BRYCE
I went back to classes the next day, probably too soon. My body was still recovering—exhausted in a way that went bone-deep, muscles aching, and skin oversensitive to everything but I couldn't stay in my room anymore. I couldn't sit there replaying the last three days over and over.
The stares started the second I stepped onto campus, more than before and way more worse than before because everyone knew.
I could see it in their faces. The way conversations stopped when I walked past. The way eyes followed me across the quad.
"That's him."
"He was in heat for three days."
"Sloane Pierce was with him the whole time."
"Did she claim him?"
"I heard she never left his room."
I kept my head down and walked faster. I didn't know who might have spread the news but I knew it was from those living in the same dormitory as me.
They couldn't wait for a while, I guess they were all itching to spread the news and make it look more bad for me.
