Cassie shakes her head, squinting under the bright beams of the Florida sun. The first day of summer may be over a month away, but it’s sweltering already. “I can’t believe I’ll be a sophomore when we all come back.”
“THEY GROW UP SO FAST,” Skyler fake blubbers, pulling Cassie into a crushing hug.
“I’m not ready to go home,” Ashlei says with a sigh as Skyler and Cassie break, still laughing. “It doesn’t feel like it’s time yet. So much has changed, it feels anti-climactic to just pack up this semester in a duffle bag and head home for three months.”
“Tell me about it. I turn twenty-one in two weeks and I won’t even have anyone there to celebrate with, unless you count my grams. Which, I mean, the lady can party but . . .”
Ashlei and Cassie laugh but Skyler is just staring at me.
“What?” I ask. “Why are you looking at me like your dad just found your vibrator?”
“What if we just don’t go home?” Skyler asks, looking around at each of us. “I mean, not yet. Jess’ birthday is in two weeks. What if we . . . I don’t know, what if we went somewhere? My place, or anywhere, really. Two of us are newly single while the other two are freshly wifed up. I feel like we should celebrate, kick the summer off in style.” At first I shake my head, but the more she talks, the more I think she might have a brilliant idea. “I mean come on. It’s J-Love’s twenty-first birthday. We can’t just not be there for it.”
“I have a flight in like three hours,” Cassie points out.
“So? Cancel it,” Skyler challenges.
“Well, I’m in no rush to get home. I say let’s do it.” Ashlei smiles and Skyler throws her a high-five before turning to me.
“Oh come on, like you even have to ask me,” I scoff. “Jarrett already left for his summer internship, so it’s not like I have the possibility of getting banged anytime soon. Therefore, I’ll need lots of alcohol.”
They both grin and then it’s just Cassie left. She bites her cheek. “What about Erin? Did she leave already?”
Skyler frowns. “Yeah, she was pretty sick, I guess. I feel like she was just ready to get out of here after all the executive board drama.”
Cassie nods, debating. “Well . . . I’m sure my parents can change the flight.”
“Yes!” Skyler and I cheer together and we all grab Cassie in another hug. She laughs, throwing her head back as we crowd in around her. She has so much fucking hair that I cough on a strand of the red beast and everyone laughs harder.
“Fuck yes! Pile in, bitches. Let’s take this thing back to the rental car place and trade it in for something with more room. Then, we’re calling my parents and telling them not to book the beach house in New Smyrna for the next three weeks.”
“Shotgun!” Skyler yells, hoisting her bag over her shoulder and running toward the car. Everyone is talking all at once, cramming bags into the trunk and fitting extras on laps. The girls start making phone calls as I pull out of the KKB house, adjusting my rearview mirror when we pull away.
“Someone text Erin. Tell her to meet us there,” I say, rolling our windows down to let the warm breeze fill the space between us.
“On it!” Ashlei replies, ending the call with her dad and typing out a text immediately.
As I flick my shades down over my eyes, I take one last glance at campus fading behind us, watching how the bright orange of the setting sun casts it in a fiery glow. My eyes find Cassie’s in the rearview and I take the time to look around at my sisters, all of us smiling, all of us leaving Palm South University different than we arrived.
Each and every one of us has climbed a mountain this semester, some with less equipment and rougher paths. But here we are, standing together at the top, and suddenly it feels like there’s nothing that can stop us now.
It’s going to be one hell of a summer.
Don’t forget to tweet about the season finale using #PalmSouth and join the Facebook Discussion Group here.
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I’m writing this note with shaky hands and a heavy heart. This season of Palm South University covered a lot of serious topics, including the sexual assault of Erin Xander in this episode. While this was an important part of Erin’s journey and story to tell, it’s equally important for you, as a reader, to understand that there are options if you ever find yourself in this terrifying situation or one similar to it.
If you become a victim of sexual assault, call 911 or RAINN at 1–800–656-HOPE immediately.
Just like Erin’s situation, four out of five rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Similarly, 68% of rapes are not reported to the police, and 98% of rapists never spend a day in jail or prison. And unfortunately, a college campus isn’t always a safe place, as women 18–24 who are enrolled in college are 3 times more likely than women in general to suffer from sexual violence.
