She sighs. “Perhaps a fresh start somewhere else would be good for you.”
Something nags at the back of my mind—a reason to stay—but I can’t form what it is. The only thing I can think of is Reid, but he’s flourishing at the Academy. Leaving me behind.
But with my mother’s eyes boring into me, I don’t want to admit I have nothing.
She squeezes my hand. “Think about it. You don’t have to decide today, but I truly believe leaving would be for the best. A new life, far away from here, where you can find who you’re meant to be.”
That could be nice.I never did feel like I fit in around here, and it’s not like we’d end up anywhere worse than a shack that’s slowly losing all its color.
I pick up my pen with significantly less motivation to write my paper.
* * *
The second bell chimes as I sprint to my water incanting class. Late again. To my surprise, Reid leans outside the classroom door, arms folded with a scowl on his face.
“You had to be late,” he grumbles. “Now I’m late, too.”
I catch my breath before answering. “What’s going on?”
“Just meet me for lunch. I’ll pay.” He pushes off the wall, then storms off.
What was that about?
Bells later, I arrive at the dining hall, starving and thankful Reid’s buying. He isn’t in the food line, so I scan the tables. There he is—with Ellie, drawing in her sketchbook while Reid scarfs down his meal.
My hunger disappears.
“Thanks, man.” I pat Reid’s shoulder before sliding onto the bench across from him, next to Ellie. She looks up, lighting the room with her perfect smile.
“Uh huh.” Reid takes a gulp from his drink before standing. “Later.”
He’s clearly in a mood. I’ll have to find a way to make all this up to him soon.
I kiss Ellie’s hand. “What are you drawing?” I angle my head to get a better look at her sketches.
It’s me.
Heat floods my chest as she blushes.
“How did you… Did you remember me?”
She bites her lip. “Unfortunately, no. I wasn’t really paying attention to what I was drawing. Just a face. I didn’t know it was yours until you sat down.”
“It’s good, though. It means part of you remembers.” I squeeze her hand, and she leans into me, flipping through the sketchbook’s pages. My face looks back at me from nearly every one.
“I think part of me remembers, too,” I say. “Life’s felt better lately, even though everything’s still horrible…”
My stomach falls to the floor.
Ellie notices, stiffening as she searches my face. “What’s wrong?”
“Last time I talked to my mother, she wanted us to leave.”
“What?”
I take both of her hands. “To leave Haven. I was about to agree.”
“What? No.” She shakes her head. “You can’t leave. Why would you leave?”
