The Game That Breaks Us (Us 3)

“I’ll see you soon.” I wave and climb behind the wheel of my car.

Gym time.

I open the door to my dorm, balancing two coffees carefully in my arms.

Elle sits up in bed and rubs her eyes. Her dark hair is wild around her head and her eyes are bloodshot and puffy from crying. My heart breaks for her. She might’ve been a bitch to me but I would never wish for anyone to experience the situation she was put in last night.

“Hey,” she says softly. She looks down at her bed covers, biting her lip.

“I got you coffee.” I stride over and hold out the peace offering. She takes it.

I take a seat on my bed and she looks over at me. “Thank you, for last night. For stepping in and getting me home.”

“You’re welcome. I hope you would’ve done the same for me.”

She looks away, shame flashing across her face. “I don’t know if I would have,” she admits quietly. “I know that’s really shitty of me, but I think before last night I would’ve let it happen. Said it was karma.” She shrugs.

“I hope you know better now?” I raise a brow and take a sip of my coffee and cringe. It’s way too watery and weak. Looks like I’ll be checking out another coffee cart before classes tomorrow.

“Oh, yeah.” She nods quickly. “I’m sorry for misjudging you,” she whispers. “I won’t make that mistake agai

n.” She tucks her wild hair behind her ears. “Friends?”

I smile. “Are you sure you want to be friends with a priss like me?”

She laughs. “Yeah, I’m sure. You’re cool.”

“Friends then,” I agree. My phone buzzes in my purse and I fish it out, finding a text from Ryland asking if I can meet him at ten. “Hey, Elle?” She looks up. “Ryland is going to give me a tour of campus, you want to go?”

“Who’s Ryland?” Her dark brows furrow.

“He’s the guy that drove us back to campus.”

“Oh.” She nods. “He was nice.”

“Yeah, he was,” I agree. “So, are you in?”

She taps her fingers against the side of her coffee cup. “Yeah, sure.”

“Get ready then,” I tell her. “He wants to meet at ten and it’s already nine-thirty.”

She sets her coffee aside. “Since we’re besties now, I have to say, that’s the shittiest coffee I’ve ever drank.”

I laugh. “I have to agree with you.”

She stands and stretches. “I’m going to take the quickest shower of my life, promise. I feel dirty.” She shivers. I know her feeling comes from the encounter with the guy in the hall at the party and not with sleeping in her clothes.

“I’ll let Ryland know we might be a little bit late.”

“Thanks.” She gathers up her things and heads out into the hall to the shared bathroom.

I’ve never had to share a bathroom before, and I can’t say I like it. It’d be one thing if it was only Elle and me sharing a bathroom, but instead, one bathroom is allotted to half the floor. Community showers are not my thing.

Since Elle is gone, I spend my time tidying her side of the room. I just can’t help myself. The mess is about to give me a panic attack. I don’t know how someone can make so many messes in less than twenty-four hours. That has to be a record or something.

Elle comes back into the room with damp hair and dressed in a pair of jeans, a loose t-shirt, and red Converse. She takes one look at her side of the room and raises a brow.

“Sorry.” I back away. “I couldn’t help it.”