Within the Walls of Kingsbury Prep (Kingsbury Prep #1)

8: The Disruption of the Safe Place

After spending the rest of the morning in the Nurse's office, which let me tell you was not relaxing in any way, it's now time for English. Nurse Bertha told me not to go but I have to get away for my sanity. I hobble as best I can all the way to the English classroom on the third floor. I get there slightly late but Professor Sharma is forgiving when she sees my foot.

  "I've made a seating plan after what happened in Monday's lesson." She glances over to me and I hang my head in shame. "Now when I call your name please sit in the seat I point to."

She begins to rattle off the names. Angelica is next to Georgina. Teddy next to Harley's brother, Henry Cockle. Lola next to a girl named Isla Bradwyn. Charity is placed in the back corner, hopefully far away from me.

  "Roman Kingsbury, you will be here." Professor Sharma points at the third row while Charity audibly pouts about not being able to sit with him.

  "Don't worry babe, we'll still have after class," he winks at her. Ugh someone give me a bucket.

  "Millicent Anders, you're next to him." What?

  "Next to who, Ma'am?" Not Roman. Not Roman.

  "Mr. Kingsbury."

  "NO!" The pair of us exclaim at the same time. At least we agree on one thing.

  "There is no way I'm sitting next to her, she's a guttersnipe."

  "We will not use words like that in my classroom, Mr. Kingsbury."

  "I can't sit next to him, he's a pompous prick!"

  "Language Miss Anders. Look it's clear you two don't like each other but maybe you just don't understand each other. So, you will sit together for a month and if you still dislike one another we can change it."

I huff, dropping into my seat. How am I ever going to cope a month sitting next to this jerk? I'll just do my best to ignore him, that's the only way.

  "I'll never like you guttersnipe. People like me don't mix with people like you."

  "You mean people with obnoxious personalities don't mix with people who are actually nice? Exactly, that's why I don't associate myself with you."

  "Just do yourself a favour and don't talk to me from now on. Ever. I know it'll be hard seen as I'm so irresistible but please try."

  "Your arrogance is suffocating."

  "Sorry? I don't speak poor."

He has me so angry I have no words so I just stick my middle finger up at him. He glares at me then turns the other way. Millie 1 – Roman 0. Take that ass-wipe.

The rest of English is painful. I try to enjoy our discussion of Hard Times by Charles Dickens, but I'm having a hard time concentrating with Roman's irritated breathing and eyes glaring into my soul. The minute the bell rings I jump up so quickly in an effort to get away, forgetting about my ankle before grimacing in pain and sitting back down. Roman snickers as he walks away. God, I hate that guy. Teddy and Lola come over to help me and walk me back to our dorm. I collapse on the bed and am instantly overtaken by sleep.