𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 ✶ RAFE CAMERON

041

Gianna tossed and turned around in her bed that night, the words Ward Cameron had said to her on a constant loop in her mind. They'd replay like a faulty record player, making each word set something off in her brain.

"It's evident that the affection you have for him is larger than any morals you might have."

The blonde couldn't remember the last time a boy had such an effect on her opinions or thoughts. She could be weak minded at times, but she never allowed herself to stoop so low. And yet now, she had.

Gianna knew this wasn't good for her, good for her willpower. Because now the power that Rafe Cameron had over her wasn't finite, and stronger than any strength of character she might have. He killed someone, for God's sake, and she still kept her mouth shut. She still kept going back to him.

Her mind was suddenly brought to Sofia, the girl under his arm at his party that day. She wondered if she knew anything, and if she'd stick around like Gianna did if she were to find anything out. Or if the roles were reversed, and Gianna was the one who had shot Peterkin all those months ago, would Rafe stick around?

She knew the answer to that, and she then realized how stupid she was. How weak she was. How, no matter how amazingly he treated her now, he would've never sacrificed what she did for him. No one would.

Gianna stared up at the ceiling, only for her to finally realize that it was morning. She couldn't tell if she had eventually fallen asleep during her night of pondering, or if she had spent the entire time awake. Her exhaustion during the day would let her know.

Hearing the rummaging and movement from her parents in the kitchen, she decided to get up, running a hand over her face. She dressed herself in nothing more than her robe, not bothered to change into anything else.

Stepping down the stairs, she heard her parents laugh about whatever it was they were speaking about. Probably some internal joke Gianna didn't understand, usually because they were always referring to events before she was born.

"Good morning, sweetie." Katherine rubbed her daughter's back as she sat on the stool beside hers.

Gianna sent her mother a tight lipped smile, feeling the tiredness already begin to unload.

Richard handed her a mug filled with freshly brewed coffee. "Sleep well?" He asked.

The blonde tilted her head back and forth. "Not really..."

Her mother pouted. "Why's that? Nervous with college responses?" The woman laid out the perfect excuse for her.

She nodded. "Yeah. But I know they'll take awhile to arrive."

Her father stirred the pancake mix around the steel bowl. "Which ones did you apply for?"

"Mostly ones in California because of Aunt Carol who lives there," she spoke. "So, UCLA, Berkeley, Stanford..."

Katherine's brows shot up at her words. "Oh! I spoke to Carol on the phone last week. She said that if you wanted to spend a semester in California with her before you go off to school, you're more than welcome to."

The offer was interesting, definitely. To spend six months with her aunt and uncle in a different state, just to get situated before she left to go to one of the schools she stated. Did she get accepted yet? No. But she knew that with her grades, the very ones she had spent hours of studying to achieve, she'd get in at least one of the schools she'd applied to.

Not to mention her essay, which was definitely going to give her an advantage.

Gianna nodded her head. "That's great, actually. I'll think about it."