Big Vamp on Campus - Molly Harper Page 0,28

ending in “y.”

And even better, the semester abroad in Romania that Brianna had been planning so smugly for the summer? Well, thanks to a few careful words from Keagan to one of her friends in the campus international affairs office, Brianna’s preference on her application had been changed to Egypt, one of the sunniest countries on earth. And she was going to be staying with a family of enthusiastic evangelical missionaries.

Vengeance is mine, sayeth Ophelia.

I wasn’t sure what was more pleasing about this turn of events, the fact that I couldn’t be linked to these final acts of revenge or the fact that I hadn’t had to bribe or blackmail Morgan or Keagan into doing them for me. They’d just done them, out of loyalty to the Girl Code. I liked the Girl Code very much.

“Yes, well, I’m sure this is for the best for both of you,” Tina said. “Maybe with a fresh start and a new perspective, you’ll have better luck getting along with your new roommate.”

“I hope so.” I smiled, knowing full well that a “computer glitch” was preventing anyone from filling the empty spot in my room, so I would have a private assignment next semester. But Tina didn’t need to know about that. Hail to the Girl Code.

“I’ll have you know I submitted a very complimentary report to Ms. Jameson-Nightengale this month. It was a refreshing change. I hope to repeat the experience very soon.”

“Oh, you can count on me,” I promised. “I will be an exemplary student from here on out.”

Tina gave me one last smile, and her frizzy cloud of hair disappeared into the mass of dancing students.

I surveyed the room, pleased that Tina’s close observation of me was at an end, at least for now. And I had managed to do something nice for my fellow students, which would make life a little easier around the dorm. I’d even invited Kenton to the party, in hopes that he might find some other target for his ardent pontificating. But he’d been so horrified by the idea of attending a party on campus in a dorm that he’d stopped messaging me altogether and had been avoiding eye contact during class. So really, another conundrum had taken care of itself.

For the moment, everything was right with the world, and most of the people in my range of vision looked happy. With the exception of Ben Overby, who sat alone on one of the plush blue lounges, drinking some blue concoction and looking like someone had recently informed him that Santa was just a creepy old burglar in a red suit.

I chewed on my pink-glossed bottom lip and watched him stare off into space. I really didn’t have time to placate him. I had an event to run, and you couldn’t expect the quarterback to spend her time keeping the water boy from having a crying jag. Then again, having a guest who looked like a beaten-down basset hound could suck the energy out of a party very quickly.

Straightening my shoulders, I snagged another mocktail from a passing waiter and slid into the seat next to Ben.

“Having a good time?” I asked over the thrum of the bass.

“Sure,” he said, jerking his shoulders. “It’s a great party. Jamie’s around here somewhere, I think.”

“I know. I’ll find him.”

Ben’s eyebrows rose.

“Your face is screaming for a fresh drink and a sympathetic ear. I have one of those covered.” I handed him the mocktail. “Now, could you perk up a little? You’re sort of creating a fun-free black hole in the middle of a high-traffic area.”

Ben blanched. “Ah, I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t even be out tonight. I’m not in a party mood. I’ll just take off.”

“OK,” I said, standing up and straightening my top. The problem had solved itself with very little effort from me. But when I caught the guilty expression on Ben’s face, a depressing facet to the sadness that was already there, I grunted and flopped back down onto the seat. “What’s going on with you?”

“It’s Gigi.”

I resisted the urge to rub my hand over my face, because I’d spent a lot of time and energy to get the vintage sweep eyeliner just right. “Of course it is.”

“It’s just that . . . Gigi is graduating at the end of this semester,” Ben told me. “She managed to complete a bunch of hours online, and she’s doing some special project from home. She’s not even going to set foot on campus, and she’s going to