Gale tossed her bag on the kitchenette table of her dorm, heading straight to her room. If she was going to run with this idea, it had to be all in. She opened the door and paused for a moment in the doorway, searching with her eyes. Her gaze landed on a rumpled cardboard box shoved onto her lowest shelf, one of the flaps hanging off. She heaved a sigh and walked over to it, sitting cross legged on the floor and pulling the box into her lap. She opened it all the way, staring at the contents.
Ever since she'd been admitted to Shadow High, Gale's parents sent her weekly letters. She'd opened and read the first few, and then she just stopped. She knew what would be in them just about every time, anyways.
Abigail, don't forget to say your prayers every night. It's the only way to preserve your relationship with God.
Abigail, you should really read the passages in James if you find your faith wavering.
Abigail, why haven't you written back to us about the church you're attending? We need to make sure your pastor is credible.
The words stung even just thinking about them. She was never good enough. Never pure enough, never holy enough. And at this point, she relished it. Gale's breathing sped up as unwanted thoughts started flooding her mind. The more Gale acted up at home, the more her parents lashed out in return. She could be demure, she could be quiet, but it never pleased them for long even if she had a tiny slip-up. They didn't love her for who she was. They loved their own idea of her.
Gale tossed the box to the floor and crawled into her bed, trying to clear her mind. She WASN'T going to cry. Crying was for babies. Dweebs. The kids she stuffed in lockers. And she already cried too much behind closed doors, anyways.
She pulled out her phone and connected it to her room's speaker, scrolling through her playlist to try and find a song to distract her. She eventually just hit shuffle and leaned back into her pillow, closing her eyes.
...............................
January Melander scrambled up the steps two at a time, his choppy black hair bouncing behind him. They clutched the mail in one hand, and she started sorting through it as she neared their dorm room. Juilliard letter, a makeup subscription for Betsy, letters from home for G... Janny's stomach dropped as he read Abigail in fancy cursive script on the last letter. "Shit." They muttered. That was clearly another letter from Gale's parents. One of those already put their cousin in a sour mood, and she was not looking forward to Gale snapping at everyone again. January opened the dorm room door and saw Gale's bag already on the table. The cracked open door and faint lamplight leaking through told them that Gale was still in there. January sighed and walked over to the door, preparing to make the interaction as brief as possible.
"Gale?" January gently pushed the door open a bit more, surprised to hear music playing. The soft crooning voice of Billie Eilish filled their ears. Gale seemed to be quietly singing along.
"I've been watching you, for some time...
Can't stop staring at those ocean eyes..."
A love song? How off-brand for Gale. Janny leaned closer, and the door creaked loudly. Gale shot up from where she was laying on her bed, wiping furtive tears from her face.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM? GET THE FUCK OUT JANUARY I SWEAR-"
January glanced down at the letter in her hand, staring at the "May God Bless Thee" scrawled beneath the name.
They swallowed hard and crumpled it up tightly, realising it would be more harm than good to give it to her.
"...Nothing. Don't be such a bitch, Gale." January slipped out of the room, closing the door behind them.
.........................................
Gale's heart rate slowed as January left the room, and she slumped back against her pillow. To think she'd almost caught her singing. Mortifying, really. She needed to keep her mind off a particular pair of ocean coloured eyes that'd been captivating her, it wasn't going to do her any good.
Her project was waiting. Gale didn't want to think about them any more. If anything, she could make up a sentimental story to win her the jewellery competition. But her parents were not going to be involved. At all.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Why Would I Fall for You
किशोर उपन्यासGale Vikernes, widely regarded as the meanest girl at Shadow High, has some secrets no one is expecting. Nixie and Guy belong to @chugginh7. Rainbow and Shadow High belong to MGA Entertainment.
