I wake up in a white, brightly lit room.
I'm propped up on a bed, my hair tied up in a tight bun on top of my head. I crane my neck around and check out where I am.
A hospital room, I think.
My stomach's bandaged up and my leg is held up by a sling. A gauze cast is wrapped around my right hand.
I look around and see Riel slouched in a chair, dozing off.
"Hey!"
He jumps up, looking around. "What? Who?"
I clear my throat.
"Oh. Aria. OH. OH OH OH!"
Riel pokes his head out the door.
"You guys! She's awake!"
The door bursts open and Mom, Dad, and a doctor pour in.
"Aria!"
Mom has tears in her eyes and she comes over to grip me tightly.
"You're in a lot of trouble young lady."
Dad comes over and hugs me next.
"What were you thinking?! Didn't we tell you to be careful?"
I smile. "Sorry."
Dad rolls his eyes. "You say that now."
"How long was I out?"
"2 and a half days."
I blink.
"How are you here anyway?"
Dad points to his chest. "Wearing a brace."
I frown. "Doesn't it hurt?"
He shrugs. "I wanted to see you."
I stay silent for a moment.
"What happened to Zane? And Thatcher?"
Mom glances at Dad's darkening expression.
"Well...... As of right now, he's incarcerated. As for your boyfriend....."
Riel steps up and pushes aside a curtain next to me.
Another bed is there, except this one has a sleeping Zane. Viky's propped up on a chair, his head resting on Zane's legs.
Roster's not there.
I look at Zane's peaceful, sleeping face and smile gently.
"Hey, wake up Sleeping Beauty."
His eyelids flicker open and he shakes his head.
"What? Who? Huh?"
He turns his head and sees Viky. He tousles his hair softly and then turns toward me.
"Doesn't Sleeping Beauty wake up with a kiss?" He grins sleepily and puckers his lips, leaning towards me.
I roll my eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a million bucks."
I raise my eyebrows.
"Fine, fine. I feel like a tractor ran over me then a herd of cows turned me into a pancake. And then someone ate me and spit me back out, all chewed up."
"Well, thanks for that image."
Zane grins cheekily.
I wave my hand at him, rolling my eyes.
He shrugs then winces. The doctor finishes examining me then walks over to him.
She checks Zane's muscled chest; it still has angry red cuts on it. Two wounds scar his stomach. His tense biceps are cut up, too. His neck has a long, deep cut, going from his Adam's apple down to the edge of his collarbone. The doctor takes some notes then walks out.
Zane rests his hand on Viky's sleeping head and turns toward Dad.
"What happened to Thatcher?"
Dad sighs. "We listened to what you said; he had a trial and was found guilty."
I blank. "When exactly did this happen?"
"You were in the hospital."
"Ah. Continue."
"Anyway, he was found guilty for treasonous activity, murder, and assault, not to mention all his minor crimes. Lying about a reaping, for example."
I swallow, choking back tears. "Where is he now? And what about Chris? He set the facility on fire."
"We're trying to track him down."
I lean back against my bed. "What about-"
A nurse pops her head into the room.
"Aria Black? You have a friend who wants to see you."
"Ok."
I glance at everyone. "Who is it?"
They shrug. "Beats me."
The door opens again.
Gianna walks in.
YOU ARE READING
Prep School
Fantasy15 year old Aria is not your ordinary teenage girl. She's not exactly normal but she doesn't stick out either. She has powers. Powers that mortals like you and me can't handle. When she moves to a new school, she has to learn how to control her powe...
