Chapter 456

Chapter 49
“Good. Don’t let them get in your head.”
“I wanted to ask you something or offer something. I don’t want you to take it personally, though,”
she says.
“Is this about Shane?” I ask.
“No, actually, it’s about Finance class. I know that’s where they broke you and I know numbers aren’t your strength. I’d be willing to tutor you, if you’d like. If not…”
”
“I’d love that, Cassie! Seriously. I need the help, desperately. But you’re going to have to be patient with me.”
“I’ll be patient with you about learning numbers, if you’ll be patient with me when I let fear take hold of me again.”
“Deal!”
“YAY! I thought we could study on nights we don’t have the sex class, so Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Does that work for you?”
“Yeah,” I say, thinking that I’m expecting to be free every night of the week. Shane obviously has no intention of joining me in the sex class and I have no intention of letting him touch me after looking at me like I betrayed him. I’m sure there’s someone they can get to replace me as his
partner.
That night, I fill out a withdrawal slip for the sex class. I know that it probably means I won’t make it onto the leaderboard, much less make number one. But I can’t attend that class and let
Shane touch me intimately when he feels the way he does about me. I’ll have to work harder in my other classes, but with Finance being such a problem for me, I don’t think I can make enough points to get on the leaderboard.
I sigh. It’s what I’ve wanted my entire life, to get on the leaderboard, to make my family proud. But now, I feel that dream slipping away. I pull my shoulders back. It can’t be helped. I won’t let someone who despises me touch me, to be intimate with me in the way you have to be in that class, and I’m not willing to work with anyone else here at the Academy. With my luck, I’d end up with Nicholas.
I drop my withdrawal slip off at Alpha Jackson’s door, since he and Luna Sam are the ones teaching that class, then I go for a run.
The next morning, I sit away from Shane, refusing to make eye contact with him. I said my peace, now he needs to figure himself out. Cassie sits with me, thank the goddess, and just before we head out to Sparring class, Alpha Jackson slaps my withdrawal paper in front of me on the table.
He leans in getting close enough that he can’t be overheard. “Denied. Figure things out and get back to class by next week,” he says before standing and walking away. Across my withdrawal slip if a big “DENIED” stamp.
I take the paper and crumple it in my hand, furious all over again.
“You tried to withdraw from the sex class?” Cassie whispers.
I look at her. “Would you want someone who looks at you the way Shane is looking at me putting their fingers inside you or their mouth on you,” I growl.
She blinks, then sits back. “You have a point. But why would they deny you?”
“I’m sure my brother and Dane had a role in that,” I growl.
When we get to Sparring class, I stand away from Shane. I notice that everyone except Cassie is keeping their distance from me. I’m not sure if I’m still emanating anger, or if this is a response from yesterday. Honestly, I don’t care.