Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Ralph crosses his arms and lets out a low chuckle. “You’re a terrible liar, Angie.”
I swallow and set my glass down on the counter with more force than necessary, spilling a few drops of wine. “That’s irrelevant, Ralph. We’re all here to study, and that’s all.”
“I wonder what the dean of students would have to say if I told him what I saw?” Ralph says snidely.
“I’m sure he’d ask Dr. Lansing and me what actually happened, and we’d set the record straight.” I grit my teeth and look Ralph directly in the eyes. “Nothing happened.”
Ralph’s snide smile fades, replaced by a scowl. “You’re bluffing.”
“You think so?” I challenge.
I grew up with two older brothers and tons of male cousins. You either learn to stand up to them or get walked over. I may be quiet, but I’m no doormat.
Ralph seems taken aback by my defiance, but he doesn’t retreat. Instead, he keeps his arms crossed. “You’re lying,” he says after a pause. “I know what I saw.”
“And I know what didn’t happen,” I retort. “If you want to make baseless accusations, be my guest. But remember, Ralph, the truth always comes out in the end.”
He smirks. “I suppose it will.”
Just as the tension is about to strangle us both, Tabitha walks into the kitchen, leaving Eli in the living room. She stops in her tracks when she sees our standoff.
“What’s going on here?” she asks, frowning at Ralph.
“Nothing,” Ralph grumbles.
Tabitha’s eyes narrow as she studies Ralph, me, and then Ralph again. “I think it’s more than nothing,” she says. “You two look like you’re about to kick each other’s asses.”
“Maybe that’s because Angie here can’t admit the truth,” Ralph snaps.
“Ralph…” I begin, trying to keep my voice steady.
Tabitha interrupts me, though, turning her full attention to Ralph. “And what truth would that be?”
Ralph hesitates for a moment, eyeing me. I can almost see his mind struggling with whether or not to spill what he saw.
And he did see it.
I was there.
But I’m sticking to my story. I don’t want Jason to get into any kind of trouble.
“He thinks he saw something that he misinterpreted,” I say.
“And what would that be?” Tabitha asks.
I swallow hard. “It’s nothing. Really.”
“No, Angie,” Ralph counters. “It’s not nothing.”
Before Tabitha says anything more, Eli walks into the kitchen holding up his hands. “What’s going on in here?”
Before Ralph can respond, I cut in. “Let’s just drop it.” My voice is firm. “Can we just focus on why we’re actually here?”
Eli pours himself a glass of wine. “I second that motion. Pizza and textbooks are getting cold.”
Tabitha chuckles. “You can toss your books in the oven for a few minutes to warm them up.”
Ralph shoots me a final glare before grabbing a slice of pizza from the box on the counter. He heads for the living room without another word.
Tabitha watches him go, furrowing her brows before turning back to me with an unreadable look on her face. She doesn’t ask any more questions, though, thank God. Instead, she pours herself a glass of wine.
“Yeah, we’re here to study, not to stir up drama,” she says quietly.
I try to give her a grateful smile. We join Eli and Ralph in the living room.
Ralph is putting on his coat and gloves, his half-eaten slice of pizza on my coffee table. “Not much in the mood for studying anymore,” he says. “See you all in lab tomorrow.” He says nothing more before walking out the door.
His exit is followed by an awkward silence, which Eli thankfully breaks.
“What the fuck was that about?”
Tabitha shrugs. “Drama queen.”
I force a laugh. “Yeah. Drama queen.”
Tabitha presses her lips together. “He seems a little old to be acting that way. Hell, we’re too old to be acting that way.”
Eli scratches the side of his head. “Who knows. Everybody has a story.” He gazes out the window. “He was my ride, though.”
“So grab an Uber,” Tabitha says, shrugging again. “Are we going to study or not?”
“Fine.” Eli nods. “What’ll it be? Anatomy?” He looks at me. “Psychology?”
I ignore his smirk. Since when does an interest in psychology make you a pariah? Don’t they know the importance of mental health?
Of course Eli and Tabitha are both interested in surgery. I have no idea what path Ralph plans to pursue, and after tonight, I sure as hell don’t care.
“We cut tomorrow,” Tabitha says with a grin.
I hold back a groan.
But apparently the look on my face says it all.
“We dissected fetal pigs last semester,” Eli says. “What’s your problem, Ang?”
“Pigs aren’t human beings,” I say. “Plus, I love bacon as much as the next person.”
“These human beings are dead.” From Tabitha.
“Yeah, but they’re—they were—people.” I sigh. “I don’t expect you to understand. I grew up on a beef ranch. My family raises cattle, and I know they go to the slaughterhouse. But it’s all done humanely.”