Touch of Fear ▸ House of Anubis [2]

chapter seventy-three. house of freeze

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            I really missed Trudy's breakfast. She's so much better than Vera, for many reasons, but today's is that literally nothing compares to how Trudy makes breakfast. Nina's missing out on it while she's off at the school meeting with Sweet for whatever reason. She's been there for a long time, long enough that by the time we're nearly finished eating, that's when she runs in.

            Nina doesn't look at any of us as she sits on the couch with her laptop. But her eyes are red. She's been crying.

            "Nina? What's wrong?" Fabian asks, getting up and walking over to her a second after. "What did Sweetie want to talk to you about?"

            Amber and I exchange a worried glance as we both set aside what's left of our food, getting up to make sure she's okay. Fabian reads aloud whatever's on her laptop screen, "'A certain American student may seem as wholesome as her granny's apple pie, but when she spends so much time cutting class, you have to ask, is she worthy of the scholarship?'" Patricia and Alfie join us over here. "'If she spent as much time caring for her seriously ill gran in hospital as she did running around campus...why doesn't she fly the old lady home?'"

            Oh. Someone's going after Nina—yet another someone, and somehow, I think this attack is the worst of all.

            "Nina, this is horrible," Fabian remarks quietly.

            "Way harsh," Amber agrees.

            "Where's it even from?" I question, leaning over to look at the screen. The school's website. Specifically, it's the Jackal Anonymous column, which I was just praising last night. I definitely take back my praise now, seeing this. "Oh. Nina, I'm so sorry."

            Nina sniffles. "Mr. Sweet had some questions about the whole 'cutting class' part."

            "Who would write that about you?" Alfie asks.

            "I do have a hunch...maybe."

            "You mean Joy," Amber infers.

            Seems likely, although this article reads different than the others attributed to Jack Jackal.

            "This isn't Joy," Patricia shoots down the suggestion immediately.

            "Yeah, no way," Fabian says. I glance at him doubtfully, fully agreeing with Amber's conclusion. "Joy would never stoop this low."

            Amber retorts, "Oh, come on. Break it down, people. Who's jealous of Nina? Joy."

            I nod and continue, "Who'd like to get Nina out of the way? Joy."

            "Uh, Senkhara," Patricia states.

            "Vera," Alfie adds.

            "Rufus," Fabian continues listing.