My Perfect Fairy Fail #Wattys2017

5

My dad had insisted I stay home the day after my accident, and the day after that too. The doctor had only suggested I stay away from any strenuous activities- my father had taken that to mean anything that caused me to leave the house. The entire time I was there- all I could think about was where my diary might be. Who had it now? Who was combing through all my personal thoughts and what the hell did they think of me? And also my library books, if I lost those, I'd have to pay Mrs.Bryant a fine, and it wasn't like a had a piggy bank stashed away for things like that.

I hated weekends; the endless confinement to the house with my dad. My only highlight was that once a weekend we'd go grocery shopping at the local mall. Most of my time was spent in my bedroom either reading romance, or posting on my blog about romance. These last two days at home had felt like a weekend, and when they were finally over and I could go back to college, I practically ran there as fast as my non-athletic feet would carry me. The first place I went to was the tree. On the off, off chance that my diary or books were still there. Maybe they'd been flung into the bushes and no one had found them- it was very wishful thinking.

And, of course, they weren't there. Not stashed in a bush or conveniently out of sight, waiting for me to fetch them. But then I saw it- at first I thought I was imagining things- but there it was. I walked over to the tree branch and looked at it closely. Someone had engraved a message into it and it looked fresh. I ran my fingertips over the engraving...

BOOKS = 23 Falcon House EM

Ethan Michaels had my books, and my diary. I didn't know what was worse. That a stranger might be looking through them, or that Ethan might be. I shook my head and my stomach plummetted. I should have known he stayed at Falcon House- it was the best, most expensive student residence on campus. Apparently, it also threw the best, wildest parties- not that I knew much about those, and housed most of the football team. If it had just been my library books, I might have happily let them go- but it was also my diary. I had to get it. Even if it meant making the trek across campus to Falcom House- a place my father would never allow me to go.

I slung my bag onto my shoulder and started walking, feeling like I was breaking the law. Which in a way, I was. Growing up in a small university town, I'd grown up seeing all the student roaming the streets, going to the shops, drinking coffee in all the coffee shops, and generally looking like they were having fun. I'd always assumed- my entire life- that one day that would be me. I'd also be having coffee with friends, shopping, drinking wine at the many bars, going to parties- enjoying a student life. Only, that wasn't the case. At the age of sixteen everything had changed for me, and the life that I thought I was going to have one day, had been taken away from me.

I walked all the way to the other side of campus, a direction I never went in. Most of my days were spent between classes and the library, that was all. I walked across the massive field that separated the buildings from the student residences. The field was full of students sitting in groups, students jogging and walking and the odd couple making out under a tree. A bolt of discomfort shot through me. I wasn't at ease in this kind of environment, at all. And I was feeling less and less at ease as I approached Falcon House.

The building was intimidating and large. It stood in front of me like some strange, foreign scary thing- the gates to hell. I had no idea what to expect if I walked inside. Sex, drugs, rock and roll and other debaucherous things...

And I wasn't entirely wrong in my assumption either. I pushed the large doors open and walked into a massive common area. It looked like there had been some kind of a party the night before. Cans of beer lay scattered on the floor, there were a few people draped over furniture as if they had passed out there and a few shirtless guys sitting on a couch talking. I quickly looked away and tried to figure out where room 23 would be. There was a massive staircase to my left and I started walking up it. I had to step over a few items as I went; a pizza box, more beer cans and was that.. a... a woman's bra?