Blue Money | Nick Robinson

Chapter Twelve: Cold Snap

Dawn Chamberlin

Weeks past. The grass outside becomes frozen. The petals on flowers freeze in the frigid air. The end of november brings the cold and with that, it brings clads of teenage girls in expensive fur coats and boys in layers of sweaters and cardigans.

Thanksgiving break is too short, Dawn decides to stay at school for the holiday, explaining to her parents that they serve better pumpkin pie at Vale Amare than their chefs at home do. They don't disagree with her, blow her kisses through the phone and then hang up before she can say mumble an I love you.

The phone line crackles, feeling empty just the school does. There's very few people who stay for the holidays at school, some jet off to paris or amsterdam for the week, others fly back home to enjoy the remains of the warm weather in places like malibu with their parents and personal drivers.

Dawn moves through the hall like a ghost and thanksgiving evening feels like looking at a postcard from someone who never calls anymore.

It smells like turkey in the dining hall and most of the tables have been pushed to the side, creating more empty space for the 100 or so students that don't want to go home to a table that feels like a faint memory that isn't even theirs.

Dawn stands, legs snapped together, plate in hand full of mashed potatoes and green beans. Her eyes wander and land on Nick, Ashton and Eileen. There is a somber cloud over them and Dawn braces herself for the rain as she approaches the table and sits down.

It's silent, Eileen messes with her brown bob every two seconds, pushing it down and looking to Ashton maybe hoping he'll get the conversation ball rolling. Nick is slouched down, rumpled shirt and a light purple bruise on his pale jawline.

Ever since the party, the feeling of being around them was like standing in a thick air of despair. Anna had filled her in on everything, cried until she passed out on one of Dawn's knees while she wove strands of Anna's dark hair through her fingers. Miles hadn't talked to her about it and he hadn't left his room since Layla left for break.

The chaos she had caused was damage done well. Their group had split apart, Eileen stuck to Ashton like glue as if erasing the fact that she knew anyone else, Lance vanished along with Anna and Blake. Dawn felt like she was stuck to pick up the pieces but there was no one else willing to help.

Dawn shoves her hands in her lap, tapping her jeans. Nobody says anything and the chatter is so quiet in the room if someone sneezed it would be unbelievably loud.

"It could be worse," She tries and their heads perk up at her comment.

"Everything could always be worse," Nick stares at a stain on the table. "We just don't say it until things get bad."

Another silence follows and thanksgiving dinner for them is a forced joke here and there and the clinking of forks with a troubling aura set over the table. Eileen acts like nothing is wrong and Ashton goes along with it. The meal is them flirting and giggling.

Dawn knows Eileen knew everything that happened but the girl was so narcissistic unless it directly affected her she didn't care. Miles used to be like that but something in him had changed recently. It hadn't been Layla, it was something different.

After dinner and they clean their dishes up, Dawn follows Nick as they reach outside, falling into step with him. She needed to fix this.

"I need to talk to you," Dawn grabs the fabric of his blue sweater and he hesitates before facing her. As the moon sets over them the cold spreads and Dawn shivers in just jeans, sneakers and a thin shirt. Goosebumps arise on her arms.