6
Harper
My stomach wakesme but I’m afraid to open my eyes. Once I do, I’ll see that I’m not in my bed in my apartment. I’ll see the strange room at Brimstone Academy where I’ve been sentenced to stay.
I don’t want to admit that it’s real. I want it to all be a bad dream.
My stomach growls again and I wonder when I last ate. In fact, I’m not even sure how much time has passed between when I left my home and when I woke up in that hospital.
Part of me really doesn’t want to know.
After blowing out a long breath, I open my eyes and stare around the room. The single window only lets in a crack of light around the gap between the dark curtains. The room is dim and cold and unfamiliar.
I hate everything about it.
Tossing off the covers, I force myself to walk to the window to open the curtains and look outside. Last night I was too upset to care.
To my surprise, I see a courtyard with little tables and what looks like a hedge maze. There are flower gardens and paths winding through them. It looks more like a lawn at a country club than a school in the Underworld.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled it’s not all fire and brimstone. But the name of the school is literallyBrimstone Academy. Instead, it looks like I should be making plans to play tennis later.
A knock sounds on my door. “Hey, new girl. You up?”
I tense at the unfamiliar voice. It’s a woman’s voice, but so far, none of the people I’ve met were worth talking to. I stand frozen, wondering if she’ll go away if I don’t respond.
“You hungry?”
That changes things. I am starving.
My stomach aches at the very thought of food. I walk toward the door and open it. A petite woman with pink hair in a playful pixie cut smiles at me. She’s got sea green eyes and a dusting of freckles over her nose.
“I made breakfast. Thought you might be hungry.” She extends her hand. “I’m Sadie.”
I accept her hand. “Harper.”
“Nice to meet you, Harper.” She looks genuinely happy to meet me. It makes me wonder when the other shoe is going to drop.
“I was getting worried they’d never give me a roommate,” she says. “I grew up in a family of twelve. It was way too quiet in here for me. Freaked me out to be honest.”
I can’t help but smile at that. “Well, lucky you got stuck with me.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, waving her had. “I get it. You’re new. You were raised topside. You’re here as a reform student but I don’t give a shit about labels.”
“You’re the first, then,” I say.
She walks toward the kitchenette and the scent of breakfast fills my nose. Real breakfast. Coffee. Bacon. Pancakes and maple syrup. I nearly groan at the sight of the food on the counter. “You made all of this?”
“I told you, family of twelve. I don’t even know how to cook for one. And I figured you could use it. First day and all.” She grabs a mug and fills it with coffee. “Cream and sugar?”
“Yes, please.” I gratefully take the warm mug from her.
She loads up two plates then hands me one. “I usually eat on the couch.”
“Great,” I say, following her.
I devour the bacon and take a few glorious sips of coffee while Sadie cuts her pancakes into pretty little squares.
“So what’s your background?” she asks, her fork in front of her mouth. She takes a bite and watches me intently.