O

h the mother and daughte

and controlled. The legs beneath her jeans were long and stra

a brief second. I al

rking. But in that moment, my attention did drif

y familiar about her. I just

t her

ight br

erately sealed away, now quietly tryi

ved the thought aside, nodd

he next

day. I didn't have time f

fter I'd finished my last consu

: William

check the notes t

r" of our class, and one of th

is mother came from East Coast old money and worked in art collection and gallery manag

maintaining relationships-fraternity events, alumni gatherings, charit

d

eed to show up-yet somehow

?" I a

carrying the effortless confidence of someone who'd b

against my desk

. My family's old beachfront estate. Most of the fraternity guys wi

se they

n't a

resourc

till in t

fallen

th continue

knew th

is you-especially the women. They've been calling you out in the group chat. They're dyi

n't r

d had latched onto a single image-

eliberately provocative. Those damn jeans clung

le bobbing as I tried to suppress the pr

dn't

y abdomen, something twitchi

s and sucked in

u

en-year-old slave

w near, I felt like a wild an

are the only two wh

. My mind felt

till there?

ped to the p

en, thin gold trim

it for se

y worn off, yet I'd

mory burst through

my bi

I accepted E

ring herself would buy her a moment of tenderness. I agre

, if I'

eelings

Labeled "Fat Emma" on campus, yet her face w

ow

d words she ne

ndow on the third floor of the library, sleeves pulled ov

ept

would dart away whenever

e'd hesitate

di

she was using every ou

" she said. "So I'll just treat t

s just another f

redefined the wo

orning, sh

ack velvet box. Inside was a

Birt

d part-time at the campus library-savi

long time, the corner of my

d to fi

to be s

er got th

aternity threw me a birthday p

ent. Part of me waited-ridiculou

di

s that a hickey?" Joshu

, instinctively

a to a hotel-seriously?

ty brother was

ve told

it wa

initi

anted he

as the one

I di

s af

d you? Jesus, are you insane

eded an

the image of

rculate easily at

ap, fat girl? I'd

myself

d to th

n't what

ever wha

around. I'm leavin

tab myself-killing

a haze. I drank too much, laug

phone, planning to ask her to

lready bl

d lodged itself in my chest lik

s voice yanked me

" I asked, my voice d

d. "But if she knew you were coming, she'd probably show. We all know how desperate she

e body w

ened. My teeth

I nearly hurled my

g grin. Picture everyone laughing as he to

fists, knuckle

o be one

ed to pin his f

rning in my throat, sai

ic

sultation roo

faintly yellow, a block of fire lodged in m

in a h

ring a wh

ardiothoracic consul

't lose

cking. wanted t

d

ld attend that