Chapter 39. Everyone’s Target

ARDEN

“Hey, are you really—”

I weaved through the crowd of people who kept quizzing me about my virginity once again. The moment it was revealed, people didn’t take it lightly. I darted out of the swimming pool with Tessa hot on my heels, and as soon as we reached our dorm, the information was already plastered on Echo for the entire student body to see. I genuinely dreaded coming to class this morning, and for good reason.

Nearly everyone had their eyes on me—curious, disdainful, and worst of all… hungry.

“Can’t they get the memo that you’re not interested?” Tessa muttered under her breath after I shooed away yet another man—someone I had never even talked to before—blatantly asking me for sex.

“They understand that,” Owen chimed in, looking up from his lunch. “That won’t stop them from trying, though.”

“Wow, that’s the first time I’ve heard you speak,” Tessa remarked casually before pivoting back to the topic at hand.

“If you think about i