The Disappearing Girl Read Free Page A

parties, Brittany’s twenty-first birthday in November allowed her access to the bars on and around campus. She had joked that she had a countdown clock for my upcoming birthday.
    “Yes, I’ve received my student teaching assignment. I’ll be working with third-graders; kids are still pretty cute at that age, so I’m happy. Once they hit fourth and fifth grade, they begin to get whiny and annoying.”
    It was good to be home, I thought, as we caught up on what was going on in our lives. Maybe I could forget about winter vacation and get in shape the old-fashioned way. I had free access to a fitness center on campus, and I was certain I could find plenty of low-calorie foods to choose from at the school eateries. I knew I couldn’t eat with abandon like before.
    Although the compliments about my weight loss were off-putting, it was nice to be told I looked good. I’d never needed the validation before, but experiencing a taste of it made me crave it. I would use my perfectionist tendencies to turn my body into something beautiful.

Chapter Three
    My head was pounding the next day as I picked up my textbooks from the campus store. Brittany and I stayed up until after two in the morning, participating in a gossip fest. The twins had arrived a few hours after I had settled in, and we got caught up with them. Danielle and Jessica were charming girls from Maryland, both amazing field hockey players. I found it very surprising the way they turned into savage beasts on the field, considering their normally laid-back personalities.
    Brittany had picked up subs and bags of chips around midnight from the Wawa five minutes away from the campus. Although I’d made a pledge to eat healthier, it was hard to resist the temptation once the food was in front of me. It took all my resolve to not eat it, and I went to bed hungry. I decided to skip breakfast as well and instead set off for the bookstore to get everything I needed for my classes, which would be starting the next day.
    My messenger bag was laden with newly purchased textbooks as I cut through the Student Center. The Student Center had a large atrium in the middle, with couches and tables where people could study between classes. The Student Center was the central building on campus and housed the bookstore, information desk, computer lab, and a sandwich shop. Student groups and vendors usually had tables set up along the walkways. Since it was the first week of classes, the building was overcrowded.
    As I walked toward the exit, a figure carrying a clipboard stepped into my pathway. I let out an annoyed breath and I knew I was in for a lengthy spiel. Getting accosted by overzealous vendors in the Student Center was commonplace.
    “Hi there.” The soft voice was male, with a deep timbre. I lifted my gaze to meet his and found a pair of electric blue eyes twinkling in my direction. His hair was medium brown, with lighter blond streaks that looked to come naturally from the sun. He had a mussed hairstyle going on that may have been unintentional, or could have meant he spent twenty minutes in front of the mirror to perfect the look. Since he stood a full head above my five-foot-three, his chin was tilted down to look at me.
    “Good morning, would you be interested in signing up for a student MasterCard?”
    I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t surprising he was chosen for that particular job. A man as gorgeous as he was would have the girls lining up around the block to sign up for a new credit card. “No thanks.”
    I went to sidestep him and he shot me a disarming smile. His smile was sexy, without any traces of smarminess. I found myself staring at his lips as he spoke.
    “You get a free t-shirt and a coffee mug for just filling out the application.”
    “And in exchange I get a card with an outrageous twenty-five percent APR? I think I’ll pass,” I said dryly.
    His smile grew bigger. “You can cut up the card if you get approved. You don’t have to use it.”
    “I