Emily’s POV

By the time the driver dropped me off at the center of Bellmont’s campus, my skin felt like it was on fire.

Every single step I took across the brick quad sent a sharp, throbbing ache straight through my thighs. The cashmere sweater clung to my neck, and despite the cool morning breeze, I felt flushed from the inside out.

"Emily! Over here!"

I turned toward the outdoor patio by the campus cafe. Lila Morgan was waving frantically at me, her phone in one hand and a giant pink iced drink in the other. Sitting across from her, looking cool and ridiculously put-together, was Sophia Bennett.

"Hey, guys,"...