The Good Student

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2011 Stacey Espino

ISBN:
978-1-927368-26-8

Cover Artist: LF Designs

Editor: Marie Buttineau

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

Dedicated to those who have the courage to live their fantasy.

THE GOOD STUDENT

Stacey Espino

Copyright © 2011

Chapter One

There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakabl
y desirable.

--
Mark Twain

Cynthia sipped on her Margarita. “Forget about Eric. He’s a jerk.”

“I know he’s a jerk, but forgetting isn’t so easy. You’d understand if you just wasted eight months of your life.” Kaya tried to enjoy the night out with her best friend. She really did. Playing normal when her heart was broken to pieces and she felt like a disposable piece of shit, wasn’t so easy.

“Call it a lesson learned and move on.”

Kaya scoffed and fiddled with the paper umbrella in her drink. “I’ll bet he’s after Brandy already. In fact, I’ll bet he celebrated the day I told him about the transfer.”

“Stop. Obsessing. Who cares what he does. He’s ancient history.” Cynthia was normally an excellent distraction, but not when the wounds were this fresh.

Kaya was registered to start classes at Cynthia’s university on Monday morning. After much consideration, she had decided to make the switch for second semester. Her scholarship money had run out, and she couldn’t afford the tuition at her previous Ivy League school. Unfortunately not all her credits were transferrable, which would set her back another year. She was forced to change schools
and
lost her boyfriend of eight months in a single week. Even though it was only a ten minute difference in driving time from the old university to the new one, Eric insisted he couldn’t handle a long distance relationship.

Kaya had reduced herself to begging.

Looking back, she realized how pathetic and desperate she must have appeared. She had always been the invisible girl. The shy one. The boring one. When Eric had first asked her out on a date, she thought he was joking. He starred on the football team and all the girls wanted a piece of him. Eric was the perfect catch—young, blond, and muscled. It mystified Kaya why he bothered with her in the first place.

When he'd called it quits, she thought her whole world would collapse in around her. She measured her value by being Eric Coldwater’s girlfriend. Now she questioned everything, and she felt worthless and small. It didn’t help that Eric made a point of telling her that she had no passion, and he needed a little more excitement in his life on their last day together.

“I mean if he thought I was boring…fine. Why lie and blame it on the transfer?”

“Ugh. Stop. Look around you, Kaya. There are plenty of eligible bachelors here and the university is busting from all the testosterone. He’s not the only guy in the world, and I say good riddens if he couldn’t commit.”

Kaya sighed, downed her drink, and then slammed the glass back on the table. She had to put the breakup behind her. The past week it seemed all she did was lie in bed and listen to sad loves songs on her iPod. She cried, then went numb, then cried some more. She had opened herself up to Eric, something she never did lightly. When he took back his love, she mourned his loss, his listening ear, and the feeling of belonging. She lost more than a boyfriend. She lost her sense of self. Kaya wondered how much of what they shared was real. If he truly was the friend she thought, he would never have been able to walk away from her so easily.

Cynthia finally broke Kaya’s self destructive cycle by insisting she go out with her for the night.

“After eight months I thought things were serious. I thought he was
the one
.”

“I told you not to get too attached to him. I know his type. You should feel accomplished for keeping him as long as you did.”

“I’m thrilled. Honored actually.” Kaya rolled her eyes and slumped forward over her knees.

“Cut it out. Look at those two.” Cynthia nudged her and pointed out two guys leaning against the bar, staring in their direction. The entire bar was dark, only the strobe lights offering minimal lighting.

“What’s the point? Why pour my heart and soul into another guy just to have him dump me. I don’t think I can ever trust a man again. I thought what I had with Eric was real and look how that turned out.”

Cynthia shrugged and chugged the last of her drink. “It’s a gamble.” They continued to people-watch. Why did everyone have to look so damn happy when she felt like a gooey mess on the inside?

“What more could I have done? I loved him and did everything he asked of me.”

“Sorry, are we talking about Eric again? Seriously? I’ve already told you, it wasn’t you, it was him. He’s a no-good playboy.”

“So why waste his time on me at all? He knew what he was getting into when he asked me out? I’m not exactly the cheerleader type.”

