Cupid's Daughter

Chapter 20~ Like Hogwarts Only Less Magical

Four days after I arrived in my mother's luxurious penthouse apartment in New York City, I was forced to start school. Eleanor James Academy was just about as fancy as it got. Girls were required to wear a uniform that consisted of a white blouse, blue plaid skirt, knee high socks and black leather shoes while the guys wore white shirts and navy pants. I looked like a backup dancer straight out of a Britney Spears music video.

The only good thing about starting school was that I wouldn't be at mom's place while the camera crew were following my mother around filming 'Cupid'. I'd told them that under no circumstances was I to be shown on camera and if by accident I was, then they had to blur out my face and change my voice. It was bad enough that everyone back in Stratford knew me as Courtney Conway's daughter, but I didn't want everybody here in NY to know that too.

Things were uncomfortable between my mother and I to say the least. It was clear from the moment I walked through the door that she wasn't used to having a roommate, never mind a roommate who also happened to be her daughter.

"You ready for school?" She asked me as I pulled on my black shoes and laced them up. I nodded and grabbed my schoolbag, half expecting to hear the honk of Sam's car horn as she waited to pick me up.

"Do you remember how to get to school?" Mom asked me, and I nodded again. She hovered as if she wanted to hug me or something, but must have thought better of it because she took a step back unsteadily. "Okay then. See you later."

I smiled awkwardly and lifted an eyebrow as I made my way to the lobby, where a chauffeur opened the door for me. I thanked him and wandered down the busy street towards my school, breathing in the polluted city air.

Though I was trying not to think about it, I couldn't help but wonder what Sam and Noah were doing right now, and if they had noticed or cared that I was gone. I'd turned my phone off and hid it in a shoebox under my new king-sized bed, knowing that I didn't want to see whether or not they had called me because if they hadn't it would hurt and if they had then I didn't want to talk to them. Plus, I still didn't know whether to tell Noah about his father and Amara or not. It was selfish, I know.

With a sigh I made my way across the street brusquely, trying to avoid getting hit by the cabs that were going at a ridiculous speed. As I approached Eleanor James I couldn't help but notice how it looked like an office entrance as opposed to a school. The doors were made of glass and the exterior looked expensive, but it blended in with every other entrance on the street. I pushed through the double doors and into the hallway where hundreds of kids were laughing and chatting and rushing about. Taking a deep breath, I started to walk through the hall, unable not to notice how short the girls' skirts were or the dirty glares they threw my way.

I rushed with my head down towards the administration room, mumbling a shy 'hello' to the receptionist as she handed me my schedule and a map of the school. I spent five minutes searching for room 35B, walking up and down flights of stairs until I finally found the right door and rushed in just as the bell rang. Most of the kids had already filed in, and secretly I prayed that there would be a seat left next to a window, but the only chair available was at the very back between two stocky guys. I kept my face hidden in my hair as I plonked down and pulled my books from my bag, staring ahead at the teacher who had just entered. The two guys on either side of me stared quizzically but said nothing, and eventually they went back to their own business.

Come lunch time, I was exhausted from running around trying to find my classes and all I wanted to do was sit down and eat my good ol' Nutella sandwich. With my brown lunch bag in hand I glanced around the cafeteria at the kids who were talking and laughing noisily, realizing that I had nowhere to sit. No one made an effort to acknowledge me or offer me a place, so instead I did the only thing I could think of and walked out of the lunchroom towards the front doors of the school. I wasn't sure whether or not we were allowed to leave campus during lunch, but it's not like I was going to sit in a bathroom stall. I made my way towards a quaint little café on the corner of the street and ordered a coffee, pulling my sandwich out of my bag as I ate and people-watched.

***

"I'm home." I called out to my mom as I threw my bag down in the lounge room, flopping down on the sofa. My mom appeared a second later, dressed up in her work clothes and applying bright red lipstick.

"There's some pasta in the cupboard for you. I have to go to a business meeting and I might be out late." She informed me as she checked herself in the reflection of the mirror. I nodded slowly and sunk further down into the sofa. No 'hello Isabelle' or 'how was your first day of school'? Typical Courtney Conway. Work, work and more work... as always. Just because I lived with her didn't mean that would change. In fact, as far as she was concerned I was only living with her while things at home blew over.

That was fine-- I could fend for myself pretty well.

I spent the rest of the evening watching cartoons on the huge plasma screen television and eating pasta with way too much cheese, just the way I liked it. After an hour or so of this I headed up to my bedroom and lay down on my bed. My fingers itched for my phone and after resisting the urge for a while, I couldn't help but dig into the shoebox and retrieve my phone, holding the power button down until the icon lit up on the screen. I closed my eyes as the cell phone searches for service, not sure whether I wanted to know if I had any messages or not. After a second the phone buzzed in my palm. And then again. And again and again until I opened my eyes and saw tens of new messages, mostly from Sam. I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped my lungs as my heart filled with gratitude. No matter how mad I was at her, it was nice to know that my best friend of five years still cared.

Sam: Why aren't you at school today? Are you sick? I mean, after what you did to Noah you deserve to catch the Chicken Pox, but I was just wondering...

Sam: Isabelle, why aren't you answering...?

Sam: I know we're mad at each other right now but at least let me know if you're okay!

Sam: Isabelle?!

Sam: ISSY!

Sam: Answer me! You can't ignore me forever! You haven't been to school in days and no one has heard from you... I went to your place but no one was home. Where are you?

Sam: Look, I get it, you're mad. But this isn't funny anymore. Are you okay?

Sam: Oh Issy I'm so sorry for judging you and saying what I said! I don't care if you did cheat on Noah, you're my best friend and I need to know that you're okay! Please call me!

Sam: :(

There were also a few texts from Tommy and Avery along the same lines, and even one from Kiely begging me to talk to Sam. As I continued to scroll past the messages, there were two little texts that stopped me in my tracks. I stared at them for what felt like hours, my head and heart hurting at the same time. The first was from last Thursday, and the second had been sent the day after.

Noah: Little Cupid, where did you go?

Noah: Issy I need you...