Page 23 of The Casanova Complex

“Okay, well, have fun with your scholar shit,” Zach says with a smirk when Tyler joins us in the living room again, only this time he’s dressed to go out. “We’re going to the party, but don’t worry, we’ll drink one in memory of you.”

Ty looks between the two of us, his brow furrowing. “Wait, you’re not coming with us? Why the fuck not?”

“Oh, he’s got some light reading to do,” Zach answers for me.

I grab the pillow beside me and nail him in the side of the head with it. “Fucker.” Ignoring him laughing his ass off, I tell Ty, “I have to read for Creative Writing. Gonna have to skip out tonight.”

“Damn, that sucks,” Tyler says as he grabs his keys out of the bowl by the front door, and Zach pulls the door open. “You’ll be there in spirit.”

“I mean, we could always stay home and keep you company,” Zach says, waggling his thick, dark eyebrows.

I shake my head, waving them away. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind. Please.”

Or beg them to drag me along with them and save me from this nightmare.

CHAPTER SIX

MERRITT

There’s something in the air today, and nothing or no one could convince me otherwise.

I’m having the worst Monday of my life, and it’s only just beginning.

An even shittier-than-normal Monday, I mean.

Probably because not only is next weekend Halloween, but it’s also a full moon. A double whammy of chaotic energy that’s got me feeling overwhelmed and off-kilter and scattered.

One hundred percent the reason to blame my ultra-shitty day on.

I’m barely resisting the urge to beat my head onto the desk in front of me, even though every cell in my body is screaming to do it. Elliott left his lunch at home this morning after nearly missing the bus. He’s the world’s pickiest eater, which meant that even though I was on the other side of town on campus, I had to run home, grab his lunch, and drop it off to him at school, then rush back across town to campus for my morning Political Science class.

I was a minute late, and everyone in the auditorium stared at me as I made my way to the back and found a seat.

Then I discovered that the strawberries I packed for my own lunch had mold on them.

I probably should’ve checked that this morning, but I was running late and trying to get Elliott out the door while also making sure dinner was in the Crock-Pot for when we got home.

Needless to say, I skipped lunch today… and breakfast.

I’d rather miss a meal than pay twelve dollars for a ridiculously overpriced sub from the dining hall.

My stomach will just have to rumble for the rest of the day.

I nearly bled through my skirt when my period randomly started after lunch, and by the time I made it to the library for the most dreaded part of my day, I was ready to scream. Or cry.

Or both. At once.

Only to find out that the dates that I prebooked for a private study room had somehow been erased from the online scheduling system.

A glitch, the library aide said.

Thankfully, I still had today booked, but after this? Nothing available until next semester.

Because of course, that’s exactly the way my luck would be. Not at all surprising after the disaster today has been, honestly.

This is fine.

I’ll figure it out. I always do.