A Study On Destiny

36: Wintery Goodbyes

It had been exactly 2 days since the victors for the trials were announced. Ana had woken this morning the same she did the last. Still sore and tired from her night in the doom room. She lay there looking up at the ceiling as she once did in her own room. The sun nearly making an appearance through the window. Yet she lay there being conscious of every precise inflicted wound she had. The bruises, cuts and broken bones all seemed to make getting up that much worse. Her shoulder wrapped up with dirty rags to hold it into place and her chest covered in the same rags. Let me say this one more time. The nurse and medical supplies here is useless. Although she only came out with a dislocated shoulder and 3 broken ribs. Some kids come out more mangled than she is right now. For that she was grateful.

She sat up and examined everyone packing to go back for Christmas. She had gotten word that the School for Goods winter ball had been cancelled and she wasn't quite sure why. She watched everyone scatter across the room getting their things together. Ana simple got up and walked to the bathroom. Or well attempted to do so. She took her time as her thighs were still sore from where the wolf in the doom room played noughts and crosses on her thigh. When she got to the bathroom she lifted her pyjama shorts to reveal that game of noughts and crosses. Engraved into her skin with a dagger. It was slowly getting better but it would take weeks for it to heal properly.

She didn't spend long there as she went back into the room to get changed. I would say she picked out what she wished but all she had was her uniform. So she put that on. Trying to pull her shorts down to cover more than it did but they wouldn't budge. She sighed and blocked everything out of her mind. She started to think of what she would need for over Christmas. She decided to just pack some textbooks to do her homework. She had everything she needed back home and as her stuff didn't exactly arrive she didn't have much to take back.

"Ana?" Chris said approaching her "how are you holding up?"

"Oh you've all of a sudden gotten some sympathy? Where did that come from?" Ana sarcastically spoke as they both laughed.

"Contracted it from you I guess. It's contagious," Chris joked until she turned the conversation around "Seriously though, how are you holding up?"

"Ok, still weak and achy but I'll get past it," Ana said now buttoning up her shirt. Chris watched her and Ana clocked it before clearing her throat. As she did so Chris' eyes wandered back to her face after turning slight red.

"Good good. Well rest up over Christmas," Chris said before heading off to grab her stuff "See ya roomie,"

"Have a good Christmas... roomie," Ana replied unsure where this soft spot had come from Chris. Ana thought about how odd it was while Chris left the room. Roomie? She's never called me that. wtf. Maybe she's trying to be positive? Ana thought before grabbing her heavy backpack and heading through the corridors not long after Chris.

Ana took a length trip around the castle and took 20 minutes to reach Jay's room. Usually it took her 10 so you can see her frustration. Ignoring her emotions she knocked on the door. When she did there was a lot of noise behind the door before it slowly opened. Jay opened the door and peaked through.

"Oh hi Ana," Jay said with smile through the tiny crack in the door.

"Hiya," Ana replied "I wanted to wish you a good holiday and I hope you have a good time,"

"You walked all the way down here?!" Jay said worried for Ana's physical health "I should've come to you,"

"Your fine honestly your on my way out," They both knew Ana was lying but they left it there "Anyway I'll give you a hug before I go,"

"Ah no not right now it's not a good time," Jay said in a panic

"What do you mean?" Ana said almost hurt "why?"