“I don’t know, Kaya. Maybe it was the lure of the unknown. He never dated a good girl. Maybe he thought you were repressed on the outside and wild in the bedroom. Guys have some pretty fucked up fantasies.”

“That’s all they want isn’t it? A good fuck and then they’re on their way again. Guess I’m boring in the sack.” She exhaled an unsteady breath. “He called me needy and passionless.”

“He’s an asshole.”

“I’m really sick of trying to be what men want. I thought guys only settled down with good girls. Well, now I’m alone so my theory is way flawed.”

“So be a bad girl for a change.”

Kaya chuckled. “Then I’ll be able to keep them for a full eight minutes. I’m telling you, you can’t win with men. They only have one thing on their brains.”

Kaya’s parents were missionaries. They never expected to have a child of their own. Kaya was the classic surprise pregnancy when they were working out of South Africa. When they came to the United States, Kaya was already a year behind when she started high school. Her parents settled down for her benefit, but as soon as she graduated they were travelling as a family unit overseas for charity work.

There was an eye opening moment when Kaya realized she didn’t want to follow in her parents’ footsteps. She wanted an education in America. A normal life with roots. Kaya knew they’d return home with her if she told them her feelings, but she would never ask it of them. Their dream, since she was a child, was to move to Addis Ababa and work in the orphanages. They recently accepted an offer to join a huge project and Kaya wouldn’t take that away from them. But it was their dream, not hers.

So she was on her own, after four years of nomad living. She roomed in Cynthia’s house and went to university on scholarship money. Until recently. With her money dried up and no more scholarship funds, she had to transfer universities and get a job making donuts at night. Not exactly what she planned for herself at twenty six, but she had a plan for the future. A plan not going her way lately.

“Just stop thinking about that prick and concentrate on school. Be yourself and the right guy will come along when you’re not expecting it,” said Cynthia, fluffing up her hair for her two-man audience.

Kaya could tell her friend was getting bored with her pity trip. They did come out to have fun and get her mind off of Eric. Her youth slipped passed her so quickly, she couldn’t even remember care free days or reckless behavior. Could she even handle being irresponsible? The consequences of doing things right got her a broken heart, nothing to show for her troubles, and eight wasted months. Perhaps she should try things differently.

“Everyone says that. Has a great guy ever fell in anyone's lap? I doubt it. Maybe the only way to get what we really want is to fight for it.”

“Now you’re talking, Kaya. Find what you want and take it! Be strong, be yourself, and the fuck with any guy who tries to change you.”

“Or use you,” Kaya added. “I refuse to give a man that much control over me again.”
It hurt too much.
From this day forward, she'd be the one in control.

“That’s my girl. I hate to see you moping around. Shit, you’ve seen how many losers I’ve gone through and I’m still alive. You just have to disconnect yourself more. Fuck the needy girl routine. No guy wants that and neither should you.”

Not becoming emotionally invested in her relationships would be difficult. She found that she craved stability to an almost obsessive level. Her childhood came back to haunt her. Kaya knew the constant travelling as a kid left her insecure. With her parents always gone, she wanted to have someone to hold on to, someone to count on. Perhaps she sought a substitute parent more than a mate. Things really had to change in her life.

Starting her new university in two days, she vowed to become a new Kaya. This would be a fresh page in her life. No going back to the girl she used to be.

“Cynthia. If I ever mention Eric again, just slap me.”

She smiled. “My pleasure.”

Chapter Two

Getting used to a new school proved to be a challenge. The place had nearly a dozen connecting buildings, and she couldn’t imagine being able to navigate the university on her own. The courtyards were bustling with young adults, and streams of students cut around them over the manicured lawns, trying to get to one building or the other. The sky was clear today, the sun glaring off all the glass surfaces. Without Cynthia’s help, Kaya would be lost. They shared one class together, but for most of the day she was on her own.

“Okay. Your first class is at the end of that hall.” Cynthia hoisted her canvas book bag over her shoulder again. The throngs of students passing by continually knocked it down her arm. “Meet me at the front doors at lunch and we’ll walk down to the coffee shop for a bagel or something.”

“Alright.” Kaya drew in a deep breath, glancing down the ominous hallway. The polished floors reflected the glare from the florescent lighting, adding to the uncomfortable institutional feel of the building. “Wish me luck.”