Chapter Three

s.

"You looked really hot on that stage, babe" Some blonde haired guy says, sidling up next to me as I'm headed back to my room. Since the assembly I've been walking around campus, getting to know my new surroundings. I was just on the way back to my room since this morning, a cup of soup in hand.

"Did I?" I ask, stopping in my tracks and fully turning towards him. He was hot, I'd give him that. Tall and muscular, with a blandly handsome face that had nothing in particular to take note of.

"I'm Grayson, but everyone calls me Gray, though" he announces quickly as if I'd asked.  Or as if I cared. "Sure. Virgin?". His eyes widen and the pale shade of his face instantly takes on a red color. "W-what? No! Of course I'm not". "Coming?". I turn away from him and resume walking to my room, uncaring if he actually came or not. "Yeah! Yeah, of course".

We walk straight through the front door of the dorm, with me completely ignoring his questions of were we actually walking straight through the front door of the dorm. All of the girls in the CA common area seem shocked to see him here, and even more shocked that I was leading him to my room.

It was unexpected, and when things are unexpected they can't be planned for. So there was no reason for the House Mom to be on alert. And that's why I did it. He'd be long gone before she realized there was something for her to be worried about. Unless someone snitched. And I wouldn't recommend that.

I lock the door behind him, and sit my soup on the bedside table. Soup would always be there and I'm sure he would, too. But how interesting is soup, really? "So?" I ask, crossing my arms over my stomach and grabbing the hem of my shirt. He nods up and down, a dog with a bone being waved in front of his face flashing in my mind. I pull my shirt up and over. "Cool".

...

"So, not a virgin" I say breathlessly, rolling onto my back. He chuckles, doing the same. "No. I just didn't expect that question". "Nice. This was... nice, but you should get going, yeah?". "Oh". He gets up from the bed and gathers his things. "When will we-" he starts but I clear my throat loudly and he stops.

"Lock the door behind you. I'm gonna shower" I say, getting out of bed and brushing past him. That was the best thing about these Alpha Dorms. An en suite bathroom. A more important thought than him, since I had my fill. "Of course" he mutters and I flash him a smile before closing the door behind me. I mean, soup could never be that fun.

Walking back down into the commons after that was an amazing experience. The judge-y looks weren't as common as I thought they'd be. There was more awe, as if they couldn't believe I did it and didn't know how I pulled it off.

"Just a warning, Selah. Gray is no good and a no go" someone says from behind me. One of the HOH's that the Dean pointed out to me. Nastassia, I'm sure it was. "He was pretty good to me. Maybe your chemistry was just off" I suggest and she gags dramatically.

"I didn't SLEEP with Grayson Du Pont. Did you?". "He didn't say?". "He told me you guys talked. I just don't want you falling for his charms and then getting your heart broken. Leave walking around your dorm crying over him to the BG girls, because I don't feel like dealing with it".

I burst out laughing. "CHARM? HEARTBREAK? Relax, sweetie. You don't have to worry about me crying over Grayson Du Pont. Or worry about me at all, really. Thanks, though". She doesn't say another word until I reach the exit and then, "Why are you here? Or, why'd you get kicked, rather?".

I open the door, the cool air brushing over my barely clothed skin, covering it in goosebumps. "Remember when you had the right to know my business?" I pause, listening to her begin and end several sentences without finishing a word. "Me neither".

"You'll have to walk around in more than a dressing gown for future reference" the Dean says to me, as I'm standing in the entrance of her office. I had my soup and then headed straight over afterwards. "Definitely. Anyway, I came about the dance gym. Did my mom talk to you about that key?".

"We had a hard time getting the details across with the signal. I was hoping for a little more information". I walk past her into the room even though there was no offer extended and sit in the seat across from hers. The door closes and then she comes over and sinks down into it.

"Of course you were. When I get upset at something, I resort to dance instead of something dangerous to my health. So, I'd like to be able to access the gym at anytime for that reason. Enough details?".

"By anytime, you mean after curfew?". "Does time cease to exist after seven?" I ask, and she works hard to hide her grimace, but it doesn't work very well. "Have you ever resorted to something dangerous to your health?". "No. But I COULD, in theory. Though I didn't have to, since my last school gave me a key".

"Your parents painted a picture of you for me before they left yesterday. A story that they, themselves, didn't really know. There's a huge gray area in there, closer to the beginning. Before it there was light and color, and afterwards, dark tones bathed the canvas. Would you like to talk about it with me?".

