Whitethorn Academy

Chapter Twelve

The rest of the days blurred together, until my first day of classes loomed in front of me. Nerves churned in my gut as I donned my uniform. I'd been wearing it to the dining hall every day, but today was different.

Today was my first official day at Whitethorn Academy. And I wasn't prepared in the slightest. After I'd abruptly cut Naomi's tour short with my weird behavior outside of the gym, I hadn't dared venture onto campus again.

Naomi had avoided talking about the subject altogether, which I was more than grateful for. I wasn't sure what had come over me and I didn't really want to freak out the only person who wanted to spend time with me.

Loki was curled up on the bed and I gave him a quick scratch behind the ears before I shouldered my bag and headed out the door.

Ms. Rose wasn't at her desk, but her romance novel sat on her desk, closed.

Stepping out of Gamma Hall, the bitter cold nearly took my breath away.

I moved across the quad quickly, wanting to get out of the cold as soon as possible. Naomi waited for me at what had become our normal table and I grabbed my breakfast quickly before joining her.

I picked at my breakfast, watching Naomi as she picked up a French toast stick and swirled it in her syrup.

She wiped some stray syrup from her fingers. "Your first day at Whitethorn Academy. Are you nervous?"

"A little," I admitted as I pushed my eggs around on my plate. "I just... I miss home, you know?"

It was the easiest way to explain the feelings coursing through me. I didn't miss home, exactly. I missed my mom, despite everything.

She gave me a sympathetic look. "I miss my parents sometimes, too. Do you think yours will come for Parent's Day in a few weeks?"

An odd feeling washed over me. "Parent's Day?" I wasn't aware that there was such a thing.

Naomi nodded as she swirled another French toast stick. "Yeah, every few months, Whitethorn invites parents to come and see the school. It's mostly for the rich parents, hoping they donate more money to the school, but it's still a pleasant time. Do you think they'll come for that?"

I pushed away my breakfast, nausea creeping in. "I don't think so."

She tilted her head at me and put down her French toast. "Why not? Most parents love seeing the Academy."

Well, my mom sent me here because she doesn't want me anymore. I wanted to snap at Naomi, but it wasn't her fault. I knew the culprit was my step-father, but that didn't make it any easier to handle.

"You know, I think I forgot my English book in my dorm room," I told her, hastily standing. She gave me an odd look but said nothing as I moved to put away my plate.

The thought of everyone's parents arriving at the Academy, doting on their children, while mine pretended I didn't exist, made a new pain flare inside of me. I was suddenly that girl on the sidewalk outside of the police station again. The girl who was disowned by her parents.

All for an accident that I wasn't even a part of. The thought of Samantha swam in my mind, her lifeless eyes making me sick to my stomach again. And Oliver, with his barely recognizable features. I wanted to vomit.

Naomi made no move to follow me as I pushed my way through the thinning crowd and out of the dining hall.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't see Mari. Not until it was too late for me to stop myself from colliding with her, again. Though this time she had nothing in her hands to spill.