Graduating (Covenant College Book 5) (5 page)

By the time Friday arrived, I was bored. I’d purposely scheduled my classes so I didn’t have any on Fridays – a perpetual three-day weekend is my idea of utopia – and now I had nothing to do. Since Aric was working, I was at Kelsey’s whim as she dragged me toward the political rally in front of the library.

“I don’t want to,” I whined. “Let’s go and get coffee or something instead.”

“Oh, come on,” she pleaded. “Let’s just look around. You don’t have to vote for him. Don’t you want to meet the governor? I mean, that’s a big deal. He’s kind of a celebrity.”

“His name is Kennedy Reagan,” I pointed out. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

“What do you mean?”

“Really?” I deadpanned.

Kelsey stuck out her tongue and mimed hitting herself upside her own head. “Duh!”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Are you going to vote for him?”

“Governor Reagan? Absolutely.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you a Republican?”

“My whole family is full of Republicans,” she said. “They’re the party of family values. Are you a Democrat?”

“God, no,” I said. “I hate both parties. I think they should both be outlawed. I have a question, though, are you just parroting your parents?

Kelsey shrugged. “Maybe.”

I shook my head. “I’m not voting for this guy,” I said.

“Are you even registered to vote?” Kelsey pressed.

“No,” I said. “But, if I was, I wouldn’t vote for this guy.”

Kelsey paused, putting her hands on her hips as she stood in the middle of the sidewalk. “And what do you like about his opponent?”

The truth was, I didn’t even know his opponent’s name. “I like that his parents didn’t name him Kennedy Reagan.”

Kelsey rolled her eyes. “You are such a … .”

“Paragon of virtue?” I suggested.

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

“It is now.”

Kelsey sighed. “Are you going to be difficult all afternoon?”

“Aric says I’m always difficult,” I replied.

“Aric and you are so sickeningly sweet right now you make me want to puke.”

I slung an arm around Kelsey’s shoulders. “I didn’t know you were a romantic.”

Kelsey smirked. “I am glad you’re so happy. You were a real downer last year.”

“Well, since I am so happy, let’s go to the political rally,” I said. “I can spread my joy and light to others.”

Kelsey furrowed her brow. “Are you going to be mean to people?”

“Define mean.”

“Are you going to make fun of them and tell them they’re stupid?”

“That’s not mean,” I countered. “I’m doing them a public service.”

Kelsey rubbed the spot between her eyebrows. “You’d better not embarrass me.”

“Would I do that?”

“Maybe you should just go home?” Her face was hopeful.

“Oh, no,” I said. “You dragged me down here. I’m going to have my fun.”

“Crap. I should have thought better about this before I invited you.”

“Invited? No, you made me come. Now you have to deal with the consequences.”

“I really hate you sometimes,” Kelsey said.

“You love me.”

“Sometimes,” she said. “Sometimes I want to gag you and tie you to a tree.”

“Well, let’s see which impulse wins out today, shall we?”

“I DEFINITELY
want to gag you.”

“What did I do now?” I was sitting on a bench about a half hour later and watching more than five hundred students pretend they were interested in politics. I’d only said about a dozen snarky things, which showed great restraint on my part. I had no idea what she was complaining about.

“Did you really think that telling that guy who was a part of Reagan’s security detail that you heard a bunch of Democrats were planning a jihad under the weeping willow by the UC was a good idea?”

“You don’t know that’s not true.”

“We didn’t go near that tree.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re not there,” I said.

Kelsey rolled her neck, rubbing the back of it as she regarded me. “I love you dearly, but I want to murder you sometimes.”

“I think there’s enough people who feel like that to form a club,” I said. “You could get everyone together, and I bet they’d elect you president.”

Kelsey smacked my arm lightly. “Can’t you just have fun and … I don’t know … try to learn something?”

“I have learned something,” I said. “I’ve learned I don’t like any of these people. I’ve also learned that seventy-five percent of the people who are here are all posers.”

Kelsey sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. “Are you including me in that group?”

“No,” I said. “You see that guy over there with the Frisbee and the cowboy hat, though? I’m including him. It’s Michigan not Texas, buddy!”

Kelsey followed the trail of my finger. “Yeah, he’s a tool.”

We lapsed into silence for a few minutes, both of us scanning the crowd. “So, where is the governor?”

“I think he’s over there,” Kelsey said, pointing toward a tent near the far edge of the lawn. “If you want to meet him, you have to go and register at one of those tables, and then he’ll pose for a photograph with you.”

“And why would I want to do that?”

“It’s something to put up on your Facebook page.”

“I haven’t updated my Facebook page since I wrote ‘oh, yay, I’ll be starting my freshman year at Covenant College tomorrow.’”

“Your Twitter feed then.”

“How long ago did
Lost
end? Because I think that was the last time I tweeted. I’m pretty sure I was in middle school.”

“Don’t make me kill you, Zoe,” Kelsey warned. “Let’s just go over to the tent so I can register and get my picture and then we’ll go. I seriously can’t listen to you for one more second.”

“Let’s go,” I said, smiling. I knew if I was obnoxious enough she’d eventually see things my way. “Let’s stop and get a coffee at the UC on the way home.”

Kelsey sighed. “Fine.”

Navigating through the thick crowd took longer than I anticipated, but when we finally made our way to the tent I pulled up short.

“What’s wrong?” Kelsey asked, immediately sensing the shift in my attitude. “Is there a monster here?”

“It depends on your definition of a monster,” I said, my tone grim. “Look who is over there.”

