Page 76 of Huge Games

It's hard to concentrate because my brain wants to anticipate every possible outcome. I'm just thankful that I haven't seen Eddie yet. The rage I feel towards that fleck of dick cheese is unlike anything I've ever felt before. Watching Celine with him on the video destroyed me, not because I'm jealous but because he never deserved to touch a hair on her head, let alone take pleasure in her body.

I text Travis to let him know what's happening. Halfway through, Professor Letterman asks me a question and I have no idea what he's talking about. I really need tokeep my mind on my work, but with so much drama circulating, it's hard to care about things that won't matter in a year.

When I finally escape into the fresh air, I continue the message to Travis, then decide to call him while I walk back to my room. He answers on the second ring.

"Dornan. How are you, man?"

"How are you, more importantly?"

He huffs out a long breath, rasping like static in my ear. "Fucked, Dornan. I'm fucked."

"What's going on?"

"Lina's a complete nightmare. She's vomiting all the time and then raging at how this baby is ruining her life…and then she blames me for ruining her life because, of course, I got her pregnant on purpose."

"Fuck, Trav, that's hardcore."

"Tell me about it. I met a few friends from my old company last night just to get out of the house."

"Doesn't she still work there?"

"Yeah. Andrea, who works for her, tried convincing me to return to the US."

"How come?"

"She said she overheard Lina telling someone that the baby's father doesn't want to have anything to do with her."

"When was this?"

"The day before she came to tell me about the pregnancy."

"Fuck." I shake my head, narrowly avoiding a girl holding a stack of books and running in the opposite direction. "So, that can't have been you?"

"I guess she might have said I didn't want anything to do with her."

"Did she say it that way, or did she say it as though he knew about the baby?"

He pauses, thinking. "She said she thought he knew about the baby."

"Travis. What the fuck are you still doing there? She's using you, man. She got dumped by the father of the child, and now she's using you as a stand-in. Just come back."

"I can't," he says, his voice turning quiet.

"What's the name of the guy she cheated with?"

"Why?"

"You can try to find him. That way, you'll know for sure. If Lina told him first, he must be the father, and you'll be free to come home."

"Maybe." He sounds defeated. "How's Celine?"

Travis doesn't know about Eddie and the video. We've kept it from him so far, but maybe now's the time to let him know. Celine's distress could be enough to tip the balance.

"She's been better, Trav." I explain to him what happened and he's furious with Eddie. "We were in the hospital yesterday with Elias's…his mom is sick…and I think that has taken her focus off what Eddie did."

"She's sick?"

"It's bigger than that, but it's Elias's story."