Briar Preparatory Academy

Home

Kate POV

As we pull through the gates that surround the Academy, I see Celeste break down. Tears of relief stream down her face as we enter the property. She probably thought she would never enter these gates again.

"We are heading straight to the infirmary. Preston thinks you might need stitches on your arm, as well as a possible infection and we want to double check." Professor Lockharte says to Celeste, who nods silently as she clasps my hand firmly. Her hand shakes slightly and I hold her steady.

"Welcome home." I tell her with a relieved smile. We are all home and we are all together. This is exactly what we hoped for. The car pulls up in front of the infirmary and we all pile out. Celeste walks up the stairs, drinking in the familiar walls she has learned to call home. Preston looks exhausted and for the first time, I notice the dark bags that hang under his eyes. Seth's eyes are wide with worry as we follow Celeste up the stairs, entering the infirmary in frenzy. As soon as she pulls the doors open, a flock of people surround her, asking her hundreds of questions we all know she can't answer.

"Dr. Alicia?" An authoritative voice speaks through the crowd and Lockharte steps forward. "Give her some space. Someone get Dr. Alicia." He says. If you didn't know or you weren't listening for it, one could have missed the undertone of worry that taints his voice.

The crowd of people breaks up and Lockharte follows Celeste into one of the operating exam rooms in the back of the building. I start to run to catch up, but an arm stops me. I look up to see Dr. Alicia looking down at Seth, Preston and I with sad eyes. "You guys can't go in there now. But I promise to tell you when she can start having visitors."

I open my mouth and protest. "But we—"

"No buts. I will notify you when she can have visitors." Dr. Alicia says firmly, turning on her heel and walking away.

I let out a sigh of defeat as I watch her disappear. "Let's go for a walk." I suggest. The boys follow me out of the infirmary and into the cold crisp air of Wyoming.

As we walk, a silence passes over us, giving us a chance to take in the familiar surroundings of our home once again. "It's sort of strange coming back to all this," Seth finally says, "I was getting tired of buildings and streets."

"Yeah." I agree. "But it feels good to be home with everyone, safely. I missed it." I tell them, and they nod in response. We walk along the sidewalk and I take in the familiar landscape. We stroll past the remains of the library, past the dining hall, past the school building, and head towards our dorms where our suitcases are being delivered.

Preston stops to look at me, slipping his hand into mine. He looks straight into my eyes as Seth keeps walking a few feet away, giving us some privacy. "I need ask you something." Preston starts.

I raise my eyebrows and shrug my shoulders. "Okay. Ask away—"

"Prestoooooooon!" A high pitched voice cuts me off. I whip around to see Ivy attempting to run down the cobblestone path in nothing but those stupid pumps she always wears. Her hair whips all up into her face and she attempts to clear away, but to no avail.

I tense up immediately and Preston yanks his hand out of mine as if I had the plague. "Pres, babe, I've missed you so much!" She gushes, pulling him forward and squeezing his cheeks. She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses him feverishly before he can get a word out. I avert my eyes, feeling sick to my stomach. "I'm so glad you are home! Did you hear Celeste came back? I know; it bites. Everyone was kind of hoping she had gone crazy, run off and died or something. I guess we can't all get what we want though." She says and immediately starts to pick at her pink nails. She says every word so casually, as if it's a known fact. I feel my cheeks turn red and I don't think I've ever wanted to hit someone so hard in my entire life.