The Broken Partizan - 3

The Lake - Part 7

You're not quite sure where to go.

And in that moment you'd rather be anything than alone, but don't want to go hunting for Lottie or Ellie or another friend, because they're all worrying enough as it is.

The winter is cold, and it's snowing at rosewood. You glimpse the frost crawling from the corners of the windows in the Ivy hallway, leaving pretty patterns on the deep purple carpet from the sun's last light.

It's only 5:30 and yet the sun has nearly met its end for the day.

Suddenly you know exactly where to go.

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You sit at the grand piano in the school's music room, lightly brushing your fingertips along the white keys.

You slowly place your thumb on middle C and press down, all the memories of your childhood seeping back with the sound of a single note.

You haven't touched a piano since your Mum died.

You've missed it so much, and bring your feet to rest on the pedals, separating your fingers in the right positions on the keys.

You begin to play.

JAMIE'S POV:

I stared at the door after she left, a dull aura hanging over me like an awful headache, a migraine even.

I had to follow.

I began to walk across the room when my hand brushed something soft, slung over the back of her desk chair was the jumper I had given her at Tompkin's Manor a year ago.

I stopped, and lifted it from the chair, when a slip of paper fell from the pocket. I caught it with my free hand and brought it closer to my face.

It was a photograph of Lottie, y/n and I in the Maravish palace.

Lottie's beaming at the front, her frizzy golden locks long and wild, she's the one holding the camera. Me and y/n are in the back, staring at each other.

Y/n's smile is so beautiful and genuine, and even I'm smiling back at her.

I never smile in photos.

But then again at the time I didn't even notice Lottie had taken one.

I drop the photo onto her desk and rush out of the room, heading down the corridor in a rush.

"Binah." I spotted the kind girl near Lottie and Ellie's room, and approached her.

"Hi Jamie? Is everything alright? I just saw y/n running off down the corridor, is she okay?"

"Where was she going?"

"I'm not sure, maybe the music room? It's the only thing open after school hours down that way." Binah looked concerned for y/n, but also confident that I would fix it.

I wasn't confident I would fix it.

I barely responded, walking in the same direction at a quicker pace than before.