Free Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) by Drucie Anne Taylor

there was one.” I giggle.
    She boxes my upper arm playfully, but then she laughs. “Okay, you have a point. It was bad.”
    “ I know,” I agree dryly. “But now I really gotta go. There are a few things I still need to study for tomorrow’s exam. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
    “ Okay.” She hugs me tightly. “Talk to you then, and don’t let anyone get you down. Promise me that.”
    I pull away and kiss her on the cheek. “Promise.”
    ***
    I head straight for the kitchen and fix a strong pot of coffee for my study session. Then I drop my backpack in my bedroom and change into my comfy clothes. It’s just a pair of capri pants and a crop top, but those are my favorite at-home clothes. Then I head into the bathroom to braid my hair and take off my makeup. I don’t intend to leave the house again before class tomorrow, and I don’t need to look like a poster girl while I’m sitting at my desk. I mean, I don’t wear a lot of makeup anyway, but without it, I feel much better. I do cover up the ugly scar on my chin every day. Only Cami, Hailey, and Colton have ever seen it. I got it when I was in a stupid bike accident as a child, and even though it has faded a lot, it still looks kind of bad. People tend to think I’m flawless, but I’m actually far from it. I mean, nobody’s perfect, right? Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone has flaws that make them unique. I don’t aspire to be perfect, I love myself the way I am. Even if I do hide this scar from everyone. Sure, it’s part of me, but that doesn’t mean the world must see it. On my tanned skin, it’s a stark white line. Not pretty to look at, and what’s makeup for if not covering up our little flaws?
    The coffee machine beeps, so I rush back into the kitchen. I pour the contents of the pot into my large thermos and take a mug from one of the cabinets. It’s an insulated mug, too, so I don’t have to drink cold coffee if I get too immersed in my notes.
    “ Hey,” Draven interrupts my thoughts of the task ahead.
    I raise my eyes to meet his and smile. “Hey. How was your day?”
    “ Ugh,” he sighs. “Don’t ask. I should have chosen a different major.”
    I don’t even know what his major is. “Uh … Did we ever talk about what our majors are?”
    “ Music, Thally. And yes, we did.”
    “ Oh … Sorry, I must have forgotten that.”
    “ Don’t worry. It’s not that important. How was your day?”
    “ The first class was a recap of last year, so that was good, but then the two that followed were pure horror. Both professors are way too fast for me, and we’re going to take a bunch of tests right away. I need to study a lot, or else I’ll be starting all over again.”
    “ Sounds shitty.”
    “ Yep, sounds as craptastic as it is,” I confirm, picking up my thermos and the mug. “Which is why I’m going to hunker down and start studying now. Oh, and later tonight, if you hear the doorbell, could you yell? That’ll be my dinner, and I often don’t hear it in my room.”
    “ Aye, captain,” Draven says.
    “ Thank you.” I leave the kitchen and walk into my room, setting the coffee on my desk. I sit down and pull the books and notes from my backpack, sighing one last time before delving in.
    ***
    “ Thally, your pizza is at the door!” Draven calls.
    “ Coming!” I spent four full hours going through all the material I have. My head is spinning. If it were possible, I bet steam would be coming out of my ears right now. My brain has done overtime. Anything I don’t know now, I won’t know tomorrow. I’m done, and I don’t want to risk a blackout, which happened once in high school when I overtaxed myself—I forgot everything right in the middle of the test. I think I’d be able to get a B or C on the test we have tomorrow, and a C would be sufficient to pass, even though I’d love to see a B or even an A at the top of my exam for once.
    I rise, stretch, and walk to the front door. “Hey, Jim,” I greet the