I nod in response. “I’m surprised I’m saying it, but I’m glad to be back.”
Camilla smiles. “Me too. Now, let’s find out what this super important news is.” She hooks her arm with mine as I use my other hand to drag my suitcase down the hallway toward the girl’s dormitories. Camilla uses her card to open the door and I drag my bag through it and turn down the left corridor toward my room. She follows me.
I glance over my shoulder. “Not even going to give me a moment to settle in, are you?”
“Shouldn’t be late in the future,” she says, giving me a disapproving look.
I shake my head, laughing. “I can’t control the shitty traffic.”
“True, but I’m dying to know what this news is! Adrianna and Eva are waiting for us in the cafeteria.” She hurries toward my room. “Now drop your bag and let’s go.”
I sigh heavily, feeling weary after a four-hour drive to Maine. “Fine.” My stomach rumbles as I open the door to my room. “I could do with some food, anyway.” I slide the case inside the door and then slip out, shutting it behind me.
Camilla hooks her arms with mine again. “Eva better not have told Adrianna without us.” She shakes her head. “Otherwise I’ll kill her.”
“You seem overly eager to find out what the hell she’s brought us here for.”
“Of course, this is the highlight of my winter break.” She sighs. “How depressing is that?”
“Pretty depressing,” I reply, despite knowing that my highlight was worse. Elias’ visit. How sad can I get? The highlight of my winter break was seeing my bully and being fucked by him in the bathroom of my favorite cafe.
After he left, I didn’t hear another word from him via text message. To say it disappointed me would be an understatement. I tried to forget about him and focus on anything else, but it proved difficult.
As we enter the cafeteria, the scent of food makes me groan. Eva and Adrianna are chatting at our usual table, a spread of takeout food on it, including pizza. After all, we’re a day early and the staff hasn’t returned yet.
My stomach rumbles again and I hasten my steps. “So, what the hell is going on?”
Eva spins around and jumps to her feet, smiling at me. “You’re here!” She pulls me into a hug. “Sorry, I didn’t think you were ever going to make it. I said get here by noon.” I glance at my watch. “It’s six o’clock in the evening.”
“Sorry,” I mutter, shrugging. “Driver had other plans.”
Eva waves her hand dismissively and then sinks back into her chair, glancing at us all one by one. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I asked you to return here a day early.”
“Dying to know,” Camilla says.
Adrianna rolls her eyes and glances at me. “She hasn’t stopped trying to guess ever since she got here. It’s been excruciating.”
I smile. “So, what is it, Eva?”
She winces slightly. “This is going to sound totally insane, but…”
“But what?” Camilla asks, practically jumping out of her seat.
“I got married,” she says.
Of all the things I expected to come out of her mouth, that was the last thing. “What?” All three of us say in unison.
“I know, it’s crazy, but during winter break I got hitched.”
“To who?” I ask.
Camilla groans. “Don’t say Dimitry.”
Eva pulls a face. “Hell no. I got married to Principal Byrne.”
Silence falls over the entire room as all three of us stare at her, dumbfounded. Did she just say she married the principal of the fucking academy?
She clears her throat. “I’m Eva Byrne now.” She digs in her pocket and pulls out a large diamond engagement ring and wedding band, slipping them onto her finger. “I know that may sound fucking crazy.”