Blue Money | Nick Robinson

Chapter Eight: Burning Angels

"I wish we could go trick or treating," Eileen whines.

I'm sitting on the floor of our room, typing up an essay. It's been six weeks since school started and I'm hell bent on not falling behind, not that I have a choice. If my GPA gets too low Headmaster Calaway would kick me out faster than I could list all the rules I've broken.

It's Halloween tomorrow and Eileen had been moping around the room for the past week about Blake and the lack of attention he paid her and the fact that we weren't on break.

I had been more focused on doing the loads of homework I had. Eileen did the bare minimum but I needed to go above and beyond to get the grades I got, I am pretty smart otherwise i wouldn't have gotten the scholarships in the first place but it was 70% hard work.

I sigh, looking up Eileen who is rolling around on the bed making noises with her mouth. I swear sometimes being with her was like watching a four year old.

"Don't you have homework or something?" I mumble, still typing.

Eileen sits up and pulls her pouty face at me. "I finished it."

I go back to my homework and not more than a minute passes before my roommate sighs loudly, dragging my attention towards her.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to the halloween party?" Eileen asks.

She's referring to the one party that's actually allowed and the teachers are aware of. They do it every year in the common room, 6 until 10, rules still in place and teachers keeping a close watch on everyone. Of course, I assume everyone scurries off to some dark corner or restroom to get high and then rejoins the festivities.

"Uh," I look down at my chem textbook and then back at her. She's blinking at me with hopeful eyes. "I guess if Nick is going I will too."

"Yay!" She gleams.

it's almost lunch so I close my laptop and slip on my pair of boots. Ever since Dawn and I talked that night in the pool I had gotten more comfortable wearing my own clothes. I was still wearing Eileen's jeans but my t-shirt was something I own which felt pretty good.

"Come on," I wiggle my fingers at Eileen who cheerfully jumps up and links her hand with mine.

We waltz to the dining hall swinging our hands back and forth as we walk.

After we grab lunch which is lentil soup, bread rolls and salad, we sit at our usual table waiting for the everyone.

Eileen and I eat as more people file into the room. I notice Dawn enter the room and I wave at her. She waves back, her nails painted bright pink. she's wearing a white t shirt and jeans with ripped holes in them.

"Are you guys like best friends now or something?" Eileen asks me with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Why? You don't like her?" I take a bite of bread and chew as Eileen sighs heavily.

"I mean, I don't really dislike her, I guess," She sits up straighter. "I don't believe in hating people, it's negative and also really bad for my skin."

"What's bad for your skin?" Layla glides up to Eileen's side and raises an eyebrow.

"Hating people," Eileen says like she's above it all.

"That's not true," Layla replies and sits down. Her hair is pulled back up today and her cheekbones shimmer with peach colored blush. "I hate everyone and I look fucking fantastic."

"That's because you're you," Eileen grumbles and angrily scoops soup into her spoon before letting it fall back into the bowl with a plop sound.

"Sorry, what was that?" Layla snides.