Page 5 of All Saints: Pledge

“Yeah, and a bunch of other variables. Moral character. Philanthropic interest. Honestly, it’s all a little vague what exactly the re-determination criteria is.”

“So you’re an ASC scholar?”

I blink, shocked Dominic has heard of my scholarship. “Yes. Why?”

Dominic sets his chopsticks down and sighs. “It’s been nice knowing you.”

I laugh, but they don’t. Li just sighs in agreement.

“Wait, what?”

Li talks over me to Dominic. “Guess we’re going to have to hope a second year takes that room next term.”

I put my hands on the table. “What do you mean, it’s been nice knowing me?”

Li levels me with a straight gaze. “Every person we’ve met here on that scholarship has disappeared.”

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Iforce out a laugh. “Disappeared?” I shoot my eyes between Li and Dominic. “Disappeared, like…kidnapped?”

Li studies me a moment, then shrugs. “No, I don’t think so. We should get you back for your orientation.”

Dominic studies his food, content to sit this conspiracy out.

“Wait, can you explain any more? Fill me in if there is anything I should know.” We tried to look up this scholarship online, and couldn’t find anything. My mom had this insane theory about identity theft and sex trafficking—which I’d dismissed out of hand—butnow? To tell the truth, I’m spooked somewhere inside.

Li sighs as if I’ve asked her to perform “Middlemarch”by memory. “I’ve only been here two years, so I’m not sure it’s really true. It’s just… we’ve met a few like you. Part of the same scholarship. They start out nice and normal… and then they just slowly disappear. One day, their room is all packed up and they’re gone.”

“Maybe the workload was too much and they didn’t re-qualify?”

“Maybe. I do think the scholarship committee requires a lot of extracurricular activities. Hey Dom, do you remember that nice Indian girl? You liked her a lot, did she say anything before she left?”

Dominic stares into his noodles before shaking his head. “She stayed up way later than everyone else studying, but said she was behind in her classes. I also think she got really homesick?”

I frown. “How long did she last?”

“Not even a term. She was in your room, maybe two people ago?”

I cough and push my noodles away. “A new person eachterm?”

“Some less than a term. One lasted two terms. The one on the second floor?” Li gives me a hopeful smile. “It’s not that uncommon, especially Fresher’s term at Oxford. Alotof students leave after one term. It could just be normal attrition. We’ll try to offer any help we can…while you’re still here.” She says it the way you talk about Grandma on her deathbed.

“Peachy.” I grouse before going to dump my food in the trash.

“Aren’t peaches fragile stone fruit?” Li asks as she and Dominic follow suit. I’ve killed the mood for everyone, it seems.

“Fair point. What’s the British version?”

“Ballocks? Shite?” She offers.

“Ballocks.” I agree. “Are classes really that hard?” I think of the giant pile of reading waiting for me before classes even start.

Li shrugs again as we push out of the humid shop and into the brisk air of High Street. I’m glad for the puffer now. “Everyone with the scholarship starts out normal, and just seems to get weird as the term goes on.”

Her words are ominous, and nerves roil in my gut. Surely, they wouldn’t waste money bringing people all the way to Oxfordif they didn’t think we could succeed? That’s vast sums of money doled out, if Li is correct.

We reach our college, and Dominic holds the wooden gates open for us. Li peels off to greet another friend, but Dominic walks me to my door. His quiet, steady presence is a balm to my now-tortured soul. Somehow his calm seeps into me, assuring me that while I have a potential mystery and conspiracy to navigate…it will be okay.

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