Free Betrayed by Kelly Harper Page A

start a telecommunications company in Los Angeles. Eventually, that company was bought out by Cox, Inc in San Diego, and her parents were the majority shareholders. Maybe one day I would know what it was like to be on the receiving end of that windfall, too.
    The guest bedroom in Dana’s apartment was easily twice the size of my dorm room. The bed had a canopy cover and fresh, soft, white sheets. There was an entertainment center across from the bed with a flat screen television, and a white dresser that matched the bed frame.
    I set my suitcases next to the bed and slid open the huge doors to the closet. It wasn’t a walk-in closet, like was in the master bedroom, but it was large enough to store my entire wardrobe. Maybe I shouldn’t have skimped out on the packing.
    In the corner of the room was a tiny desk. I looked at it for a long moment and envisioned myself sitting there for hours on end. It was the perfect spot for me to spend the winter vacation - and I knew I was going to be able to get a lot done.
    As I started getting my things unpacked, I heard a jingle at the front door. Dana was home. I went out into the living room to greet her.
    “Hey, roomie,” I said, with a smile.
    “Hey, there,” she said. She walked in and set herself on the counter overlooking the living room. “Got all your stuff moved in?” she asked.
    “I just started,” I said. “But it’s already nice to be away from campus. It’s quiet and peaceful.”
    “It isn’t called a break for nothing,” she grinned.
    “Hardly a break for me,” I said. “I’ll probably be busier than I am during the regular semester.”
    She waved her hand. “Don’t sweat it. You’re going to get in, no problem.”
    “It’s the business plan that I’m worried about,” I said. “I have no idea where to start.”
    She shrugged. “You’ll figure something out.”
    I bit my lip as a nervous ball of energy grew in my stomach. I wished I could share Dana’s confidence, but since she was a legacy to the business school, she’d never had to worry about getting accepted. I didn’t dare to mention that, again. For all the comforts that her parents afforded her, the notion of riding on their coattails was a sensitive subject for her.
    “I hope,” I said.
    Dana looked at me long and hard. There was something she wanted to say, but, for some reason, she was holding back.
    “What is it?” I asked.
    She shook her head. “It’s nothing.” She smiled, softly.
    “Come on, out with it.”
    Her eyes met mine again, this time the hesitation was gone.
    “How are you doing?” she asked.
    The question caught me off guard. I knew instantly what she was referring to - it had nothing to do with school. The subject of Ethan hadn’t come up since she had told me about their affair. I hadn’t gone to her after I ended things with him; I was worried it would only make things more painful. I tried my hardest to imagine that the Dana he had been with was some other girl - not my best friend. It was too painful to think about, otherwise.
    “I’m fine,” I said. I thought about it for another moment. “I’ll be fine.”
    Her eyes softened, supportively. She rubbed my shoulder with her hand.
    “If you want to talk about it, I’m here for you,” she said.
    I nodded. “Thanks.”
    We stood there for another minute in silence. It was nice to feel her support - to feel like I had someone I could commiserate with. After all, I hadn’t been the only one hurt by Ethan, right? It was an odd feeling, I wished I could hold her and comfort her as much as she was offering for me, but the pain of it was still too fresh. One day, our friendship would grow stronger because of the whole ordeal, but, until then, the wounds needed time to heal.
    “Thanks, again, for letting me stay here,” I said. “I promise I won’t be in your hair - you won’t even notice me.”
    She smiled. “What are friends for? I’ll be gone in a few days, anyways, and you know I’d do