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“I CAN’T WEAR THIS,” I moaned, looking in the mirror at myself. Collette had come storming in, demanding that I go to the Meet and Greet at Alabaster Hall with her, since Greisen had decided he wasn’t making an appearance. She refused to go alone even when I told her I had to study.
“Bullshit. You are rocking that top, it looks so hot, especially since it shows off that back of yours.”
“I don’t want to show this off! It’s a marker of shame, don’t you get that?”
“It’s not like anyone knows that it’s anything more than a hardcore piercing, shit girl. I’m thinking of getting one just because it looks so fucking sexy on you.”
The binding on my back looked like a corset laced through the rings in my flesh. The ties were imbued with magic to keep my wings from unfurling. Anytime I tried, I was racked with pain and became incapacitated. I had tried just after we returned to the states and learned what a mistake it was. I stared hard at it in the mirror with an unhappy look on my face. The binds couldn’t be cut until the terms of the curse were fulfilled. My heart and my mind needed to be on the same page. I don’t know that it will ever happen. “Do you really think no one will know what it really is?”
“No way, and if they do, they won’t be dumb enough to say anything to you anyhow. You run with me, sweetie.” She fussed with the tie at my lower back on the shirt, and pushed my hair over my bare shoulders to my front. “Let’s just go, get liquored up and flirt with all the boys, but go home with none.”
I thought about Siegfried and a smile whispered across my face, Collette saw it and leaned into me.
“You got someone in mind, honey?” She squeezed my shoulders firmly.
“Well, sorta... Do you think the Deviant Class President and his Guardians will be there tonight?”
Collette squealed excitedly. “You like Sig! Don’t you?”
“I don’t know him to like him, but I know I like to look at him.”
“Oh honey, you gotta do more than look! But you gotta work to get a piece of that! So many girls have tried, but they all fail. He doesn’t show any interest. I figure he’s probably gay.”
“I don’t think so; I mean; I didn’t get that vibe. When I first met him, he was staring at my tits.”
“Well, that’s promising, good luck with it. I’m in full support of getting him laid, he’s so serious when I deal with him.”
I laughed nervously. “I wasn’t thinking about doing that! I just wanna...” I stopped, I wasn’t sure what I really wanted, but I knew that I wanted his attention.
“Well, this will get his blood pumping, if it doesn’t, then the boy is certainly batting for the other team.” She kissed my cheek and slapped me on the ass. “Let’s go get you some Dragon booty!”
“I don’t think I’m at all opposed to that.” I laughed nervously as the excitement mounted in my stomach and I followed her out of the dorm room and down the hall. If I was going to pursue this guy, I needed to be all in, as my sister would say. I couldn’t half ass it. Tonight was gonna be the night I met Siegfried Rembrandt.
***
WHEN WE ARRIVED AT Alabaster Hall the party was already spilling out into the lane. I could hear the music blaring and over the doors was a huge banner that read ‘Welcome Freshman! Women Drink Free All Night’’ I hesitated as we approached, but Collette pushed me on.
“C’mon girl. This is the place.” She looked around with a grin. “I gotta hand it to Sig, he did a damn good job.”
“He set this all up?” I couldn’t help but sound impressed.
“Oh yeah, it’s part of the job. I’d have gone with a bit more color for flair, but what the Hell, right?” She threaded her arm into mine, clasping my hand. “We’re gonna have fun tonight. You are gonna have fun, you got me? And as for Sig...” She trailed off as we entered and his voice cut through the music. I looked ahead, the room was so different. The seats had been cleared out and the bright lights for the daytime were replaced by black and red lighting, giving the place a sensual and chaotic feel. On the stage stood Siegfried with a microphone in his hand.
“Hello Deviant Class!” My heart jumped, he looked good enough to eat in a black button down dress shirt that hugged his lean frame, tucked down into black boot cut jeans. His honey colored hair was spiked up and he had just a bit of five o’clock shadow running along his perfectly set jaw.
“Welcome to the first mixer of the year! I hope I’ve done you justice! You’ll find the food in abundance and the liquor top shelf! There’s a beer pong competition along the wall and a bean toss for shots among other games to help you loosen those lips and hips! Ladies, don’t forget it’s all about you, because tonight, it’s all on me!”
Some random girl jumped up on the stage, wrapping her arms around Siegfried. He smiled and chuckled into the mic. “Easy, honey, when I said drinks were on me, I didn’t mean literally!” He held her at arm’s length. “What’s your name, beautiful?”
“Rachel!” she squealed, jumping up and down.
“Rachel... You’ve got a lot of energy, are you rushing Phi Beta Delta?”
“Yeah!” Her voice was grating and too perky as she kept jumping up and down.
“You hear that PBD Deviants?” He put up his hand, looking out over the crowd. “We got you another cheerleader! Come fetch her and get her a drink!”
Hoots and hollers filled the room, mostly female and all with their eyes on him. I felt a burn in my chest and a surge of anger as my eyes narrowed and I tensed up, watching as he helped to ease the girl off the stage. Collette must have felt my mounting rage because she squeezed my hand.
“You good honey? Spot what you were looking for?” she teased, giving me a tug toward one of the bars. “Or do you need some liquid courage first?”
“Yes, please, before I rip some girls head off.”
Collette laughed. “He’s playing to the crowd, nothing harmful in that. He’s hot, it’s his job.”
“Yeah, well, she’s a slut.”
“Roar... You need to loosen it up a tick. We’re gonna need a lot of booze.”
I laughed as I looked back at the stage, seeing Siegfried was gone. I was going to need all the help I could get if I was going to get his attention. I certainly wasn’t going to throw myself at him like that girl. I needed a plan.