When I open the door, my plan isn’t to let Christian in.My plan is to step outside to meet him and ask how the hell he is here?No seriously, how?This isn’t a mixed hostel.It’s an only-females dormitory and only females can come in.I used to think it was restrictive that I was assigned here when I was with Levi. He always complained about how he could never come back to my room, and until he started taking me to his place, we didn’t really have anywhere private to meet.We met on school grounds, the cafeteria, the university gym, we met everywhere except in private. The first time Levi took me to his place, he tried to pressure me into having sex with him.Some days I used to wish he would damn all hell and break into the female dormitory to come see me, other days I was grateful that I was stuck in a building where only females were allowed.Now seeing a man here gives me déjà vu of the times I wished Levi would find his way here despite all odds, but instead his brother is the o
Estel and I move to my dorm room at the end of the night and work till morning.Soon we have printouts all over the floor. Printouts of text messages between Cassie and Dean Howard, Cassie and Levi, Levi and several faculty members, and Cassie and some lecturers who she might have even exchanged sexual favors with.We have hard and solid proof of their corruption and how these lecturers have enabled Levi and Cassie to get away with anything they want to get away with.Over the course of the next week, Estel comes over to my dorm room and from there, we uncover a lot more that Cassie and Levi have done and kept hidden.My heart breaks with each horrible thing that’s brought to light, because it seems I’m the only one who was unaware of how horrible my boyfriend and best friend are.I thought since they were always kind to me, they would be kind to everyone else too, but it seems that was never true.Cassie and Levi were never kind to me.They were just nice so they could keep on using
Estel taps and clicks buttons on her laptop with the speed of a running train and by the time she’s done, her grin has transformed into a totally devious smile, “So, are you going to tell me who’s helping you behind the scenes?”My eyes fly wide in alarm and my mouth opens to give an excuse but Estel gives me a look that tells me she won’t buy it. When I shut my mouth, she smiles as she goes on, “The evidence here is extensive and well collated, so don’t lie to me.I doubt you had enough time to study AND take shots of Levi and Cassie in hotels all on the other side of the city, or take pictures of them engaging in substance abuse, or take closeups of Levi’s thesis and highlight the issues with it. Hells, there’s even evidence on here of Cassie and Levi intimidating and bullying employees at hotels, stores…Someone’s helping you. And they did a damn good job at it.”Estel is really smart, and caught red-handed like this I can’t deny it or lie, so I admit, “He’s… He has the same intere
When I meet up with Estel and tell her of the current situation, she looks red-faced and furious after hearing it."They’re doing what?!"I wish I had the same fiery reaction she’s displaying right now but I don’t. Not right now at least. So my response is more mellow than I would like it to be, “They’ve already done it. They secured spots for their names on the honors list. Come graduation, they’ll be called out and recognized as honor graduands.”Estel looks like she wants to scream from rage, but we’re in the library and there’s a “NO LOUD NOISES” sign right ahead of us.Estel’s gaze meets mine and there’s something furious burning in her eyes. Her tone is clipped and violent as she responds, “We can’t let that happen, Lyra.”She takes a deep breath in a clear effort to calm down a bit more before she continues, “I… I already know the names of the people on the honors list. Don’t ask me how I do, but there are only four names. Only four students will be graduating with honors this
It doesn’t take me much time to apply for interviews to the various companies I have on my list.As my hands type in the email addresses and I hit the send button of every application I make to each company, something heavy and light settles in my heart at the same time.Many students wouldn’t normally think of getting a job so fast after graduation, preferring to rest instead before jumping into the employment pool, but they don’t have to because they have the luxury to. I don’t, and each application I send out seems to remind me of that.It also reminds me of how much things could change for me if I get the right job andmy earlier ecstatic state of mind dies down, replaced by a more melancholy feeling.My mind wanders idly for the fiftieth time to Cassie and Levi again, how they might never have to work a job in their lives, and I feel sick.The fact that I can’t seem to get them out of my head makes me feel even more sick, and I blink back whatever emotion wants to roll through me
When I step out the doors to the main college building, I see Estel is waiting outside under a tree, an obviously worried look on her face.When I approach her I realise she’s holding onto her phone a bit tightly. Her eyes catch mine but her tone is a bit glum as she asks, “Did Dean Howard give a judgement in your favour or did Cassie and Levi win this round too?”My mind stutters.What other times could Cassie and Levi have won? Yet the moment I think about it I realize those moments would be too much to count if I actually wanted to.Cassie and Levi have been prominent faces on campus for as long as I can remember, and it seems their prominence and influence reaches even people like the Dean of the University. I want to wonder just how much trouble they must have gotten out of because of who their parents are and the names they bear, but there’s something more important I have to do than wonder.Estel is still waiting for a response, a look of genuine concern in her eyes as she does