sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes fixed on the phone, waiting fo

d at the phone. He had just

the nurse," he sa

lf another whisky, nearly chok

o expensive. It mad

tely a pro. No normal girl turns down free medical care from a bi

reading her message again. It

. They all wanted it. They all expected it. They all demanded

is is not a gift. Th

p. She bit her lip and typed back immediately. To me

n, but they weren't hostile. They were tired. They wer

Fine. Call me if

essage to his assist

ieve it. She just made you back down. Dereck Campos, the most

in his eyes. "She's not manipula

smile on his face. "You're in t

elt dizzy. She fell back onto the mattress, her limbs loose and trembli

int and the water stain in the corner. She was still trapped. She was

t attack. She had to be proactive. She had to g

d a singular focus. She showered, dressed in her most professional outfit-

. Students hurried across the quad, clutching coffees and laptops.

owledge, and right now, it was her best hope. She found the student employment offic

hours a week max. Fill this out. With your GPA, you'll probably g

orm. As promised, her phone rang two hours later, and

the dean's office was plastered with flyers. She scanned them quickly

NEEDED. Physics 1200. M

the flyer and pulled out her phone. She dia

ion. I'm a junior in the engineering scho

oman. "Thank God. My son is failing. Can you come t

She hung up and added the

ulled out her laptop and opened her spreadsheet. She entered her new incom

piece of fruit from the bag she had bought at the farmer's market three days ago. Sh

he sun-drenched reading room, eating her apple and planni

tment. She was Giselle Stephens, and she was going to