“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to step outside,” she says, standing tall and confident. Her hand shakes, but she twists the doorknob and opens it a few inches. This part isn’t a big deal. She opens the door all the time, to let me or her mom inside. It’s what comes after that that’s worrying me.
With the door open, Belle takes a deep, ragged breath.
“Will you see if anyone is out there?” she whispers.
I step into the hallway and look both ways. Like always, it’s empty. I’ve only seen two teachers who actually live in these dorms, and their rooms are at the end of the hall. They’re probably already in their classrooms since school is about to start.
“It’s clear,” I say.
Belle nods, then slides her foot forward. It’s like she doesn’t want to take a real step, but she’s comfortable inching forward with her feet still firmly on the floor.
She exhales, then does it again.
I’m anxious about the clock, knowing I will be late if I don’t leave soon, but this is a big deal. I can’t just leave her. For the first time in three years, Belle is stepping out of the dorm.
Guess I’ll just have to be late to class.
“Are you sure no one is out there?” she asks. I make a big deal about looking left and right, as I stand in the hallway and then I nod. “All clear.”
She closes her eyes, then takes one step forward. Her whole body is in the hallway now.
“You did it,” I say.
“I did it!” she says, her voice on the verge of an excited shriek. She looks around and then bounces on her toes. “I’m going to touch the wall.”
I lift an eyebrow, but my cousin doesn’t seem to think her new goal is weird. She takes three strides forward and then reaches out and presses her hand to the wall. She turns to me and blows out a breath. “Wow.”
“You did great,” I say. I check the time on my phone.
“You should get going,” Belle says. “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”
“Are you sure?” I put away my phone. “We can walk down the hall if you want.”
“That’s okay,” she says, quickly scaling the small space and walking back into our dorm. “I’ve had enough excitement for a while. But maybe tonight you can take me.”
“Take you where?” I ask suspiciously.
“The hidden garden.”
“Oh. Okay.” Crap. I nod and put on a fake smile. “Sure.”
Belle’s cheeks flush with happiness and she clasps her hands together in front of her chest. “I’m so excited. You can get us there with no one seeing us, right?”
“Yes,” I say, confident in at least that part. I’ve become something of an expert at sneaking around campus with no one noticing me.
“Perfect.” She makes a shooing motion with her hand. “Now get to class!”
* * *
I am positively freaking out.My cousin made a huge stride in overcoming her anxiety today all because I told her about a place I technically can’t get into. And now tonight she wants me to take her there.
Visions of making a trip to the hardware store for a saw or a crowbar taunt me as I run across campus toward Kellylynch Hall. I couldn’t do that to my beloved gardens. Breaking open the door would ruin everything. But how can I get in without a key?
The bell is ringing right as I slip into class, out of breath from running up three flights of stairs. But I technically made it here right on time. The teacher gives me the stink eye but doesn’t say anything as I slip into my seat at the back of the classroom.
It’s a new week which means the start of another project, but luckily fate has blessed me because we’re told it’s a solo project. No partners required.
