Wicked Heartbreaker: A Dark College Bully Romance (Westforde College Book 1)

by Serena Lyons

  I pour my second glass, then count to one hundred in French before I let myself start drinking. The whispers continue all around me, but I keep my back as straight as I would when performing a cheer. They will not shame me. I know why I’m here, and why I’m behaving the way I am.

  I text Nina, because I need a friend right now.

  Faith: Please tell me you’re free this weekend?

  Nina: Er my schedule is packed between hiding in my room and hiding in the library… What do you fancy doing?

  I don’t understand why Nina is such a recluse here. She’s fun and quirky and doesn’t seem that much of an introvert, but it definitely works to my advantage.

  Faith: I need to get off campus. Any suggestions?

  Nina: Ooh I have just what you need. Knock on my door at eleven on Saturday? Wear comfy shoes.

  Faith: Perfect, cheerleading practice has been cancelled. Can’t wait to see what you have planned.

  I’m outside Nina’s door at 9.59 am on Saturday wearing my converse and an old Barbour jacket Millie gave me.

  “Very country chic.” Nina smiles as she opens the door. She’s wearing baggie boyfriend style jeans and a shapeless coat that hangs off her. “Right, our first stop is twenty minutes away.”

  “You’re not telling me anything more?”

  “No, the surprise will be worth it though, I promise.”

  Nina and I natter about our courses and workload as we head to the north of the city. It becomes more suburban as we walk, the ancient colleges making way for picturesque Victorian and Edwardian family homes.

  “Here we go.” Nina enters a gate and smiles winningly.

  It takes me a moment to piece together what’s happening. The yelps, the slightly worn institutional looking building, the middle-aged woman striding towards us with a scruffy dog on a leash.

  “Nina! Lovely to see you as always. And who’s this?”

  “I’m Faith.” I shake the woman’s hand, I’m still not used to this decidedly southern mode of greeting. Back home you’d peck someone’s cheek, or give them a hug. This is so formal.

  I look around what is clearly a dog sanctuary, then down at the very excited mutt in front of us. It’s straining on its lead, trying to get closer to Nina.

  “We’re going to go for a long one today, The Trout Inn and back again. Will Major be up for it?” Nina bends down to ruffle the dog’s ears. “Are you up for a nice long W-A-L-K?”

  “Perfect, he needs tiring out.” The woman smiles, then passes over a reusable canvas shopping bag. “There’s a bowl, treats and poop bags in here. See you later.”

  “Bye.” Nina waves and I follow suit.

  “I didn’t realise you could just walk dogs from rescue shelters. This is amazing, he’s adorable.”

  Nina pinkens. “You can’t usually, or at least you need to commit to regular hours that wouldn’t work with being a student. But my Dad bribed them.”

  “Bribed them?”

  “I was desperate to bring our family dog to uni, but they refused. I said it would damage my mental health, so this is the compromise that we got to. A compromise only made possible by my father donating tens of thousands of pounds to the shelter.”

  “Nice.” I try not to feel jealous as I imagine having a father who’d care enough to drop a fortune on my happiness. Who’d care enough to even show up. “What kind of dog do you have at home?”

  “Oh, just a complete, mongrel, Lala, she’s the best though.”

  “I’ve never had a pet. Action number one as soon as I’m a grown-up.” I ruffle Major’s warm fur and he looks at me, his doggy eyes soulful and deep. “You were right some fur love is just what I needed. What’s The Trout Inn?”

  “It’s a lovely country pub we can walk to across the water meadows. Think roaring fires, delicious food and even a family of resident peacocks. It’s a bit touristy, but it shouldn’t be too bad today with it being autumn. You’ll forget Westforde College even exists.”

  “I hope so.” We continue to walk in companionable silence, quickly getting to the flat meadows that run alongside the curving river.

  “Why don’t you ever hang out with anyone else from college?” I finally ask Nina. I’ve been wondering this since I met her. She doesn’t seem to be a natural recluse, but I’ve never seen her hanging out with anyone else in college. The fact we’re walking side by side and not looking straight at each other makes it easier for me to ask her sensitive questions.

