Chapter 2: The Playboy's code
295 Words
Being cheated on wasn't my problem. I was too busy color- coding my planner and trying to remember which building " Olin Hall " was.
It became my problem when I found Maya sobbing behind the science building at 11pm.
Maya was my best friend from orientation. Premed ,sharp as a scalpel, and dating Derek from Theta house -- same frat as West. Except Derek had just been caught in the Library study room with a sophomore from the swim team.
And West Holloway, campus playboy, was the one sitting on the concrete steps next to her.
He wasn't touching her. He 'd thrown his Theta hoodie over her shoulders and was holding two melting mint chip ice creams from the dining hall. One for him ,one for her.
"He told me", Maya hiccupped when she saw me ." West told me what Derek did. He could've covered for him ,but he didn't ".
I stared at West ." Why?"
He shrugged, licking hiss ice-cream like this was normal. "Playboy's have a code Miss RA. Rule one: we don't mess with the innocent ones. Rule two: we don't let our brothers break them either".
I didn't believe him. Bad boys didn't have codes . They had excuses and exit strategies. My dad had an entire lecture on moral relativism that covered guys like West.
But then he walked Maya back to our dorm. Waited until I swiped her in, looked at me,still holding his half - melted ice cream.
" You gonna write me up for emotional support, Chen?"
" Only if you don't make it weird", I said.
His grin was slow. Dangerous. " Too late ".
He left, and I realized two things:
1. He knew my name
2. I was in trouble.
- Writer
