Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kai
Monday
“Ihave so much to tell you,” Leigh said as we sat down for lunch on the library lanai, after grabbing something from the library coffee shop. Leigh was a senior and an ethnobotany major from Northern California. The green-haired beta had the cutest outfits.
We had a couple of classes together. One where we were lab partners, and the one where we were in the same lab group, doing a big research project together.
“I can’t wait to hear it.” I took a bite of my sandwich. Auntie had given me lunch money, and I was going to use it. Usually, I packed a lunch. Okay, I packed a noodle cup, or whatever was left over from making Logan’s lunch.
Apparently, Logan’s mom bought him a ticket, and he’d gotten home late yesterday. I knew that much, because my former neighbors had texted me. He’d thrown a fit realizing I’d moved out and put a chair through the glass doors leading to the lanai.
Also, the place apparently smelled really bad…
This morning I’d already gotten texts from other numbers, which was Logan using people’s phones to text me because he was looking for his car. I didn’t answer, I just saved the texts in case I needed them.
“So… My roommate works in Campus Affairs. Logan’s being called in for misconduct.” Leigh took a sip of her iced coffee.
“I kinda saw that coming, given what his advisor was asking. Though being a cheating bastard isn’t misconduct.” I nibbled on my tuna sandwich.
“No. But he stole. You filed a police report.”
I nodded. “I did.”
“Also, Seth and Raven are facing questioning,” she added.
“For what?” I blinked.
Raven was the one too sick to fly. Not sure when she was coming back. Just like I wasn’t sure if Drea had made it back.
“All the mean things they said online in the forums. Numerous people reported them for their hostile language and defaming statements. While posting something on your socials might be able to be dismissed as free speech, the campus forums are governed by campus rules. Not to mention freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences.” She ate some of her salad.
“Very true.” I hadn’t actually thought of that. “But what are they even going to do about it?”
“Not sure. My roomie said they’d probably get a warning and community service. They might not get to walk at graduation.” She checked her phone and nodded.
I sucked in a breath. “They’re going to be so mad.”
“You didn’t do anything. Don’t let them gaslight you,” Leigh told me.
“Logan? I’m not sure. Probably loss of privileges and restitution, because he has no infractions.
But really, it could go all the way to him being kicked out.
You’re an omega, and he was your romantic partner. It’s financial and emotional abuse.”
“Oh shit.” My hand shook.
Leigh put hers over mine. “He fucked around, he’s about to find out. You did stop sharing your location with him, right?”
“Yes.” I glanced at my phone. In the group chat, I’d gotten a silly photo of Steven and Ashton on the airplane to Portland for their game tonight.
Did I send them a pic of me? Did I heart it? Did I ignore it? I had no idea what to do.
Last night I cried myself to sleep. As much as I’d like to stay friends, could I really stay friends with them knowing we couldn’t be more?
Still, it was a big game night for them. I hearted it and added some shamrock emojis.
Her eyebrows rose. “Who was that?”
“The hockey guys I met. They’re on their way to their big game.”
“Right. There’s a watch party later in one of the dorm lounges, we should go after lab.” She took another bite of salad.
“Sure.” Cheering them on wouldn’t hurt, right?
I actually had the shirt with me, because there’d been a mention of the watch party in our lab group chat. I was also wearing the necklace from Ashton. The little penguin plush had been moved from my mini backpack to my school backpack.
“So… you and them… fling? Situationship? Other?” Leigh’s eyebrows waggled as she took a sip of her iced coffee.
I sighed heavily. “I don’t know.”
“What do you want it to be?” Leigh asked.
“Five years later so I was graduating with my PhD instead of undergrad?” I blurted, then I covered my face with my hand. “I can’t believe I said that.”
“At least you’re honest. And I get it. The commute would be a bitch. Especially with all that construction on the inter-ocean freeway.” She grinned. There was no such thing.
“I’m sure their interest will fade. And I should let it. Probably ghost them.” Though I was also wearing Steven’s hoodie today.
Leigh nodded thoughtfully. “Graduation will be here before we know it. You’re allowed to be preoccupied with all that. Our final project is going to take lots of time.”
“Hey babe, there you are!” Logan waltzed over like nothing had happened, the epitome of entitlement. He was over six feet tall and fit, but not as tall and fit as Steven and definitely not as large as Ashton.
While his body language said he was just wandering through campus, the cold and calculating look in his blue eyes indicated otherwise.
“Don't babe me, what do you want?” I gave him a hard look as I took a bite of my sandwich. Ugh, of course he’d come.
“This was all a misunderstanding. I’m surprised you moved out though. Isn’t that a bit of an overreaction?” He moved to sit at the table and Leigh shot him a hard look.
A misunderstanding?
