Chapter 1 #2
I shove the thoughts to the side as I step into the shower, allowing myself to relax entirely.
Now that the first semester has gone without a hitch, I’ve a few weeks of rest before I need to start preparing for finals.
Hot water splashes all over my body, and the bathroom fills with steam.
It takes me an hour to do my entire body and hair routine, before I wrap myself in a fluffy towel, and start to get ready for the day.
On the days when we don’t have lectures or exams, we’re free to wear whatever we want.
I opt for a pair of high-waisted, dress pants.
They’re black, and for a little pop of color, I add a baby pink blouse.
I tuck it into my pants, add a belt, and then my gold accessories.
I keep my make-up simple but cute, and glance at myself in the mirror as I finish curling the last strand of my hair.
I run my fingers through it, loosening the curls, watching as my hair falls right below my elbows.
It’s in dire need of a cut, I make a mental note to make an appointment for when I next go home.
My eyes flick to the side of my dresser that holds my collection of bows.
It ranges from softer, pink colors to every shade of the rainbow.
I think I was eight when my mother got me my first bow, and they stuck with me.
Yes, it might seem childish to wear one at my age, but I don’t care.
I like them, and they make me look cute.
I pull two strands of my hair and clip them behind with the bow. I add some finishing touches — my perfume, a pair of pink heels, and my handbag before I stroll out of the dorm, and walk out of the building.
The coldness doesn’t bother me much, the walk to the main building is less than five minutes.
A couple of people are scattered around the premises, having their morning coffee outside, smoking, and chatting at the tables.
The cafeteria is on the first floor, and it’s large enough to fit the entirety of the school.
My eyes skim around until I spot the person I’ve been looking for — Grace.
Avalon often skips breakfast, so Grace’s been one of my breakfast buddies.
“Hey,” I sit across from her, slumping the bag on the empty chair next to me. “How did you do on the exams?”
Grace rolls her eyes. “Good morning to you, too.”
“Good morning,” I smile sheepishly. “How did you sleep?”
Grace pokes around her plate, just as I’m being brought my own.
I thank the person bringing it, then start to eat.
Today’s menu is one of my favorites — an omelette filled with cheese, bacon, and a lot of tomatoes.
I could drown in tomatoes. There’s also a slice of freshly prepared tiramisu for dessert, and I barely hold myself back from inhaling it all at once.
“Easy there,” Grace hums, her black hair falling over her face. She pushes it away and tucks it behind her ear, and leans in. “Are you that excited to see the board?”
I nod, swallowing down the bite of food. “Of course. I didn’t work my ass off for no reason.”
“We already know that you’re either first or second spot, depending on how well Soren did.”
I groan. “Can you please not mention the bastard’s name in my presence?”
Grace purses her lips. “How about we give him a code-name?”
“Why?” I snort.
“That way, we don’t have to sneak around when talking shit about him.”
Grace is correct. Soren has a group of friends he’s been with since middle school, and the four of them seem to be fucking everywhere all the damn time. I can’t even count how many times one of his friends has overheard me talking shit, and it came back to bite me in the ass.
“Any ideas?”
“How about…” Grace pauses. “Micro?”
I blink. “What?”
“Micro as in micro-penis.”
I bark out a laugh, covering my mouth, trying to stifle the sounds. “I hate, and trust me when I say I absolutely fucking hate to defend the motherfucker, but if the rumors of him are correct, he’s far from being… uh… ungifted?”
“That’s the whole point,” Grace shrugs. “He won’t know it’s about him.”
“Fine, fine.”
“Anyway,” Grace changes the topic. “Did you hear the rumors?”
I nod. “Avalon told me.”
“Do you think it’s true?”
I lift a shoulder. “It definitely could be. I mean, it’s Soren. There’s only a handful of girls he hasn’t been with from the academy, so he’s bored.”
Grace grimaces. “Which professor do you think it is?”
“Well, either Ms. Ellie, or Ms. Dana. Ellie’s a fresh graduate, and Dana’s in her early thirties. All other professors are… what, in their fifties?”
“He might be into cougars,” she jokes.
“Let’s not discuss Micro’s sex life before I vomit all over the table.”
“Fine, fine,” Grace leans back, sipping on the juice box she got. Well, her parents send her a carton each week. I don’t understand why she’s obsessed with kids’ drinks, but she’s constantly drinking one of them.
Grace’s parents are both doctors, with her mother being a cardiac surgeon and her father being a neurologist. Both sides of her family have been involved in the ownership of numerous hospitals, going back generations.
She’s the first one not to go to med school, and is seen as the black sheep of her family.
She doesn’t talk about them much, and when she does, it’s all filled with pain. It’s not the best relationship, but given how much stuff they are sending her on a weekly basis, I’d say they’re at least trying to mend the relationship.
I’m broken out of my train of thought when Avalon appears, looking down at me with an expression I can’t quite read.
“Hey, is everything alright?”
“You need to come with me.”
I exchange a glance with Grace, and she shrugs, gathering her things. I mimic her actions, taking my handbag and following Avalon. Her shoulders are tense, her body is rigid, and it looks like she’s walking on needles.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“You’ll see,” she mutters, walking a few steps in front of me. “I need you to promise me you won’t lose your shit.”
Taken by surprise, I blink a couple of times, staring at the back of Avalon’s head. “Uh, I promise?”
I don’t understand what she means until we step into the school hallway. It’s where the announcement board is, always letting us know of activities, plans, and days off. Next to it is the board that’s sharing exam results.
Avalon turns around to look at me, a look of uncertainty on her face. She bites her bottom look, and for some reason, she looks absolutely apologetic. The same girl who’s never said the words ‘I’m sorry’ and meant them.
“Don’t overreact, I’m sure it’s a mistake.”
Before I can press further, Avalon steps away from my sight, and the board appears. With a frown, I take a few steps forward, finding my year and narrowing my eyes.
“What the—”
Words die in my throat as my eyes skim the list, spotting my name at the far bottom of the list. There’s no fucking way I did that bad. I’ve never gotten a grade below an A in my entire life, not even in middle and high school. Yet, apparently, I got a fucking F on every exam I took?
“That’s not fucking possible,” I hiss, snatching the printed-out list and glance at the names. Half of the people above me on the list have been struggling to just get a passing grade in previous years, and all of a sudden, they’re higher than me?
My hand curls around the paper, and I squeeze it in my hands, anger starting to take over.
Just as I turn around to face Avalon and Grace, both of whom look like they expect me to snap at them, the Dean’s voice comes from the speakers on the wall.
“Miss Sophia Sloane, come to the Dean’s office please.”