What's Dead May Never Die

Chapter Three: Cracks in the Facade

Leah's POV

The hallways were packed with students rushing between classes, but I kept my head down, doing my best to go unnoticed. So far, my first day at Crescent Grove had been a disaster. The humiliation in class still stung, Ethan's words replaying over and over in my mind. He didn't know me, and yet he had treated me like I didn't matter. It shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did. And ontop of that I had all this homework from the rest of my classes but finally it was time to go back to the dorms.

I hugged my books to my chest, focusing on the end of the hall where the crowd thinned. I just needed to get to my dorm. Maybe if I hid there long enough, I could convince myself this school wasn't a terrible mistake.

"Hey! Leah, right?"

The voice was sickly sweet, and I knew who it was before I even turned around. Ashley, Ethan's girlfriend, was making her way toward me, her perfect smile plastered across her face. She was flanked by two of her friends, both of them eyeing me like I was some kind of stray they'd picked up off the street. Until they were done with me then throw me back out.

"Uh, yeah?" I said, unsure why she was even talking to me. Nothing about the way she looked at me said she was being genuine. More like she was studying me.

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier," she said, her voice dripping with fake kindness. "Ethan can be such a jerk sometimes. I swear, I don't know what's gotten into him." I'll make sure to speak to him about this .

I didn't trust her. Not for a second. But she was standing there, smiling like we were suddenly best friends, and I didn't want to cause more problems. Not after what had already happened.

"Thanks," I mumbled, turning to leave, but her hand shot out, gripping my arm a little too tightly  as it squeezed some of the bruises left on my arm under my sleeve.

"Wait," she said, her smile widening. "I actually wanted to know if you would like to have lunch with us, we eat lunch in our own space It's really cool, but it's kind of a secret."

I hesitated. Everything about this felt wrong, but her friends were staring at me, their gazes sharp, waiting for me to mess up.

"Uh, okay..." I said, my voice weak.

"Come on, it's just over here." Ashley led me down a side hallway that was much quieter, the crowds of students thinning until it was just us. My stomach twisted into knots, but I followed, too afraid to say anything. Maybe she really was trying to be nice, and I was just being paranoid.

She stopped in front of an old door, smiling as she pulled it open. "Go ahead, it's right in here."

I peered inside, but the closet was pitch black. There was nothing there. "I don't see—"

Before I could finish, she shoved me hard. I stumbled, falling into the dark space, my books spilling onto the floor. My knees scrapped I barely had time to catch myself before the door slammed shut behind me, the sound of the lock clicking into place echoing in the tiny space. I go to the knob and try and turn it banging on the door

Panic surged through me.

"No," I whispered, my breath coming faster. "No, no, no.Not again please."

Flashback

I was ten. My dad had caught me using my abilities again, even though I didn't mean to he has yelled at me to get the tv remote for him he never wanted to do things himself and I didn't want to he kept yelling in those moments The TV had flickered and the remote flew across the room, landing at his feet. He was furious, his face red as he dragged me to the basement, grabbing me by my hair and throwing me into the small, dark storage room and locking the door.