SECRETS

CHAPTER 9

The moonlight cast long, silvery shadows across the gravel path,that lay distantly in separation of the two dorms.
Curiosity tugged at Hayden's empathetic heart, and he gently inquired, "What happened to your sister?" I despised the sympathy that came with the question, so I gathered my composure.

"She's gone. It was an unfortunate accident. But let's not dwell on that," I responded, determined to steer the conversation away from the painful memories.

Hayden nodded, understanding my need for privacy. "Fair enough. How about your relationship with your brother? Care to share?"

I hesitated, not ready to reveal too much. "I can't say much about that right now. Let's change topics and talk about something else."

Do you believe in ghosts?" Hayden asked, his voice a soft rumble in the stillness.

I snorted, a spark of amusement lighting up my eyes. "Ghosts? Really, Hayden? That's what you choose to ask after all that?"

He grinned, his white teeth flashing in the moonlight. "Hey, I like a little mystery in my life. Besides, it's a classic late-night conversation topic."

I considered this, kicking a pebble down the path. "I don't know. I guess I've never really thought about it much. I mean, I've seen movies, read books...but I've never had any spooky experiences myself."

"Me neither," Hayden admitted. "But there's something about the night, you know? The shadows seem to stretch, the wind whispers secrets, and you can't help but wonder if there's something unseen lurking just out of sight."

"That's quite...poetic." I said looking at his emerald blue eyes. Not having much to talk about, i leaned back on the bench and gazed at the stormy cloud. I needed to get going.

"So," i said breaking the silence,"do you really think this place can be home?"

Hayden chuckled, a low sound that sent shivers down my spine despite the chill. "Home isn't a mansion,Charlotte. It's a feeling. A sense of belonging, even when you're miles away from everything familiar."

His words echoed my own thoughts. The opulent rooms of my childhood had never felt like home, just gilded cages. Maybe, I mused, true home was something simpler, something built on shared laughter and late-night confessions under a star-studded sky.

"Brett.",he whispered, his voice barely a tremor.
Following,his gaze, a stretch of curiosity across my face." My roommate?" He nodded, eyes glued to the figure approaching.
The moonlight,now illuminating the dark figure, i could see a now distinct figure of Brett, still in her school uniform. Walking towards us, she shot a questioning look and continued along the gravel path.

"That was so weird," Hayden said, still completely puzzled. "She looks like a zombie or something."

"Hey, can I ask you something out of the blue? Are she and Rapha, like, a thing?" I asked, my curiosity shining through, secretly hoping for a negative answer.

"Yeah, kind of. Well, if we're talking about the present, it should be 'were.' I sense some trouble in paradise."

"They broke up?" I asked, my curiosity growing even stronger, secretly hoping for a positive answer this time.

"I guess so. I feel bad for Brett though. But hey, cheers to all the girls at this school, because Rapha is now officially single!" He raised an imaginary glass and made a playful toast.

I kind of actually felt minimal sympathy towards Brett, and when i say minimal, i mean like atom sized minimal. Besides, the world has got other problems. A break up is not a big deal.

For Brett Manchester it was a big deal. Infact so big of a deal that by the time i'd returned to my room at the Grand Chateau, my room lay in ruins, resembling a scene from the Hunger Games, although without the tributes. Instead, a hysterical blonde with mascara streaking down her face stood amidst the chaos. Who goes without waterproof mascara, I pondered. Thankfully, she spared my bed. Nonetheless, I couldn't bear the idea of sleeping in a room filled with the echoes of a distraught teenager, shattered frames, and torn pictures of her ex. The universe seemed determined to deny me peace. With an exasperated eye roll at the melodramatic sight, I silently retreated from the room, avoiding detection."

Walking mindlessly and reminiscing the short rendezvous with Hayden, a smile slowly crept onto my face, momentarily distracting me from my homeless predicament. Come drought or hail, i wasnt going back to that room. I struggled to sleep in silence, sleeping in a room that resembled the set of a dramatic sorrowful movie was out of the question.

Still in my pajamas, atleast not lilo and stitch, i dreaded them,i sat on a random stranded seat trying to decide how i was going to sleep. I didnt have friends so i couldnt go bunk with anyone. I wondered if that was even possible, i'd never been to a boarding school before, so i simply shrugged at the thought.