CHAPTER 40: ALMOST A DATE
Point of View: Lorain Hart
By Saturday afternoon, the sun had finally punched through the heavy grey clouds, painting the university quad in bright, amber light.
The heavy, suffocating horror of my mother’s tears still lingered like a shadow in the back of my mind, but the world didn't stop moving because my family was built on a lie. The Student Council’s annual campus charity auction was scheduled for 5:00 PM, and as President, I had no choice but to show up and perform.
I stood behind the temporary wooden stage built near the central fountain, desperately trying to unbox three oversized crates of auction items.
"Need a hand, Chairwoman?"
A deep, gravelly voice rasped near my ear, followed instantly by the intoxicating scent of cedarwood, cold rain, and pu