“We broke up. Did you really expect me to stay? Make your lunches, wash your clothes, and continue paying for everything, while your mom accuses me of being after your money? You stole from me and cheated on me. You gave the lunches I made you to your sidepiece. I have nothing to say to you. You need to go,” I told him.
I was no longer smoothing things out for him. We do not enable man-babies. If he wanted that, he could go home to mommy.
“You got it back. It’s all good now. No need to get defensive.” His hands went up in the air. “The place smells weird. Do you know why?” Logan’s pale nose wrinkled.
Yes, I did but I wasn’t telling him. Leigh had her phone and was covertly filming this whole thing.
“Logan, please leave. I have nothing to say to you,” I added.
“You know, we’re all kinda mad at you. You left us without a hotel. You canceled my flight back. You made my bank account negative, and I was stranded in Bali.” He raked his blond hair with his hand as he glared at me.
Laughter bubbled from my lips. “You kicked me out of my own trip and expected me to pay for it. Of course, I’m going to cancel the flight and hotel I paid for and file for bank fraud.”
“Entitled much?” Leigh snorted.
“It’s embarrassing. You owe us an apology. Now.” Logan took a step forward.
“No. They don’t.” Pika, one of my cousins who went here, strode over. He might be a big guy, but he could scale a lanai like nobody’s business. Also, he was captain of the wrestling team.
“I’m not apologizing for refusing to subsidize a trip I was uninvited on.” Me? Apologize? To them? Gross.
“Look, I don’t want to fight. Do you know where my car is? I can’t find it in the parking lot. I can’t find the keys either. I tried texting you, but you didn’t answer.” He pouted a little.
“I didn’t answer you because I blocked you and I blocked all the friends’ numbers you’re texting me from. Now please leave me alone. We’re over,” I snapped. Really, I didn’t want to keep going around and around on this.
“You’re so moody today. Just tell me where it is. I need to get to my internship. Did you park it someplace weird because you’re mad at me? You’re so funny.” He fake laughed. His internship was off campus, and he had it all year. It was the main reason he needed a car.
“Logan it’s my car, not your car,” I said slowly.
“What are you talking about? It’s my car, you just paid for it.” He frowned as if what I said made no sense.
“My name is on the registration. It’s legally my car.
If you would like to pay me for it, I might consider selling it to you, but you would need to pay me in full, for the cost of the car, the amount of the insurance I’ve been paying for you this whole time, and the parking permit,” I started, knowing he probably wouldn’t do it even if he had the money.
But I felt like offering was the right thing to do.
He made a face. “There’s only a couple months of school left. Why would I buy a car now? Now tell me where the car is and give me the keys or I’ll report it as stolen,” Logan threatened, scowling at me.
“Oh, please report it as stolen, that'll be really funny,” Leigh laughed.
He glared at her. “No one was talking to you.”
“No one was talking to you either, yet here you are,” Leigh retorted.
“It’s not your car. Why don’t you ask Mommy to buy you something.” I sighed heavily, willing him to leave.
“You know, there was no reason to be rude to her, and there was even less reason to make that post. You’re embarrassing her. She’s gonna be your mother-in-law you know.” He made his charming face. The one that used to make me melt but now made me want to punch him in the nose.
“Are you delusional? I broke up with you. She harassed me for a week. Not to mention you’re getting back together with your ex and lied about what doctorate program you chose. So yeah, you need to leave.” My voice went hard.
“Did she tell you that? Oh, she’s such a jokester.” He gave another fake laugh. “Just give me the keys and I’ll be out of your way. You’ve got lab soon right?” There were threatening notes in his voice.
“She said to leave,” Pika growled, taking a step toward him. My cousin could beat Logan up.
And Logan knew it.
“Really? You’re gonna be like this?” Logan scoffed. “Unbelievable. After all I’ve done for you. Don’t come crying to me when you get arrested for grand theft auto. Also, you need to apologize to Drea. You made her cry.” He stormed off.
“I want to punch him,” Pika said.
“Me, too,” I replied, no longer interested in my sandwich.
“The audacity of that alpha.” Leigh rolled her eyes. “Do you think he’ll really report you to the police for stealing his car?”
“I don’t know. But I have everything. I parked in the usual parking lot, too. He probably walked past it a million times and didn’t notice because it’s now purple.” I looked at Pika. “You all did such a great job.”
“Thanks, Cousin.” Pika grinned. “I’ll walk you both to lab just to make sure he doesn’t cause you any problems.”
“Thanks. Did Auntie put you up to this?” I finished my ice coffee.
“Any time, and yes.” Pika nodded.
“I’m sending this video to campus affairs. It’s harassment. If you need me to help you file a restraining order, I’ll go with you to the campus legal center after lab,” Leigh added. “You’re an omega, it should be pretty quick.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “If he doesn’t stop, I just might.”