The Trial

Chapter 5

For the past two days I haven't seen Will or Grayson. I've spent the days trying my best to get caught up in school. It was difficult considering all I can think about is the fact that I'm a witch. Not only that, but my parents have yet to call me back. It's like they dropped off the face of the earth. Maybe I should go visit them this weekend.

My professor has been talking non stop about the different eubacteria that exists. I should be listening, but all I can catch are pieces of information. It seems like every word he says just makes me think of all the issues I have going on right now. Most of class I've been looking around the room to make sure that Will isn't here. I've wasted my whole day here, but I need to show up to class or I'll loose my scholarship. Maybe I'll stay in tomorrow. I could use the sleep anyway.

When clatter and voices reach my ears I flinch at the sound. Looking around I find everyone packing up their things to leave the classroom. My hands begin to shake as I stuff my laptop and notebook into my bag. The people surrounding me give me sideways glances at my hurried motions. Trying to ignore them I hitch my bag onto my shoulder and begin jogging down the steps. Everyone has left besides me despite my quick movements.

"Ms. Clarke," Professor White calls without looking up from his desk, "I would rather you stay home than waste my breathe by not paying attention in my class."

"I'm sorry, Mr. White," I tell him then try to hurry out of the room. I hear him rose in a deep breathe after I've taken two steps,

"I understand why you are not mentally here, but trust me when I say that the best way for you to cope is to talk to Grayson."

After those words I can't walk. That name. He said that name. How does he understand what I am dealing with? My hands begin shaking more than before. I turn to him as slow as possible too afraid that if I move fast he won't answer me.

"How do-do you know?" My shock makes me stutter out my words as I ask him that question. His mouth twitches to the side allowing his laughter lines to show. When his eyes meet mine I know that he used to not be so dull.

"I used to be young too, you know." When he winks at me I can't help the smile that forms. He reminds me of my grandfather. The way he would joke about his age and wink at me like that, it takes me back home. After that he goes back to his work and I leave his classroom.

As the day goes on I have more to wonder about. So many questions rack my brain that it's surprising I made it to my classes. Of course my mind never made it to class, but my body was there which means my amount of absences won't grab the scholarship committee's attention. While walking home I stop by Aunt Sue's Sandwich Shop to get something for dinner. The place is the definition of a small town business. It was busy, but only with the people that lived here their whole lives. Every now and then faces I can barely remember would make eye contact with me. When one began to approach me I remembered the face from Darnell Heights. Lucky me my food was done before the person could reach me.

At my apartment the homework I have seems to overflow my desk. Every now and then my soup will drip onto the paper and I'll curse no one in particular. Seeing as I have too much work to do I left the yellow stain and moved on. After I finished my food I started to dose off so I got out my laptop and began to play music.

Five assignments later the music begins to drag. I have eight more assignments to go and no will power to do them. If I don't go to school tomorrow I can spend that time doing homework. But I don't need to miss any more school. With a sigh right at midnight I go back to my work.

••••

I shoot awake at the sound of rapid knocking. After rubbing my eyes to no longer see thing blurry I check the clock and find that it's 3:00a.m. I fell asleep before I could finish my assignments. When the knocking continues I groan,