Page 16 of For All My Effort
That didn’t make any sense. I’d looked at colleges before. Hell, I’d even applied, over and over again, constantly being denied because of heat-protection laws, or because my previous education grades weren’t good enough, or because my supposed application got lost. It was always something that stopped me from being able to legally attend—beyond my basic designation.
Apparently, a no wasn’t bigoted if it wasn’t directly stated that designation was the reason why. What a fucking joke.
Still, I’d looked at plenty of course catalogues. There were so many options! Art or science or math or literature or technology, it was so open to possibilities that I understood being overwhelmed.
“Can I apply to a major still?” I asked, unable to keep the hopefulness from my voice.
“Of course, princess. You’ll just have to wait until the start of the next semester, apply like everyone else.”
My smile was so wide that it was burning my cheeks, the muscles in my face straining to hold the happy composure. I bounced on my toes, ignoring the slight pounding that was starting in the back of my head.
I wanted to look at the options right then. I looked around for a laptop, quickly giving up when my attention snagged on my phone. Good enough.
Throwing myself back in between Zeke and Han, I started on my phone, trying to work it out so I could search through my options.
Options. It was my new favorite word. I’d been so unfamiliar with it for so long and now it was like a rainbow, the colorful lights arching in a smile, representing beautiful possibilities at their ends.
I was still trying to figure out all the apps on my phone when my screen popped up with an image of a random female. And then, in my panic, as the ringtone started, I tossed the device across the room.
Chapter Six
As soon as the phone left my fingertips, I regretted throwing it.
I scrambled after it, glad that it seemed to land on the couch to the left rather than breaking against the brick fireplace or actually hitting anyone.
It was still ringing as I stared at the screen. Rather than a picture, I could actually see the female as she was apparently talking to someone behind her phone. She was pretty, slightly disheveled, though, and looking a little panicked every time she glanced down at the phone like she couldn’t see me.
Then I realized the buttons suggesting I answer or end the call were still there. She was waiting still.
Holding up the phone to the alphas, I asked, “Who’s this?”
“Koda Tucker,” Sebastian said. “You just met her last month, but you’ve grown very close since. Talking every day, basically.”
“Do I answer it?”
No one seemed to have a good response to that. Then, all of sudden, I was pressing the button to accept the call.
“Hannah, holy shit—guys, she finally answered. Hannah, where have you been? Are you okay? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I need to come over? Guys, I need to go see Hannah.”
Zeke plucked the phone from my hand when words continued to refuse to come out. “Koda, Hannah is fine.”
That made me snort, effectively helping me out of the trance from all the rapid-fire questions. If ‘fine’ meant memory loss, scalp stitches, missing chunks of hair, and a despondent feeling like I’ll never belong, then sure.
I leaned over the arm of the couch, not in the view of the camera, but so I could still see Koda.
“Fine?” Koda shrieked. “She was attacked and sent to the hospital—”
Her words sent every alpha in the room on alert.
“How do you know that, Koda?” The demand came from Jackson.
His barked tone had someone on Koda’s end growling in response. I watched a male pull Koda back against his chest, two other males appearing off to the sides like they were trying to see what was happening.
I whispered the question, “She’s an omega?”
Zeke nodded, then shook his head, before turning to Sebastian. My blond alpha just mouthed the word ‘later’ which felt more ominous than comforting.
“Apologies, Koda,” Jackson gritted out, not sounding sorry at all.