Chapter 26

The next morning, technically later that same morning, I arrived early at Civ class.

Even though I'd managed to get very little sleep, I wanted to be there in case Kendall also came early and wanted to talk before Hayley, Wes, and Cynthia got there.

When I saw them approaching and Kendall still hadn't shown up, I put my jacket on an empty seat next to me to hold it for her in case the row filled up. I shrugged when Wes gave me an inquisitive look as he sat by me on the other side. We hadn't spoken since I'd left our room to see Kendall. Hayley and Cynthia sat directly behind us.

A minute before class started, Kendall appeared. She gave us a brief smile as her eyes swept over our little group. I was in the process of picking up my coat from the chair beside me when she stopped short and sat down next to Wes instead.

I stupidly held the coat in the air as she settled, before making a show of looking for something in one of its pockets. The only one that could have seen my face-saving act was Kendall, and she was making monosyllabic greetings to the rest of the group instead. To me she gave a curt nod.

Just before the professor finished shuffling his papers in preparation for beginning his lecture, Hayley leaned down and put a hand on Kendall's shoulder.

"Kendall, are you okay sweetie?"

Kendall's face briefly crumpled, but she recovered quickly and nodded in response, a wan smile on her face.

Cynthia leaned down over her other shoulder. "Let's chat after class, okay?"

Kendall made the same transparent smile before turning her eyes forward.

Before I turned away Cynthia caught my eye and glared at me, one eyebrow raised. It was obvious what her unspoken message was, 'what did you do, you bastard?'

I expected similar treatment from Hayley, but when I looked at her she was ignoring me. Instead, she was watching Kendall intently.

We filed out at the end of class. Typically this would be where Kendall and I left the group to go on to our other classes together. Today the girls gathered around Kendall, with Wes and me standing just outside their ring of three.

To my surprise, Hayley took Kendall into her arms for a hug, then stood close, holding her by the elbows.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" she crooned. "You look so unhappy." Wes and I looked uncomfortably at each other, while Cynthia stood close and rubbed Kendall's back with slow circles, glaring at me again over Kendall's shoulder.

"It's nothing really, Hayley, thank you for asking, but I'm alright."

"That's nonsense. You look like somebody's been mean to you."

Kendall instinctively looked up at me, an act not lost on the two Chi O members. Hayley leveled her gaze at me, her face coldly expressionless.

"Maybe you should go save Kendall a seat at her next class."

I looked a question to Kendall, who looked back at me blankly. Receiving no signal otherwise I gritted my teeth and turned to go. I'd taken a full four steps away before Wes spoke up.

"Get your ass back here, dumbass," he called. "Wait to walk her to class."

He turned around to see Hayley look at him briefly with a weird lopsided smile. To me it looked insane, but it vanished before she turned back to Kendall.

"You don't have to tell us why, but you look like you could use some serious cheering up," Hayley observed. She jerked her thumb at Wes hovering behind her.

"Why don't you let this big dummy bring you to the Pike's Carnicus party tonight? It'll do you some good to get out and blow off a little steam."

Kendall looked around at Wes, who gave her a thumbs up and a big goofy grin. Kendall smiled briefly in return, shaking her head.