School for Good and Evil: The Successors Book One: Anastasia's Tale

Chapter Nine: Two Dark Hearts

Chapter Nine

Two Dark Hearts

That night at dinner Anastasia and Caleb didn't speak as they picked at goose curry and lentil salad. Anastasia looked behind her and saw Filip with his black eye, he saw her looking and glared in response and turned back to his friends. When Filip had yelled at her that night Anastasia wasn't angry like she always was this time she was sad. Sad that her brother would call her such things, sad that he said he never wanted to see her again. At that moment the only person she was angry at was herself. She had ruined her relationship with him and now she was paying the price.

"Don't you dare cry." Anastasia scolded in her head.

"Who needs him anyway."

She turned to Caleb who was watching Filip laughing with his friends.

Anastasia sat in silence not answering him. Caleb turned to her,

"He was holding you back anyway, I mean what you have accomplished in the past couple of weeks is just incredible and you did it all without him," Caleb said as Anastasia turned her head. "Why would he say that to me?" Anastasia said angrily.

"What?" Caleb said, confused.

"He is my brother, my friend, and for him to say that to me is just bizarre," Anastasia said, puzzled.

Caleb caught onto the conversation and sighed.

"He is jealous of you." Caleb sneered.

"What are you, my mother trying to make me feel better, jealous? What could he possibly be jealous of?" Anastasia laughed.

Caleb looked at her sternly.

"Jealous of your power, he doesn't want you to be strong, he's holding you back cause he's embarrassed by how he will never be like you. Can't you see how awful he is Anya he is always getting drunk, never pays attention in his classes, he wants you to be dragged into that dark hole with him but I can't let you." Caleb sneered.

"Caleb, why have you never told me this before? I didn't know that's why Filip was a bad kid. I thought he just messed around." Anastasia said eyes wide.

"What I am trying to say Anya is that I should have known better when I was in that friendship and I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did," Caleb said changing the subject. "I don't even understand how you come from the same family."

"Caleb stop being so harsh I-"

"Anastasia you need to stop forgiving people every second of every day! If you want people to respect you in this world you can't play princess." Caleb insulted.

Anastasia looked at him baffled. "Caleb I have been working with you every day, I'm top-ranked in all my classes, the one playing princess is you. You're a slacker using me for revenge."

Caleb slammed his fist on the table.

"I'm doing this for you! I'm no slacker. Do you think I would be putting in all these late nights not getting any sleep for just anybody?" Caleb said enraged now.

Anastasia sat quietly frightened by his rage, but then realized she should stand up for herself.

"Don't you dare yell at me Caleb of Jaunt Jolie!" Anastasia said with fury.

"I'm sorry you can't take it little Anya! If you were a true villain you would be able to handle a bit of discipline." He said and rolled his eyes.

"You're going to talk to me like that? Do I look like your daughter?"

Caleb bit his lip in anger drawing blood. Anastasia stood up from the table and headed out of the mess hall. Caleb followed quickly behind.