“Let’s just try regular friendsfirst,” my voice was breathy and choked. He took his hand off me and Iimpulsively gasped for breath, steadying myself with a hand on thepartition.

“Probably a good idea,” he smiledwidely and walked passed me, away from the oriental dividers. Talbott followedbehind him, carrying the large stack of papers Mrs. Woodsen had asked us tograde.

I panicked slightly, not wantingher first impression of me to be a disappointment. I prepared a small apologyin my head and followed the boys, hoping she’d believe my explanation: “They wouldn’t let me grade the papers, but Itried. I promise!” It already sounded weak and I hadn’t even saidit aloud yet. However, as I got closer I could see Talbott handing over thepapers already.

“Thank you Mr. Kendrick, I hopethat I didn’t ask too much of you,” Mrs. Woodsen sounded slightly nervous asshe addressed Kiran, although Talbott was the one who handed her the papers.

“Oh, no. Talbott was able to handlethem just fine. I have to expect this sort of thing now that I am Stateside, Isuppose. I will grow used to it. This way of life is just very unfamiliar tome,” Kiran smiled generously at Mrs. Woodsen and then turned on his heel toleave.

I was shocked at his arrogance. Hisbehavior made my stomach turn and I forgot all about his good looks. He was acompletely despicable person. Who did he think he was talking to a teacher likethat? Or talking about us….Americans? The Midwest might be different from jollyold England, but it was just fine for the rest of us, thank you very much.Clearly, he suffered from some sort of deranged class prejudice. My only hopein surviving the day was to manage to avoid him completely.

I searched out Lilly and saw herwaiting for me by the door. I rushed over to her, thankful again to be in hercalming presence. Her cheeks flushed as she scrunched her hair nervously withone hand.

“How was your One-Act practice?” Iasked, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. I just wanted to forget allabout my own hour of hell.

“Oh fine. I mean…. I am not verygood at this kind of thing, so I always get nervous, even in practice. I knowI’ll just die when we get to the real competition,” she tried to laugh it off,but I could tell that she was seriously unnerved.

“I’m sure you’re great.” I said,trying to encourage her. I actually had no idea what she was like, but anycompliment felt good. I hoped that she was great; she deserved to begreat.

“Thank you,” she smiled, slightlymore confident. “What was your hour like?”

“Ugh…. terrible. I cannot standthose boys!” I vented, a little more frustrated and a little louder than Iwould have liked. Her eyes dropped to the floor, and her expression becameinstantly strained.

“Now, now Eden, you promised wewould be friends,” Kiran chided me softly. He walked closer toward us, withTalbott following loyally behind. Maybe Talbott was a dog in his formerlife.

I immediately turned and walked outof the classroom. I had no idea where I was supposed to go next, but thatdidn’t stop me from a fast escape. Thankfully, Lilly followed speedily behindme, although I could tell she was embarrassed of my behavior.

“Do you know what your next classis?” Lilly asked, a little out of breath from the quickness of my step. I couldhear the boys following closely, so I picked up the pace even faster.

“I think French. Is that in thisbuilding too?” I needed a direction; I needed to get away from the golden boyand his golden retriever.

“No, it’s not; it’s in the Historyand Language building across campus. But I can take you, since I have Latinthis hour,” I was so grateful for Lilly Mason at that moment I could have justhugged her. I slowed down to a normal walking pace when we reached the marblestaircase.

As we descended the steps, Kiranand Talbott took positions on either side of us. I could hear Talbott introducehimself to Lilly; she responded back in a terribly shy and shaky voice. I inwardlywinced, imagining all of the horribly rude things Talbott would say to her. Butto my surprise, he remained perfectly polite and sounded nearly as nervous asshe did. Their voices dropped in volume and I tilted my head to listen in ontheir conversation.

“Did you say you had French next?”Kiran’s languid accent pulled me out of my eavesdropping; I found myselfrelaxing a little.

“Um, yes. Why? Don’t tell me youhave that next as well?” Was this school playing some kind of sick joke on me?

“Yes, I do, actually. It looks asif we are destined to be together,” his grin was back and I hoped that he wasonly kidding. I replied with a forced smile of my own.

“Does everyone in our class haveFrench?” I realized that he was new too, but for some reason everyone seemed toknow him already.

“No, I don’t think so. I think thatFrench is a last resort for us latecomers. The other language classes must havebeen filled,” his accent was alluring, and I had to remind myself forcibly whatkind of person he really was.

We exited the building and foundourselves in the warm sunshine. I hadn’t realized how damp and chilly thebuilding was, until I could feel the sun on my skin. I breathed in the freshair. I pulled my thick hair off my neck and let the gentle, but humid wind blowthrough it.

I closed my eyes, hiding them frombrilliant light of the morning sun. Lilly had led us out of the buildingthrough what appeared to be a back entrance. We were standing in a courtyardsurrounded by identical brick buildings on every side. The beautiful campusfelt more worthy of a university atmosphere than a horrible preparatory school.

“There you two are! I have beenlooking all over for you,” a girl’s smooth, but unfamiliar voice forced me toopen my eyes and meet yet another student of Kingsley.

“Hello, Seraphina.” Kiran’s voicewas all honey again as he addressed the girl approaching us. She was tall, eventaller than I was; probably 5’10. Her long, thick, blonde hair bounced gentlyas she walked and her clear, unblemished skin almost glistened in the sunlight. Her cherry-red lips were pursed and her cobalt blue eyes squinted,making a face that was less than happy. If it weren’t for the expression on herface, she could have been a model walking down the runway.

“Hello,” she said, careful topronounce each syllable. “What is taking you so long?” she gave a disinterestedlook in my direction, and without waiting for an answer from Kiran, looked atme and declared, “You’re the girl who fainted.”

“Good memory,” I responded sarcastically.I started to walk away, dragging Lilly with me when Kiran interrupted ourgetaway.

“These lovely girls were justshowing us to our next class,” we stopped moving and turned to look at him. Inoticed Lilly’s bee-stung lips formed in the exact “Oh” formation mine were.

“How nice of them,” Seraphina slidher stick thin arm through Kiran’s, suggesting some kind of claim she had onhim. For the first time I noticed how similar they looked; they could havealmost been twins. Despite my disgust for Kiran, and now, Seraphina, I couldn’tignore the tightening in my stomach that felt something like jealousy.

Chapter Five

Welcoming all students and guests,the Administration Building sat in the front of hexagonally-shaped Kingsley.But leading out from either side of the building was a stone pathway connectingall six buildings. A large grassed courtyard surrounded a tall, brick, belltower. The same dark, red brick architectural style dominated the buildings atKingsley.

The English and Theatrical buildingwas placed on the far northeast side of campus, and the History, Language andArts building was placed on the southeast side. The walk along the brick pathwas short; we just had to pass the Gymnasium to get to it.

Green grass, green trees, andflowers still in bloom, embellished the beautiful campus. I would have loved towalk this alone, and take it all in slowly.