It w as t h e o n ly all- w o m e n d o r m i t o r y bu il d i n g o n ca m pu s, a n d t h e s t ud e n t s t h at i nh a b i t e d t h e h all al w a y s a c t e d li k e h e w a s t h e f i r s t g u y t h e y h ad e ve r s ee n a n d li k e i t w as a g a i n s t t h e r u l e s f o r h i m t o b e t h e r e . It w a s n ' t , n o t un t il af te r t e n o ' cl o c k . H e s t ill h a d s e v e ral h o u rs b e f or e t h e n , a n d h e w as v i s i t i n g h is s i s t e r , no t u p t o n o g o o d .
N o o n e w as a n s we ri n g t h e do o r, a n d M a d is o n fr o w n e d . H e ' d t h o u g h t h e ' d h e ard s om e n o ise fr o m w i t h in t h e r o o m . P r i ce w a s n ' t t h e n e w e s t o f d o r m s, t h o u g h . T h e re w as e v e ry c h a n ce t h e s o un d h e ' d h e ard h ad c om e f r o m a n o t h e r r oo m . L y d ia w a s p r o b a b l y o u t t h e n .
S h r u gg i n g , M a d is o n t u r n e d a w a y , glari n g at t h e w o m a n w h o w as h o v e ri n g in h e r d oo r w ay ac r o ss t h e h all a n d tw o d o o rs do w n . Sh e j u s t s t a r e d a t h i m , l o ok i n g r a t h e r li k e s h e w a s t a k i n g n o t e s o n h is a pp e a r a n c e , a n d M a d is o n r o ll e d h is e y e s as h e l e f t t h e bu il d i n g . Pe r h a p s h e s h o u ld h a v e g o tte n t h a t s h owe r b e f o re v i s i t i n g . It w as ve r y po ssi b l e h e l o o ke d l i k e a c o m p l e t e bu m .
M a d is o n v i s i t e d t h r e e mo re t i m e s o v e r t w o d a y s b e f o re fi n ally c o n si d e ri n g d r a s t i c m e a s u r e s. L y d i a h a dn' t r e p li e d t o e i t h e r h is t e x t s o r h is e m ail as k i n g t o m ee t up , a n d M a d i s o n w as s t a r t i n g t o t h i n k h e w as b e i n g ig n o r e d . M a d is o n h a dn' t said w h y h e w a n t e d t o t a l k t o h e r, bu t h e r a r e ly h ad a r e a s o n ; t h e y u s u ally j u s t m e t f o r l un ch on ce a m o n t h o r s o .
F r o w n i n g a t t h e d o r m r oo m d o o r, M a d i s o n wo nd e r e d h o w p is s e d Ly d ia w o u ld b e if h e t ri e d g o i n g t o t h e RA, p r e t e nd i n g h e w as wo r ri e d f o r h is s i s t e r . S h e ' d m i ss e d l un ch w i t h h i m , a n d s h e w a s n ' t a n s w e ri n g h i s t e x t s o r e m ails. H e w a s w o rr ie d . K n o c k i n g agai n , ig n o r i n g t h e cr ee p y s t a r e o f t h e w o m an ac r o ss t h e h all, M a d is o n d e ci d e d it w as w o r t h a s h o t .
It c o u l dn' t b e c o i n ci d e n ce t h at L y d ia w as ig n o ri n g h i m i m m e d i a t e l y af te r M a d i s o n r et u r n e d f r o m a t w o - d ay t rip t o t h e d e s e r t w i t h A d a m . B e f o re M a d i s o n c o u ld f o ll o w t h at li n e o f t h o u g h t , t h o u g h , L y d i a ' s d o rm r oo m do o r o p e n e d .
" H ey , M a d s , " E m m a , L y d i a ' s r o o m m a te , g r ee t e d . S h e d i dn' t l o o k h a pp y o r u nh a pp y t o s e e h i m , j u s t b o r e d , a n d M a d is o n t o o k t h at as a g o o d sig n . " L y d i a i s n ' t h e r e . S h e ' s b e e n s p e n d i n g t i m e in t h e li b ra r y b e ca u se s h e d o e s n ' t t h i n k yo u' ll l o o k f o r h e r t h e r e . "
"I wo u l dn' t ," M a d is o n sa i d agr ee a b l y . H e li ke d E m m a , m o s t l y b e ca u se s h e d i dn' t s ee m t o h a v e a n y r e s p e c t f o r L y d i a ' s s t up i d i t y o r o u t l a nd i s h p la n s. " D o I h a v e t o g o t rack h e r d ow n ? Or d o yo u k n o w a n y t h i n g a b o u t t h i s m e ss w i t h A d a m ? "
"I m ig h t ," E m m a sai d , t h e n gla n c e d p a s t M a d i s o n t o w a r d s t h e d oo r w h e re t h e cr e e p y w a t c h e r s t oo d , n o t e ve n b o t h e r i n g t o h i d e t h at s h e w as h a n gi n g o n t h e ir e v e ry w o r d . " C o m e i n , w h y d o n' t y o u? " E m m a said w i t h f a k e s w