friends were ridiculing and insulting her directly to her face, which would chase her away. But then pragmatism settled on his shoulders when he realized his friends would never do that to him, despite how much they disliked her, and he felt his body return to calm. Besides, if Beatrice couldn’t put up with it she would have left a long time ago.
Calloway kissed Beatrice on the cheek when he reached the table. “How are you?” he asked.
“Good,” she said. “How are you?”
He nodded. “Good.” He hadn’t told anyone else about his acceptance and he knew now was the time. Easton was reading a textbook and she didn’t look up at his approach.
“I need to talk to you,” he said.
“Hmm?” she said without looking up. Whenever Beatrice was present, Easton ignored both her and Calloway as much as possible. It was frustrating that his friends couldn’t accept his girlfriend, even though Calloway had been dating her for a while, and it irritated him that they continued to hold a grudge. Beatrice had proven her commitment and sincerity—what more did they want? He wanted Easton to end this dismissive attitude but he knew it was the lesser of two evils. If she wasn’t quiet, then she would insult Beatrice at every opportunity.
“I was accepted at Fresno University,” he said, sitting in his chair with a smile on his face, which stretched from ear to ear.
Easton finally looked up. “You did?” she said excitedly. She rose from her chair and hugged Calloway. “I’m so happy for you,” she said while she held him tightly. “I knew you would get in, Calloway. There was never a doubt in my mind.”
He held her for a moment. “Thank you,” he said.
When he broke their embrace, he turned to Beatrice, expecting a hug, but he just met her furious gaze, which was popping with growing embers. When he realized what he did, he felt stupid for making such an amateur mistake. He should have told Easton in private, away from Beatrice and her unfounded jealousy.
Easton caught Beatrice’s look of hatred. “Oh, get over it,” she snarled.
Beatrice glared at her, her face turning red, and then grabbed her bag from the table, ready to storm out, but Calloway grabbed her arm and steadied her.
“Please don’t go,” he said. “She didn’t mean that.”
“I think it’s pretty clear that she did!” Beatrice snapped. “Your friends always insult me but you never intervene, Calloway. I’ve put up with it for months and I’m growing tired of this game.” She yanked her arm and Calloway released his hold, not wanting to touch her against her will.
Calloway understood her frustration. She was perfectly right for feeling that way. His friends treated her poorly and Calloway was aware of that. Despite his best efforts to stop their insults and jabs, they still unleashed them whenever they wished. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“Goodbye, Calloway.” Beatrice walked away from him, leaving him standing alongside his friends. He didn’t want to lose Beatrice and the sight of her departure stung his heart painfully. After a moment, he ran after her and stopped her before she left the building and ended their relationship permanently.
“Please don’t go,” he said, his voice dripping with remorse and sorrow. He inserted himself in front of the door, blocking her exit without touching her. Hawk used to grab her arm and yank her away aggressively, but Calloway refused to do anything that would remind her of that jerk. “I’m sorry, okay? Please, Beatrice.”
“No,” she said. “I’m sick of it. It’s her or me, Calloway. Take your pick.”
Calloway stared at her. “ What ?”
“It’s Easton or me. You can have one or the other— choose .”
“Please don’t do that to me,” he begged, his voice almost hysterical. “I care about you very much and I don’t want to lose you. Let me talk to them again. I can get them to stop—please.”
“So, you choose her ? That’s your
Calloway kissed Beatrice on the cheek when he reached the table. “How are you?” he asked.
“Good,” she said. “How are you?”
He nodded. “Good.” He hadn’t told anyone else about his acceptance and he knew now was the time. Easton was reading a textbook and she didn’t look up at his approach.
“I need to talk to you,” he said.
“Hmm?” she said without looking up. Whenever Beatrice was present, Easton ignored both her and Calloway as much as possible. It was frustrating that his friends couldn’t accept his girlfriend, even though Calloway had been dating her for a while, and it irritated him that they continued to hold a grudge. Beatrice had proven her commitment and sincerity—what more did they want? He wanted Easton to end this dismissive attitude but he knew it was the lesser of two evils. If she wasn’t quiet, then she would insult Beatrice at every opportunity.
“I was accepted at Fresno University,” he said, sitting in his chair with a smile on his face, which stretched from ear to ear.
Easton finally looked up. “You did?” she said excitedly. She rose from her chair and hugged Calloway. “I’m so happy for you,” she said while she held him tightly. “I knew you would get in, Calloway. There was never a doubt in my mind.”
He held her for a moment. “Thank you,” he said.
When he broke their embrace, he turned to Beatrice, expecting a hug, but he just met her furious gaze, which was popping with growing embers. When he realized what he did, he felt stupid for making such an amateur mistake. He should have told Easton in private, away from Beatrice and her unfounded jealousy.
Easton caught Beatrice’s look of hatred. “Oh, get over it,” she snarled.
Beatrice glared at her, her face turning red, and then grabbed her bag from the table, ready to storm out, but Calloway grabbed her arm and steadied her.
“Please don’t go,” he said. “She didn’t mean that.”
“I think it’s pretty clear that she did!” Beatrice snapped. “Your friends always insult me but you never intervene, Calloway. I’ve put up with it for months and I’m growing tired of this game.” She yanked her arm and Calloway released his hold, not wanting to touch her against her will.
Calloway understood her frustration. She was perfectly right for feeling that way. His friends treated her poorly and Calloway was aware of that. Despite his best efforts to stop their insults and jabs, they still unleashed them whenever they wished. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“Goodbye, Calloway.” Beatrice walked away from him, leaving him standing alongside his friends. He didn’t want to lose Beatrice and the sight of her departure stung his heart painfully. After a moment, he ran after her and stopped her before she left the building and ended their relationship permanently.
“Please don’t go,” he said, his voice dripping with remorse and sorrow. He inserted himself in front of the door, blocking her exit without touching her. Hawk used to grab her arm and yank her away aggressively, but Calloway refused to do anything that would remind her of that jerk. “I’m sorry, okay? Please, Beatrice.”
“No,” she said. “I’m sick of it. It’s her or me, Calloway. Take your pick.”
Calloway stared at her. “ What ?”
“It’s Easton or me. You can have one or the other— choose .”
“Please don’t do that to me,” he begged, his voice almost hysterical. “I care about you very much and I don’t want to lose you. Let me talk to them again. I can get them to stop—please.”
“So, you choose her ? That’s your
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