Whitethorn Academy

Chapter Eleven

I didn't get any sleep the rest of the night. Tossing and turning, I couldn't prevent the unsettled feeling from creeping into my skin.

Loki slept peacefully, never leaving my side.

When my alarm rang the next morning, I turned it off with a groan. I knew Naomi would be here soon, but I didn't want to leave my room.

My mother might have wanted me to be here at Whitethorn, but this didn't feel like a home. Nothing seemed to be right here. Everything was different.

When I stood up, Loki stretched and yawned before hopping off the bed and moving to the food bowl. After Ms. Rose had left last night, I'd set up all his things for him.

He happily munched on his cat food while I decided on what to wear. Everyone at breakfast yesterday had been wearing their uniforms.

With a sigh, I pulled out a white button-up and a navy blazer. Then I went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of khaki slacks. I'd never had a school uniform before.

It felt weird to be wearing something I knew everyone else would be wearing too. But having so few choices also felt like a relief at the moment. I didn't have to worry about what to wear. One less decision to make.

I'd barely finished getting dressed when I heard a knock on the door.

Naomi waited on the other side, a smile on her face. "Ms. Rose said you wanted me to go with you again today?"

I gave a nod. "I didn't want to try braving the dining hall alone. Not after what happened yesterday."

Her face turned sympathetic, even though I wished it wouldn't. I hated that she thought I was someone to pity. "I'm sorry for not defending you. But Mari... she scares me."

"She seems to have that effect on a lot of people," I told her as we headed down the flight of stairs to the ground floor. "Why are so many people scared of her anyway?"

"Her dad is a really big donor for the Gifted program. No one wants to make her angry with them. They're terrified of her father."

"So she's spoiled, with a rich dad."

"Basically," Naomi said. "She's also a bully. But you already know that."

I thought of the oatmeal and anger washed through me, red hot. Who did Mari think she was? Just because her dad was rich didn't mean she could terrorize people.

Ms. Rose gave us bright smiles as we passed her desk. I could tell she was glad I was giving the dining hall another try, but I was still nervous about the whole thing.

We headed out into the brisk cold of the morning, our breath instantly puffing into the air in front of us. The grass blades glittered with frost as we moved across the quad.

Several students were out and about, moving from building to building. Their laughter rang out across the quad.

Naomi and I were silent as we headed into Whitethorn Hall. The dining hall was just as packed today as it was yesterday. My eyes instinctually scanned the crowd, checking for signs of Mari. When I didn't see her, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Naomi guided me into the line, which was thankfully devoid of rowdy boys this morning.

Breakfast ended up being a completely boring affair, which I was thankful for. I didn't think I could handle another morning like yesterday.

Once we were finished, Naomi led the way out of Whitethorn Hall and back to the quad. The sidewalks were more packed now, with a sea of students all dressed in their school uniforms.