On Thin Ice

33.

Autumn Kingsley

My head rested gently against the window of my dad's car.

I tried to keep count of each tree that blurred as we passed and each droplet of snow that cascaded down onto the glass before my eyes, soon enough dissolving into nothingness.

It was the day of the retreat.

Well I suppose the start of it.

We had all been told to be ready to board the coaches before 8am so that we'd be there on time. That alone is a sign that they've planned hell a lot of things for us.

Averting my attention, I watch as the car eventually and gradually comes to a halt in front of two coaches that were as big as first class, multimillionaire private jets.

"He we are," my dad smiles as he kills the ignition and turns to face me.

"Take care of yourself tums, and most importantly have fun. Okay?"

Giving him a quick nod of reassurance, I shoot him a forced smile before exiting the car and making my way towards the rest of the group.

"Tum tum!" Kaden's arms extend out for a hug.

I roll my eyes and duck to slip myself underneath one arm before wrapping one of my own around him and giving his torso a tight squeeze.

His embrace tightens around me. "Jeez are you trying to squeeze the oxygen out of me?"

"I don't know, maybe."

I detach myself away from him before readjusting the strap of the bag on my back.

The tip of someone's fingers gently brushes across my clothed shoulder as they carefully pull the bag off me. Turning almost immediately, I'm met with a blank expression as he takes my suitcase out of my grasp.

"I'll take these for you," Atlas informs me before carrying my bags to the storage compartments.

"Ah, wonder when I'll find my soulmate," Kaden says in a singsong voice as he walks beside me.

Irritated, I smack his arm. "The only soulmate you'll have is that rat from ratatouille."

He shrugs, "I wouldn't mind."

Atlas joins behind us, listening in to our conversation as we climbed up the steps of the coach and scanned the available seats.

Kaden quickly takes the last empty space next to Brady before pointing to the two unoccupied seats behind theirs, whilst eyeing me and Atlas.

I watch as Atlas mouths him a quick fuck you.

"Do you have a preference of sitting next to the window or—" I start but he cuts me off.

"Just sit down."

Rolling my eyes, I squeeze between the two seats in front of us before sitting down next to the window. Atlas does the same.

Letting out a sigh, he leans back against the scratchy material of the seats and adjusts himself so that his legs are spaced out.

"Look at what we have here," Mason's voice was too familiar to not be recognised, "Mr and Mrs Miller."

"Mason, I swear to God if you don't—"

"Autumn Kingsley?" Miss Sanford's voice fills the entire coach.

"Here."

Atlas shakes his head and turns back around to face the front, answering as Miss Sanford called out his name.

Getting one of those irritating, out of the blue shivers, I instinctively cross my arms over my chest. The thin material of the white, cropped long sleeve top I wore was nothing compared to the frigidness of the air surrounding us.