Mortem

Chapter Three

Levi follows behind me as I enter the school. It's a nice school, classic white school tiling, and the usual cream walls. It reminds me a bit of my old school. Only this school is a lot bigger, and clean.

"So for your first period, we want to go all the way to the top floor," he mentions.

"Mhm," I say looking over my schedule.

"Something wrong, Princess?"

"For starters, you calling me Princess," I smirk.

"Not what I was expecting. Seriously, anything wrong?" he becomes me serious and a small, very small, part of me trusts that I can confide in him, but I refuse.

"Okay," he says putting his hands up in surrender, "sorry I asked."

"You're fine," I say softly as we walk up the stairs, "so tell me. What's the history of this school? Why in the world would they name a school 'mortem'."

"Truly," he starts, but pauses, "I'm not sure. My guess is they understand teenagers usually referencing school as dying."

"You're lying. That's not why," my mom says I have a gift- I know when people lie even the really good liars.

"You know what? Tomorrow when you come to school you figure it out ,and come to me with the correct answer, I will answer all you questions from there."

"Deal," I mutter as we reach the top of the stairs.

"Want to kiss on it?" he jokes.

"I'm pretty sure that's not how you make deals," I laugh.

"Alright," he laughs too, "Now let's show you around."

•••

After the tour of the school he takes me down to the main office, "Before you leave," he starts, "you have to meet the principle."

"Who's the principle?" I ask.

"Mr-"

"That would be me," an old man comes out of his office and interrupts Levi, "Mr. Adrian Asmodeus. Nice to meet you... Eleanor Halewood, it is?"

"Yeah," I say, "Nice to meet you too."

"Well you must want to head home. I'm sure you've had a long drive from- where was it you moved from?" he questions.

"North Carolina," I refuse to break eye contact, fearing if I do something horrible would happen.

"What would cause you to move from beautiful North Caroline to this old Easton?" he laughs, but I don't take it as a joke.

"Because of my father," I don't want to talk about my father's death here, "I must be going."

"Of course. Have a nice evening Miss Halewood," he turns around and enters his office again.

Levi escorts me outside the school. I feel dazed after the tour of the school, there's something about this place that I can't figure out. The mysterious boy, mortem, Levi, Mr. Asmodeus.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Levi says to me as I walk to my car, "remember to figure out why this school is called mortem! I want to hear your guesses tomorrow!"

I hear him laughing as I get into my car and I want to drive as far away from this hell hole as I possibly can. The problem being, my street is only four blocks from the high school. I sigh, turning on Deaton Drive, as I think to myself it's going to be a long school year.