Chapter 3
Ryker
A few hours later, I’m sitting at the Ellington Elite mansion with Patrick, Holland, Logan, and Mason. We all share the house and mostly everything in it other than our rooms, thank God.
I never had to deal with that dorm shit since I’m part of the Ellington Elite and any member of the Elite stays in the house. There are a few other guys that live in the house on its third floor, but we don’t really talk to them much unless we’re having an Elite meeting which usually consists of fucking around and not getting anything done.
My brother Logan is one of them. We don’t get along much, but I do try to look out for him. Logan has never experienced our father’s disappointment or foul attitude. He’s the golden child, and he can do no wrong. I’m the first born, I should be better.
Where I couldn’t give a shit about what our father thinks of me, Logan lives to impress him. Logan didn’t want anything to do with the Elite, but father didn’t give him much of a choice, and Logan didn’t argue. He attends meetings and participates in events and parties, but he doesn’t get into trouble.
Holland and Mason sit on the couch, arguing over who should have won their last game of… whatever the fuck they’re playing. I don’t do video games.
Patrick sits at the small table in the corner of the room with Logan across from him on his phone. There are books spread out on the table and Patrick’s head is crooked down, reading quietly while I sit in the chair diagonal from the couch scrolling through my phone.
Logan’s only a year younger than I am, making him and Holland the same age, and the youngest of our group. Mason, Patrick, and I are seniors, and Logan and Holland are juniors.
I’d say Patrick is definitely the smartest of us all. He’s studying to be a doctor, no, not just a doctor. A damn neurosurgeon. I don’t get why because his family is even wealthier than mine and he could easily just get a job at his family’s company. But he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to be stuck in an office all day, following orders from his father and not having a say in his life. That, I do understand.
Patrick and I have been friends since grade school. We grew up in the same circles and we hit it off pretty early on. Both of our fathers were part of the Ellington Elite, meaning we’re both legacies, which is why we had no choice of any other school. We had to attend Ellington University or nothing at all.
Mason and Holland are cousins, so they came together. Holland’s twin sister Ellie attends the university as well. She’s cool, she goes out with us sometimes with her friend Lainey. Their dad’s part of the fucking mafia or some shit like that. I never really cared enough to ask. Mason and Holland are chill, and we all get along pretty well which is a plus.
The Ellington Elite is like a secret society that isn’t a secret, and everyone knows about it. Most of its members come from rich and important families. More than half are legacies, and the others earn their way in.
The Elite are the big men on campus. The ones every guy wants to be and every girl wants to fuck. We don’t do anything illegal, just throw some big ass parties and mess with people a little when they deserve it.
We’re pretty much untouchable due to how much money our families shovel into the university and the questionable positions some of our parents hold in society. Most professors let us skate by since a lot of them get paid off.
I guess one of my asshole professors didn’t get the fucking memo, because I’m failing. Of course, I haven’t really been to class in a bit. While I enjoy literature, I’d rather read stories that I enjoy, ones that interest me. Not ones I’m forced to read and then write eight-page essays on. That may be fun for some people, but it’s not for me.
Professor Whitely has it out for me, I swear. Even when I do show up on occasion, she’s a total bitch. She’s hot though, and I don’t doubt there’s some blackmailing material to dig up on her.
Patrick looks up from his book to watch Holland and Mason’s game, and his gaze slowly creeps over to me. I can feel his stare burning the side of my face.
“Can I help you?” I bite out. He shrugs, leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.
“You’re being unusually quiet over there,” his eyes squint as if he’s trying to search me for any hidden secrets.
“I’m always quiet,” Holland and Mason shut their game off and put their controllers down on the coffee table, simultaneously looking at me and waiting for me to provide more of a response. Logan peeks over his phone slightly. God demit.
“Not this quiet. Usually, you would have given one of us shit by now. You’re not capable of sitting still this long,” Patrick knows me too well, and he’s not wrong about that. I get bored too easily. Another reason I hate sitting in those boring classes, listening to lectures about shit I don’t even care about.
“Jesus, fine. I met with my dad today.”
All three of their faces fall as concern takes over, and Logan looks back to his phone, no longer paying attention. It’s no secret that my dad and I don’t get along. They know the issues we have.
Patrick breaks the awkward silence that’s taken over the room by clearing his throat. “Shit, man. You okay?” I nod.
“I’m fine. Can we drop it?” Mason and Holland exchange a look before turning their attention to their phones. Patrick gives me a salute and goes back to his book.
Fuck, I need a drink. But I have class soon, and now that my father’s on my ass, I actually have to attend. Okay, class first, drinks after.