one of the hides, and I lock everything up.
When I turn around, Reaper and Carly are both staring at me.
“What?” I say. “I’ve got class soon. Thanks for coming over to hang.”
Reaper shakes his head. “Let’s go, Carly,” he says, his voice much gentler when he’s addressing his sister.
Carly hesitates at the door. “I do appreciate that you want to help, Pandora,” she says before she follows Reaper out.
I roll my eyes.
Save me from people with qualms and morals or what the fuck ever.
I did it all for her! She should be thankful. Gleeful .
Blaze would agree with me. I mean, he did. He thanked me more than Carly.
I still remember the embrace, and the strangely intimate kiss.
Which was also weird, and I’m not dwelling on it. I rest my arms on the enclosure and look inside. Echo’s tail is poking out at one side.
“You’d eat Declan’s balls, right, girl?” I say. “They’re probably no bigger than a mouse anyway.”
That would be funny, except I wouldn’t want to poison Echo by giving her something as unnutritious as Declan’s shriveled up, filthy balls.
I sigh and go back to my desk.
No new texts from any of the guys. I frown at my phone, then start a group chat.
Pandora
If one of you doesn’t respond to me immediately, I’m going to take drastic measures.
The first one to respond is Blaze, a few seconds later.
Wannabe Hot Stuff
I’m responding.
Nothing follows, and I realize he’s being cheeky. If I wasn’t feeling weird, I’d think it was funny.
Pandora
I’m thinking mice, all over your room. Chewing on all your cables. You’ll wish you had a pet snake then.
Cry Me A
I’ll just get my own snake.
Blaze’s Bitch
There will be no mice or snakes.
Wannabe Hot Stuff
If I see a single mouse, I’m going to burn all your clothes, Pandora.
That does make me laugh.
Pandora
Blaze, you can’t just start a blaze. If you’re setting things ablaze, the school might get involved.
Blaze’s Bitch
If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.
Cry Me A
A bridge Blaze set ablaze, apparently.
Pandora
ok, then various scary people from various scary factions will get involved. River, you’ll back me up, right?
Cry Me A
I know nothing.
Wannabe Hot Stuff
You aren’t funny, Pandora.
Pandora
I absolutely am.
So, which of you is keeping me company today? I’m not kidding about the mice. I’ve got a supplier.
They stop responding again, which means at least one of them really does want an infestation.
It would serve the Kappa Douche Omega house right to have mice chewing through their shit, anyway.
Cry Me A
Blaze volunteers.
I see Asch and Blaze both typing, stopping, then typing again. I make an impatient gesture with my hand, even though they can’t see it, until their response finally pops up.
Wannabe Hot Stuff
Dinner tonight. Asch and I will pick you up.
I tilt my head at my phone. Dinner? Who said anything about dinner?
Pandora
Is this a date?
Asch starts typing, then the dots disappear as he stops again. I wait, and eventually, he starts typing again.
Blaze’s Bitch
As long as you promise not to stab either of us with a steak knife. Or a fork.
Cry Me A
Might want to include spoons in there, too.
Pandora
How am I going to stab anyone with a spoon?
I’d gouge an eye out instead
Wannabe Hot Stuff
What I’m hearing is, you don’t want to go to a fancy restaurant in town
What the hell? I thought he was going to take me to one of the restaurants on campus, not out on the town.
My face feels weirdly hot, but I quickly type back.
Pandora
I’ll behave! No stabbing or gouging or suggestive language
Blaze’s Bitch
We’ll all keep it G-rated.
Wannabe Hot Stuff
Some suggestive language is allowed.
Wear something nice. There’s a strict dress code.
Blaze’s Bitch
We’ll see you at 8
I send back a thumbs up emoji, and that’s the end of the group conversation. My stomach twists in an unfamiliar sensation, but I’m grinning too.
What did I say? Blaze and Asch do know how to treat me.
I frown when I remember River. I pull up my private texts with Cry Me A.
Pandora
I’ll take you on a date too. Find a club or something for us to go to.
Cry Me A
I’m busy that night
Pandora
I didn’t tell you when
Cry Me A
I know
I scowl at the text, but now it’s getting late enough that I really do have class. I’m flippant about shit, but I need to keep my grades up so I can get into the medical program.
I grab my backpack, stuff my phone into my shorts pocket, then head out of the room.
I stop short when I see Sam sitting at the kitchen table, smiling at something on her phone.
I think this is the first time I’ve seen her smile, ever. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I lean in to try to see what’s on her screen. If I catch the right angle, I’ll be able to snoop despite the privacy screen.
She instantly pulls her phone away from me, her smile turning into a scowl. “Don’t you know it’s rude to try to look at someone’s private messages?”
“Yes,” I say glibly. “But considering you’re always in a bad mood, I have to know the secret to getting you to lighten up a smidge.”
“I’m always in a good mood when you’re not around,” she replies, her voice snide .
“In a good enough mood to smile ?” I say doubtfully. “Like, in a better mood, sure. But your default state seems to be sour. What’s got you actually enjoying life? Good grades? Family coming to visit?”
“None of your business, Pandora,” she replies, turning her phone over on the table. “Don’t you have someone else to torment? I heard you put some guy in the hospital.”
That gives me pause. I don’t care if she knows, but that means somebody from Kappa Ass Omega was gossiping with her.
Not Blaze, Asch, or River, of course.
I give her a sly grin. “Ooh. Do you have a date? A new boyfriend? A cute frat guy who knows how to go slow?”
I don’t really think any of the frat guys are willing to go slow, but for all I know, there are a few decent outliers among them. River had mentioned there’s almost seventy guys in the frat currently enrolled at Dyschord. Surely one of them has to be a gentleman.
Her cheeks flush red, and she snatches up her phone. “I have class,” she huffs, grabbing her bag. “You should go, too, unless you’re going to sleep your way to good grades.”
I follow her out the door, much to her very obvious dismay.
“Do you think I could?” I say with fake excitement. “Sleep my way to good grades, I mean? Professor Richter is the strictest, but I bet she’d go easier after I eat her out, right?”
Sam’s expression turns sour. “You’re disgusting, you know that?”
She doesn’t know the half of it. I’m going so easy on her.
“What’s wrong with a bit of cunnilingus?” I say in between giggles. “Tell your new guy he has to go down on you, okay? Don’t settle for mediocre sex. You’re worth more than that.”
She shoves her way past me, marching down the hall without another word to me.
“If he doesn’t eat pussy, he’s not a decent guy!” I shout after her, and I burst into laughter when she flips me off before rounding the corner.
Of course, now I really am running late. I opt to take the stairs instead of the elevator, because if I keep following Sam, I’ll be too distracted.
Speaking of eating pussy, though. I really need to convince Blaze and Asch to demonstrate their skills.
Something to do on our date tonight.