“This is the dorm where you’ll reside.” His finger moved to the second long building in a row of four. “All female students from ages fourteen to eighteen live in Bennett Hall. The males in your age group live here in Mannering Hall.” He tapped the building next to mine. “These two,” his finger moved between the furthest two, “are where the older students and bonded pairs reside.”
My brows pulled together. “Older students? I’m a senior, isn’t that the oldest?”
He gave me a look like he was waiting for me to say I was joking. “What do you know about Drexel Academy?”
I sat back. Could I tell him the truth? That I found out about it yesterday? “Not very much.”
He eyed me before giving a slight shake of his head. “We teach students from what non-supes consider high school and college. Our oldest students are twenty-one or twenty-two.”
My stomach dropped. “So, I’m not here for a year? I’m here for five?”
There was no way I could stay away from my family for that long. I’d learn as much as I could until next summer, then I was out of here!
“Some students prefer to go the non-supernatural route and attend one of their universities if their interests lie outside the majors we offer, but most students stay here.”
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. I had a sinking feeling my parents, Masie, Susan, and Robert would all encourage me to stay here and learn all I could since I was so far behind. But what about my birth parents? They left. They went to a normal university. Was that because they were an inter-species couple? Did they not have a choice?
My list of questions to ask Masie was already a mile long and just kept growing. I might never have all the answers I sought.
“Okay.” My voice shrank to a near squeak. Just getting here had sapped all my bravery and strength. I was overwhelmed and so tired. I needed a few minutes by myself, preferably in my special spot on the roof, away from everything and everyone. That wasn’t an option anymore.
“You’ll be rooming with a witch your age, so you’ll have someone to show you around and assist you as you settle in.”
Great. I had to share a room with a stranger. I’d have no peace or privacy while I was here. No space to adjust on my own.
I nodded, not able to muster the energy to speak. Life kept rolling on with me, happeningtome. I was only a passenger with no active decision-making role. Other people were telling me where and when to do everything, and I was forced to go along with it all.
“Your key is here,” he said, flipping through the rest of the folder. “After we get your schedule finalized, you can go to the library to collect your books. There’s also a page here with information about whom to contact in case of emergencies as well as the name and number of your RA. If you have any questions that aren’t answered, please feel free to reach out to me. My office hours and email are included here as well.”
He pushed the folder at me, and I lifted it from his desk clutching it to my chest like a lifeline.
“I’ve asked a student from your year to escort you to your room. I figured you’d prefer that to being seen with your guidance counselor.” He said it as if he was doing me a favor, but being passed off to yet another stranger just made me tense even more.
I didn’t have a choice, though. I was being dismissed, so I stood and thanked him before turning to the door and struggling to get both of my bags out while holding on to the folder.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he called behind me.
I gave a small wave before heading down the hall toward the oh-so-pleasant woman.
“Ms. Williams,” she said without looking up from her screen because I still wasn’t worth her full attention. “Ms. Jefferies is here to escort you.”
I looked at the row of chairs against the wall and smiled at the pretty brunette who stood. She wore black fitted pants and a black sweater dotted with tiny pearls over a white collared shirt. Combined with her high ponytail and light makeup, she looked preppy and exactly how I pictured a boarding school student, down to the leather oxfords.
“Hi, I’m Hannah.” She gave me a genuine smile and looked at my suitcases. “Can I help you with one?”
I let out a breath and relaxed. “Yes, please. I’m Saige.”
“What a pretty name.” She took one handle and started down the hall, glancing over her shoulder once. “So where did you transfer from?”
I wasn’t sure what she meant. Did she want to know my old high school? What were the odds she was familiar with my area? “Um, I'm from Twin Fields. It’s just north of Pittsburgh.”
She stopped walking and faced me. “What?”
I stared back at her, equally confused. “I went to Twin Fields High?”
She cocked her head to the side. “You came from a non-supernatural high school?”
I nodded.