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His face is averted, glancing at Erik for confirmation before turning to Marnie and me in time to catch our nods.
“Don’t look so worried, Mr Fletcher,” he jokes when Erik appears like he’s been conscripted. “It’s an immersive literary program, not torture.”
“Depends on who you’re asking,” Harrison quips from the back row, raising a laugh.
“Which is why I left you out of it, Mr Powell.”
Conner passes an appointment card to Marnie, then me. When our fingers touch, he gives me a zap of static.
“Sorry,” he says, winking. “I should’ve moisturised.”
Marnie frowns as a blissful smile radiates across my face, awash in memories from yesterday. As I drift back to planet earth, I scrunch my nose at her. “What?”
“Did you want my appointment time, too?”
I duck my head, staring at my desk so everyone in the class doesn’t immediately suss me out. “Don’t be silly,” I mutter. “You’re welcome to apply formyimmersive literary class.”
She gives me a troubled smile, something she’s received enough of this past month to be vaguely ironic.
The rest of the class passes without incident, and Marnie mentions nothing in the hallways before we part to go to our separate lessons.
I skip lunch, opting for the comforting safety of the library, scoffing yet another snack bar, hiding behind the stacks so I don’t get scolded by the librarian, wishing it could be like a few weeks ago, when Conner stopped by.
Floss walks in and I shrink into my seat. After a few minutes spent in the far corner, searching for something she doesn’t find, she walks back out again with a friendly wave to the girl on the desk.
The moment she leaves, I feel mean. Worse, that I’ve wasted an opportunity. Whatever happened between her, Marnie, and James, I can bank money on who’s responsible.
Perhaps if I gathered my nerve to talk with her, we could discover common ground. Think of a way to combat him together.
… I’ll hurt you so bad you’ll beg to be put down like a dog.
The echo of his voice sends a shudder through me. If I talk, I could land back in the trouble I just averted. The consequences are too horrid to bear thinking about.
Because the lunch break runs into my study period, I stay where I am until it gets close to my appointment time. Then I walk to the English block, arriving as Marnie goes inside.
I take a seat, tucking my hands under my thighs so I won’t bite my fingernails, taking covert glances at the staff and students moving around this area.
It’s not the first time I’ve been near the departmental offices, but it still has a novelty factor. We’re on the second floor but the hallway doesn’t have any view of the windows. I focus on the staff instead.
My people-watching passes the time nicely, and soon enough Marnie emerges from the room, chatting animatedly with Conner at the door, smiling at me.
“Make sure she applies,” she tells him as I stand, waiting for them to be done. “I want someone to run amok on the Auckland Uni campus with.”
“I’ll try,” he says, moving back so I can walk into the room, Marnie twiddling her fingers as she exits.
Her enthusiasm lends me a wriggle of excitement as I close the door and take a seat. “What’s the program?”
“Not so fast.” He sits behind the desk, eyes slowly traversing my midriff, meandering up to my face. “There are limited spaces, so I have to ensure it’s a good fit before tossing your name into the pool.”
I lean forward, nodding. “What sort of candidates are they looking for?”
“Well, for starters, they need to be obedient.” He picks an application form from his desk, arching an eyebrow as his gaze moves from the questions to me, then back again. His voice drops half an octave. “Are you an obedient girl, Paisley?”
A furious blush ignites along my cheekbones. I glance at the door, unsure if this is my English teacher asking or Conner. “You know I am,” I answer softly.
His eyes linger on me for so long, I grow dizzy.
“Then this program will be a good fit for you. It operates during the mid-term break, so you won’t need to sacrifice any opportunities at Kingswood to take part.” He shuffles papers on his desk, and I stifle a twinge of disappointment that he isn’t continuing with the tease.
