CHAPTER 68
**ZION**
My head feels like it's been stomped on by a herd of elephants. I’m stiff all over, and my stomach is in knots. Last night’s beer binge—starting with the party and ending with nearly emptying my fridge—was a mistake, but it did the trick.
By the time I was sprawled out on the living room floor, blacked out, I’d managed to push Snowflake out of my mind entirely.
Not exactly my finest hour, but at least it offered some escape. After a quick shower, a thorough brushing of my teeth, and a fresh change of clothes, I’m starting to feel a bit more human.
Why did I have to drink so fucking much? Now I’m stuck starting my first day of college with a pounding headache.
..........
I spot Cindy lingering beside my car, and a surge of irritation flares up. What the hell is she doing here this early? I mutter a curse under my breath.
As soon as she sees me, her face lights up with a wide smile. I make my way over to my car, trying to mask my irritation.
"Cindy," I say, raising an eyebrow.
"Hi," she chirps, her high-pitched voice instantly grating on my already frayed nerves. I clench my jaw, fighting the urge to snap at her as the throbbing in my head intensifies.
I force myself to listen through the pounding in my head and feign interest in whatever she’s saying.
“I missed you last night, you left so suddenly,” she says, her tone sweet but her frown betraying her true feelings.
“Something came up,” I say, eager to cut this conversation short. All I want right now is to grab a coffee on the way to college and hopefully shake off this pounding hangover.
“It’s okay,” she adds, but her expression tells a different story.
Before Cindy can say anything else, Ro and Clark stumble out of the house, acting like they’ve been living here for years. Without hesitation, Ro opens my car doors and makes themselves comfortable.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I snap.
“Where are your cars?”
“Over there,” Clark replies casually, pointing with a shrug.
“Then get your asses out of my car and use your own!” I demand.
“No can do,” Ronald replies, fastening his seatbelt. “We’re riding with you to college, so hurry or we'll be late.”
Clark hops into the back, practically making himself at home.
"I'll join you guys," Cindy chirps, moving to get into the car, but Clark cuts her off.
“Sorry, Cindy, but the car’s full,” Clark announces, rolling down the window with a grin.
“But there’s room in the back,” Cindy protests, glancing at me for support.
“No, there isn’t,” Clark says firmly. “Winter’s coming with us.”
My gaze locks onto him, fists clenching as I resist the urge to wipe that smug grin off his face as he winks.
He winks!
“Yeah, right!” I seeth under my breath.
Cindy looks at me with those pleading puppy-dog eyes. I glance back at her with a forced smile.
“See you at college,” I say, slipping into the driver’s seat and starting the engine.
“Hey, what about Winter? Aren’t you—”
Before he can finish, I gun the engine and zoom out of the driveway, leaving Cindy standing there with her mouth open. In the rearview mirror, I catch Clark waving cheerily as we speed away.
.........
**WINTER**
My heart pounds so hard that I feel like I might be sick. That would be a spectacular way to make my entrance—throwing up all over myself or, worse, on one of my new classmates. I’ve been dreading this moment since the day I arrived here: stepping into college for the first time, surrounded by strangers.
As the Uber pulls up to the campus, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll fit in. The college building looms before me, and I stare at it through the window, my nerves on edge. I barely slept last night, replaying Zion’s harsh words and his angry outburst in my mind. I still don’t understand what I did to provoke him, and the suspense is driving me mad. Maybe he’ll tell me soon when he’s not being such a bully.
"Look lady, I don’t have all day. Can you get out? I’ve got another customer waiting!" The driver’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I realize I’ve been sitting there, lost in my world.
“Oh, um, sorry,” I mumble, flustered as I scramble to open the car door.
I practically drag myself out of the car, feeling like I don’t belong here. My clothes don’t measure up; even though I’m wearing my best jeans and nearly new sandals, they feel inadequate. I’m not wearing as much makeup as most of the other girls, and despite spending an hour on my hair this morning, it doesn’t look anywhere near as polished. I did my best with what little I had, but it still doesn’t seem like enough.
The campus is overwhelming. Everyone walking by looks like they’ve just stepped off a TV show set, dressed in stylish outfits that seem perfectly coordinated. The cars in the parking lot are straight out of a luxury dealership—sleek, high-end vehicles that make me feel like I’m in a world I don’t quite belong to.
I inhale deeply, attempting to steady my racing heart while I pull out the college map. The campus structures are incredibly sleek and magnificent, each one outdoing the previous. It’s such a drastic change from the high school I just came from. The sheer size and immaculate appearance of everything only amplify my unease.
I walk towards the main building, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. Each step feels heavy, weighed down by the uncertainty of what lies ahead and the lingering unease about Zion.
When I found out I’d be coming here—thanks to Dad’s insistence—I did some research on the campus map. The main building, where most of the classes are held, looks more like a fortress than a school. It stretches out in what feels like a mile in each direction, though that’s probably just my nerves making it seem larger. Flanking it are two other buildings that form a sort of C-shape, housing the gym, pool, auditorium, and other facilities. I’m already anxious about how anyone manages to get from one end of the campus to the other in the short five-minute breaks between classes.
“Look out!” A voice breaks through my thoughts, and before I can fully grasp what’s happening, a bright red sports car roars onto the lawn, tearing up clumps of sod and grass. I scramble away, barely avoiding being run over. The car screeches to a halt, and out of it jump three guys, showing no remorse for the damage they’ve caused.
I spin around, prepared to confront the driver, but the door creaks open slowly, and out steps Zion.
Typical. Always the show-off.
As he saunters towards me, I can’t ignore the smirk plastered on his face.
“You should watch where you’re going,” he says with a mocking edge. “You nearly got run over by my car. What if it had gotten scratched?”
Seriously? He’s more concerned about his precious car than the fact that he almost ran me over.
“Hey Zion, looking good!” A girl calls out, her voice dripping with flirtation as she thrusts her chest out. Zion grins, clearly enjoying the attention, and his friends, Clark and Ronald, join in the laughter. The girl’s friends giggle and tease, creating a clamour of admiration around them.
“Don’t I always?” Zion retorts, his grin widening.
Zion saunters over, his smirk as smug as a cat that’s caught the cream. “Welcome to my college, Snowflake,” he drawls, leaning in just close enough to make me squirm. His voice is laced with sarcasm and malice.
“Here’s a little advice: this campus is my turf. I’m the king around here, and what I say goes. So, keep your eyes open and watch your back. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt before you’ve paid for your little lie.”
Before I can respond, a girl’s voice whines from behind him, “Zion, come on, let’s go!” He throws me one last condescending glance before turning on his heel and rejoining his group.
The group, now united, heads up the grand stone stairs leading to the big double doors of the main building.
Zion glances back at me with that infuriating smirk. I feel a chill settle in my stomach, an icy weight that makes me question if I can handle this place. But I can’t run away now. I have to stick it out. Two years.
That’s all I need to endure. I’ll keep my head down, get my degree, and then get as far away from Zion—and this place—as I can.
Even the idea of leaving Dad behind doesn’t bother me. He was hardly ever around, practically abandoning us when I was barely fourteen.
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