  “I’ve got a…” She laughs bitterly. “Reputation from school.”

  Nina has a reputation? I swallow down my surprise, that was not what I was expecting her to say. “How?”

  “I did something I’ll forever regret and they’ll never let me forget it. That’s why I wanted to go somewhere else for uni, but my parents thought they knew best. They wanted me here where they could keep an eye on me.”

  “What school did you go to?”

  “Hamley.” She sighs.

  Oh God, she went to the same school as Callum. The school that also had events with Millie’s school. Maybe she remembers her. Nina would have been the year below Millie, but I’m sure they must have gone to some socials or sports events together. Perhaps I’ll ask her one day, but not yet.

  “Couldn’t you at least switch colleges?” Westforde is the place with the most Hamley alumni.

  “No chance. My parents know the Principal too well, and he knows that my staying at Westforde means a lot of cheques while I’m here.”

  “Sorry. That sucks.”

  “It’s my own fault.” Nina’s voice shakes. “I did something stupid, and this is the price I have to pay.”

  Part of me wants to know what the hell she’s talking so cryptically about, but she’s too fragile to put my curiosity ahead of her mental health.

  “Think it’s okay to let Major off his lead here?” I point towards the other dogs chasing birds around the wet grass. Major is watching them with undisguised envy, tugging on his leash as he attempts to make a break for it.

  “Why not,” Nina smiles and nods. “At least one of us deserves to feel free for a while.” She bends down and unclips his collar, within seconds he’s a toffee-coloured blur as he races over the field.

  We talk about the meadows and other hidden sights in Oxford while Major joins in with the bird-chasing. He eventually lands in a tired looking heap at our feet and we stroll along a riverside path to the pub.

  Nina is right, The Trout Inn is charming and feels a million miles away from Westforde College. We make it back to the college gate just before five having spent a good half hour cuddling Major before we could bear to leave him at the shelter.

  “Thanks, that was just what I needed.” I tell Nina as she opens the door to our quad.

  “Me too, it was nice having company.” She smiles shyly. “Let’s do it again.”

  “Definitely. I’m just going to swing by the lodge.”

  She waves goodbye and I carry on to the small reception area to check my pigeonhole. There’s a folded sheet of paper inside my slot. I unfurl it, my stomach tensing up.

  Loopy handwriting reads: Faith, We’re all very disappointed that you skipped practice with no warning today. Consider that your first strike. Three and you’re off the squad. Jess.

  “Bitch.” I can’t help but swear. Luckily the porter is too busy watching TV to notice.

  I could complain to the rest of the team, but it’ll be my word against hers, and I wouldn’t expect anyone to take my side. She wants me off the squad.

  Fuck it. I had a perfect day with Nina and Major. I don’t need Jess and her cheer squad, I need to take Callum down and stay sane while I’m doing it.

  Just one friend is enough for me to get through this nightmare. As long as Nina’s on my side, I can get through all of this.

  16: Faith

  I force myself to brave hall for breakfast on Monday morning. I can’t run scared. Okay, things aren’t exactly going to plan, but I can’t just give up at the first hurdle.
I owe it to Millie to give it my all.

  This pathetic attempt is nowhere near my all.

  Still, I skip the queue for hot food and fill a bowl with cereal instead. Coco Pops, that’s got to make me feel better. Gran would never let me eat sugary cereal, so it reminds me of sleepovers when I was at junior school and had friends. I grew apart from all the local girls at upper school. They called me stuck up for hanging out with Millie during the holidays and a geek for caring about school, while I couldn’t understand their obsessions with make-up and celebrity gossip. They wouldn’t recognise me, but would approve of my new look.

  I sit near the door, my back against the wall so the whole room is laid out in front of me. I hate people whispering behind me, and most people seem too timid to point and stare when I’m looking dead at them.

