Stronger (The University of Gatica #4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Elizabeth walked into the dorm room as Jani held the door for them.
    "She wasn't able to balance right on those crutches until you brought in Mexican food. Now she's sprinting with them across the hall. Looks like with the right type of reward she can do anything." Jani closed the door behind them and moved to the small table in the room, clearing off books and papers.
    "That's all of us." Elizabeth started to unpack the food, looking over her shoulder at Chrissy.
    "How are you feeling?"
    "Good. Just worried about my Chemistry final. I need to spend the rest of the week focused on it."
    "When’s the test?" Jani asked, pulling out a chair for Chrissy and motioning for her to join them.
    "It's Wednesday. I have my other classes under wraps, but the Chem final is going to eat my lunch. So much memorization." She moved to the table and dropped her crutches beside her before carefully descending into her chair. A knock at the door resounded and Elizabeth got up to get it.
    Jason poked his head into the room, Elizabeth backed up to give him room.
    "Just checking in with you. I'm headed to The Red Coats. You want me to grab you anything?" He breathed in deeply and grinned. "Or you want me to just join you guys?"
    "We're good. Go have fun with your friends. I'll save you some chips if you want to come back by." Chrissy picked up a chip and popped it in her mouth as her brother simply nodded in response.
    "You can join us if you want though," Elizabeth spoke up, her words relaxed and unemotional.
    "I'm good. Coach Phillips’ pussified son is supposed to be there."
    "Ugh. I hate that word, Jason," Jani grumbled, her eyes narrowing on Jason.
    "Your problem sweet thing." He winked as Jani shook her head.
    "Text me later and let me know if he's hot." Chrissy worked to get a little bit of everything on the small plastic plate in front of her. The sound her brother gave as he left exactly the reaction she was looking for. “Send me a pic of him,” she called out, winking at her friends. She wasn't interested in the coach’s kid or anyone else. Brent had done a proper job of crushing her. No hope for the next guy. It would take time to heal her emotional wounds and no gym would properly heal those.
    The girls ate in silence for a few minutes, Chrissy enjoying the various flavors of everything Elizabeth had picked up.
    Jani broke the silence, her question making Chrissy wonder about the thoughts that must be going through her best friend's mind. "Why is Jason not seeing anyone? He's wicked hot and has a great personality."
    "He thinks lust is safer than love." Chrissy shrugged.
    "I think they both suck," Elizabeth said quietly.
    "I agree totally." Chrissy pushed the cheesy enchilada around on her plate. The image of Brent and the black-haired whore he had slept with more times than Chrissy wanted to think about, broke her serenity. "I fell in love with a boy in high school and thought it would be forever. We went to different colleges a few years ago and it ended. He was fucking some girl in his dorm the night I showed up unexpectedly for his birthday. I wanted to surprise him. Guess it was me who got surprised."
    "That’s sucks. I hate you had to go through that. Every time I hear it I want to go find your ex-boyfriend and beat him up." Elizabeth punched her fist into her other hand.
    "We’re talking about bad boyfriends again? You know mine still tops!” Jani laughed. “I fell in love with the school bad boy last semester. He did drugs, talked me into meeting him in the swim team’s sauna and let me get high off of second-hand smoke. His bad boy self had me skipping class and practice to be with him. I almost lost my scholarship because of him." Jani picked up a chip and rolled it aggressively in the cheese dip. “He came to watch me jump yesterday, and wants to get back together. He says he’ll change his ways. I just don’t think it’ll happen.”
    "He was beautiful though. They usually are..." Chrissy sighed softly, reaching