October Academy

Chapter 14

Is this version of Darcy completely charming me? Or am I being naively manipulated? He's just so hard to read. I never know what to expect with him. Now he's being flirty? Which side of Darcy is the real one?

"Where are you taking me?" I giggle. Omg did I just giggle?

"Secret hiding place."

"Since when do you know so much about the museum?"

"My dad practically owns this town."

"Ooh, big dick energy."

He rolls his eyes but tightens his grip around my hand.

We walk across the museum to a tall door. In front of it is a sign with trigger warnings for people with sensitive senses.

"Close your eyes," he says.

I slowly give in and close my eyes. I feel his hands cover my eyes as he whispers at my ear, "no peeking."

We walk forward and I worry about tripping, but know that Darcy is behind me steadying me. The room is cold, a sensation of water flowing through the room brings up the hairs at the back of my neck.

I hear Darcy close the door behind us. His hands lift from my eyes. I open them.

Everything around me sparkles. I'm in a galaxy. Light glows all around me, orbs of colours and glitter. A soft song plays in the background, the sound of stars floating through space, tinkling. I look down and realise that the square I'm standing on is surrounded by a small pool of water.

After my first impression, I take a closer look and realise the room is all mirrors. It's magnificent. Like magic.

"Yayoi Kusama," Darcy says from behind me. "That's the artist who made this."

I turn around to face him, just a few steps in front of him.  "It's beautiful."

"Almost as beautiful as you."

I can't tell if he's joking. The light is so dim that I can barely make out any of his features.

"Stop playing games," I say and playfully push him.

He grabs my wrist. "I'm not," he says, quietly.

Electricity shoots through my body. My heart beats so fast it might just explode. Is that... butterflies in my stomach? Threatening to fly right into my lungs and force me to hold my breath?

Noise passes our room from outside. Our history class – oh fuck I forgot about them. The tour must be almost finished and we're not going to make it to the bus.

"We should go," I whisper, even though no one can hear us.

Darcy turns, about to open the door. But he can't open it.

"Don't you dare tell me we're locked in another room together," I say, though the idea isn't that repulsive. Especially not a room as beautiful as this.

"It must've locked from the outside," Darcy says in thought.

"I'll call Acacia," I say, taking my phone from my pocket. "No service, fuck."

"Let me try," Darcy says. "The only number I have from this class is Alyssa."

"Don't call her!" I whisper shout.

"She may be our only option."

"No way..."

He starts dialling her, and for some reason, his phone's reception is fine. It must be a newer model. "Alyssa," he says, explaining our situation.

Within thirty seconds, the door swings open, but instead of Alyssa, it's Mr Speidy, Mrs Speidy, and the whole class behind them.

Mr Speidy doesn't say anything but looks disappointed in me. His expression almost makes me want to cry.

Mrs Speidy, on the other hand, is fuming. "This is completely unacceptable behaviour, you two. Disappearing while on an excursion – you know the kind of lawsuit you could have stricken?"

The whole class chuckles. I look to Darcy, expecting him to not give a fuck, to be suave like he's been all night. But instead, he's withdrawn, like the idea of everyone seeing us together has turned him off me so bad he'd rather be invisible.

Am I that much of an outsider that Darcy is embarrassed to be seen with me?

Mrs Speidy finishes her spiel then starts walking the class back to the bus.

"Wow, that was so awkward –" I say, but Darcy's expression has completely changed.

"That never happened, ok?" he says, not even looking into my eyes. He walks away and doesn't look back.

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These last two chapters have been really short so i uploaded them together. chapters won't be this short usually.

also, have any of you been to one of these infinity rooms before? where the walls are all mirrors and there's little lights installed into them? it looks like your walking on stars! yayoi kusama had one in the art gallery i went to back when i was in highschool. i even ended up writing my art essay on her! she's amazing.

infinity - the gold coast interactive maze - also has these mirror rooms. it's really cool i totally recommend checking one out.

love you all,

aurora