Page 84 of Eat. Prey. Love.
Rufus is fiddling with his camera, lens cap dangling from his fingers as he smirks at me. I sigh, the weight of loyalty nudging me forward. My friends have been on board with all my crazy shit from day one, no matter how dangerous it was. It would be shitty to let my stupid trauma from Apex keep me from helping Ru-Ru get his shots done.
“Okay,” I concede, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll come along. It’s time I got past this anyway, right? Todd’s gone and none of his stupid dogs followed us here after Cappie. The cafeteria should be mostly mutt-free, unless that damn O’ Leary chick is there.”
A soft cough from my badger friend makes me turn and he shrugs. “There are other canines on campus, Dollypop. I want you to come so I can get you and Coco in my fabulous clips, but I’m not going to lie about what we might find there. It’s a dick move.”
Trust Rufus to be baldly honest with zero filter—it’s part of why I adore him
“Fine.It might not be flea-bitten mongrel-free. Got it,” I sigh as I grab my messenger bag. “At least I won’t run into the remaining Heathers. They keep to themselves if they’re not giving me shit in class.”
“An important distinction,” Cori agrees. “Only yournewbullies might be in the place you don’t want to go.”
Thanks, Cori. That’s super helpful.
Descendingthe stairway into the Alexandré building’s subterranean cafeteria, I can’t help but grumble. “Why do they always put these places underground? It’s like they’re trying to hide us away or something.”
“Probably because they don’t want anyone seeing preds scarfing down their lunch,” Cori quips with a smirk, her voice echoing slightly off the walls.
“Some of the prey work here, like Raina.” I give them both a nod as we finally approach the entrance.
We push through the wide double doors ofl’Academie’s cafeteria into a setting I’ve actively avoided since that first semester at Apex. I’m prepared for the scent of cooked vegetables and spices that doesn’t quite mask the underlying odor of cleaning fluid and deep-fried resignation. I hear the distant clatter of cutlery and the murmur of student chatter, but here, there’s an ornate host station blocking the entry to the dining area and the scent of roses.
What the hell is this?
“See? Not so bad,” Cori says, her hand still on my back, gently guiding me to the stand. Apparently, this isn’t a surprise to her, and I groan inwardly. If they’ve been here already, I look like the idiot who has no idea that she’s not going to find a normal college cafeteria that would trigger my fear.
“You could have mentioned that this place is different,” I reply calmly. My voice is steady, but my heart hasn’t gotten the memo. It thunders in my chest like a drum, resonating with every step. “It might have made this excursion a little easier, guys.”
“Welcome toLe Jardin des Muses,” the willowy swan shifter at the desk says. “Reservations are closed today, but you may find open seating in the back. Your server will bring menus and water once you are settled.”
Okay, this is insane. This place runs like a five-star restaurant!
The cavernous space is decked out like a museum rather than a place to eat. Murals loom large on the walls, depicting predators in various artistic poses, all gloss and glam. Gilded fixtures throw back the light in a show of unnecessary opulence.
“Are we sure this is a cafeteria?” I raise an eyebrow at Rufus and Cori as we weave our way between tables. “Looks more like they’re preparing us for a five-star dining experience.”
“We should find a spot away from prying eyes,” Rufus suggests, scanning the ornate dining room with a filmmaker’s eye. He’s looking for the perfect shot, and I’m just looking to get through a meal without bolting.
“Good idea,” I murmur, as I follow him to a spot in the back. My eyes skate around the room, taking in the sumptuous design, white napkins, and crystal barware. “This place is crazy. Who builds a cafeteria like this for college students?”
“Camille LaFragrasse,” Cori supplies with a mischievous grin. “You know, the famous chef? This is the only cafeteria in the world with two Michelin stars. It’s freaking amazing, which is why I wanted to bring you here. According to admissions staff, Camille herself stops in sometimes. She lives nearby.”
As I sit, I press my feet firmly against the tiled floor, grounding myself in the present, in the company of friends who have no idea how deeply the scars of past ridicule run. Luckily, the opulence of this damn room and the information Cori just dropped on me are very distracting. I turn to her with an arched brow, my expression wry. “You wanted me to come here because it’s swanky and nothing like Apex’s space, right? Fancied yourself an armchair shrink?”
She flushes and shrugs. “Maybe. But I was right. You’re not losing your shit and every little piece of you that you wrest back from those assholes is something the new enemies can’t use against you, Dolly.”
Shit. She’s got me there.
Wrinkling my nose, I nod at her, letting her know I forgive the white lie. “Alright. Then let’s film his shit before the waiter gets here so we can just hang out. I don’t want to be doing taped stuff all throughout lunch. I like spending time with you guys.”
“Ready when you are, Dolly,” Rufus says, lifting his camera, a silent promise that he’ll make this as painless as possible.
Once Rufus getswhat he needs for his ‘mock-u-mentary,’ our conversation inevitably steers towards more personal stuff—specifically, the triplets and Rufus. The details he crows about are risqué as hell, and I can’t help the laughter that bubbles up despite my earlier anxieties. The badger has truly found men who make him happy—in more ways than I needed to know—and it’s amazing to see him glow with that emotion.
However, our gossipy exchange is cut short when a capybara waiter approaches, menus in hand. His small stature is no match for his beaming smile as I greet him. “Hi, there. We’re friends of Raina, and we wanted to check out the food here.”
“Miss Dolly!” His excitement vibrates through the air. “Raina told us all about you. I’ll make sure you’re all taken care of; no need to even look at the menus.”
“Uh, wait a sec…” I squint at the nametag before I continue, “Floyd. We aren’t quite ready to order yet because we just got those…”