𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬

Eight

The inside of Hansen isn't as overwhelming as the outside when Rox opens the doors and we step inside. It's quiet peaceful and empty with plenty of natural light seeping through the many windows with white walls.

Lockers are lined up throughout some of the walls but they aren't like normal lockers, they're more spaced out and red instead of blue. I'm beginning to think that red is this school's color.

We walk past the lockers and various doors that match the main door outside but are significantly smaller. Rox finally stops in front of a door at the very end of one of the many halls with a deep red plate beside the door that reads 'Blaise Office'.

She glanced at me before knocking lightly and taking a step back. The doors open swiftly which sends a burst of cool air in my face, revealing a wide room with bookshelves set on every wall and a lone desk in the middle of the room with a broken lamp and crumpled up papers thrown on the floor and folded papers spread out on the desk.

A middle aged woman wearing glasses and dressed in a black sleek dress sits at the desk with her hands creased and eyebrows raised. I briefly wonder who opened the door or if she just ran back in time.

She has eyes that match mine and her hair is almost the same shade except hers is a lot darker and laid out straight on her stern shoulders while mine is much longer.

"Roxanne," the woman nods at Rox and gestures for us to sit. There are three chairs in front of the desk—I choose the one to the far left and Rox takes the one on the far right.

"I'm sure you know who I am," her unnerving gaze settles on me after a moment of silence. She doesn't give me time to answer before putting out her hand. "Odette Blaise—owner of Hansen Falls."

I shake her hand, firm and respectful. Her gaze never leaves mine as she pulls away and folds her hands again. She looks me up and down and suddenly I'm insecure about my casual leggings and plain white T-shirt I changed into before leaving with Rox.

"I do apologize for the swiftness of your arrival—I would never want to intrude on family or take you away from important people in your life." She expressed with a solemn face. I see Rox nodding in my peripheral vision.

Yet, you did it anyway. "Yeah, no problem. I didn't have much going on anyway."

"Well, Rox has your schedule and she'll introduce you to your school guide when classes start," Odette picks up papers from her desk and peers at them. "I'll discuss more with you soon, for now I'm very busy and only have a short amount of time to consult with you, but I'm sure you'll be more than occupied yourself. We should get our new scholar settled, shall we?" She directs that at Rox as she stands up and smooths down her dress.

I glance at Rox. That's it? No, 'Hey, I'm terribly sorry for ripping you from your hometown that you've lived in for fifteen years?' Maybe an explanation to why they've been stalking me?

"Are you kidding me?" I stand up so fast, I nearly knock over my chair. "You're not going to tell me why the hell you brought me here? Not even a hint? All I've been hearing about you is that you're some all-powerful academy owner who has authority over everybody and I barely get a decent enough greeting? They really shouldn't give you as much credit as they do."

Odette and Rox share a look that reminds me of my parents and I lose it.

I stalk out of the office, past the halls, through what looks like a cafeteria, past the lockers, and that stupid hedge gate. Following the cobblestone road blindly, I try to neglect the fact that I have no idea where I'm going and keep walking.

I finally reach a secluded pair of stairs that lead to some kind of dance studio that's right in the middle of Lille and Moineau and I take a seat. I take fistfuls of my hair, resisting the urge to scream until my lungs combust.

What the fuck am I doing here?

Reluctantly, I start laughing quietly. I don't stop until I look at my surroundings. I cover my face with my hands.

I'm in fucking France.

I'm laying across the steps with my hands on my stomach. Zelaya would kick me in the gut for wasting my time sitting on a lousy pair of steps while I'm in France.

Zelaya.

I feel so homesick, I could vomit. I never thought I'd miss my parents but I do. I miss the routine of it all and the familiarity. Everything about Massachusetts. Why did I agree to come here? I'll never see my family again. Or Zelaya.