Chapter five Melody
Chapter five
Melody
Getting ready for a new school isn’t easy.
I stare at the knee-length dark plaid skirt and matching white polo with the Silver Academy logo sewn above the heart.
It’s a private school that costs serious money to get into.
Luckily, Mr. Wilder had no trouble admitting me in the middle of spring classes.
But that’s not what I’m worried about.
I’m not private school material. I’ve only been enrolled in public schools, and even with the nice crisp uniform, I feel like I’m going to be an outsider. I can look the part, but there’s no way for me to act it.
I silently get dressed, battling my own fears as I step out of my room. Every step down the stairs is one closer to the unknown, and I can’t seem to find the bright side of going into this alone.
When I enter the dining room, only Kaden is seated at the table. He’s dressed in his uniform and lifting a spoonful of cereal to his mouth when he notices me.
“Are you just going to stand there?” He asks.
I play with the hem of my shirt, shifting in place.
He sighs before pushing his chair out and grabbing another bowl from a high cabinet. “What kind of cereal do you like?”
“Do you have cornflakes?”
He nods before dipping into the pantry and retrieving the box. He pours me some, then adds a splash of milk. He smacks a spoon down beside it, sliding back into his chair and returning to his meal.
I ease down across from him, using my spoon to push the bright yellow flakes under the milk. The silence is so thick, and I keep looking up at Kaden through my lashes, but he doesn’t bother giving me a speck of attention.
“Staring at me isn’t eating,” he comments under his breath.
I take my first bite, letting the sweet taste wash over me as I settle into the quiet. I’m halfway finished with my bowl when I glance up and decide to break the tension. “Do we have the same classes?”
He stops, his eyes flickering to me. “No. I’m a grade ahead of you, remember?”
“You’re only a few months older than me,” I shrug innocently.
“Ten,” he corrects. “Almost a whole year older.”
“I’m nervous,” I admit, sitting back in my chair. “I’ve only been to public school.”
He hums. “Good luck.”
That’s it? I guess words of encouragement aren’t really his thing…
Mom pokes her head into the dining room, smiling. “Are you two ready? I’m driving you this morning.”
Kaden stands, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as he brings his bowl to the kitchen sink. “I’ll walk.”
He doesn’t let Mom protest as he pushes past her and slams the front door behind him. She blows out a breath, her shoulders sinking as she gives me a pensive glance. “I guess it’s just you and me, Kiddo.”
As I stand in the long corridor that stretches down the middle school hall, students pass around me, brightly colored notebooks and backpacks blurring by. I stay tucked into myself, my hands gripping the straps of my backpack tightly.
I’m on the search for my math class when I spot Kaden at a locker. He’s pulling some books out as he talks to a taller boy with blonde hair and another with brown curls.
They’re huddled around each other, sticking to the outskirts of the crowd as they converse.
I hold my hand up, waving to get Kaden’s attention.
When he spots me, he rolls his eyes before slamming his locker shut and stalking further away.
He disappears into the crowd, taking his friends with him, and I let my arm fall to my side as rejection pierces my chest.
I swallow the thick emotion in my throat before hoisting my backpack higher and picking up my chin.
I can do this without him.
Returning to the mansion isn’t as calming as I thought it would be. My day wasn’t terrible but navigating it alone upset me. All I could think about was going home, until I realized home was no longer the dated trailer I had grown up in.
“I’m going to get dinner started soon,” Mom says as we walk into the foyer.
I mumble, hanging my backpack up on the rack by the door as I kick my shoes off.
She gives me a patient look, tilting her head before brushing my hair behind my ear. “How does spaghetti sound?”
“Good,” I say.
Her eyes soften. “Rough first day?”
I nod.
“It’ll get better, Jellybean.” She promises before sweeping into the kitchen.
The front door clicks open behind me, and I turn to see Kaden step past the threshold.
Our eyes connect, and he doesn’t bother greeting me as he pushes past and scales the staircase to his room.
I stand planted in my spot, unsure of what to do with myself.
The bridge of my nose begins to sting with unshed tears, and I quickly blink them away.
Kaden comes back down only seconds later, his school clothes discarded in favor of his all-black attire. The thick boots on his feet click against the marble as he heads for the terrace. I watch him leave through the sliding doors, intrigue peaking.
If he won’t show me the creek, then I’ll see it for myself. I slide my shoes back on before squaring my shoulders and following him.