Whitethorn Academy

Chapter Fifteen

Jolting awake, I could still smell the stench of burning flesh and smoke.

I barely made it to the toilet in time. And by the time I was done, my sides and throat were aching. I sat back on the cool tile, trying to catch my breath.

These dreams were getting out of control. It was impossible to tell the truth from fiction anymore. I did not know if these were memories or if they were figments of my imagination. And the not knowing was ripping me apart.

The note left in my gym locker had made it clear someone knew the truth. But I wasn't sure I was ready for whatever that truth would be. Had I truly hurt Samantha and Oliver in the woods? Had I repressed those memories? I shuddered at the thought.

There was a small meow and Loki sat in the doorway to the bathroom, his green eyes watching me.

"I'm okay, buddy."

He meowed again, brushing against the doorframe before turning around and walking out of the bathroom. I stood up and moved to the sink to brush my teeth.

When I emerged from the bathroom, there was a knock on my door.

A quick glance out the peephole showed that it was Naomi. I opened the door, giving her what I hoped was a smile.

"I was about to head to dinner and I thought I'd stop in and check on you. Are you feeling any better?"

I gave a nod of my head, even though it was a lie. "Yeah, a nap helped a lot. Guess I was just really wore out after all those push-ups."

Her green eyes turned sympathetic. "I can still remember my first lesson with Coach Knight. We ran so many laps I couldn't walk without limping for a week."

"She's serious about her workouts, that's for sure."

"Do you wanna come grab dinner with me?"

My stomach roiled at the thought. But I didn't want to stay here either, alone with my thoughts and the lingering emotions of the nightmare.

"I should probably eat a little something," I answered, then turned to grab my key off my dresser.

I followed Naomi out of the building and to the dining hall. On a noticeboard, a flyer announcing the date for Parent's Day hung. I thought about what Alek said about wanting to speak to my mother at Parent's Day and my gut rolled again.

I grabbed something light, just a salad with extra crackers and a sprite, before sitting down at our normal table with Naomi.

We ate in silence for a few moments, though I mostly picked at my food. A shiver slid down my spine, as if someone was watching me. A quick glance around the room showed that Alek was watching, a small grin playing at his lips.

Though I wanted to glance away, I was frozen by his stare. Then he leaned toward Mari, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders. And I snapped my gaze back to my salad.

"Has she been giving you a hard time again?"

"Mari, no. Alek... yes."

Naomi groaned, stabbing her pasta with more force than necessary. "What did that jerk do?"

Pushing around my lettuce, I frowned. "He stopped me when I was heading back to my dorm earlier, after gym class. He said I was like a stray dog he couldn't get rid of. Then he said he wanted to talk to my mom at Parent's Day."

Naomi snorted. "Your mom? What, does he want to tell on you?"

"I may have said that my mom would be there, but the truth is, I don't think she will be. I'm worried I might have given him more ammunition to humiliate me."