From this close distance, I can see the anger simmering in his vibrant green eyes, like a storm brewing behind a calm facade. I inhale a sharp breath, not expecting to feel my stomach drop and warmth to flood through me. It’s more than anger though, there’s something else I can’t put my finger on and it makes my heart pump wildly. I take a small step back, but his hand clamps down on my hip, a firm grip keeping me in place.
Images flash through my mind of him walking me backward against a wall and pressing his lips against mine with brutal force. I stifle the groan, threatening to escape. He leans in a hairsbreadth closer and for a brief second I think he might actually do it. Kiss me. If I puckered, I could brush my lips against his. Why am I even thinking this? He’s done nothing but try to intimidate me since I arrived here. My pulse flutters wildly as I blink rapidly as I wait for him to say or do something—anything. This moment in limbo seems to go on forever, and I feel his warm breath tickle my face.
“Run, Riley.”
He lets me go with a shove and I stumble back, blinking up at him in confusion. That isnotwhat I was expecting! He barely brought his voice above a whisper, but he may as well screamed the words. I take Ava’s arm and pull her with me, walking backwards to keep them in my line of sight, putting some much needed distance between us. She looks to her brother for an explanation, clearly confused by what just happened between us, but he gives her a barely noticeable headshake. If I wasn’t so tuned in to them right now, I may not have noticed it.
Never turn your back on an enemy. It gives them more reason to shoot you, but I don’t have a choice. I need to see where I’m headed. Eventually, I turn and move as fast as my legswill carry me, with Ava in tow. I see her out of the corner of my eye, brows drawn, and lips turned down in a frown. The same look her brother gave me minutes ago.
“What?” I ask as I push open the doors to the cafeteria.
“Why did he tell you to run? Do you know him? You said you didn’t know anyone here.”
I shake my head. “I’ve never met him in my life, but apparently he has something against me. Or maybe it’s against my father. I really haven’t got a clue. My dad hasn’t always played nice, so it’s entirely possible something happened and now I’m the target.” I told her a little about my dad and who is in our room, so she has a general understanding of the powerful position he’s in.
She drops it for now, but I know she has more questions. Questions I haven’t got a clue on how to answer. I don’t even know what’s going on. There’s no way I can even begin to explain it to her. We grab a tray and fill it with a little of everything.
Surprisingly, the food here is good, and they have a lot of options to choose from. They offer a pasta station with various sauces, a salad bar with everything you could ever want, a stir-fry station, and even a main course option. There is literally something for everyone. I hope breakfast is just as good. After we eat, and both of us are full, Ava gives me a tour of campus like she’s been here for years and not just a first year herself. She told me she helped Zander move in his first year here and wandered campus. Plus, she’s studied the map and, according to her, knows this place inside and out. Which will come in handy because I have no idea where I’m going. I have until Monday to figure out where I’m going for my classes.
We get back to our room and I sit down on my freshly made bed. Ava had helped me unpack my bag and put everything away in my space. Since I brought nothing to decorate my side, shehung one of her artwork pieces over my bed to make it cozy. I’m already grateful to have her as my roommate.
I pull my schedule from my packet of information and study the list of my classes. I didn’t have a choice in the matter the academy picked for me. Some classes seem basic enough, not what I would have studied at Dartmouth, such as economics and business management. But others are just unconventional for a school. Survival? Seriously?
What does survival mean? They aren’t going to use us as science experiments, are they? Or is this going to be the torture classes Ava confirmed aren’t just rumors? My head spins with worst-case scenarios, and I’m hoping what I come up with is a lot worse than what the class actually is.
“Riles, you okay? You look a little green over there.”
Nope. Not at all.I breathe through my nose and try to push the thoughts out of my head. “I think I’m okay. Do you know much about the survival class?”
She shakes her head; her face drops. “No. Zan doesn’t talk about his classes and no one asks at home. My dad came here, but don’t talk about it. He told me I’d find out soon enough, and there’s no point in dwelling on what I won’t be able to change. That’s the only one I’ve been worried about, but they can’t kill students, so I figure it’ll be fine.”
Well, if that isn’t a winning statement, I don’t know what is.Why is everything so nonchalant with Ava? Nothing seems to bother her.
“I think I want to walk around campus some more to get the lay of the land before the bonfire tonight. Want to come?”
“No. I want to take a little nap, and then get ready. Are you gonna be fine by yourself?”
I smile and nod. “Sure. See ya in a bit.” I wave as I walk out the door, taking my phone with me. I need to write everything Ava has told me for Leah, but I don’t want it to seem toosuspicious. Hopefully, I can find a quiet spot and jot down a few bullet points, and then I can come back to it later for more details. I’ve already taken a few pictures, including one of my schedule to send to her, but the campus photos are all online anyway, so that’s nothing new. Day one and I’ve only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. There is an enormous story here waiting for me to tell. I know it. The thought has me spiraling. I need a familiar and warm voice to ease the tension. Without hesitation, I pull Leah’s name up on my phone and she answers on the second ring.
“Hey bestie, how goes it? Have you met the head of the mafia yet?”
I smile despite myself. “Not funny, and no. But this place is insane, Leah.” I keep my voice low and glance around to make sure no one’s within earshot. “They really teach torture classes, and gun shooting, though. What the fuck? We may not be too far off thinking Pointebreak is some sort of training ground.”
Her gasp is answer enough. Neither of us believed the rumors and laughed about it, but I’m not laughing now. Not when I have to take these classes. I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around what my life is going to be like and I’m going to have to live it for the next four years. This is going to be…challenging. I’m so far out of my element. Dartmouth was going to be easy. I knew exactly what was in store for me. Mainly rich assholes who think they are better than the person next to them, with some tough classes thrown into the mix. But, this. I don’t know if I can do this. My only options are to try, or get left behind. And I don’t think the school takes too kindly to students who don’t try.
“Where are you right now? Are you stuck in your uniform yet?”
“Walking around campus and no. I don’t have to wear it until Monday, and on weekends it’s not required.”
“How does it look?” she asks.
“Basically like Stonewall, but less blue and silver and more red and black. Probably to hide blood stains if they happen.” I scoff at my grim joke and groan. “Leah, I don’t know if I can do this. My roommate is nice, but her brother and his friends…I somehow pissed them off.” I take a deep breath in and push it out of my nose, shaking my head, trying to dislodge the negative thoughts taking up residence in my mind.
“What do you mean?” She asks wearily.
“I don’t know. I got to campus, and they were staring at me like I killed their puppy and they are going to go all John Wick on me. All I did was step out of the car.” I take a deep breath and release it. “I’m going to email you some stuff tonight. You remember the guy from the diner?”
“Mr. Sexy that I told you to tap?” She smiles through the phone and I can’t help doing the same, even though she can’t see me.
