Page 4 of Darkened Truths
“Well, this was a bust,” Leah says, dipping a fry in ketchup and popping the piece into her mouth. “No one wants to talk about it, not even rumors they’ve heard. Who doesn’t like to spread rumors?”
I laugh despite myself, “A lot of people don’t.” I take a bite of my onion ring and hum in appreciation. The beer battered, perfectly fried vegetable is like a mini pick-me-up. There’s nothing like greasy food when you’re feeling down.
A group of people enter and I feel the shift in the air. Conversations die down, almost to a whisper. Heads turn down, and nobody dares to look at those who walk through the door. It’s a man, a woman, and what appears to be their son and daughter. The girl is quiet, but has a smile plastered to her face as she slides into the booth, her dark brown curls bouncing with the motion, and places the paper napkin on her lap. Their son, who appears older, motions for her to slide further into the booth. He sports dark brown hair, in a messy, yet perfectly style quaff, and a blank expression. A chill runs down my spine as my gaze connects with his before he sits down, facing me. I look away, his gaze too intense to keep looking at him.
This diner is too casual for their outfits. The dad is wearing a nice pair of chinos, a button down, and an expensive-looking pair of slip-ons, while the mom is wearing a floral a-line dress with flats and pearls. It’s almost comical to see them sitting on the red plastic bench, with the smell of fried food hanging in the air. The girl is in a pair of chino shorts with a button down top. It’s chic as hell, and I’m woman enough to admit I’m jealous of her style, even though I know I don similar looks often. And then him. He’s wearing dark wash jeans and a black button down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows showing off a slew of tattoos.
I’ve never seen so many decorating someone’s skin before, and I hate to admit that heat spreads through me as I squirm in my seat. Averting my gaze, I look down at my plate and pretend I haven’t seen a thing. I hear the waitresses talking in hushed tones off to the side until finally one of them says, “fine” and walks to the table.
I watch out of the corner of my eyes at the interaction. They are pleasant and don’t give her a hard time; but she’s not comfortable serving them. Which means the kids probably attend Pointebreak.
“Leah, I think those two might be students.” I keep my voice down so I’m not overheard, and Leah turns to get a better view. Never one to be subtle, she stares head on and I know he’s watching our table with interest.
“Well shit, sign me up,” she says, drinking the guy in. “I’m gonna be jealous as hell if all the men there are that sexy. You’d better get laid, girl.” She takes another bite of a fry and then adds, “heaven knows you need it.”
I scoff, only slightly offended, and shake my head as a smile creeps across my face. My sex life is nonexistent. And the thought of having it with anyone else seems…wrong. I gave my V-card to a special boy who I spent a few summers with. Well, someone I thought was special. Even now, the memories of those two summers are my favorite. I was thirteen, and he was fifteen when we met. It was a fluke, but we were fast friends and we spent as much time as we could together. He is James’s nephew, Rhys. Rhys told me his parents died and James was his guardian, and my dad let him come over to hang out. That summer, we laughed, snuck sweet treats, and found random hiding spots all over the property. Days when I couldn’t spend them with Leah, it was a treat for Rhys to be there to hang out with.
But then the school year started again, and Rhys was nowhere to be found. Which makes sense because James doesn’t live in town, but I remember wishing he would show up again so we could hang out. Then the following summer, he didn’t show up with James. He was enrolled in a summer camp. I was heartbroken that year. I’d sent letters back with James, but they always went unanswered. So, I gave up, and moved on after a while. No need to force something that clearly wasn’t supposed to be. Square peg, round hole.
Rhys found his way back, though. I was sixteen, and he was still seventeen, nearly eighteen. And it’s like he had never left. The simple crush that started when I was thirteen had blossomed into more. He had filled out in the two years since I had seen him. No longer a lanky kid, and boy did he fill out a suit nicely. He came to one of dad’s yearly events—a masquerade. It’s my favorite party of the year. Everyone shows up in elegant dresses and suits, along with intricately designed masks to shield their identities. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him that night. He was my knight, and I felt like a princess. We danced and laughed like he had never left. We couldn’t keep our hands off one another. A stolen kiss in an empty hallway made butterflies erupt in my belly and when he took my hand, leading me away from prying eyes, I went willingly. I would follow him anywhere. I had dreams he would come back and ask me to be his girlfriend, and that we would be together forever. A stupid teenage fantasy, but one I clung to when I felt lonely.
