The Inheritance Book 1

Ch 4 Looking Down: Averi Ann Matthews [Monday Afternoon, Week One]

Averi about fell over when Graehm came up to her to say hello on their way out of the dining room. She didn't think anyone would try to talk to her.  

He looked like he was only ten or eleven because he was so small, but she knew he was her age because Allora mentioned in her invitation that they were all born the same year. She was jealous of Graehm's perfectly smooth creamed-coffee complexion. Her own freckled skin was bumpy, blotchy and prone to acne.

"Do you play chess?" he asked.

"No. Sorry." Averi would rather slice onions than play a "bored" game.

"Well," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "according to the schedule, there will be a chess competition in a couple of weeks. I could teach you. There are some really nice antique chess sets in the parlor, and we've got two hours of free time."

Averi wasn't ready to be social just yet, especially if it required strategic thinking. No doubt she would embarrass herself. Plus, she still needed to finish unpacking and get situated in her room.

"Not right now," she said. And thanks to her conversational awkwardness, the words came out sounding weirdly cold and arrogant. Not knowing how to fix the situation made her freeze up even more.

"That's fine." He shrugged his thin shoulders and slipped away into the crowd.

"Maybe another time," she blurted after him.

Too late. Graehm was already up ahead, talking to someone else.

Her head sunk down between her shoulders. Had she actually just ruined her one chance to make a...friend? Well, "friend" might be a stretch, but at least a sort-of ally in this ridiculous competition.

Out of all the kids here, he was probably the only one who would reach out to her. Though it would be easier to run barefoot over broken glass than stick her social-emotional neck out, she vowed to be nice and friendly to him in the future. And she crossed her fingers that he would forgive her.

She headed for the stairs feeling super depressed, not even wanting to gaze up at the stunning ceiling that had cheered her up earlier.

The sound of light-hearted chatter and laughter coming from the music room on the other side of the foyer squashed her deeper into the pit. Despite her inner voice telling her to just ignore it and move along, she glanced over.

The source of the obnoxiously happy noises were, of course, coming from the drop-dead gorgeous Elizabeth, muscle-man Sione and tall-jock Jarrett.

To complete the scene, Sione was strumming on a ukulele, one leg casually draped over the arm of the chair.

Typical. It didn't take long for the extroverted beautiful people to form their exclusive little cliques and make everyone else feel like worthless outsiders.

Did the universe hate her or what? Averi hurried toward the stairs. This was going to be worse than school.