The Will To

E I G H T E E N (white hot)

Friday night arrived quickly. To my utter astonishment, the police department had released a statement notifying the students on campus that another rape had occurred; however, the statement did nothing to shut down the Greek parties. Iesha Okpara, the woman who had been raped, had been done so in her apartment off campus, far away from the streets of Greek Row. She didn't belong to a sorority. They weren't connected.

So, without the fear of rape looming over a frat party, people did as they did: they congregated inside the Alpha Omega Phi house and partied like they had been since the semester began, whereas Iesha was no longer on campus. She'd decided to take the rest of the semester off. I wondered how many more times it would need to happen before people started taking the matter seriously, and, at what point, would people realize that a direct connection didn't need to exist for everything to be linked.

Something terrible was occurring around us all, and everyone seemed content to remain oblivious to it.

People were thick and drunk inside the Alpha Omega Phi house, laughing and chatting like normal. Images of Lyla Evans sitting absently in the library chair filled my mind. She'd made it a week on campus before she packed her bags and headed home while the investigations proceeded. From what I had heard, she'd decided to finish the year at her community college. Both she and Iesha were far from the scene playing in front of me but felt close. Their entire lives had been here and in an instant, it had been taken from them. The world had turned its back on them and they were the ones forced to leave.

Along the back wall of the party, I told myself they were the reason I did what I did. I sought justice. I sought fairness. But, as the muffled sounds of people encircled me, I came to the conclusion that neither existed. How could they when both Lyla and Iesha were forced to leave, as if exiled, betrayed by the place that was supposed to offer a new beginning?

I'd been angry for a long time. But I was another level of angry tonight.

Screw fairness.

Screw justice.

Tonight, I wanted revenge.

Reid had nodded to me when I'd entered. I told myself I'd go and find him later. The last I saw, he'd been surrounded by a group of people with one rather exuberantly giggling woman attached to his side. Her hands seemed incapable of being parted from him. And that was fine, because it was an excuse not to approach him right now. He was busy, and so was I. My plan could wait.

I shifted my weight and leaned against the wall, searching with crossed arms.

"Willa, right?"

Only my eyes traveled to the person who'd said my name. He had short, brown hair and a wide nose, with a set of eyes that were clear like orbs. He wasn't drunk. I could spot it right away. That fact irritated me more, because it meant he was going to purposely annoy me without the influence of alcohol. However, the drink in his hand did not go unnoticed.

"What do you want?" I snipped.

"Wow, guess the rumors are true then. I was just gonna offer you a drink."

"What rumors are you talking about?" I asked derisively. "There are many of them floating around about me."

He laughed and I grew more angry. I wasn't trying to be funny. I didn't want him to think I was joking and that it was an invitation to stay. I wanted him to leave.

"Listen," I started. "I'm flattered that you're here talking to me. Truly. But I'd be even more flattered if you pissed off."

He laughed again. "Yeah, the rumors are definitely true."