Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

The minute I entered the office of Regina Masters, my certainty that I made the right choice in leaving my home town wavered. My nerves were the consistency of slim, stretched until they were a pile of goop.

I decided if I could just focus on something it would relieve the crushing tension that was slipping through my body like a snake.

I let my eyes roam around the room. My gaze settled on a medium sized frame placed on a lonely shelf near the window. It had a beautiful mystical world painted inside of its borders.

The illustration stirred me in a way that made my chest flutter with warmth. There was something about the scenery that made a sense of calm wash over me.

"Here it is." Regina's voice was like wine, aged and bold. It snapped me out of my thoughts immediately.

The woman took her seat then handed me a large envelope with my last name printed across its face in big bold letters. My gaze snagged on an unusual scar on the inside of the woman's wrist. It was shaped like a feather, it was so detailed and intricate that it could have passed for a tattoo.

Regina then leaned back in her chair and regarded me with curious eyes. She pressed an ivory finger to her chin as she openly examined me.

"Inside is your dorm room key, class schedule and a map of the campus." She explained gently.

Her thin lips stretched into a gentle smile, her pale blue eyes crinkled at the corners revealing a set of crows feet.

I gave her a stiff nod and wiggled in my seat, uncomfortable from the woman's examination.

There was a certain gleam in the woman's eyes as she watched me that made me feel unnerved. It was like I had been stripped bare in front of her with not even a small leaf to cover any area of my body. It made me want to sink into the chair and dig my fingers into its wooden arms until they bled. Instead, I sucked on my lower lip, anticipating the moment I was requested to leave. My cheeks flushed. I felt like I had been thrown into a furnace.

"You're excused, dear." Regina said with a touch of amusement in her voice. She ran her hand over her smooth silver hair as if to plaster down any wayward hairs that may have escaped her severe updo.

Although there was a genuine calmness that reflected in the woman's countenance, I still felt as if I were clinging onto a rope for dear life.

I offered my hand to Regina who accepted the gesture gracefully, then abruptly turned to go on my way.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as if to warn me of the woman's searing gaze planted on the back of my head.

I walked down the hallway appreciating the antique feel of the school. I came across a room that resembled an art museum. It was circular with a glass dome for a ceiling. In the center of the room was a wide spiral staircase that stretched up toward the second and third floor. I took a deep breath and climbed.

On the third floor of the building I spotted the door with the number thirty plastered beside it.

"This is it." I murmured under my breath and squeezed my eyes shut.

The theme of the room reminded me of the desert. It was filled with creamy yellow and several different shades of tan. It had flowing curtains that covered the window where a twin sized bed was placed. The bed itself was dressed with a bedspread that was almost the exact color of sand.

I dropped my things onto the springy mattress and turned around to survey my surroundings.

I tilted my head to the side curiously. Against the wall on the opposite side was another bed. However, it was drenched in clothes. Every inch of the comforter was overwhelmed with bits of fabric. Magazines were spread open sloppily on the end table beside it, along with various cosmetics.

Suddenly the door swung open and slammed against the wall. My heart jumped into my throat, it clawed at my mouth desperately to try and escape my body.

A girl with fire red curls bounced into the room with purpose. She ripped her hoodie off and slung it onto the floor, adding to the mountain of material. When her eyes found mine she paused for a second, then yanked an earphone out of her ear so fiercely that I cringed.

"Who are you?" The girl barked. Her brows were furrowed with irritation and she crossed her porcelain arms over her chest.

"I'm Lyla." I frowned.

Of course it was just my luck that I would be paired with a temperamental female that didn't like to breathe the same air as me. What a joyful new start this was turning out to be. I'd been there all but ten minutes and had already ga my first less than stellar impression.

"Let's get something straight." The girl said, brushing away the springs of hair that fell toward her face. She sat on her bed and tied her shoelaces before continuing.

I fiddled with a small strand of thread that had come off of my shirt. My nerves were coiled tight and my tongue was ready to strike. Typically I was the non confrontational type, but I wasn't going to roll over for anyone. My mother raised a strong, stubborn and capable woman.

"As long as you don't touch my things we'll be fine."

I couldn't help the overbearing exasperation I felt. It swam through my veins like liquid fire. I knew my cheeks resembled cherry tomatoes. But I gave no response.

The girl arched a thin copper brow with a slight curve to her lips. She jumped off of her bed and inched her way toward me. Her expression was suddenly calmer and her gray-blue eyes glimmered with curiosity.

"I'm Denise. You can call me Dee." A set of pearls for teeth twisted the corner of her lips up. She stuck her hand out causing me to flinch.

I didn't know whether I should shake the girl's hand or barge into Regina's office and demand another room.

"Okay..." I said, examining the pale white hand suspiciously.

"I'm not going to bite you." Dee rolled her eyes.

I swallowed my uneasiness, it was like unflavored yogurt, thick and bland. I tried for a halfhearted smirk. Knowing my luck, I probably looked like a psychopath. Judging by Dee's look of pure amusement, I knew I wasn't too far off.

For the second time in the five minutes that I've been at this new school, I was caught off guard. Dee wrapped her arm around mine and quite literally dragged me toward the door.

Dee assured me that knowing where the Rec hall was, was essential. It was where all the students usually went after school, the designated hang out spot. It was inside of the building directly across from the girls' dormitory. Our buildings were identical.

Dee had also informed me that aside from the building housing the rec hall it was also where the boys' dwelled. It was strictly against the rules to enter their domain past nine. It was almost as if she thought I was promiscuous in nature. She would learn soon enough that I wasn't a social person. Much less interested in any boys.

Along the way to our destination we had to walk through a large square of tiling that had a beautiful three tiered water fountain in the center of it.

There were four Toscana designed marble statues placed at each corner that had lovely green ivy wrapping around them like tinsel on a Christmas tree. The statues were old and disintegrating, but they were beautiful in a ruined kind of way. The same way an antique watch would be enthralling with the history of its time etched into its worn face. There were also two antique benches, each facing the opposite building.

I couldn't ignore the sudden onset of nerves twirling inside of me as we approached the double doors. I stopped, halting Dee in her footsteps.

"What's wrong?" Dee asked.

I tried to pull my thoughts together the way sutures would seal a wound, but it was no use. How was I going to explain myself? The only person I partially confided in was Ryan. Even the therapist Rick forced me into seeing couldn't pry the feelings out of me.

I could already feel the impending doom building in my bones like a gallon of cement. It weighed me down as if I were in quicksand. I decided right then that I wouldn't let anxiety control me. I refused to be that girl, that weak and frail version of myself that I had gotten to know too well over the past three weeks. I sucked in a scorching breath and squared my shoulders.

"Nothing, I just need a minute. There's a lot to take in." I tried for a half truth, but one look at the redhead told me that my new roommate wasn't fooled. Dee pursed her lips and eyed me skeptically.

I took another deep exaggerated breath, then exhaled slowly.

"I may tell you about it one day.. but for now can we just wait here for a second?" I chewed on my lower lip, pleading with the universe to spare me from humiliation. I realized that I had just stamped a huge "weirdo" sign on my forehead, ruining any chance I had of making at least one acquaintance.

However, God must have been smiling down on me. To my surprise Dee had mercy on me. She nodded her head and leaned against the exterior wall of the building beside me.