So, I plugged my phone into the outlet and quickly jumped up to change my sleeping clothes, but arriving in front of the mirror, I paused.
I couldn’t remember going to sleep in a hoodie and jeans yesterday. Suspiciously, I eyed the clothes first, then my face.
My eyes were dark underneath and my hair was a single knot.
Why couldn’t I remember last night?
I felt like I’d been to one of those Larissa parties that I’d just avoided at some point because my friend had shown her worst side there and always dragged me into a pile of trouble.
I frantically brushed my hair and changed out of my smelly black hoodie into a dark green one with “Vanderwood University” written on it and the university’s crest.
I had found that thing yesterday in the store here.
While I didn’t want to make friends with Vanderwood, Mady and Larissa had insisted I get something.
I grabbed my phone off the table and headed to campus.
By now, I knew that the Copelands owned this place and were investing heavily in the restoration and these new accommodations to make even more money. This family had to be one of the richest here in British Columbia. And even though I didn’t really want to believe this drug myth, one of the other Copeland mysteries, a certain distrust was gradually growing inside me. One did not come to this wealth just like that.
Suddenly, I felt dizzy and staggered as strange images of Emely came into my head again, sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at me with...yellow-glowing eyes?
What on earth had I taken yesterday to make me dream so wildly that night?
Still dazed, I regained consciousness and followed the path that brought me closer to campus. Actually, it should have, but somehow it didn’t stop, and suddenly, I found myself somewhere behind the stone walls of the university.
I groaned.
Great job, Bayla. First oversleeping and now lost.
For a moment, I stopped and looked around. Through the canopy of deciduous trees, I could make out the dark towers of clouds that had been lingering over the city for days. Deep black ravens flew through the area loudly expressing themselves. Nothing new either... The Gothic stone walls stretched upwards beside me and the path seemed to lead along the university, perhaps even to a back entrance.
Actually, I had no time at all for such jokes, but I was already too late anyway. Besides, this path looked like a welcome distraction to me.
Determinedly, I started moving to follow the endless path along the wall. The air was pleasantly fresh and relaxed my lungs, which desperately needed some more air and exercise.
I felt the limpness overtake me, and only now did I notice that my hands were shaking.
I decided to focus on the forest path before I got lost again, but the further I wandered along the wall, the less hope I had. Add to that the memories of the Blairville Daily news about the jogger who had never reappeared.
I was about to let it go and turn back when I heard angry voices in the distance and finally spotted a man-sized arched entrance in the wall, partly overgrown with ivy and white lilies, partly collapsed.
“I know for sure it was you, you filthy mutt!”
Relief spread through me as I slowly turned through the opening and found myself in a sort of circular walkway massively overgrown with ivy. The walkway surrounded a courtyard with an active fountain, around which a few faces I knew had gathered.
I decided to wait behind the column, from where I could follow the action, because it seemed that Vivienna and Emely were already at each other’s throats again, and I had enough of all the conflict.
“I don’t know what your fucking problem is!” Emely snapped, upset.
I had the English seminar and then a lecture to attend, but that could wait, if the others had nothing better to do than to kick each other’s asses again.
Cautiously, I peeked around the corner.
“You really think you can talk to us like that,” Vivienna laughed angrily.
I spotted her friends behind her and next to Emely...Julian.
I hadn’t quite figured out what they had to do with each other yet.
“Just shut your big mouth and take your breed of Satan back to your part of town! You don’t belong here!” Emely hissed back.
“Did you hear that, guys?” Vivienna laughed with a condescending smile, and I would have liked to see Emely’s face right now, but she turned her back to me so that she was now right across from the three girls.
“What are you doing, Vivienna?” Grace exclaimed, frantically entering the courtyard with Julie, coming to a stop behind Vivienna.
Apparently, more people were skipping their mandatory course.
“Your little friend thinks she can get away with everything!” Emely complained more angrily than ever.
“You disgusting dogs should stay away from us!” Vivienna barked back, much more serious than she had been a moment ago. She ignored Grace’s question. And her ice-blue eyes lay hostile on Emely, almost filled with coldness. “Don’t forget who is in control of whom here.”
With these words, she was about to turn to leave when, to everyone’s surprise, Emely grabbed her arm with such force that Vivienna was smashed against the nearby column and slid down it with a dull thud.
I pressed my hand in front of my mouth.
What the...
“Vi!” Amber shrieked, and the two girls rushed to help their friend, as did Julie, who crouched down on the floor next to her.
