Amagadas Academy

Reluctancy is your Worst Weakness

In all honesty, Quinn didn't know where her day went wrong.

She'd woken up early enough that she could hear the birds having their violent argument outside her window. The crisp air that morning felt like a snake coiling around her, slithering over her back and down her arms. 

Something was off, she knew that much, but her finger couldn't land on what it was. 

Do I have a test today? 

Am I missing something I planned? 

Did I get in a fight with someone?

That morning at breakfast, she did a head-count. 

Ophelia was sitting with Clarence beside Quinn, gossiping about England stuff, she guessed. Preston and Francis were flirting, practically acting like newlyweds since Halloween. As for Alexander, he had been dragged off by the British Ophelia to her minions' table–but that was expected of her at this point. Nadiya was still gone, but she wasn't going to be back for awhile since she was probably riding unicorns in Neverland or swimming with mermaids alongside her siblings.

I need to learn what rich people do in their free time.

But Zay was gone. His absence was notable, the usual laughing and dirty jokes that made everyone pause was now replaced with silence and flirting (thanks to Francis and Preston). 

Maybe he's just running late?

Quinn settled with that. He wasn't a morning person, so maybe he's taking it easy today?

Reluctancy flooded her brain. Quinn felt it whispering in her ear during every decision. 

Every movement it would grab her by the shoulders and ask, Are you sure about that? in a voice of false sincerity. It made her question everything she said or did, needed or wanted.

Alexander didn't notice her reluctance. Nor did Ophelia, Francis, Preston, or Clarence. So of course it had to be the girl who most definitely hated Quinn's guts.

This wasn't even the part of the day that went wrong.

Like an angry swarm, Ophelia Jones–or Phe in Quinns internal monologue–and her minions came her way during history with a wicked smile. Quinn's new friend–who went by the name of reluctancy, held her on a tight leash. 

Something's wrong, it whispered to her, giving the leash a tight yank. Instincts ordering her to find a way out screamed in her ears like an angry parent.

Like a dumbass, she decided to ignore them. 'Cause why not?

How harmful can a rich teenager be?

(See kids this is what happens when you don't have common sense or any will to live: you make dumb decisions.)

"Well if it isn't the Brit," Quinn greeted with a forced smile as Phe and the minions' approached her. Their steps were synchronized, like most of the things they did. "What can I do for ya?"

"May we speak outside?" Phe asked, her smile turning into that of a demon's.

"Sure," she agreed, but not before giving the minions a warning look. "But let's get rid of the minions, yea? If you want to talk alone, I feel like it should go both ways. Well, unless you need them."

This seemed to piss off Phe. Nonetheless, with a subtle hand gesture the minions broke apart, spreading to other sides of the room in sync.

This shit should be on American Horror Story or something.