Saint Ambrose Academy: Unlikelies

9

ENZO

It's been two weeks since Nova caught me and she hasn't told a soul. But then I don't think anyone would listen even if she had, still, I'm grateful for her silence though. I haven't seen her much since, just in passing. I told Lia about returning the notebook to Nova, she wanted all the details on how Nova seemed. I told her the truth, she seemed troubled.

Lia's been having some troubles of her own, her parents have been working through a divorce for a while, and it's beginning to affect Lia and her siblings. I'm trying my best to be there for her, but I'm admittedly useless. Judging by the way her eyes light up at Nova's name, I'd say that's who she needs.

She's divulged a little more, about the nature of her relationship with Nova, they were extremely close as she previously mentioned. However, they were best friends even though Lia is a little bit older than Nova. The summer they met, Lia's father had sent her away to this expensive dance camp he had originally said no to, she had caught him cheating on her mother with her nanny. In turn, he sent her away as a bribe and assurance that she wouldn't tell. Nova helped her through it, apparently, she had been exiled to the camp by her parents as well. They bonded over their problematic home lives and Nova helped Lia work up the courage to tell her mom when she went home that summer.

However, her mother knew all along and stayed with her father to keep up appearances. Lia began to act out and so her mother sent her away to Saint Ambrose Academy. Out of sight out of mind, Lia had said when she told me. Her father messed up and got the nanny pregnant and now Lia's mother is filing for divorce. I asked her if she talked to Cassia about any of this, but she said that while Cassia isn't as bad as people say, and is actually a very loyal good friend, she can be too self-involved sometimes. Not making the time to actively listen to her, when she needs to talk.

I've asked her if she's considered reaching out to Nova, but she just shuts down, saying how she can't not after what she's done to her. I didn't really understand that, but I didn't push her. she was already upset so I just held her and stroked her hair.

We're sitting in the dining hall eating lunch with our friends when Matteo comes and sits with us. I honestly haven't seen him much outside of the President's meetings.

"Hey man, mandatory meeting after school." He looks worse for wear, Angel tells me he thinks his brother has a problem, but can't approach him on it because Matteo has their father's temper.

"Alright, hey man are you doing alright?" I ask, knowing he won't lose his temper with me because it was a fight he wouldn't win.

"Yeah of course ma-" he's clearly high on whatever he's into, but he stops speaking before finishing his sentence someone having caught his eye.

Just then I noticed that Nova had walked into the dining hall carrying her tray of food, Matteo focuses his eyes on her, watching her like predators watch their prey. Hungry.

I think Cassia notices this too, and she sticks her foot out as Nova passes, tripping her sending her falling backward to the floor, and her tray of food all over Matteo. People watch, some film, but when she lands on her back, Lia, Matteo, and I all notice the change in her breathing, as well as the tears that line the brim of her big eyes, just threatening to fall. She winces and takes a few short shallows breathes, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. She's paler and just keeps blinking, till she gets up slowly, cautiously and like an injured animal goes off on her own.

Lia then turns to Cassia, her face is this deep shade of pink, tears brim her own eyes, but I see that she is enraged at her friend. Cassia is sitting there looking smug, smiling because god forbid anybody but she was the focus of attention.