  A few girls turn to stare at me, their glossy hair catching the light streaming in through the high windows. This is fine, I can cope. I spoon the already softening cereal into my mouth. My whole body relaxes as the sweet, chocolaty milk hits my taste buds.

  Not so bad, I can get through this. I’ve not even been here for two weeks, maybe I can establish a new normal.

  The entire hall goes silent. Heads swivel towards the entrance from the stairs, I twist and follow their eyes. Callum is coming directly towards me, a black look on his face.

  “Axel said you were here.” He stops on the other side of the long trestle table, glaring down at me.

  He’s keeping tabs on me? I swing around, and sure enough at the far end of the hall there’s his friend, staring straight at us both, a steely expression darkening his handsome features.

  I quickly swallow the cereal in my mouth, knowing I won’t be able to eat the rest of the bowl. Something tells me I won’t have any appetite after Callum’s said whatever he needs to say.

  “Not all of us have private kitchens. Or money to waste in restaurants. You’ll find me here most mealtimes.” I need to wrestle back some control.

  “Don’t flatter yourself that I’ll need to find you again. I’m only here because I have to be.” He drops a piece of paper on the solid oak between us.

  “May I?” I don’t reach for the note, just push my half-eaten breakfast away. “I know you have privacy issues.”

  His cheek twitches. “You…” He pauses taking a deep breath. “Just read it already.”

  I swallow my smile and turn the paper over. It’s an email from Professor Headley to Callum about the essay competition. That’s why he’s talking to me. And looking like he’d rather be doing anything else.

  “So, you’re here about my essay?”

  “Unfortunately.” His tone is even sharper than it was in our tutorial.

  “Don’t bother, if that’s how you feel.”

  “She says I need to help you, or she’ll find another assistant.”

  “And? Why should that bother you? It’s not like you need the money.” As I say the words, a sense of injustice builds up inside me. Why is Callum Carter-Wright, the child of multi-millionaires taking a job that could mean everything to a poorer student?

  “I don’t need to explain myself to you. And you’d just sell that to the papers too.”

  “Enough already, I wasn’t—”

  “Save it, I don’t believe a single thing you say. I should have some time this afternoon to go through the essay. Take it or leave it.”

  “Fine,” I swallow down my retorts. I need that scholarship money, so if getting help from Callum Carter-Wright is what’s needed to get my essay in to shape, it’s what will happen. And I need to get back into his good books to find out the truth about Millie. I’ve played it all wrong, trying to rush things. I see that now. “What time?”

  “I don’t know, depends when rugby training finishes.”

  “Well call me when you’re done then,” I pull my mobile out.

  “I’m not giving you my number.” He spits out the word ‘you’, and I try not to let it bother me. It doesn’t matter what he thinks about me. He’s pathetic. No worse than that, evil.

  I open my mouth to argue, then realise it’s futile. His jaw is set solid and his eyes are flashing with anger. I stand up, I don’t want to be left in hall after this conversation is over, with everyone looking at me and wondering what the hell just happened between the college king and me.

  I move towards the staircase. Callum grabs his printout then follows.

  “Fine, you can put a note in my pigeonhole, I’ll check it between lectures.” I gulp as I remember the last note, the threat. I quickly glance at Callum. Does he appear guilty? He’s definitely staring at me intently, his blue eyes almost navy as he gazes down at me with… anger? A warning? Lust?

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” I step away as I ask him. He’s too close, I don’t want him to be this close.

  “Don’t flatter yourself,” he hesitates like he’s about to say something else.

  I stop halfway down the steps to look up at him. His eyes find mine and for a brief second everything I was feeling disappears. The fear, the suspicion, the anger all go, I just remember him looking into my eyes as I kissed him. Staring at me like he’d never wanted anyone so much.

  Stop believing a psychopath, I chide myself. It wasn’t real. He probably looked at Millie like that too. It’s just one of his many tricks.

  “I have to go,” I run down the spiral stairs before he responds, my heart hammering. Why do I keep forgetting who he is? The evil he’s capable of.

