"You really should reconsider learning that skill," a voice behind us said. I turned and found Violet Metzler walking five feet behind us with a knowing look on her face. Little puffs of frozen air drifted from her mouth as she sneered, "It's so tacky and common."
"Well, Vi, takes one to know one," Liz said as she turned and stared at Violet while she continued to walk backwards.
"Funny, Baker," Violet said in a voice that indicated she thought it was anything but funny. "You really should spend more time focusing on your studies and less on your appearance, since you really only have hope of improving the former."
"Why you--," Liz growled as I quickly grabbed her arm and squeezed it hard.
"Ladies, ladies, ladies," I said, stepping between them without letting go of Liz. "Let's not start a brawl in the middle of campus, shall we? Violet, I'm sure you have much better things to do than to stand around trading insults with Liz, so why don't you move along and get to them?"
"You should hang out with better company, Alex," Violet said as she walked past us toward the student center. "Someone like that will only drag you down and keep you from achieving your highest potential."
"I'll take my chances," I said dryly. "But thanks for your overwhelming concern."
"I swear to God, I'm going to lay her flat one of these days," Liz fumed as we picked up the pace so we wouldn't be late to class. As nursing students in the same cohort, we all took the same classes together. Fortunately, Violet had gone to some fancy prep school where she'd received credit for many of the general education classes we had to take, so she wasn't in our psych class.
As we sat down and pulled out our books, I looked over at Liz who was staring down at the textbook on the desk with a look of mixed anger and sadness. I grabbed her hand and squeezed gently as she reached up and wiped away a stray tear that had escaped her eye.
"I'm going to kick her ass someday," Liz said fiercely.
"Let's work on doing it in a way that doesn't end up with you being booked for assault, okay?" I whispered as Liz flashed me a grateful smile.
If I was honest, I, too, wanted wipe that smug grin off of Violet Metzler's face. I just didn't know if it could be done.
Chapter Three
Cam
When Tesla and I arrived at the station for my shift, I saw that Danny and the new guy, Victor, were cooking breakfast for the squad. Once everyone had said good morning to Tesla, she settled down in her usual spot next to the television and proceeded to chew on a bone that Mike Kelly had brought from his father's butcher shop down in Pilsen.
"What's up, Connor?" Victor asked as he stirred the scrambled eggs in the pan. "Haven't seen you in a while."
"Not sure why, I've been here." I shrugged as I picked up a copy of the Tribune and read the headlines. "Where have you been?"
"Around," Victor said, concentrating intently on the eggs. "Just making friendly conversation, no need to get your boxers in a twist."
"They're not," I said over my shoulder.
"Guys, c'mon!" Kelly said as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. "We're all in this together today. No need to pound chests or engage in insults, right, Connor?"
"Whatever." I shrugged again. "He started it."
"What did I start?" Victor asked, raising his voice. "I was just commenting on the fact that I hadn't seen you in a while!"
"Aw, c'mon, Vangel," I said, irritated that he was forcing me to acknowledge him this way. "You're a prick on a good day and you know you are, so let's just get that out of the way and move on with our day."
"How am I a prick?" Victor demanded. "You're the one who broke the rules and forced the Chief to discipline us!"
"That, my friend, was not my fault," I replied without looking up from the newspaper. "And you know it as well as I do."
"God, you are such an ass, Connor," Victor said, shaking his head. "You refuse to take responsibility for anything."
"I am more than willing to take responsibility for what I actually do," I said. "But I made a judgment call and lives were saved. I think you're forgetting that you went along with me."
"Did I have a choice?" he spat.
"Guys! Knock it off!" Danny said as he slapped butter on the last two slices of toast and brought the plate to the table. "Cam. Victor. It's over and done with. Why can't you two let it go?"
"He's the one making a big deal of nothing." I shrugged again. "Not my fault."