If you’re like Erin, you may feel that it’s useless to tell anyone—no one will believe you, they’ll say it was your fault, they’ll embarrass you and end up winning in the end, anyway. But no matter what, you must understand that it is not your fault and there is help available.
I hope you never find yourself in this situation or never have in the past, but if you’re reading this and you feel isolated and alone, please, reach out to someone. Reach out to me. I am always here, and I care about you—every single one of you.
Take care of your mind, your body, and your soul. You’re the only one who can.
For more information and resources, please visit www.rainn.org.
First and foremost, I want to thank you, the reader, for continuing the wild ride at PSU with me. Serials aren’t easy to give yourself to—you have to wait between episodes, you have to wait between seasons, and each week is as much a gripping story as it is a tease—so just know that I appreciate you so much. Thank you for posting in the discussion group every week and in the off months between seasons, fan-casting your favorite characters, and fangirling at the moments that meant the most to me, too. PSU is a passion project of mine and so close to my heart, and I hope you feel the same.
This season was especially pressing on me physically and emotionally, so thank you Hubs, Mr. Steiner, for holding my hand through it all. I know my time was tied up and my stress level was through the roof, but you rubbed my shoulders and fed me whiskey to keep me going. I love you!
Staci Brillhart and Becca Hensley Mysoor—where do I even begin with you two? I could probably write an entire season thanking you for all the invaluable advice, writing wisdom, plot points and character motivations. I could write another listing everything that makes you both such incredible women and friends. You constantly see a potential in me and do everything in your power to help me achieve it, and that is both a rare and special thing. #Tribecycle for life, homies.
Mom, thanks for always being my best friend and believing in my writing. I couldn’t do this every day without your support.
As always, to “the girls” who these characters are named after—the real Cassie (Graham), Jess (Vogel), Ashlei (Davison), and Erin (Spencer), thank you for being a constant circle of trust I can depend on. You inspired some pretty kick ass characters and I love you for every one of our memories.
An even bigger thank than usual to my beta readers, who put up with tight deadlines and fussy nights of me feeling inadequate to help me crank out an even better season of PSU than last year. Kellee Fabre, Sasha Whittington, Ashlei Davison, Jess Vogel, and Staci Brillhart—you are the wind beneath my beat up, crusty wings.
Sasha—I’m sorry these deadlines took away from bestie time. Thanks for understanding and supporting my dreams. I’ve got Chinese food and a girly movie night with your name on it whenever you’re ready.
Big ups to Kash Monay, AKA Betsy Kash for still finding time in your life to edit my stories. Your notes literally make my day. And to Elaine Hudson York for the beautifu
l formatting that brings the tropical feel of PSU to life.
To my #Tribe—thanks for the good vibes and endless support. I love you.
Shout out to my fan group, Kandiland, #KandisChasers, for being the reason PSU even became a thing in the first place. You helped me see I wasn’t ready to leave these characters, and I can’t thank you enough for helping me get their story out. Plus, you push me daily with your love notes, and I’m convinced there’s no better place in the world than Kandiland.
A notable thank you goes out to Jessica McBee, Beth Hurley, Trish Mint, Mykayla Morgan Wilson, Kiersten Hill, Trinity Snyder, Tina Lynne, Sylvia McCormick DiBlasi, Gladymar Hernandez, Andrea Britton, and Jess Rivers for sending me special notes during this season and writing reviews that made my heart smile.
I also want to give a special shout out to Shawna Broadstock, who won the character name giveaway last season and inspired one of the quirkiest and most amazing characters I’ve had the privilege of writing. I know you’re beginning to tell your own stories now, and I wish you nothing but the best!
And as always, I’m forever thankful to my God in heaven who continues to bless me with a writer’s heart and a dreamer’s soul.
Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband, Ryan Steiner. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.
When Kandi isn't working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine - not necessarily in that order.
Connect with Kandi:
www.KandiSteiner.com
www.facebook.com/KandiSteiner
www.twitter.com/KandiSteiner
If you loved this book, please take a minute to review it on the site where you purchased it. Your time and thoughts are greatly appreciated and valued.
Palm South University: Season 2, Episode 6 (Palm South University #2) Page 6
