But now, there was a brilliant light at the end of the tunnel!
Skye tackled Claire in a bear hug, forcing Claire to lean back in a tactical retreat. "Get off me!"
"You smell like sour sweat!"
That struck a nerve with Zara.
Shrieking, she bolted for the bathroom. "No, no, no! I need a shower right now!"
"I feel absolutely disgusting!"
Since Claire was also heading out, she claimed the second shower slot.
Lex took the third, and Skye, who was staying in, happily took the last.
Skye stood at the door, bidding her three roommates farewell one by one and begging them to come back early.
Claire reassured her. "Even if I don't make it back tonight, I'll have someone deliver the food directly to you!"
Skye threw her arms around Claire again. "Claire, I am obsessed with you!"
"If you were a guy, I'd marry you on the spot!"
Claire shuddered and quickly pried the girl's fingers off her. "Alright, relax. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
"Ugh, I'm just trying to show you some love, you heartless monster!" Skye whined.
"I don't need a heart!" Claire peeled her off and walked away with icy swagger. The moment she hit the ground floor, she bumped into Priscilla and Macy Wade.
"Claire!" Priscilla called out.
"You look stunning," Priscilla blurted out, her praise utterly genuine.
Claire was just wearing a simple pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, but her natural beauty was undeniable. With her radiant complexion and effortless collegiate vibe, she was a total knockout.
"How did you manage to get through training without tanning at all?"
Priscilla touched her own cheek. She had put on a layer of foundation before
coming out, yet her skin still didn't have Claire's luminous glow.
Priscilla naturally had a fair complexion, and before the bootcamp, they had been quite similar.
Now, the contrast was painfully obvious.
"It's pure genetics. Don't be jealous." Since she was in a good mood, Claire playfully teased her.
Priscilla sighed in defeat. "I knew it!"
"Seriously though, your skin is flawless. Do you just never wear makeup?"
Leaning in closer, Priscilla confirmed that Claire was completely bare-faced-she didn't even have lip gloss on.
Claire nodded. "I'm usually too busy. Who has the time?"
"Do you always just go all-natural, Claire?" Macy chimed in.
Claire barely knew Macy.
She was pretty, but incredibly quiet, giving off a very demure, refined vibe.
She was the polar opposite of the outgoing Priscilla.
While Claire could easily banter with Priscilla all day, she kept things polite and brief with Macy.
"Not always," Claire replied, shaking her head. "I dress up occasionally."
Her phone buzzed in her hand. It was Owen, calling to hurry her up.
Claire waved the phone at them in farewell. "I've gotta run!"
Priscilla waved back. "Go on, get out of here!"
The two girls then headed toward the campus gates themselves, planning to grab a bite to eat.
What they didn't expect was to spot Claire right at the entrance.
This time, she was walking side-by-side with a man.
The two of them slid into an outrageously flashy sports car.
"Good thing I told you to wait out here," Claire grumbled as she strapped in. "If you had pulled this thing, be the star of tomorrow's campus gossip."
Owen shrugged effortlessly. "I barely ever drive this one, brought it out
specifically because I was picking
you up."
Claire flashed him a deadpan smile. "Great choice. Never drive it again."
Macy and Priscilla watched
wide-eyed as the sleek car roared off, finally stepping out from behind the concrete pillar they had ducked, behind.
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Priscilla was utterly baffled. "Macy, why the hell did you just drag me into hiding?"
Macy couldn't quite explain it. It was just a knee-jerk reaction.