Sloane pointed her straightener at Mercedes. “Exactly why I’m asking! He kissed her cheek the other day, and ever since then, he has been watching her like a hawk.” Her lips pursed as she glanced back at me. “What exactly are you two doing while tutoring? Is it him you’re going to see in the middle of the night?” She sucked in another breath, her chin dropping. “Oh my God. Are you guys having sex?” She placed a hand to her heart. “I swear to God, if he takes your virginity and then breaks your heart, I will burn him alive with my flat-iron! You are too sweet. God, he will ruin you! I knew this tutoring thing was such bullshit! It makes no sense!” At some point during her rant, she’d begun waving her straightener around the small bathroom like a maniac.
Mercedes hopped off the bed. “For the love of God, put the straightener down before you burn St. Mary’s to the ground, Sloane!”
I couldn’t help it. A loud laugh escaped from my mouth, and once it was out, I couldn’t seem to stop. I couldn’t remember a time in my life where I’d ever laughed so much, and I didn’t even know why. Was it because I was elated that she didn’t know I was sneaking off to the art room to draw the most horrific yet beautiful depictions of my most buried memories? Or was it because she threatened to burn Isaiah alive on my behalf? Whatever it was, I liked it. I was laughing hard. It only took a few seconds for Mercedes to start giggling and then for Sloane too.
We were all mid-laugh, trying to catch our breath, when a knock sounded on the door. I jumped to my feet quickly, but Mercedes brushed me off. “It’s probably Callie. I told her to bring me my necklace when she was done getting ready.”
Relief settled in, and I relaxed again. I wasn’t even sure who I thought would be on the other side of the door, but with how things were going lately, I was skeptical that they would stay normal for me. “Isaiah and I are not having sex,” I said to Sloane, finally addressing what she’d assumed I was doing when I left my room. Maybe I’d laughed so hard because the idea that I was sneaking off at four in the morning to go do the one act that was absolutely forbidden to me above all else was so absurd it was hilarious.
“Yet.” Sloane pointed her straightener at me, and I laughed again.
“Put that down before you really burn St. Mary’s to the ground.” I pushed off the bathroom door frame. “And what do you mean by yet?”
“I mean… I see the way he looks at you, Gemma.” She began straightening the last few strands of her black hair. “I know you say that you’re just tutoring him, but he…I don’t know. It’s like he can’t stop looking at you. Even when he’s at lacrosse practice. His eyes find you every time he takes a break.”
Just as Mercedes began opening the door, she rolled her eyes at Sloane. “It’s true.”
I let out a tight laugh, trying to figure out a way I could brush off her speculations of Isaiah. Even if he was looking at me as much as she said he was, I was certain it was because of the Bain thing. They didn’t know that Bain had made that vague threat against me. They didn’t know that Isaiah was concerned that Bain was going to try to use me as some type of pawn to get back at Isaiah for whatever it was that they were feuding over.
“Oh!” Mercedes’ tone was like the squeak of a mouse. “Headmaster Ellison.”
My thoughts faltered as I glanced at the door and caught the eye of the headmaster. He was staring directly at me, and my stomach somersaulted. Oh no.
“Umm…” Mercedes looked between us. “So sorry, Headmaster. I’ll go back to my room.”
His expression changed swiftly with the slight shake of his head. “Oh, there’s no need for that, Mercedes.”
She stepped back farther into the room, closer to me now. Her nail polish lid was still off, and the strong scent flew under my nose. “But…it’s after curfew. I should be in my room.”
“Oh?” The headmaster smiled deviously, and it shocked me because, for some reason, the way his lips tipped upward was so…familiar. A warmth settled over me. “I suppose that may be true.” His statement was more of a surmised one at that. He winked innocently at Mercedes and then caught my eye again. “I just came to see if Gemma was adjusting well with everything. Especially with the new tutoring gig. We didn’t really get a chance to talk much on Monday after you left my office. But it seems like you’re doing just fine.”
He was definitely surprised by this but also looked…happy? I had to admit that Headmaster Ellison was very confusing to me. I really wanted to trust him, and there was something about him that I connected to almost instantly, but there was also the smallest voice in the back of my head, reminding me not to trust a single person—least of all someone who owed Richard a favor. Their initial conversation was not far from my memory.
I nodded. “I’m doing okay.” My lips smashed together as Sloane and Mercedes came to stand beside me. “We were just”—I glanced at both of them—“having a...girls’ night. Is that okay?”
The headmaster was bewildered by my comment. Something flashed along his features before he smiled. “Of course.” He looked at each of us. “Have a great night. Don’t tell the other girls I let you three have a sleepover.” He chuckled. “Although, I assume this is a common thing around here? I don’t make a habit of coming to the girls’ wing often.” Then, he nodded once and muttered a goodnight awkwardly before shutting the door.
The three of us stood in the middle of the room for a solid minute before Sloane said, “That was weird as fuck.”
Then, we all started laughing again.
The splashing of water beneath my feet sent a thrill of exhilaration up my spine. My stomach dipped with excitement, which was a vast improvement from the last time I’d walked in the tunnel underneath St. Mary’s. After the headmaster had left the room, Sloane, Mercedes, and I commenced our “slumber party,” which just involved getting ready for the party. Sloane had taken the straightener to my hair, even if I was a little hesitant at first because of how she had been aggressively waving it around all night. But in the end, my darkened mess of brown waves had fallen over my shoulders like a shiny sleek curtain.
It was amazing the transformation I’d had in the few short weeks I’d been at St. Mary’s. I had been away from home for less than a month, and with each passing day, I felt Richard’s slip on me lessen more and more. It was a troubling thought as I walked arm in arm with Sloane and Mercedes to attend a party that revolved heavily around something that had always
been presented as bad to me. I was taught that breaking rules was bad and so was anything beyond that. In the past, the thought of breaking rules would have sent me into a spiral of panic, but now? After being away from Richard and that house? And everything that reminded me of what I’d missed out on and what I had lost? Like Tobias... I was welcoming the feeling of rebellion. It wouldn’t last forever. I knew that. But the contrast between home and here was transformative in a way. Like the iron shackles were off my wrists. Metaphorically and literally. I was almost thirsty for what was to come of tonight—whatever that may be.
Suddenly, Isaiah’s face flashed within my thoughts, and something achy came over my body. Then, I began sweating as Sloane’s and Mercedes’ arms, intertwined with mine, pulled me along the abyss.
We were getting closer to the door of the party, and I could feel the thumping of bass underneath my feet. I pulled down the sleeves of my shirt to cover my wrists when Sloane stopped walking.
I looked over at her, even though it was pitch black. “Sloane?” I asked as trepidation came rushing to the surface. “What’s wrong?”
“Gemma.” Her voice echoed against the empty walls surrounding us. “I need to ask you something else.”
The excitement I had been feeling moments ago fell so hard I listened for the splash below my feet. “Okay…”
“What’s going on, Sloane?” Mercedes whispered. “We’re almost to the door.”