Chapter Twelve
I f I’d ever wanted to dig my own grave, today would be the fucking day. The dining hall looked like someone projectile vomited the school colors all over the walls and tables. Soft, classical music drifted in one ear and out the other, and each table had flowers as the centerpieces and fancy silverware with matching plates displayed at each seat. Over to the far right, a table seemed to be stocked with fresh fruit and veggies, and just beyond that, a conga line of colorful drinks in clear kegs with shiny stouts awaited. The windows were long, casting an abundance of light inside the building, which made the room much hotter than outside. Every seat seemed to be filled by the time I arrived, but luckily Heather had saved us a place at a table dead center; how joyous.
She waved me down like a survivor on a deserted island, signaling me to join. I gave her a thumbs up to get her to relax and maneuvered my way to our table, trying to avoid pointy elbows and obnoxious laughter. The only type of crowds I could tolerate were clubs and concerts, and I was about three seconds away from hightailing it out of there. But just the simple smile on Heather’s face made me refrain. Once you spill your struggles with someone, you tend to ease up on their cringe behavior.
Just before I reached my destination, the girl who caught me with Kal stepped into my view. Her sour expression had returned, or never left, and she held up her well-manicured hand to signal me to stop.
“Listen, I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care to know, but we need to get one thing straight—”
“And that is?” I interrupted, annoyed. I didn’t need a replay of earlier, especially from this chick who reeked of a nasty attitude.
She gave me a sly look, one where if I weren’t dead center in a room full of people, I would’ve socked her in the mouth.
“Are you jealous of me?” she laughed maniacally.
Was she on crack? “No.”
“Mhm. Right.”
“I’m serious.”
“Stay away from the elite. You have no business with us.” She stalked off then, flipping her perfectly curled hair over her shoulder for dramatic effect.
I concluded that everyone in this fucking school had lost their goddamn mind, and I couldn’t wait to hurry up and graduate from this loony bin. I watched her stalk off the way she came, confused by her statement. Still, I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle trying to decipher her cryptic riddle and tossed Kal and our nonexistent relationship out the window. I would instead stop now before I crossed onto private property.
Heather scooted her food tray aside to give me some room on our long table. At least she wouldn’t try to bite my head off.
“Feeling better?” Heather asked. Just by the tone in her voice, I could tell she was testing the waters with me, making sure I wouldn’t snap like a rubber band.
“Yeah, much better. Just took out some nasty garbage,” I joked.
She gave me a big smile and pushed her tray in between us again. Heather had piled some mini chocolate muffins, fruit, bacon strips, little sausages, and scrambled eggs. I gave her a warm smile and popped a mini muffin in my mouth.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I grabbed a variety,” she said.
“Good choice on the mini muffins,” I said between bites.
Just then, a loud gong silenced the cafeteria as the same woman from last night stood in the middle of the room, grabbing everyone’s attention. Jordan, if I remembered correctly, held a black microphone in hand and smiled, waving at a few other students before unfolding a piece of paper.
“Good morning, freshman class! Today, we’re going to have so much fun! Icebreakers and games galore!” she gushed.
If I wasn’t holding in my vomit so hard, I would have projectile my breakfast all over the table by now. I need to stop agreeing to come to these useless events.
“I won’t lie. What she said was kind of lame,” whispered Heather.
Her comment caught me off guard, which turned into a burst of laughter I couldn’t entirely control when prissy pants front and center gave me a warning look to keep my mouth shut. Heather thought that was funny and giggled into her hands, trying to stay quiet as well.
“Now, before we begin, I have a few rules to review with everyone,” she said.
The crowd groaned, and then someone shouted behind us. “C’mon, Jordan!”
“All right! Settle down!” she demanded, then flipped the paper over. “These are the rules. First, please do not cheat. I know this rule is stupid, but you would be surprised to know that some have cheated in the past. Second, please clean up the area you participated in. The quicker we do this, the quicker we return to our dorms. Lastly, and I cannot stress this enough—”
Some guy came around Jordan and snagged the mic from her grasp. “We get it, Queen of Rules. Now, who’s ready to play?” The crowd erupted in cheers of agreement and began to slam on the tables, creating a loud drum sound from their palms.
I watched as Jordan tried to steal the mic back, but he kept turning just out of her reach. It also didn’t help that he was more than a foot taller than her.
“Let’s do this!” he shouted, dropping the mic dramatically. The sound penetrated my eardrums.
“What the heck just happened?” asked Heather over the loud crowd. Most students were standing, cheering each other and high-fiving like maniacs.
“Who the fuck knows,” I replied.
I wonder if it’s too late to drop out.
Heather chuckled and took a sip of her orange juice. I smiled in return, about to take a sip when I sensed someone watching me. The hairs on my arm stood as my eyes landed on Josh, and that chick Chloe, with others clustered near a marble pillar. Every last one regarded me from afar, with expressions carved like stone, some crueler than others. Nobody else saw our exchange, and yet I felt utterly exposed sitting there. Josh must’ve told them I knew about the Order; it was the only explanation I got for how hostile they presented themselves. It seems I peered into the eyes of the hidden members, exposed, but only I knew. Josh followed my actions with just his eyes as I lifted my glass of orange juice to my lips, giving them the same cold look, trying to keep my composure.
“Heather,” I said, never taking my eyes off the little posse.
“Hmm?” she mused in between bites of bacon.
If anyone knew, it would be Heather. “Does Columbia have a curfew?”
She slurped down the rest of her orange juice, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Apparently so. I guess to avoid high crime rates or something. Didn’t you read the handbook fact sheet?”
I snorted a hearty laugh. “Does it look like I read handbooks?”
The crowd continued to cheer, Heather reaching for another piece of bacon. “I don’t know. You’re mostly a closed book.”
Chloe leaned into Josh, whispering in his ear, and his eyes flashed with rage, his nostrils flaring. Josh then turned to me, his eyes darkening almost in a threatening manner, the very heat of his stare making me almost squirm in my seat. But I refused to back down. I refused to be the mouse in their cat chase.
I gave Josh my sassiest wink, reminding him that I was all for the game of finding out the truth. My reaction must’ve ruffled his feathers because he stalked off, leaving the rest of his posse to watch my every move.
At that moment, I realized the Order was dangerous, and I might have stirred the beast.