look on his face had told me he came to the same conclusion. One other girl had been taken to the hospital when her friends found her acting strange. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but it made the school open an investigation that shut down the fraternity temporarily. Between the third strike they had for even throwing a party and the allegations somebody roofied drinks, it didn’t look good for them. I wasn’t sure I felt bad for them though. Jase knew they’d been warned but he held the party anyway, and even though it wasn’t his fault someone was trying to hurt women, it still happened and could have turned out way worse than it did.
“You’re also pretty,” he added, batting his lashes, and making me snort.
We walked side by side down the less packed first floor hallway, which had more room for students to mill about while they waited for classrooms to empty.
“In hindsight, I’m lucky to even be alive after the way your guard dog snapped at me. I deserved it, but I feared for my life. Definitely would rather face off with Lauren.”
“Would you stop calling Theo that?” I huffed, eyeing him for the millionth time. “It’s bad enough I kept having to defend you to him when I woke up at his place. I already told you both that you’re forgiven, and it wasn’t your fault.”
“But he still hates me, doesn’t he?”
“Theo is…”
“I get it, Del. I do. He’s the father figure you needed, so he wants you to be safe. I know that you care about him…a lot. And no matter what you say, I’m always going to feel bad about what happened. About what could have happened. Listen, word got around that it might have been Evan who drugged a few drinks that night. There’s been talk he’s done it before but…”
“He’s never gotten caught.” My stomach dropped over what that probably meant. I told him I’d suspected him considering he was following me after I turned him away. And Evan…there was something off about him that went beyond his distaste for me. “They have to kick him out, Ren. Please tell me there’s at least a hearing or something with the council or whatever it’s called?”
“They’re voting at next week’s meeting.”
I blew out a breath. That was something. I wasn’t sure why it was taking them so long. Nobody really liked Evan from what I could tell. How hard was it to secure a vote that made sure he wouldn’t harm people?
“But.” My body froze as we stopped at the double doors that led to my salvation in form of paint fumes. “It doesn’t mean anything will happen. Talk is talk.”
“What if there was proof?”
“There isn’t. We know it. He knows it.”
I shook my head, anger boiling my blood. People like Evan got away with too much. I would know, I’d seen it happen countless times. Who was I to talk though? It was no secret that my father hadn’t gotten away with things, which should have been prime reason for people not to think their money could protect them. “He deserves to be kicked out of the frat whether there’s clear evidence or not. If plenty of people are talking about it, obviously there’s a reason.”
He dropped his arm and turned to me, his light eyes dulled. “I agree with you, but it’s not that easy. We’ll deal with him eventually, okay? You don’t need to worry about it.”
“How can I not? You know better than anybody that Evan hates me already.” I frowned, blinking at my friend with genuine concern. “There are innocent people he probably hurt, and even more he hasn’t had a chance to if nothing is done.”
“We don’t know for sure he hates you. Why would he? You’ve done nothing to him, Del. And what happens to other people isn’t on you,” he reminded me. We’d had similar conversation before, so I knew where the conversation was going. “You need to stop trying to fix the world’s problems and focus on you and yours.”
“I didn’t realize I had problems.”
He eyed me skeptically.
“Whatever,” I grumbled, pushing hair behind my ear. “Was it at least worth it?”
He blinked.
“Ben.”
A slow grin tilted his lips. “If that’s your way of asking if he’s a good kisser, I never kiss and tell.”
I smacked his arm. “Liar!”
He laughed. “Nothing is worth you getting hurt, but I know what you’re really asking. I had fun. Ben is nice. But would I date him? Maybe, but