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Usually when you cry, you’re overwheler When I cry, I feel empty and nu and closed my eyes I focused on all the accoo I was no longer a vae Sanctum like my mother had alanted Those h to pullfor ht back with positive thoughts but when I feel like this, those thoughts aren’t so positive

Beep, Beep I lifted my head towards the alarm clock, it was time for dinner

I walked into h, led andat the pond

Even though it was coet to dinner I heard the doret to dinner When my door opened, I hid in the bathroom quietly Thankfully, she shut the door I decided to shower and change clothes before I went down I didn’t want people to know I’d been crying all afternoon Once my hair was brushed and I applied minimal make up I exited the bathroom

Dinner was supposed to be ’classier’ than the other meals, so the student body had to dress nicely I threw on a stylish white and black track suit I wasn’t in theclassy, only casual I threw on a pair of runners and headed over to the dining hall

As the air hit irls dorms, I felt better and a lot happier; that was, until I saw Raina and her crew I rolled ly patterned fifties style dresses and snickered atto chase and kill the food yourself?" Raina sneered

I kept walking, ignoring her ridiculous comment

"It’s dinner tied at the horribly thought out insults, was I really supposed to be offended by that?

"Just ets his curtains back when you’re finished with them," I called behind ly curtains in his classrooroaned in pain every time they entered his roo each other, saying, "They look nothing like his curtains, don’t worry, she’s just jealous"

"Self-obsessed Barbie dolls," I scoffed to myself I entered the hall and searched for Mila I found Eli sitting at the teachers’ table chatting to Mr Aleksandrov, and I spotted Hunter suess I was having dinner alone I found an empty section at the end of a table; the kitchen steward placed grilled fish and vegetables in front of me Nausea radiated from my stomach; I certainly didn’t feel like dinner, at all

"Ruby!" called Rylan, before sitting down next to et the hint and leave He didn’t "Look, Rylan, I’ht now"

"That’s okay; we can just sit in silence"

"I don’t need co me with a worried expression He would have been able to feel how sad I was He turned back to the conversation with Aleksandrov but his mind was clearly still on me

"Nobody likes to be alone," said Rylan

"Well, I do!"

It was a lie I hated being alone and I felt sorry for snapping at him, but I just wasn’t in the ht now Rylan put his hand onto work out if it was friendly or not

"I’ I didn’t offend hiot up and left

I sighed and exhaled dramatically for what felt like hours It had really only been forty minutes since I arrived I just wanted it to be over so I could go to bed early

When the kitchen staff began to clean up after dinner, I prepared to leave the dining hall but was stopped before I could even get out of , students and facultywhy the school was in lock down today A student was found dead"

The dining rooasps and lively chatter

"Silence!" boomed Mr Aleksandrov

The room fell quiet

"Miss Cloud Banks fell and hit her head on a rather large stone Her death was accidental"

I glanced around the room as students cried and some just looked on in horror My eyes rested on Raina’s face She was looking ather head, of course she’d think I killed Cloud

"A memorial service will be held on Monday, on the oval at nine in the ain the hall filled with talk and sobs I didn’t think it was possible, but being here madeas fast as I could to get away frood

Finally I ainst it, sighing with relief

The day turned out coood, it was a noruess When I had soed into black silk boxer shorts and a white singlet; I approached my bed and paused when I found a letter perched upon my pillow Slowly I reached down and picked it up I don’t knohy, but I glanced aroundin the shadows My eyes fell back on the letter I opened it and pulled out a little red piece of paper and sprawled across the paper in black ink read:

You are

Sleep didn’t come easy, in fact, sleep hardly came at all I was relieved when the sun caht was horrible After reading the letter, I couldn’t sleep Sure, I dozed off every now and then, but I awoke at every bat squeal and cricket chirp My main fear was not that someone wanted to kill me; I was used to that I’m on the top of a few people’s list My main fear was that there was someone anted me dead who lived at this school and had been insidewatched by soh it was in my best interest to tell Eli about the note, I didn’t want him to have to deal with anymore ’Ruby Draoddess, fight Hank, helpin between, I just didn’t want to bother him anymore I put all my fears and paranoia to the back of my mind Today, I wanted to see Mila and help her hatever she needed; I had to forget about ot about my own issues and helped soe

I quickly juh my wardrobe I decided on a pair of jeans and a black hoodie, then I pulled my hair into a ponytail and left my dorm room A soon as I felt it, I saw hi towards me Actually, this was perfect Students aren’t allowed in the teachers’ residential area without an actual reason I needed Eli to take ," I said, trying to sound cheerful

"Sure, if that’s how you see it"

"What do you mean?" I asked

"C’ht"

Shit I forgot about the tattoo A few days ago Eli and I each got a tattoo; the tattoos are infused with each other’s blood Eli can feel my emotions and I can sense when he’s near

"I slept fine, actually," I lied

I looked closer at Eli; he looked tired Still unbelievably good looking, but nonetheless tired I felt bad; I wasn’t able to keep my ehtain

"Must have," he replied His expression told me he didn’t believe me

"Hey, do you have a et into the teacher residential area without clearance"