Of Life and Death: [A Dark Academia Paranormal Romance]

Chapter 13

The figure lingers for a few more beats before stepping away, but it's enough to leave me with a chill. Who was that? I draw away, shutting the doors behind me. Sofia sits cross-legged on her bed, watching me as I go to start unpacking my things.

"Shar's a tubie, it's how she was able to electrocute you," Sofia says suddenly.

"Thanks for the heads up," I mumble. Grudgingly, I ask, "What's a tubie?"

"Test tube baby. Non-shifter. Poser Sally. The ones that got their powers from compounds."

"Interesting."

"Most test tube babies loathe themselves. It's why they spread the energy outward."

I arrange my clothes into the other closet. When I roll out my paintings, she lets out a low whistle.

"Now I don't know shit about art," she says, "but I know money when I see one. How much that cost?"

"Thirty."

"Thirty grand?"

"Million."

She blinks, readjusting her position so she's facing me. "So. A rich girl in Elmore. Either you're a tubie and your parents put you here to rack up those connections, or you're...not."

"Still digging for that story?"

She braces her chin on interlocked fingers. "Why are you in Elmore?"

"Why do you care?" I shoot.

She raises her hands as if in surrender. "Relax. Just curious, is all."

A sudden stab of guilt lasers me. I should be thanking her. My experience so far hasn't been the best, and If it weren't for her, I'd be rooming with God knows who. I pause in putting up the paintings. "Hey, I don't think I've thanked you. For letting me stay with you..."

"Don't stress."

My shoes go into the rack next to the dressing table. As I place them in, I feel her eyes on me like a palpable burn. I soon have enough. "What?" I ask.

"Nothing. Just...something weird happened. Downstairs. When Shar electrocuted you, you started to disappear... I guess I was right in thinking you're a ghoul."

My breath hitches, still I say, deadpan, "Disappear? You don't know what you're talking about."

"I do." After a while, she says, "But I'll drop it. You look uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable?" I echo, voice high-pitched even for my ears. "Whatever you say, darlin'."

An uncomfortable silence wedges itself into the room. Picking up a book, she stands, making it across the room. When she inserts it into the wide shelf, she stretches a hand up for another one.

Obviously, she doesn't reach it.

A sigh. I go over to help her out but freeze when she shifts into a gangly boy.

"Polymorph," I breathe.

"Whatever you say, darlin'."

Her voice sounds the same. It's freaky, hearing a femine voice out of that wide, towering male.

When she morphs back, she turns to me, book in hand. "Now you know what I am. But I still don't know what you are."

I worry my bottom lip. With a sigh, I decide to drop it. "I don't know, okay? Headmistress Alba said I should be tested any time this week."

Her expression shifts to shock. "Really? You don't know what you are? Well, what are your abilities?"

I kill things.

When I blackout, I wake up in strange places.

"Don't know either," I lie. "I can only do this." My claws shoot out.

Her eyes widen instantly. "Woah." She draws level, examining the curling black claws. "Sweet. You must be an animal shifter."

"I guess."

When evening rolls in, Sophie invites me to the canteen downstairs for dinner. I decline, opting to munch over leftover airport food. After a shower, I lay on my bed, finally going through my phone. After replying to my mum asking if I've landed, I swipe through countless messages from Caleb.

Calebyoumean: How's my lil grey ting.

Calebyoumean: What are you doing for your birthday, luv?

Calebyoumean: Reached yet?

Calebyoumean: text me when you land, aight?

Calebyoumean: Hey, it's eight O f*cking clock in the night. You can't tell me you still flyin.

Calebyoumean: Okay, you're moving bookie now!! what did I do?

Calebyoumean: You still haven't told me which school you moved to. I could come visit when I'm free.

My chest tightens. Like Mathew Gurney, mum warned it was imperative I cut ties between myself and 'the dead boy.' Now I would have to do the same with T.Jay. The backs of my eyes burn as I select the drop-down menu. I press block.

I clasp my phone to my chest, staring ahead blankly.

When I receive another notification, I bring the screen back up. An email.

Clicking it, I see it's my class schedule. My eyes scan the contents, pausing when I come across practice room. Throughout the table, nil had been written beneath it. Guess the blanks will be filled in once they determine what I am.

Before the school finds out what you are, you need to go.

The boy's words from earlier flit in. I turn on my side, suddenly anxious. He's just another one of Elmore's nutcases.

The mantra rewinds in my brain for what seems like hours before I start to doze off. My sleep is interrupted when the door budges open. A flurry of giggles pour in.

"... didn't think he'd actually do it."

"Ugh. He's so hot, who cares? I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to be in that position."

Suddenly there's a hush.

My eyes shut tighter on instinct when it becomes clear I'm the object of their attention. One whispers, "Is that the new girl?"

"It is," another says in a hush. "Is it just me or was she... I don't know, is she a ghoul?"

"Yes." Sophie's voice. "She is."

It's soon time for lights out. At length, I find myself saying into the dim room, "Thanks."

I hear a rustle from her end. "For lying to them that I'm a ghoul," I add.

"Technically, I didn't. You could be anything."

"True."

We fall into silence. The distant sound of howls and rustling trees float into the space.

"You know..." I snap alert when she speaks.

"There are people like Shar... Who just want to hurt you for no particular reason."

On their own accord, my eyes stray to one of Edvard's paintings. The sick child.

"Don't trust anyone here, Emma. It never ends well."