  [***]

  “Are you expecting something?” The middle-aged college receptionist raises his eyebrow as I reach up to check my pigeonhole for the third time today.

  I want to snap at him to mind his own business, but the second years warned us in orientation to never make an enemy of the receptionists. The lesson made me laugh—are the students here so out of touch with reality they need to be reminded to be nice to the little people?—but here I am acting on it, so maybe it wasn’t such unnecessary advice. I take a deep breath and put on my fakest smile, “I am actually, how did you guess?” I giggle pathetically.

  “You learn a lot about students in these jobs.” The receptionist puffs out his chest.

  “I’m sure you do. It must get boring after a while though, same issues, just different faces.” I don’t believe that. I bet I’m the first person who came to Westforde to avenge a murder.

  “It’s never boring watching pretty girls grow into worldly women.”

  Ew, is he flirting with me? He must have forty years on me. I laugh uncomfortably, not able to form a polite response.

  “Are you waiting for something from a certain rugby player?” He arches an eyebrow. “Fancy you’ll be pleased if you are.”

  My heart almost jumps out of my chest. I feel around in my mail slot and find a folded scrap of paper, Callum’s left me a note.

  I open it slowly, my pulse thudding through my veins. It’s written in green ink—from a fountain pen judging by the pretty pattern the ink makes on the paper.

  Radcliffe Camera, upper level. I’ll be there from 4.30-5.00 and not a second longer. Bring an essay printout.

  My heart thumps, we’re meeting up. This is my chance to start worming my way back into his good books. I need to change into something he won’t be able to resist.

  I’m turning away, when I realise that I picked two notes out from my slot, not just one. Behind the note from Callum is a paper-thin piece of paper that’s also folded in two. I flip it open, it’s typed, and for a moment I assume it’s going to be some boring official college notice.

  Then I read the words and start to shake.

  That website wasn’t the smartest idea. Go now, while you still can. Don’t say you weren’t warned you.

  My hands shake so much that I drop both notes to the floor. ‘Go now’ exactly what both Axel and Rafe told me Callum wanted. Has he figured out what I know? Have I completely ruined my plan?

  17: Callum

  Fucking hell, Faith does an amazing job of getting u
nder my skin. I arrived here determined to keep this totally business-like, to remember that she’s a heinous person and I’m only helping with this stupid essay because Professor Headley will fire me if I don’t.

  Then she walked in wearing skintight jeans that just draw attention to her peach of an ass, a flouncy top that has a deep V over her gorgeous chest, a leather jacket and heavy make-up that screams bad girl. I wanted to slam her over the nearest table and pick up where we left off the other night.

  Obviously, I resisted the second I remembered her snooping, yet here I am watching the sunlight dapple against her face, making her dark eyes glow even brighter as she pages through a philosophy book. She’s so different from all the other girls who swarm around me, more independent and ballsy, sure of herself in a non-obnoxious way. She intrigues me.

  Faith looks up as if she can tell I’m staring at her, quickly meeting my eyes giving me a half-smile, then darting away back to the book. Just sharing a library table with her makes me yearn to get closer to her, to pull her into my arms again and not stop this time.

  Idiot. She fucking snuck around my house trying to find dirt to sell to the papers. I can’t trust her. I’m stupid even being here, no matter what Miranda requested.

  Faith interrupts like she read my mind. “Why are you helping me?”

  I shake my head and Faith is staring straight at me. “I told you, I don’t want to, but I lose the TA job if I don’t.”

  “But why does that matter to you? It’s not like you need the money.”

  “Not everything’s about money.” I snap.

  “What an easy life value for the child of millionaires to have.” Faith rolls her eyes.

  I can’t help but smile, I’m not used to people arguing back at me. Well, apart from the boys, but that’s different because we all basically have the same worldview, anyway. Even Axel, who started off so different—scholarship boy, inner London home, black—is rich enough on his own terms now that he shares our world views.

  “So you think just because my family’s rich I shouldn’t be doing this job?”