I look at her through lowered lashes- unimpressed and uninterested. "No. But very poetic, Dean" I tell her, studying my nails. She sighs, going in a drawer and pulling out an envelope. "Here. Don't take advantage of it, Selah". I grab it from her with a smile. "Whatever you want, Yarbs".

Later that day, around five or so in the afternoon, I head to the Dining Commons in the main building for dinner. I spent the time between leaving the Dean's office and heading here in the dance gym.

After, I showered and now I'm standing in the line for a Kale & Brussels Sprout salad, because it's just what I craved at the moment. As I'm walking away from check out two girls appear in front of me with genuine, bright smiles.

"Wanna eat lunch with us?" the shorter one asks, twisting the end of one of her ponytails around her finger. Her wavy, cocoa colored hair is styled in two of them by bubble gum pink scrunchies.

She has large, doe eyes and long lashes with unstyled brows and the most adorable dimples on her round face. A caramel colored hand is extended to me, and I take it with my free one.

"I'm Kennedi Fox and this is Elliana Combs" she says, playfully hip checking the girl beside her. Elliana was almost identical, except she was one or two shades lighter with no dimples and had her by at least three inches.

"Nice to meet you two. Twins with different last names?". They both nod their heads at once. "Our parents split before we were even born, so I took our mom's last name and she took our dad's" Elliana explains.

I look around the DC and my eyes settle on a smaller table farther away from the center of the room where everyone seems to have grouped. Apparently the prime real estate was the table, and all of the ones surrounding it, where Nastassia and Peyton sat. I was more than a little happy to stay away from all of that.

"I'm gonna sit at the table over there beside the window. If you two would like to join me, that'd be nice. If not, I'll be fine sitting alone. No worries". They look at each other, considering, before turning back to me with a nod.

"Sure. We usually sit with our friends at the Alpha table, but it'll be nice to have a change of scenery. We have to go and get our plates, though. Walk with us?" Kennedi requests. "Of course" I say, letting her link her arm through mine. Elliana takes her other one and we head to the table into the center of the room.

"She came with you guys. I honestly thought you'd fail your mission" Nastassia says and the twins laugh awkwardly. "Actually, we came over here to get our plates. We're gonna go and sit at another table with her" Kennedi explains and both Peyton and Nastassia's eyes turn deadly.

"Are you serious, Ken? We sit here every single day" Peyton practically growls at her. "Sounds like a good enough reason to sit somewhere else to me" I say and their glares turn in my direction.

"We sit here because it's the Alpha table and people who have actually earned their spot, know how much that means" Nastassia spits. Everyone's heads pivot towards me as if they're watching a tennis match. '

"You sit here because you like to be the center of attention. It's only a designated table for bitches who didn't get enough of it from their parents at home. But enjoy it, babes, it's the only stage the two of you will ever be on. And sincerely, from me to you, go fuck yourselves".

I turn around without waiting for their response, or for the twins, but apparently they follow behind me because they sit down just after I do.

"That was insane. I've never seen Pey and Stas fish-mouthed before" Elliana blurts and Kennedi bobble heads, seemingly in shock. "I don't know why she was so upset. It's just a table, right? She's not going to try and kick us out of CA just for that, is she? That would actually be insane" Elliana panics.

"I'd stab her in her sleep if she did that. She can't just kick us out because she wants to, Ell. There has to be reasonable cause" Kennedi explains, recovering from her shock. Meanwhile, I'm shoveling huge bites of salad into my mouth because it's so incredibly good.

"You're right. Oh, thank goodness, you're right" she says and then both of their eyes turn to something behind me. "What are you guys doing here?" Kennedi asks and I look around to see Gray and another guy from the table standing there, trays in hand.

"The vibes got really bad there, really quickly. I think her head exploded when we stood up and left mid rant. Although it was probably no where near the middle of it" Grayson says sitting down beside me.

"Hi, friend" I say, bumping my shoulder against his. He grins, putting his tray onto the table. "Hi, friend. This guy is Damien, an asshole, and the captain of the lacrosse team" he tells me, nodding to the other guy, who takes a seat to my right.

"This guy is not an asshole, but I AM happy to finally talk to you. You're bad ass. And I mean Kitana Kahn type of bad ass" he says and I laugh, taking a bite of my salad. "How do you figure that?" I ask and both guys scoff. "The way you basically told everyone in DPH to shut up and we all immediately listened, for one" he offers up.

"Or the way you left the best friends from hell speechless just a minute ago" Gray adds. "I feel very seduced by both of you right now" I tell them and everyone laughs. "Oh, I'm enjoying this table already" Kennedi admits, everyone agreeing with her. Maybe a new school isn't as bad as it seems.