Read Third Degree for Free Online Page B

agree to the terms stated in the student housing handbook that all overnight guests must be signed in and approved by your roommate?”
    She glares at Marshall. “Fine.”
    He claps his hands together, looking way too happy and awake for this hour. “Now the final step …” He fishes through a stack of papers on his desk and eventually holds up identical pink sheets, one in each hand. “If you could just fill out these conflict resolution forms for me, we can all be on our way.”
    Kelsey snatches the sheet, tears it in half, tosses it on the ground, then stomps out of the room. Marshall rolls his eyes. “That went well.”
    Now that Kelsey’s gone, I’m even more embarrassed by the situation than before. Marshall probably thinks I’m not only creepy but also difficult to handle. Not that I didn’talready know that last part. I’ve always been difficult. Still, I thought maybe I could leave that trait with Isabel Jenkins, M.D. I had high hopes for Izzy Jenkins in the area of “getting along with others.”
    I reach for the pink sheet and a pen from his desk, leaning over to fill out the paper. Marshall lays his palm over the paper to stop me. “Izzy …” He points to the end of the bed, indicating that I should sit. So I do. “Before we document this, I just want to make sure you understand how this might look to an outside party.”
    My face flames. I lean forward, allowing my hair to conceal my cheeks. “I know. I’m sorry. I forgot where I was and what might be okay and what might be—”
    “Sexual assault?” Marshall finishes, his eyebrows lifting.
    I cringe, hearing those words. Hearing what could be deemed the truth. Things can get out of control so quickly. “Yeah. That.”
    “Here’s the thing …” He scrubs his hands over his face. “I’ve turned in two incident reports with your name on them in the last week. Becca is already on my case about filing something official with the main residential life office. If I don’t and Kelsey goes to them … I think I can talk her out of it, but I could lose my job for not reporting all incidents.”
    I run my palms back and forth over my thighs. “Right. Okay, so you have to write me up. I get it.”
    “If I lose this job, then I have to figure out how to pay for housing, which I can’t afford, and find a new source of income. It took a lot of work for me to get this position, the recommendations and the interviews … I’m sorry,” he says, guilt filling his expression.
    I stare at him blankly. “Why are you sorry? I screwed up. You’re just doing your job.”
    “I don’t think you meant any harm, that’s why I feel bad. The perception of the situation isn’t going to be anywhere near the truth, and I hate that people are going to think about you that way.”
    My face falls into my hands and I groan. “I knew this roommate thing would be too hard. I should have gotten an off-campus apartment and found other outlets for socializing.”
    “She’ll come around,” Marshall says. “Kelsey’s pretty great once you get to know her. Maybe let her cool off a little before trying to reconcile things, though.”
    “I planned on going right to bed and ignoring her for the rest of the night,” I say, to reassure him that we won’t come knocking again. Not tonight, anyway. Or this morning, since it’s technically morning.
    Marshall takes a pillow and a blanket from his bed, tossing them onto the floor. “Uh, yeah, you won’t be sleeping in your bed until tomorrow night. I’m sure Kelsey locked you out. I could open the door for you—using my awesome RA key ring—but I don’t think that’s the best plan of action, considering the guest in her bed.”
    I’m wearing pajama pants and a tank top—no shoes or pockets to have stuck room keys in. “What should I do? Sleep in the common room?”
    He nods toward his bed and yawns. “You can stay here. Just please don’t tell anyone, and we’ll get you out of here early in the