That’s how we ended up finding our way into the pool house. God, I was so inexperienced, but he put me at ease and made me feel so beautiful as he took the last part of my innocence. It hurt all the more when he disappeared again without a trace. We had fallen asleep; me sated in his muscular arms, and when I woke from a frantic call from my dad, Rhys was nowhere to be found.When I asked James how to reach him, he told me to forget about Rhys because he was going to a boarding school.
“Earth to Riley.” Leah waves her hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t thought about Rhys in almost a year and now the memories have rolled through my mind like waves in the ocean, never ending. Some memories hit harder than others, but they always recede back with the change of the subject.
“Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?”
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head, but smiles nonetheless, so I know she’s not annoyed. “I’m going to talk to the waitstaff, and then do you want to get out of here?”
“Sounds good.” I take a sip of my coke and feel my face flame when I see Mr. Sexy is looking my way again.
If I get to see him again, maybe the school year won’t be so bad after all.
THREE
RILEY
The car pulls up to the gate at the end of the road and I stare up at the open wrought iron with its intricate design. The school crest bends and swirls as it stands boldly in the middle. Yesterday the gates were closed when Leah and I tried to enter, but this must be easier for the move-in days. The guard lets us pass after checking for my name on his list of students and tells James where to go. I glance around at the sprawling landscape and lush grass. It’s still warm, but the nights in northern New Hampshire are cooling quickly. Winter will be here before we know it. We drive further and further up the road and it’s apparent this place doesn’t allow just anyone to walk around the campus. Unless you belong here, you’re not coming in.
Aside from going out with Leah, I spent my last night of my freedom scrolling through Reddit, searching for information, but I only found more rumors. Threads were closed shortly after being opened, and the newest one was from two years ago. No one seems to have any clear-cut answers as to what this school is, or how the acceptance process works. No graduates have offered the information either. There’s not an online application, yet this place is always full, with a waiting list.
I reached out to the administration using a fake name and email address inquiring about applying, but I received a blanket statement back stating they were not accepting new students for this year and to reach out next year for more information. Fat lot of good that did me. I looked through the contract I had to sign and nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for the line that read, students willingly enter into this contract and agree to complete the entire academic process. No exceptions.
What if I flunk out of my classes? What would they do then? Or what if Idie? Are they planning on raising my dead body from the grave to make me come back? My lips twitched up in a smirk, imagining me coming back as a zombie.
The only good thing is there was no NDA clause, so Leah’s brilliant plan of revealing the inner workings of this place seems like a genuine possibility. But it still begs to differ; why isn’t anyone else talking about it if there are no rules against it? I guess I have a lot of work to do. Acting won’t be in my future, and my poker face needs work, but I have a solid personality. I need to make friends and start casually asking questions.
“Riley, we’re here,” James says as he puts the car into park.
Yes, good ole dad couldn’t take the time to drive me to my first day in my newprison. He gave me some bullshit line about not wanting to be recognized and to not cause a PR frenzy. Although, if I’m being truthful, I’m kind of happy it’s James here instead. Things aren’t much better between dad and me at home, and we avoided each other my last two days at home. I stare out the window, looking at the large dark stone building next to me. Students are milling around, laughing and watching as fresh blood gets dropped off. Maybe if I just sit here, James will take me back home and I can pretend this isn’t happening.
“Riley?” He asks quietly, a touch of sadness to his voice as he turns to look at me. “Are you going to get out?”
I look out the window again and notice a tall boy with dark hair glaring at me. No, he’s no boy, he’s all man. He looks nothing like the boys from Stonewall Academy—where they’re awkward; he appears so sure of himself—confidence radiating off him as he stands unwavering. Muscles strain against his dark collared shirt, and inky tattoos run up and around his forearms in an intricate pattern. He crosses his arms over his chest and my heart picks up a notch.
What would those muscles feel like wrapped around me?Gentle or aggressive?I don’t even know why that thought hits, but I can feel my face flush.
I lick my lips, tucking my bottom one in and biting on it, then take an unsteady breath as his stare lingers. Goosebumps pebble my skin as I drag my gaze over his body and back up into his eyes. From this distance, I can’t tell what color they are, but I know, without a doubt, he’s not someone I want to cross. I can’t stop looking at him. Finally, I pull my gaze from his and glance at the two guys on either side of him who are staring at me as well. One has light hair, and the other has dark. Both are as menacing and strong as the first. Looking closer at the one with dark hair, I’m not one-hundred percent sure, but I think that’s the guy from the diner.I guess Mr. Sexy is off the list of potentials.I’ll have to let Leah know. The three of us locked in a stare down until James touches my knee, causing me to jerk and look away.
