Chapter 43

Two years ago, Selene wasn’t exactly ruling Armitage College social life. Sure, her grades were art-student-extraordinaire levels of awesome, but fitting in? Not so much. Tuscavia was supposed to be sunshine and medieval charm, not designer bags and effortless bronzed bodies that looked like they’d been sculpted by angels on a protein smoothie diet. Her phone – cracked screen and all – felt like a relic from another, less sparkly era compared to the latest iPhones her roommates wielded like miniature fashion accessories. That first loan for a new phone had felt like a passport to cool, a ticket to belonging in this world where appearances were currency. Tuscavia was expensive, though. Between art school tuition that rivalled a small island and living costs that made her mom’s monthly cheques look like pocket money, Selene’s budget was stretched thinner than a yoga teacher’s hamstrings. Tablets, phones, even a new laptop – those weren’t luxuries; they were necessities if she wanted to f