en Vivian and her friends don't come in, let alone anyone from the private school. The next day is my

on my own to a

voice as I hand the menu. "Can I get

me. Peering over my shoulder, I watch Vivian and Imogen walk in.

now

em some menus," she

d down to half of the excitement as I approach the booth. Imogen sees

say and place

you doing here?"

m a waitress. Do you

g lot before saying, "You work here now? Well, we stopped

the metal dispenser on the tab

us," Vivian hurriedly explains. I watch as they get up. "

door and out of my grasp. I take the two menus back

know,"

in. Instead, a boy and girl in those Waindale Academy uniforms enter and

et. "One moment, dear. They're in here somewhere. Oh—is thi

at will w

ttle big. Here, let

and hope that a belt work

That's a fun idea you have to dress like pres

oors, I find a bathroom. In the stall, I change into my Grandmas chino pants and the academy shirt. The polo is too baggy, so I tie

my way toward the main doors; they merely glance my way if anything. As I had hoped, the inside of the school begins as

ice for some assembly next week. The air does

seen you ar

ice. A guy in the school uniform walks up to m

game schedule," I mutter t

be here, right?" H

flows through these halls. I spin around, not caring about the guy any

and look to him

doors and just before they close, I catch a glimpse of someone turning into the hallw

my lips, and I fa

ut the people here?" I ask my mom an

mean, dear?"

vate school student

rry about them. They've

hy

t be bothered, kid. It doesn't surprise me that they're still the same after all the

ool who are friends with some of them. They j

k. "Maybe you need to fi

randma. "There ar

daughter? Are you s

of them,"

's fac

hey can hang out without me and play tennis and smell really good and do whatever. If Vivian and Imogen and the rest of them want to keep me as a s

stomach flip upside down. At four o'clock in the morning, I give up. Instead, I take a shower and finish homework. The sun rises through the windows as I sit at the table in the kitchen. Everything turns to a golden hue, and it en

ms to be. With my slippers on, I walk down the steps and to the edge of the road. The large thing

hes my bare legs. There's a sense of determination building inside of me, taking over my consc

unaware of what m

crunching leaves. I spin slowly in a circle

head and makes me turn back. I walk mindlessly through the tall grass, across the road, and int

questions. "Wha

ere, Grandma," I mumble.

en. "Have you slept at all?

head. "I ca

it was goi

The dark thing. The dar

at's it. You're g

ve sc

diculous. You just go back in bed and try to fal

istracts me from how tired I am. I'll have a cup of coffee every few hours just to keep me on my feet. There have been a f

Vivian Smith comes through the door. My shoulders drop

e says and co

m b

er eyes return to me. "I won't be long. I just came

part.

okay? Just prom

t? How do you even

oment. "I want to tell you. I re

Why can't I go to the academy? You know what, fine. Don't

enl

o get bac