Eva.
“Get dressed. We’re going out,” Natalya announces, waltzing into my room with Azira and Adrianna following close behind, all of them in dresses.
My brow furrows. “Going out where?” The idea of going out right now makes my stomach churn.
All I want to do is curl up into a ball and sleep. It’s what I did all weekend since the kiss with Oak, and I can’t face the idea of going anywhere. I saw him in the corridor today, but he didn’t see me. My heart ached at the sight of him, and tomorrow I have to sit in his class, twice.
“Alexander has hired a minibus, and he’s invited us to join him in town,” Natalya says, shrugging. “As well as ten other people.”
I glance at Azira, wondering what’s going on. “And you think it’s wise to accept an invitation from that nutcase?” I never told Natalya about what happened in the corridor when he accosted me and only let me go because Oak interrupted us.
There’s a flash of something in Natalya’s eyes as she shrugs. “We’re eighteen years old and stuck in this school twenty-four seven. I want out.”
Azira and Adrianna exchange concerned glances, but they doesn’t say anything.
“Fine, give me time to dress, though.”
Natalya shakes her head. “Why do you think we’re here? To help you pick out your outfit and get ready.”
I swallow hard and nod. “Okay, I don’t have many dresses with me.” Even at my last school, I was never the girl who picked out dresses with my friends. My group of friends were too interested in studying or staying in watching movies. We were not the girls that went out, which my parents were thankful for.
Azira walks to my closet and pulls open the door. “I’m sure we’ll find something.” She moves clothes aside, sifting through each piece. “Perfect,” she says when she comes to my cream mini-dress with sleeves and a plunging neckline that is very revealing. My cheeks heat at the mere thought of putting it on, as I got given it as a gift by one of my father’s friends who was a total pig.
“I’m not sure that will suit me,” I say, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.
“Nonsense,” Azira says, walking over with it. “You’ll look gorgeous.”
Natalya nods. “I have to agree with Azira. You will look hot in that.”
“Agreed,” Adrianna adds.
I sigh heavily, glancing between the girls in my room and the dress before finally giving in. “Fine, let me try it on.”
I wriggle out of my joggers and pull off my shirt, throwing it on the bed. Then I slide the dress on and turn to Azira. “Can you zip me up?”
Azira smiles and nods as I turn around to allow her to do it up.
“There. Spin around and let us see,” she says.
I turn around, feeling almost naked as I do.
Adrianna whistles. “You look hot.”
Natalya nods in agreement, and Azira stares at me with a half-open mouth. “Drop dead gorgeous,” Natalya says.
I heat at their stares and shake my head. “I’m not sure about it.” I flatten my palm over the fabric. “It’s a little too revealing.”
Azira loops her arm with mine. “Nonsense. It’s perfect, and we’ve got to go, or we’ll be late.”
I grab my winter coat off the back of the door as they usher me out of my room, rushing down the corridor. “How are we getting out of here without being seen?”
Natalya grins wickedly. “You’re going to learn some SA secrets tonight.” Instead of taking a left and heading out of the dormitory, we turn right deeper into the girls’ wing.
My stomach dips when I see Jeanie, Anita, and Kerry up ahead. The three girls who attacked me on my first night in this godforsaken place.
“What the fuck are they doing here?” I murmur to no one in particular.
Azira answers. “Unfortunately, they’re friends with Alexander.”
“I don’t like this,” I say.
Adrianna squeezes my arm. “Don’t worry. You’ve got us now.”
They’re standing in front of a large portrait of a woman. When they see us, their eyes narrow. “Look who it is,” Kerry says, sneering at us.
Jeanie steps forward, eyes moving between us. “When Alexander told me he’d invited you, I thought it was some sick joke.”
Natalya squares her shoulders and lifts her chin. “I’m not sure why the fuck he invited you.”
Jeanie shakes her head. “Come on then. Who’s going first?”
“After you,” Azira says.
Jeanie narrows her eyes before pulling at the portrait on the wall. To my surprise, it swings open to reveal a laundry shoot. She glares at the four of us before climbing in and disappearing. Her two friends, Kerry and Anita, disappear after her.
“What the hell is going on?” I ask as Azira moves to climb in after them.
She glances at me. “The laundry shoot takes us to the back exit of SA, where the minibus is waiting.” With that, she launches herself after the three girls.
“If I’d known those three were coming, I’d never have agreed,” I say to Natalya.
She rolls her eyes. “They’re all talk, no bite.”
I glare at her. “Tell that to my leg.” I nod toward the leg they stabbed.
“Sorry, they did a number on you.”
Adrianna is the next to climb in and disappear.
“But that’s because they fear you.” She nods toward the shoot. “You next.”
I give her an incredulous look, as I thought I might weasel my way out by going. “I’ll go last.”
Natalya shakes her head. “No, you won’t.”
I grind my teeth and haul myself into the shoot, glancing down it nervously. “Are you sure this is-”
Natalya shoves me, pushing me down the shoot.
I scream as I fall down the slide into a bundle of dirty laundry at the bottom. “Gross,” I say, as I quickly jump out of it.
“Did you scream?” Azira asks.
I shrug. “Natalya pushed me.”
Adrianna laughs. “Classic, Natalya.” She gives me a pitiful look. “She did the same to me the first time we used this escape route.”
Azira looks sheepish. “That might be my fault. I did it to her on her first time.”
We both laugh as Natalya appears from the shoot, quickly jumping out of the laundry.
“I hate the landing every time,” she says, glancing at the dirty laundry. “It fucking stinks.”
We all laugh at that, only to be cut off by Anita whistling at us. “Hurry. Everyone is already on the bus.”