Academy of Blood and Magic

19🖤

Janice Warren walked over to her brother, a scowl on her face. "Where the hell did you go? Ella and I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"I just wanted to visit my friend real quick." He waved at her dismissively. "I'll meet you and Ella in the cafeteria in a second."

Janice didn't move; she locked her gaze on me and I sank back in my bed, my face flushing as realization dawned on her face. I knew she knew who I was from the disdain on her face. She must've seen me before or recognized me from the description, but it didn't matter how she knew who I was, the fact stayed the same: I was the girl who her boyfriend left her for and she hated my guts.

"Janice," Isaac said sharply. "Get out of here."

She ignored him. "You're Lyric."

She didn't say it as a question. She didn't need to.

"Janice. . ." Isaac lowered his voice to a growl, his patience apparently slipping rapidly.

She took a step toward my bed. "This, this is what Brandon left me for? A trashed, psychotic, junkie?"

"Janice!" Isaac's voice cracked like a whip, causing Janice and me to jump. "Get out of here! Now!"

Janice stared at me for a long moment, her gaze hateful, her fists balled as though she wanted to pummel me right then and there, but she spun on her heels and stormed out.

A long, awkward silence stretched between us. Like that night at Steak n' Shake, I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

"I am so, so sorry about that. I had no idea she would -"

"Just leave," I said softly, my throat growing tight by a sudden surge of emotion.

"Lyric -"

"Leave."

He reluctantly stood up, his face pinched with concern. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it, shook his head, and walked out of the room, leaving me alone as tears slipped down my face.

A nurse that closely resembled Janice and Isaac walked in not even five minutes later, where tears were flowing heavily down my face. I knew without even looking at her name tag that this was Ella.

I cursed silently. Seriously? Couldn't the Warrens leave me alone for five freaking minutes?

She walked over to my bed and checked my IVs, her expression a mix of anger and regret.

"I'm really sorry about my sister, and my brother," she said sincerely. After making sure my IVs were running smoothly, she moved on to the heart monitor. "I told them to not come in here, but of course, they didn't listen."

"It's okay," I said quietly.

"I know it's not an excuse, but my sister has been going through a lot of crazy stuff in her life lately. She was upset about Brandon and still is to some extent, but that was uncalled for. She has. . .anger issues."

That much was obvious, I thought but didn't say it out loud.

She quickly finished checking on me then gave me another once over.

"I will say this," Ella said, gazing down at me with pity. "You honestly do seem like a good person, and as much as I dislike Brandon for breaking up with my sister, he isn't a bad guy. I hope you two are happy and make each other happy."

She left.

I was silent the whole drive home. I wasn't sad, angry, or confused, I was just. . .numb. I wasn't feeling anything for some reason.