The School for Good and Evil: One Last Tale

10 - The Splintering Of Paths

Sophia

The hardest part about running away from home is writing the note to my parents. Now that I'm writing my final goodbye, the words seem to stumble in my mind, unable to reach the surface. Each sentence seems wrong, no matter how many times I write them. Is there even a right way to say farewell to your parents forever? At this rate, I might have to go with the letter in front of me despite it not being perfect.

I look out my window at the sun beginning to set, the sky lighting up in a splendour of colours. My last sunset in Gavaldon looks beautiful. All I can hope is that the sunsets look beautiful in the woods too.

"Please don't tell me you're actually running away." I drop my quill at the voice, my eyes wide as I turn to see Radley. Luckily he has shut the door behind him as he entered but why is he here? There is concern etched over his features that catches me by surprise. I knew that Radley and I were close but I didn't realise we were this close.

I fold my letter, addressing it to my parents. "You can't convince me otherwise, I'm leaving." Ignoring Radley, I go through a list in my mind of everything I needed to achieve before my departure tonight. After talking with Sebastian, I realised that I shouldn't take any luggage as it would slow us down if we needed to run for it. Luckily, he reassured me that we would be able to get clothes and other items once we made it to one of the Kingdoms in the woods. All I can do is hope that a Kingdom is near to the barrier so I don't have to wait too long.

"What about your family and friends? What about your life here?" Radley tries to reason with me.

"What life here?" I raise my voice and ask. "I have no life here Radley! My family trapped me in this village when I should have been in the woods and I don't have any friends in this stupid village."

"I thought I was your friend," Radley says quieter, his voice on the curb of a quiver. I should take back what I said, I know I should. I don't mind Radley and he has been a good friend to me. However, I can't take Radley with me and I'd hate for him to wait for me like he's done for Sophie. Even if I have to break his heart, maybe that's what I have to do for both of us.

"If that was true Radley, I wouldn't be leaving." I want to eat the words back up as soon as I've spoken them but the damage is already done. It's like I can see Radley's heart shatter into a million pieces as his eyes start to cloud.

Radley moves towards my door and I expect him to walk back without looking back. After what I've said, I deserve for him to leave me in the dust. "Are you really sure I can't convince you to stay?" He asks once more, his voice losing all the fight he had when he first entered my room.

"I am leaving tonight, Radley. There is nothing you can say to make me stay."

Suddenly, I see a flame light in Radley, his hands clutching at his side. "How do you even expect to escape through the barrier?"

"Sebastian and I have a plan for that," I reply firmly. In truth, I'm not exactly sure how Sebastian intends to cross the barrier when he himself apparently fell through by accident. However, he is so certain that he can get us both across that I trust him.

"You only met Sebastian a day ago! How can you possibly trust him? How do you know that he isn't just getting your hopes up for nothing?"

I stare at Radley in disbelief. "You know nothing about Sebastian. You've been prejudiced against him ever since you first laid eyes on him but you are wrong. I trust that Sebastian knows how to cross the barrier."

"How are you even going to manage it? If Sebastian enters this house and your parents find out, it is over for the both of you."

"I'm not meeting Sebastian here."

"Oh, you're meeting him elsewhere. I imagine that he told you somewhere in the village so that he could leave you behind and escape alone."

"Sebastian wouldn't do that."

"How do you know Sophia? Do you even know where you're supposed to meet him?"

"I'm meeting Sebastian at the barrier tonight, Radley and there is nothing you can do to stop us!" My eyes widen as I realise the crucial piece of information that accidentally slipped from my lips. I hope that Radley didn't realise what I said but his lips curve in knowing. "Radley you can't tell anyone," I plead, hearing my breaths in the silence between us. Aside from my parents, Radley was the one person I didn't want to know of my plan. He tricked me into telling him, knowing that it would slip out if he said the right things.

Tears sting my eyes as the words dry out in my mouth. Will Sebastian still take me away even if our plan isn't a secret anymore? I feel like my world is unravelling before me and I am powerless to stop it. Radley leaves my room before I can utter a single word. All I can do is hope he keeps my secret to himself. Should I even go through with it, knowing that Radley could tell the other villagers of my plan?

No. I will escape into the woods. I trust Sebastian, no matter what Radley thinks. Even if I've only known him for a couple of days, I know that he is telling the truth. He will get me over the barrier regardless of Radley trying to stop us. I will cross the barrier and get my happily ever after, even if I have to stop Radley to get it.