Chapter 5
ANASTASIA
“Hey, Anastasia, right?”
I glance over and recognize Dean from my Finance class. He’s got that easy confidence, the kind that makes people listen without even trying.
“Yeah, that’s me,” I say, stuffing the crackers into my bag.
“You’re new here, right? How are you finding Crestview?” He asks, like he actually wants to know.
I shrug. “It’s…different from what I expected. But I’m managing.”
Dean smiles. “Yeah, it’s a lot for everyone. But you seem like you’re handling it well.”
He grabs a bottle of water and then looks back at me. “Mind if I walk with you to class?”
I hesitate a second but nod, “Sure.”
We fall into step together, passing other students. Eyes are on us as we go. On me. I feel like a fish in an aquarium, just being observed and it's eerie. What the fuck is everyone staring at?
“You’re new and everyone is trying to figure you out. You’re a mystery to them.” He says as if reading my thoughts. “Of course, we know who you are, but your circumstances are still unclear.”
We reach the door to Mr. Fuentes’s class, “Hey, I was wondering, maybe after class sometime, you’d want to grab coffee? Just, you know, hang out?”
I’m caught off guard, but I keep my voice steady.
“Yeah, I’d like that.” This could be good for me, after all, this is supposed to be a fresh start.
He pauses, then looks over my shoulder. I turn to see him.
There’s a blonde girl hanging off his arm, trying to get his attention, but his eyes are fixed on me, then on Dean and where he has his hand.
On my lower back, ushering me inside our classroom.
A murderous look in his eyes. I see her glance my way too, giving me a slow, deliberate once-over, sizing me up with a heated stare.
What’s that all about?
I pay it no mind and go find a seat in the front. My eyesight is terrible and I can’t see jack shit so I’m not about to squint all lecture long. Dean finds a seat next to me, but as he’s getting his stuff out, a familiar voice rings out.
“Move, you’re in my seat.” Caine is staring directly at Dean, looking down at him.
“Fuck off, man, I was here first. Find a different seat.” Dean’s voice comes through a bit shaky.
Why is everyone so afraid of these guys?
Nevertheless, he gets up and moves to the other side of me, but a few seats back.
Caine drops down next to me, “Hey Princess, we meet again. Go into any wrong rooms today?”
“Fuck off,” I tell him, venom in my tone.
“You wound me,” he places his hands to his heart and throws his head back, “we’re going to be the best of friends, I can just tell.”
“Never going to happen.” The last thing I need is to be friends with this guy and anyone he associates himself with.
“Never say never.”
He’s sitting to my right, so the half of his face inked like a skull is hidden from view.
But the piercings are impossible to miss.
His eyebrow, his nose and septum, a row climbing up his ear, even one in his lip and cheek.
It’s a lot. But instead of being put off, I find myself wondering why someone would choose to present themselves to the world like this.
To walk into the world knowing you’ll be stared at.
Judged. How brave you have to be not to flinch under the weight of all that attention.
I’ve always wanted to get some piercings, maybe some tattoos too, but I never was allowed to. Maybe now’s the time to change that. I’m an adult now, without ‘daddy’ watching my every move. Maybe I should ask him where he got his done at? I should get Ro and Shina to come with.
“It’s not nice to stare, Princess,” he says with a smirk bringing me out of my daydream. Here I go dozing off. Great.
I roll my eyes and huff out, “I’m not.”
“Mhm, whatever you say,” Caine winks at me.
Just then, professor Fuentes comes in commanding our attention forward.
Mr. Fuentes has been rambling on for at least twenty minutes straight. No slides. No pauses. Just pacing at the front of the room like the world hinges on our understanding of capital structure.
"Now, in theory—” he says, drawing the word “—a firm’s optimal capital structure is achieved when the weighted average cost of capital, or WACC, is minimized. This is the point at which the benefit of debt’s tax shield precisely offsets the risk of financial distress—”
I blink at the whiteboard, which is now covered in acronyms and scribbles that look more like a crime scene than a finance formula.
I can’t focus at all, did I even take my meds this morning?
I try to go through a mental checklist. Did I make my bed this morning after I got up?
I closed my room window, right? I’m almost positive I locked the door.
And I placed the key in my bag…right? Fuck my mind is spiraling.
I definitely forgot to take my meds this morning and now I’m going to suffer all day for it.
I pick my bag off the floor and dig through until I find my keys. Ok, good. Oh look, a piece of candy. I tear the snack size bag of fruit snacks open and place a gummy strawberry in my mouth. I glance at the clock and–omg its only been five minutes? Kill me now.
Mr. Fuentes drones on.
“—because too much equity can dilute shareholder control, while too much debt increases volatility and, of course, risk of insolvency—”
My eyes flick to the clock again as if I didn't just glance at it. Still forty-five minutes left. I consider chewing through my pen just for something to do.
I nod along like I’m listening, but in my head I’m back to dozing off wondering what kind of person gets excited about this stuff.
Probably Dean. He’s sitting in the row behind me, nodding like Mr. Fuentes is preaching gospel.
Of course he is. He seems nice enough though, I’m kinda looking forward to our coffee date.
Dean seems safe and normal, and thats what I need right now.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to see him passing me a note.
402-555-0198
Just then class is dismissed and he’s one of the first out the door. I collect my things and get ready to go meet Ro and Shina and tell them about Dean. I wonder what they know about him.
I’m almost out the door when a hand wraps around my elbow and holds me back. I turn around and find Caine behind me holding me tight and gesturing me to go off to the side so we can talk.
“What do you want Caine?” His grip is tight around me.
“What are you doing with him?” His voice is stern, but not in a scary way, it has a warning behind it.
“With who? You’re going to have to elaborate.”
“Don’t play dumb, I watched you with Dean.”
What the fuck does he care if I’m talking to Dean. I can talk to whoever I please.
I make a point to look around myself, behind him, under my arms and all around. “What are you looking for?” He asks me.
“Oh, just for the FUCK I’m supposed to give.”
Caine grabs my chin holding me in place and tilts me up so I’m looking directly at him before he speaks again.
“That fucking mouth on you princess,” He tsks. “I was trying to be nice and give you a warning, but maybe you should find out on your own.”
I get out of his grasp and ask, “Warn me about what?”
“Oh no, that ship has sailed, we’ll just let him deal with it. See you around princess.”
“I don’t owe him anything. Plus he looked pretty cozy with blondie this morning.” I cross my arms, feeling like I won this argument.
He starts laughing at me, “Oh this is priceless. You’re jealous.” And with that Caine walks away leaving me where I stand.
“Ahhhh what the fuck is it with this place?” I silently scream at myself.
Lunch with the girls was fine, unfortunately when I asked about Dean they didn’t seem to know much about him.
Only that they’ve seen him around. He’s a business major so they don’t see much of him.
I’m not really looking to date, but a girl can have some fun.
After all this is the time to be wild isn’t it?
Before we’re tied down into the roles constructed for us?
But I have his number now, so I’ll find out what he’s about on my own. This could be good for me, and if nothing less, a fun ride.
Then I asked if they knew who blondie was, who I seen hanging off his arm. Apparently her name is Brielle and is Eryx’s ex-fiancee. The ex he broke things off with three years ago. So why the fuck is she hanging off of him like she still owns any part of him.
Better question, why do I care? I don’t think I’m ready to answer that yet though.