Campus King | 18+

Chapter Thirty-Four

Hannah

H: I know this is such a girly question, but what should I wear to the game? When I was there last time, everyone was dressed up in team colors and merch. I don't have anything like that.

T: Wear nothing.

T: On the other hand, if you wore nothing, I'd lose because I'd be too busy staring at you the whole time, so maybe not a good idea.

H: Right, because I was seriously considering doing that.

T: I'm sensing sarcasm.

T: Don't worry too much, what you wore last time was fine. If you want to show some support, maybe you could wear a low-cut top and paint my number on your tits? I feel like seeing that would really motivate me.

H: My brother's going to be there, remember? There's no way I'm wearing anything less than PG. And you already know what they look like.

T: Not with my number on them, I don't. I feel like they would look so pretty.

H: I'm sure you'll survive.

With a smile, I tucked my phone back into my pocket and continued walking down the path to our morning class. I'd taken the long way on purpose today, hoping to avoid the chaos spreading across campus. This whole week had been insane, filled with pep rallies, parades and other events — all in preparation for the homecoming game today. Right now, students were walking around with megaphones, mics, and cameras, interviewing others and creating mobs of excited fans who all chanted and cheered together. Considering that I now had close ties to Tristan, I was a prime candidate for these interviews.

So, I pulled up my hood and took the scenic route, passing through our college's south gardens. There were a couple of pathways I could take, hidden by all the trees and foliage meticulously taken care of by the groundsmen. The stone benches in the private nooks made it a popular spot for couples.

That's why I was surprised to find a girl sitting alone under one of the trees, her shoulders shaking as she silently cried.

"Beth?" I slowed my steps, recognizing her immediately.

She didn't hear me. She just kept staring into the distance, tears streaming down her face, lost in her own world. A few students passed by, laughing and oblivious, their voices fading as I considered what to do. I couldn't just leave her in this state, alone. Not when she looked even worse than she had the last time I'd seen her in the bathroom. She had somehow managed to lose even more weight and her cheeks looked sunken in.

My conscience wouldn't let me walk away.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over, making sure to approach slowly. "Beth?" I tried again, softer this time.

This time she snapped out of her daze, spinning her head in my direction. She blinked up at me, red eyes swollen from crying. For a second, I wasn't sure she recognized me, but then a flicker of recognition crossed her tear-streaked face. "Hannah," she breathed by name with surprise, wiping her nose with the back of her sleeve. "What are you doing here?"