Kelsey glanced in the direction I was staring. “That’s the governor,” she said excitedly. “You found him.”

Now I was the one who wanted to murder her. “Not him. Look behind him.”

Kelsey turned back. “Oh, man. Seriously? What is Will doing here?”

There he was. My high school boyfriend, and one of the current banes of my existence. The last time I’d seen him he’d been trying to serve his Alpha Chi brothers up as fodder to Professor Blake in exchange for being granted control of the fraternity. When I’d pretended to be in control of Rafael – and ordered him to kill Will – he’d fled. I hadn’t seen him since.

“He’s dressed up,” Kelsey said after a second. “He’s wearing a suit, and he has one of those badge things around his neck. He’s with the governor’s campaign.”

I looked Will over again, seeing what I had initially missed but Kelsey’s eagle eyes had caught. “Well, that’s just … I don’t even know what to say.”

“Did he graduate?” Kelsey asked. “I thought he still had another year to go.”

“Yeah, he was on the six-year plan,” I said. “He didn’t graduate. This has to be something else.”

“Oh, hey!” Another voice interrupted our discussion. I cringed when I recognized it.

“Hey, Brittany,” I said, keeping my tone level. She’d been my roommate freshman year, my annoyance sophomore year, and pretty much out of my life junior year. I hadn’t seen her since the previous fall.

“What are you guys doing here?”

“I’m registering to vote,” Kelsey said, being careful to keep her face unreadable. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m helping out with the campaign,” she said. “Will is an intern for Governor Reagan. Isn’t that great?”

“Why?”

Brittany turned to me, clearly startled by the question. “I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

“Why is he an intern? I mean, what’s in it for him?” I pressed.

“Does something have to be in it for him?” Brittany asked. “He’s a political-science major. This is a great thing for him.”

“Since when is he a political-science major? I thought he was a business major?”

“He changed his mind.”

I rolled my eyes. “So, what, is he on the seven-year plan now?”

“He graduates in the spring,” Brittany said, pulling her frame up so she was ramrod straight. “He’s got a big future in front of him.”

“I bet.”

“He’s the new secretary of Alpha Chi,” Brittany said. “He’s going places.”

“And what does the secretary do?”

“He does … I don’t know … stuff. It’s a very important job.”

“Does he wear a skirt and fax things?” I sneered.

Brittany frowned. “What is your problem? I know you’re still hung up on Will, but you’re taking this to an unbelievable level. You guys have been broken up for three years. I think you just need to get over it. He and I are much better together than you and he ever were.”

Well, I couldn’t argue with that. I was going to, though. “I am not hung up on Will,” I said. “In fact, if he were to disappear from this campus never to be seen again, I’d throw a party.”

“That is a horrible thing to say,” Brittany said.

“It’s only horrible because it’s the truth,” I countered.

“You are just so … bitter,” Brittany said. “Your life hasn’t turned out the way you thought it would, so you’re torturing the rest of us because you’re unhappy.”

“She was unhappy last year,” Kelsey said. “She’s happy this year. I can vouch for that. I think you just bring out the worst in her.”

“I think you bring out the worst in everyone,” I said.

“You’re just jealous,” Brittany sniffed. “My boyfriend is going places, and you’re all alone and bitter.”

I opened my mouth, a mean retort on the tip of my tongue, but Kelsey stilled me with a hand on my arm. “The governor is heading this way.”

Oh, well, great. He has impeccable timing.

Kennedy Reagan looked exactly how you would picture a politician to look. His hair is slate gray, and it’s brushed in a perfect “flip” over his forehead. His suit is straight off the pages of an expensive catalog, and his smile is ready and friendly. The expression doesn’t quite meet his eyes, though.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” he greeted us. “How are you all doing today?”

“This is a wonderful event,” Brittany gushed. “I can’t thank you enough for letting me help.”

Reagan looked puzzled. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

I had to choke back my laugh as the color crept up Brittany’s face. “I’m a volunteer. My boyfriend, Will, is one of your interns.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Reagan said. “I remember you.” His tone told me exactly the opposite. “And, who are your friends?”

“This is Kelsey and Zoe,” Brittany said. “They’re not really my friends.”

Reagan scanned our faces, ultimately fixing his attention on me. “You’re not friends?”

I saw no sense in lying. “I hate her.”

Kelsey pinched my hip. “Be nice,” she hissed.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I just really hate her.”

Reagan’s smile looked almost genuine this time. “Well, you’re young. You’ll realize hate is a strong word.”

“I can use stronger ones,” I said.

“But, she won’t,” Kelsey interrupted smoothly. “I’m a big fan of yours, sir. You’ve done great things for the state.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Reagan said. “Are you going to register to vote?”

“That’s what we were doing when we got … distracted.”

“Well, I don’t want to stand in your way,” Reagan said. “Why don’t you register and then come and find me for your photos?”

“I’m not registering,” I said. “She’s the one registering.”

Reagan raised an eyebrow, surprised by my candor. “And why don’t you want to register?”

“Politics isn’t my thing,” I said.

“You’re just disinterested?”

“More like apathetic,” I said, forcing a bright smile on my face, like apathy was a good thing.

“Then, why are you here?”

“That’s what I was wondering,” Brittany grumbled.

“Kelsey made me,” I said. “Trust me, she won’t be making that mistake again.”

Reagan rubbed his hand over his chin thoughtfully. “You look really familiar to me. Do we know each other?”

“I don’t think we run in the same circles,” I said. “Unless, were you the one doing the keg stand at our party last week?”

Brittany looked scandalized.