“Maybe your dad wishing you a Merry Christmas?”
A laugh came out in the form of a rush of air. “He’s a few weeks too late.”
“So, you’re not going?”
I shook my head, pulling my thumb between my lips.
“Something could be wrong, Jett. He rarely calls. Maybe it’s important … ”
My hand fell from my mouth, and Ethan pressed me with thatjust-talk-to-himlook. I groaned and slapped my palms against the wooden desk as I rose to my feet. “Fine. Are you coming with me?”
“Can’t,” he jabbed a thumb behind him, indicating his duty to Dolor.
“Ollie will be mad,” I sang.
Ethan dropped his head to the side and raised a brow. “Masters will survive.”
I trudged down the lifeless halls. The sound of my combat boots against the marble mirrored the creepiness, and though I was fully clothed in my black jeans and Ollie’s black“poetic”hoodie, the building put off enough resentment to turn this hell cold.
My pace quickened, and before I made it to the stairwell, a force grabbed my hood from behind, choking me and thrashing me backward. My nails dug into the skin of whoever had grabbed me, but they didn’t stop yanking until I was thrown into a dark closet.
The door slammed, and all that surrounded me was the dark.
When fear should have reared its nasty head, all I found was anger. Hesitantly, I reached my arms out in front of me for the doorknob. “Let me out!” I screamed, beating against the door.
I screamed until my voice went hoarse, I pounded my fist until my arm grew weak, I kicked until my legs gave out, and then I sank to the floor. Regardless if my eyes were open or closed, it was still dark. It no longer mattered. So, I left them closed and waited for someone to realize I’d gone missing.
It shouldn’t be too much longer. Still, I kept my eyes closed, relishing in having the choice to see darkness under my own admission, not because I was locked in a closet. My blood simmered though I was freezing and my imagination ran wild. Many times, my brain played tricks on me, believing I’d heard my name being called. My foot tapped against the door to signal where I was.
Ethan should’ve come with me.
Ollie would be pissed that he didn’t. He’d flip this school upside down until I fell from this closet. Not too much longer, and he’d find me. I curled in the corner, my knees pressed against my chest with my head dropped between them. I only needed to stay calm for a little while longer.
Then the lock clicked.
Or had I imagined it?
I crawled forward, pushing my hand out in front of me until I felt the cold metal of the doorknob. Sure enough, the knob twisted open, and the door creaked open.
Light entered, and I dropped my head in relief when my eyes moved across the floor. A note laid over the dusty marble. I sat back on my knees and held it out in front of me. It read,“That’s what it feels like.”
“Mia!” Ollie’s voice echoed through the hall. Sitting frozen with the note clasped between my fingers, he appeared in front of me. “What the hell happened?” Ollie pushed my hair back as he scanned over my face. “You alright?”
Ollie pulled me off the ground, and I nodded. “Yeah,” I think I said, offering the letter to him. He took the note from my hand and read over it. His chest raised heavily and worry struck in his green eyes when they hit mine.
He was angry.
I was scared.
He was shaking in fury.
I was shaking in fear.
“What do we do?” I finally asked, my throat swollen.
“I’m over this shit. I’m so over it.Fuck. I’m taking down this son of a bitch,” Ollie licked his lip and tore his eyes away from me and down the hall, “Right after I go wring Scott’s fucking neck.” Ollie grabbed my hand, leading me down the hallway back to the common room, stride not letting up.
He was right and wrong at the same time.
