“Like you think you’re too good to be here?”
My jaw flies open. “Um, rude.”
He shrugs. “That’s the vibe you’re giving off.”
“Well maybe I am too good to be here,” I snap. “This school is stupid. Tiny dorms and ugly uniforms, and they make you work a job here like some kind of loser.”
Declan’s jaw stiffens.
“No, I’m not insulting you,” I say, trying to backpedal. “I’m just…”
“Insulting me,” he says, finishing my sentence for me. “I actually don’t think I’m a loser for working here. I like it. I want to work here. It’s a privilege to tend to these famous gardens.”
I roll my eyes. “No one wants to work.”
He snorts out a laugh. “Is this your first time leaving whatever ivory tower you were born in and joining the real world?”
I can’t believe he just snapped at me like that. Most people don’t have the nerve. I stare into his deep blue eyes, my jaw set. My body ready to pick a fight and tear him down. I can make fun of him for being poor a thousand times over. But I have nothing else to say to insult him. He’s gorgeous. I can’t poke fun at his height or his ears or anything. Declan is absolutely perfect. And that makes me dislike him even more. Gorgeous guys throw themselves at me. And the ones who don’t, can’t be trusted. Declan is definitely not throwing himself at me right now.
I decide to ignore his commentary. I don’t want to get caught asking stupid questions on my first day of school tomorrow, so I figure I should learn all I can from him now. I point to an older building that’s off in the distance. “What’s that?”
He peers in the direction I’m pointing. “That’s Kingsbere Hall. It’s mostly abandoned… you won’t have classes there.”
“Mostly abandoned?”
He shrugs. “The rich kids have secret parties in the basement.”
“Cool,” I say.
“You’d have to be invited.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “Of course I’ll be invited.”
Two girls in Shelfbrooke uniforms walk by. They look like freshman, or maybe sophomores. “Hi Declan,” they both say at the same time.
“Hey,” he says, giving them a friendly wave.
The girls giggle and wave, picking up their pace as they walk by. I can’t say I blame them. I would totally crush on Declan if I was fourteen. But now I’m almost eighteen and I know way better than that.
“So, is the tour over?” I ask.
His tongue slips over his bottom lip as he thinks, his gaze sweeping across the campus. “I think so. Do you have any other questions?”
I shake my head. “Lame school, stupid rules. There’s not much else I need to know.”
Chapter Six
Before I go backto my dorm, I wander around the back of the building and to a little courtyard that’s lush and green despite the cold weather. There’s a concrete fountain in the middle with water sprinkling out of it. I glance around to make sure I’m alone and then I call Viv. It feels so surreal being here, and it’s only been a few hours, and I have no idea how I’ll survive. I may not like her that much, but I need Viv. I need a familiar face to tell me it’ll be okay.
The phone rings and rings. She doesn’t answer.
I hang up when her voicemail picks up because I’m pretty sure I might start crying if I try to leave a message. I really, really, really don’t want to be here. A few minutes pass, with me standing near the fountain trying to look normal, but Viv never calls me back.
Finally, I give up and walk back to the staff dorms. I didn’t truly explore that building the last time I was there. I just know it’s long and narrow, with one main hallway and rooms on one side. Maybe there’s also a common room, or a teacher’s lounge or something. But I guess they wouldn’t let me hang out since I’m a student.
Reluctantly, I walk back inside and to dorm room number 62. The door is locked when I turn the handle. I tap on it. “Belle? It’s me.”
She opens the door, her round eyes looking all around me.
