Status: Complete
Just a Feeling
03
Rowan was directed into an expensive-looking SUV, where Lucas was already waiting in the driver’s seat. She kept her eyes down and hoped that her bangs were covering them. There was no knowing how long they would stay this way. Judging by the elation buzzing through her, it could be quite a while.
The drive was silent, but Rowan didn’t mind. It was better than talking. She didn’t even ask how long the drive would take, or what the school was like. She would see soon enough, and asking wouldn’t make them get there any quicker. Besides, she didn’t want to encourage them to be friendly. That would just make it that much harder to make them keep their distance.
When they arrived forty minutes later at the biggest, most stately buildings she’d ever seen that made up Clement Academy, Rowan finally broke the silence. “Where exactly should I go?” she asked.
“Oh, we’ll take you to the front desk, where you’ll get your dorm room assignment and your class schedule,” Evan said, walking ahead then looking back to make sure Rowan was following.
To keep herself amused, Rowan made a mental list of words to describe her new school; ‘intimidating’ was at the top of the list, followed by ‘grand’ and ‘beautiful’. There was elaborate architecture, in a modernized Victorian style. It was like nothing she’d ever seen. But then, how much of the world can you see from inside the walls of an orphanage?
When they reached the front desk, located in the centermost building, a prim, bird-like woman looked at Rowan with round eyes and said, “Miss Connor! What an honor!” She started standing up, and looked like she was about to bow, but fell to her seat with a dull ‘thud’ at the shake of Lucas’ head. She blushed faintly and said, “Miss Connor, I have your room assignment and course schedule right here. Have a wonderful day,” then abruptly stood and rushed out of the room.
Rowan stared after her for a moment, trying to figure out what had just happened, but turned when Evan called her name and followed him to her building, which was strangely named Connor Hall.
Rowan put it down to a funny coincidence.
On the way there, a boy who was Asian, like Luke, but had dyed blonde hair ran up to her. “I’m Edwin Carmichael, and we’re going to be friends.” Rowan stared at him for a second, stunned. He just stood there, smiling, not the least bit awkward. He had wicked dimples.
Rowan decided she liked this boy, and laughed. “Is that so? Are you psychic or something?”
Edwin blinked at her, but recovered his grin. “No, but Marie Hewitt is. My specialty is technology.” Rowan laughed again, sure he was kidding, and he looked back at Luke and Evan, confused. They both shook their heads at him.
Rowan wondered what she’d missed, but decided not to worry about it. “Well, come on, then. We were just going to my dorm room. Oh, and I’m Rowan Connor.”
A quick glance at Luke and Evan showed that both were shocked by her quick acceptance of Edwin. They might not have spent long with Rowan, but they both understood that she didn’t open up very quickly to people. They weren’t the only ones who were surprised. Rowan herself couldn’t believe that she was actually inviting someone to come along, but Edwin seemed so… genuine. And he was funny. She could use a little humor about now. The sky-high feeling she’d had before was quickly dissipating, and Rowan didn’t need a mirror to know that her eyes were no longer yellow. She was more nervous than anything now.
Before she had time to react, Edwin looped his arm through hers and started walking. Rowan tried to pull away, but he said, “Squirm all you like, Rowan, but you’re stuck with me.” Rowan grimaced, but accepted it and let him pull her down the sidewalk to her dorm.
She’d done nothing to invite this irreversible link with this boy. He’d touched her, she reminded herself. Now, she would always be able to tell how he was feeling, from further away than usual. But that was his fault. And the longer he maintained contact, the easier it would be for her to get a read on him.
But it’s not like she could explain that, to caution him against even this small contact. He might have joked about the supernatural, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear about it.
The drive was silent, but Rowan didn’t mind. It was better than talking. She didn’t even ask how long the drive would take, or what the school was like. She would see soon enough, and asking wouldn’t make them get there any quicker. Besides, she didn’t want to encourage them to be friendly. That would just make it that much harder to make them keep their distance.
When they arrived forty minutes later at the biggest, most stately buildings she’d ever seen that made up Clement Academy, Rowan finally broke the silence. “Where exactly should I go?” she asked.
“Oh, we’ll take you to the front desk, where you’ll get your dorm room assignment and your class schedule,” Evan said, walking ahead then looking back to make sure Rowan was following.
To keep herself amused, Rowan made a mental list of words to describe her new school; ‘intimidating’ was at the top of the list, followed by ‘grand’ and ‘beautiful’. There was elaborate architecture, in a modernized Victorian style. It was like nothing she’d ever seen. But then, how much of the world can you see from inside the walls of an orphanage?
When they reached the front desk, located in the centermost building, a prim, bird-like woman looked at Rowan with round eyes and said, “Miss Connor! What an honor!” She started standing up, and looked like she was about to bow, but fell to her seat with a dull ‘thud’ at the shake of Lucas’ head. She blushed faintly and said, “Miss Connor, I have your room assignment and course schedule right here. Have a wonderful day,” then abruptly stood and rushed out of the room.
Rowan stared after her for a moment, trying to figure out what had just happened, but turned when Evan called her name and followed him to her building, which was strangely named Connor Hall.
Rowan put it down to a funny coincidence.
On the way there, a boy who was Asian, like Luke, but had dyed blonde hair ran up to her. “I’m Edwin Carmichael, and we’re going to be friends.” Rowan stared at him for a second, stunned. He just stood there, smiling, not the least bit awkward. He had wicked dimples.
Rowan decided she liked this boy, and laughed. “Is that so? Are you psychic or something?”
Edwin blinked at her, but recovered his grin. “No, but Marie Hewitt is. My specialty is technology.” Rowan laughed again, sure he was kidding, and he looked back at Luke and Evan, confused. They both shook their heads at him.
Rowan wondered what she’d missed, but decided not to worry about it. “Well, come on, then. We were just going to my dorm room. Oh, and I’m Rowan Connor.”
A quick glance at Luke and Evan showed that both were shocked by her quick acceptance of Edwin. They might not have spent long with Rowan, but they both understood that she didn’t open up very quickly to people. They weren’t the only ones who were surprised. Rowan herself couldn’t believe that she was actually inviting someone to come along, but Edwin seemed so… genuine. And he was funny. She could use a little humor about now. The sky-high feeling she’d had before was quickly dissipating, and Rowan didn’t need a mirror to know that her eyes were no longer yellow. She was more nervous than anything now.
Before she had time to react, Edwin looped his arm through hers and started walking. Rowan tried to pull away, but he said, “Squirm all you like, Rowan, but you’re stuck with me.” Rowan grimaced, but accepted it and let him pull her down the sidewalk to her dorm.
She’d done nothing to invite this irreversible link with this boy. He’d touched her, she reminded herself. Now, she would always be able to tell how he was feeling, from further away than usual. But that was his fault. And the longer he maintained contact, the easier it would be for her to get a read on him.
But it’s not like she could explain that, to caution him against even this small contact. He might have joked about the supernatural, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear about it.