Campus King | 18+

Chapter Forty-Five

Hannah

Tristan was nowhere to be found when we got to the bonfire area, but we did find Jenny and her friends sitting with Matthew and a few others, all enjoying cold beers and fried food. Jenny was the first to invite us to join them. I thought about saying no and going in search of Tristan, but I didn't want to distract him if he was busy. I told myself I'd see him later, so Bailey and I settled in with the group, joining in on the conversation. Well, mostly Bailey.

But try as I might, my mind kept wondering. I had a lot to think about — this whole thing with Amanda weighing heavily on my mind. One question nagged at me: why hadn't she confronted me about this sooner? After an entire year?

She wasn't the type to sit back and keep quiet. I guess there had been those rumors she and Penelope had spread, but surely she would have said something else? Perhaps Penelope had found a way to keep her quiet, fearing that a confrontation between us would reveal her betrayal, which kind of happened. However, Amanda might still be too pig-headed to realize what Bailey had implied when she'd reprimanded her.

"And you, Hannah?"

I was jerked from my thoughts by Jenny's question. Both my brows raised as I turned to face her. "I'm sorry, I missed your question."

Today she was dressed in a loose peach-colored shirt with the words 'living my best life' on the front and some white yoga pants. Her red hair was pulled into two french braids and she wore very little makeup. She looked young and fresh.

"I was asking everyone what their plans for the holidays were. Can you believe there are only three weeks left until Thanksgiving?" she asked, her smile genuine and curious.

"Oh, uh, I'll probably just split my time between my parents — they're divorced. And you?" I replied, mirroring her smile.

To be honest, I wasn't even sure if I'd be visiting my dad this year. I hadn't met his new girlfriend yet, and the thought of that encounter made me uneasy. And then there was the prospect of dodging my mother's relentless matchmaking attempts with men from her church. To her, only devout, church-going men were fit for marriage. Not that I had marriage on my mind, but that didn't seem to matter to her. Just thinking about it all gave me a headache.

Though, I wondered what she'd think of Tristan. I had intentionally kept him out of our conversations to avoid her probing questions, back-handed comments, and her dramatic reactions to my dating choices. After all, why open that can of worms when I knew it wouldn't last long?

Jenny turned to Matthew, her face lighting up with a big, goofy grin. "Matthew invited me to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family! My parents are doctors, so they'll be working that day. It works out perfectly. His sister and I have been messaging every day, and I adore her."

She looked so content, practically glowing as she gazed up at him. When he returned her smile, she melted, and a sharp pain pierced my heart, leaving me breathless. I forced a smile, even as raw envy consumed me. Because I'd never have that.