Clear Lake Academy holds some of the worst delinquents from around the country. Each and every student there holds a notorious background and almost everyone avoids them.
After setting another building on fire, which just so happened to be a commun...
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I walked through the hallways quietly, head down amidst the ruckus of idling students. The chatter swelled, filling the narrow hallways, as the sea of ruby made their way towards their next classes.
The boys and I had returned yesterday, early in the morning, in order to avoid the piling traffic that would no doubt occur as soon as the world awoke from its slumber. The boys were welcomed back with a week's worth of detention for leaving the premises without permission.
I mean-I did warn them...
I blinked heavily against the weight against my lids, ears barely filtering any sound like they were stuffed with cotton. I hadn't sleep a wink last night, which was expected; nightmares plagued the darkness behind my lids, hounding me as soon as my mind shifted for rest. Thus, I stayed awake night after night, staring at nothing but the stars outside the window as the rest of the world slept soundly. For three days I hadn't slept, nor had I eaten much for that matter. It wasn't on purpose- I just wasn't hungry anymore, not with everything going on.
But going back home had stitched something back together within me, even if it were still loose. I was happy. Content. Just from seeing Will. Just from feeling some warmth. Even with all the disaster I faced, I was happy. But the keyword was - was. As soon as I stepped foot in Clear Lake Academy once again, the feeling disappeared like a runaway ghost. Everything hung over me like a dark cloud once again.
I'd locked myself in my room since.I didn't want to talk to anyone about what had happened—because all I had was myself to confide in. No one would understand how deeply my father's betrayal had hurt me. I didn't even know whether Bentley had told the others what my father had done, but did it really matter anymore?
I was sick of him.
I had expected him to send guards to drag me wherever he wanted, but I never imagined he would try to drug me. That was a new low, even for him. Still, I refused to speak about it. Instead, I returned to school, and the others followed.
Will was as clingy and cautious as ever, but he was so gentle and thoughtful about everything that I couldn't bring myself to be angry with him.
On the way back, I sat in the passenger seat this time, keeping my eyes closed and to myself so I wouldn't have to look at the road. Being in the car made everything worse—the memory of the accident crept in, tightening my chest.
To distract myself from the constant spiral of thoughts, I focused on uncovering the truth about that person. One phone call to a private investigator gave me a clear path forward. Now, all I could do was wait for the verdict- no matter how long it took.
My heels clicked sharply against the floor, the chains at my hip rattling softly against my skirt. My blazer was freshly ironed, and on the outside, I looked put together. Inside, it was another story entirely.
I shoved open the double doors, allowing the endless chatter of troublesome students flood my ears. Red upon red sat on chairs, hunched over tables, mouths moving faster than minds could keep up as students lost themselves to drama.
