Bane Academy: To Run From Fear

Chapter 3

Becca

Finally, Monday comes and school starts. First up is Spells in the wizardry block, like usual. Before stepping inside the classroom, I take a deep breath, mentally envisioning the air as all my bad thoughts and negativity. I breath it in as much as I can, accumulating every last bit of it, before expelling it in one loud gust of breath.
I step into the classroom.
As soon as I step into the room, all eyes turn to me. Some of them dart immediately away, while others linger, skipping about me as I make my way towards my group of friends near the back. Oak smiles the second he sees me, sympathy thick in his eyes.
"Hey Becca, you okay?" He asks, bark brown hair bouncing above his soft features.
"Yeah," I mumble, piecing together the best smile I could.
I greet the others, who were all sitting on the desks, creating a little circle of conversation. The group consists of Thomas, Demi, Quinn, Lilly, Oak and I. Thomas is a bony boy with feathery hair that definitely needs a cut. He draws little flowers in the air with his wand, while Lilly - pale haired, pale skinned and with a quiet demeanour - giggles in delight. Demi, on the other hand, is quite a loud person. She has glossy black hair and a dark complexion. She is currently laughing a little too loud at something Quinn, your typical blond haired, blue eyed surfer guy, had said. The six of us spend the couple of minutes before Ginny arrives talking casually. Thankfully no one mentions the Battle of the Books, and despite a few awkward looks of sympathy, no one seemed to have a problem with me being there.
I couldn't help noticing that Shae was on the other side of the room, talking with Willow and some others. A painful emotion bites at my chest, but I wash it out by laughing at Oak's story that he was telling.
Eventually, Ginny walks in, apologies for being late and asks everyone to take their seats. Our group takes up the two rows at the back right corner - Demi, Jes and Thomas in front, then Oak and Quinn on either side of me.
Ginny introduces our new topic and begins teaching. I focus on the information, letting it be the only important thing in my world.

* * *

Second period is Erudite, in which I partner up with this girl named Jillian, since it was unlikely that Shae and I were gonna work together. At recess I hang out with Oak and the wizards again. Third is Running in the Glade, then study break I spend the whole time studying, trying to get ahead of my classes. By the end of fourth period my mood swings quite low despite Peter Malark's calming and cheerful voice. Everyone had been staring at me, yet no one talked to me. I spend lunch alone, trying desperately to dispel the rising emotions. Unfortunate it had not worked and I spend the entirety of Latin struggling to keep my body in check. I feel like screaming. I feel like breaking something. But I don't. I focused on the work, getting it into my book so that I can work on it later at least. By the time the bell goes I'm sprinting just to get out of there. I manage to make it to the dorm before the tears burst from my eyes. I throw my bag down and make a break for the bedroom at the end of the hallway and slam the door. Collapsing onto my bed, I cry and cry and cry. The whole day's worth of anger and sadness and frustration in the form of hot tears. The crying I was used to. I don't even know what I'm crying about anymore. Just everything. Just because the tears are there. Because I have to do this everyday now. Maybe John was right. Maybe I'm not ready. I just want Liam back.
The distinctive chime from my phone sounds, telling me I have a message. I reach over and pick it up, seeing through blurred vision that it's Quinn asking for me to join them for dinner in the Hall.
After a few minutes, I pick up my heavy limbs and trudge towards the shower.