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“So, how exactly do the professors keep the students from leaving? Is it like a spell or something?”
“Kinda like that, yeah. I’ve heard sometimes they just forget where they were going and turn back from the main gate. Last year, there was an invisible physical barrier that stopped a handful of students from crossing the perimeter. They don’t use the same method every time, otherwise some crafty god or goddess might figure out a way around it.”
Her words set me on edge. It was one thing to stop the students from going off the grounds frivolously, but it also meant we could truly be trapped here. My blood chilled at the thought of standing at the gate and beating on an unseen wall in a vain effort to escape.
“But it should be fine. You guys did well on your exams, right? Thea, I know you did.”
“What?” How would she know that?
“I heard one of the professors talking about your progress.” She said it flippantly, tossing her brown hair over her shoulder, but there was an odd tone to her voice that made my back stiffen. Had she been asking about me? And what teacher would have divulged personal information about one student to another?
She reached her arms around the heaping pile of clothes she’d brought in with her and gathered them to her chest. “Thea, convince her that a dress is the way to go. I have some other ones, I’ll be back in a few.” Kate hip-checked the door open wider so she could get through with her burden. River pushed it closed behind her, letting out a sigh when the latch clicked shut.
“Should I take that as ‘no dress?’”
“What do you think?” Her deadpan response was answer enough.
“Will you at least let me curl your hair?”
“My hair is curly.”
“Yes, I’m aware. But I want to soften the curls, make them more flowy.” She was still skeptical, but she didn’t say no right away, so I pounced. “It’ll look so good, and it’ll make you look more dressed up without having to actually wear something other than your favorite black jeans. And it’ll probably get Kate off your back.”
That did it.
“Fine, hurry up. I don’t want to be sitting here for hours.”
I got River settled on the corner of her bed so I could move around her easily and hustled into the bathroom to grab my styling tools. “So, uh, how exactly did your exams go?” I kept moving around her, plugging the flat iron in and setting up the comb and brush, some heat protectant, and a few clips. If I stopped and gave her a chance to see the depth of my concern, she’d clam up for sure.
“Fine.”
I rolled my eyes behind her, but managed to hold back my huff. “‘Fine’ like you passed everything, or ‘fine’ like you might not be able to cross the perimeter when we go out tonight?”
“Like it’s fine. They… I didn’t… it’ll be fine, Thea.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“They wanted me to do more than I was comfortable doing. I refused, but they know I can do it, so I passed. I guess. They didn’t tell me I failed, so I’m going with everything is good.”
I wanted to know what they had asked her to do, but I held back. She’d tell me when and if she was ready. For now, I’d just hope she was right, and we’d both be able to walk right through the front gate.
* * *
An hour later,River’s hair looked glorious, and I’d slipped into Kate’s slinky black dress. To be honest, I envied River’s more comfortable attire. Her black jeans were like a second skin, and the deep scarlet shirt she had tucked into the high waist complemented her red lips. Topped off by her black leather jacket, she was a knockout. I couldn’t wait for Ben to get a load of her.
I, on the other hand, hadn’t even left our room and I was already tugging down the hem of the dress. Kate’s hips weren’t nearly as rounded as my own, so I doubted she’d ever had this problem to warn me about it. My flats were cute and the jean jacket complemented the outfit, but I was on the verge of changing into something more casual when a knock came at the door.
“You guys ready?” Raquel’s voice came from the other side, followed by another quick rap of knuckles.
“Come on, ladies, let’s roll.” River’s head lifted from her phone when she heard Ben, but she ducked it again just as quickly. I’d have to tell her later that she was doing a shit job of hiding her interest in him, at least from me.
“You ready?”
“Yeah, let’s go.” River stood and tucked her phone into her back pocket while I grabbed my purse and slung it across my body.
As we walked in a small group toward the gate, I looked around at my friends. Rocky and Jesse spoke quietly as Ben and River walked close, but in silence. It made sense they’d pair off like that since they’d been assigned those partnerships at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, that left me walking solo, arms crossed over my chest. I may be avoiding him, but I wished Darrio was there with me. Romance aside, we’d been becoming close friends, and I’d have felt a lot more comfortable if the other half of my team was there.
Like I conjured him, a warmth at my back and a familiar scent tickling my nose marked his arrival.
