The Illusion (Book Two in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

1000 Oceans

I skipped breakfast at the dinning hall, deciding to grab some granola from home. Sophie had officially switched partners in Herbology. I sat in Michael’s old seat while she sat in mine. I was only paired with Harriet when Sophie had clinic duty.

Sophie pushed a piece of paper over to me.

Why weren’t you at breakfast?

Wasn’t hungry.

Aidan looked upset.

We’re on a break. He needed space.

From you?

No. From all the drama that comes with me. He was spooked by the stuff that happened yesterday.

So what does that mean? Are you guys still going to Formal together?

He needed a few days. I’m giving them to him. I wouldn’t blame him if by Wednesday we break up.

Gee. He loves you. It was evident this morning when you didn’t show up for breakfast. He kept glancing at the door, expecting you to come in at any moment. When you didn’t show up and the bell rang, he looked depressed.

It doesn’t matter if he loves me Soph. You and I both know that whoever I’m with, I’ll going to drag down with me when…when something permanent actually happens to me. Aidan deserves more than that. I’ll only bring him misery. The sooner he realizes that and moves on, the better it will be for him.

What if he doesn’t want to?

He deserves a family Soph. I can’t give that to him. No babies in the future for me remember?

That’s not true you’re only 99% sterile. There’s still a chance.

Not for me.

The bell rang and cut off the rest of the conversation. I went to Slayerology and was surprised when the chalk board said independent study. My mother only did this when there was Counsel business that interfered with her teaching schedule. I walked over to the library and took a seat at one of the tables. I cracked open my book and studied.

By the time the bell rang again I was bored out of my mind and ready for English. We were reading Romeo and Juliet. Not one of my favorite William Shakespeare plays. We were reading it outloud and the class giggled over some of the wording. I couldn’t help but smile. When the bell rang again, Mark came over to my desk. He slipped me a note and then walked away without saying anything else. I tucked the note in my pocket without reading it and headed to Battle Studies. Right now this was my favorite class. We were learning about the battles in WWII. Battle of the Bulge. I slipped the note Mark had given me in English out of my pocket and read it half way through class.

Meet me in the art room before lunch. A.

Oh I really didn’t want to talk to him alone. But I knew if I didn’t go he’d think something horrible happened to me. The bell rang and I gathered my stuff and headed out.

The art room was found in the arts and science’s building. This meant I had to go outside and head in the opposite direction than the dinning hall. When I got to the art room, I found Aidan sitting on his stool in front of his easel, the painting covered. His shoulders were hunched forward and he was staring out the window. I leaned against the door frame, waiting. Aidan finished drying off his brush and put it on the tray on his left side.

It took him until he was packing up his things to notice me. He stopped what he was doing and stared at me.

“How long have you been standing there?”