WILD (✓)

~ twenty-six ~

Cassandra flicks a balled up straw wrapper across the table. It lands on the floor and she leans back in her chair, dirty white converse propped up on the coffee table. Hands behind her head, she closes her eyes and lets out a big yawn.

"You should pick that up," I mutter, not looking up from my notes. I wasn't following the discussion of the novel very well in class, which doesn't bode well for my next assignment. Flipping through my scattered outlines, I scramble to make any sense of the words on the pages.

Eyeing the little bit of paper Cass tossed to the floor, my mind flashes to CJ and the other students like him that work in the cafe. Why should they have to clean up after Cassandra?

She shrugs casually and Hannah rolls her eyes before bending down and tossing the wad of paper onto her tray of trash. "So I know you're kinda busy, but can I talk to you about something?" Her eyes are wide, like she's holding something back, trying too hard to seem like everything is okay.

Putting my bookmark in place, I push my book to the side and meet Hannah's gaze skeptically. "What's up?"

She looks to Cass quickly before leaning forward, stretching to put a hand on my forearm. "Okay, so don't be mad or anything -"

Impatiently, I interrupt her. "What is it, Han? I've really got a lot to get through today,"

"CJ isn't a student here!" Hannah instantly clasps her hand over her mouth once she finishes her sentence, apology in her eyes.

Cassandra turns to her, lips pursed. "Really, Han?"

I look between them, feeling my brows knitting together in confusion. Opening and closing my mouth, I'm not sure what to say, my mind unable to process what Hannah just told me. How can that be true?

"What?" Is the only word that escapes my lips.

Looking a little calmer, Hannah takes a deep breath and speaks slowly. "I had Cass look him up at the Registrars Office during her shift this week - I'm sorry, I know it's wrong but something just didn't feel right."

My mind is running in circles trying to keep up. How could he not be a student? "Well, CJ is just a nickname right?" I attempt lamely, the feeling that it's no use settling inside of me. Hannah is pretty thorough.

She nods understandingly. "Of course - so Cass checked all the possibilities for those initials, but none of the ID pictures look anything like him."

Cass nods in agreement. "I checked the board in the Psychology department, too. He's not listed as a major,"

My heart hammers in my chest. This doesn't make any sense - he wouldn't lie about being a student, would he? I think back to the party at the volleyball house when Cassandra's captain didn't recognize any CJ off campus.

How come he never let me see his apartment, again? My thoughts all blur together as things begin to make sense and I feel more and more idiotic for not seeing it sooner. I look up and see him through the storeroom window. What was it that Hannah said about students not working that position? A lump
grows in my throat as things begin to line up.

"But!" Hannah probably notices my shaky hands. "We did see a Professor Jacobs in the Psychology department - isn't that the Professor CJ works with sometimes?"

I nod slowly. "So?"

"Maybe he has some answers," Cassandra shrugs, pushing tangled red curls from her eyes and pulling them into a ponytail.

"Maybe," I bite the inner corner of my lip. "Why would he lie?"

"We're really sorry," Hannah's eyes are wide and sincere. They both stare at me, eyes full of concern but nothing else. They don't have any of the answers, of course they don't. But even still, they were right all along, and so was Mom. The thought is like salt in my wounds as I try to refocus on my school work.