Page 42 of The Bleak Beginning

“You're going to get hypothermia, Prescott,” he calls after me, but I swear I could hear the smile in his voice.

Without looking back, I raise my hand and give him the middle finger. He responds with a deep, throaty laugh that stirs something deep in the pit of my stomach – an annoying feeling I was learning to despise.

Chapter 8

Alex

“I’m not responsible for this. It wasn’t my idea. And I feel that this is a personal injustice against me,” I say, charging into Chancellor Maxwell’s office with her summons fisted in my hand.

She doesn’t bother lifting her head from whatever she was reading. “Turn around and try again,” she says, waving a dismissive finger my way.

I huff and stomp out, slamming the door behind me. The nerve of that woman.

Gritting my teeth, I spin on my heel and knock, trying again.

“Enter,” comes her crisp voice from within.

I step inside, my posture rigid, but a half pinch more respectful.

She finally looks up, her steely eyes appraising me. “Much better.”

“Yousummoned?” I say, dropping into the seat across from her.

Chancellor Maxwell leans back in her chair, her hands steepled under her chin. “Indeed I did, Miss Prescott. It seems we have a situation on our hands.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. If by ‘situation’ you mean Bishop tricking me into the water and then watching me nearly drown with the rest of my classmates, then yeah, I guess we do.

My stomach churns. “Shouldn’t Bishop be in here too?”

“It was only you I wanted to talk to,” she says dryly.

“So I’m the only one being punished? That’s completely unfair!”

Chancellor Maxwell raises an eyebrow. “I’m well aware of the incident that took place down by the boathouse, but you managed to make it here just fine. This summons is about how you’re adjusting here at Altair. That is what concerns me most at the present.”

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, caught off guard by her response. I hadn’t expected this to be our topic of discussion.

So I’ve had a few hiccups. And most people here want nothing to do with me. Semantics, really.

“I’m adjusting fine,” I lie, my voice tight. “There’s nothing to be concerned about.”

Chancellor Maxwell leans forward. “Is that so? Because from what I’ve observed, and from the reports I’ve received from your instructors, you seem to be struggling to find your place here.”

I shift my head to the side, fighting back a wave of emotion. “It’s not exactly easy being the new girl.” Especially when the Legacies have made you target number one.

“You’ve been here for an entire week now. In that time, you’ve had altercations with multiple students, you’ve destroyed property, and you seem unable to form any meaningful connections with your peers. This is not the progress we hoped to see, and from a Prescott, no less.”

I grip my thighs, my fingers digging into the fabric of my skirt. “With all due respect, not all of those things were my fault.”

She sighs, a hint of sympathy creeping into her expression. “I understand that. But you must also understand that your actions have consequences.”

I glance at the clock, counting the seconds as they pass by.

I swallow hard, trying to keep my composure. “I’m aware of that, Chancellor. But it’s not like I’m actively seeking out trouble. It just…seems to find me.”

“Perhaps. But it’s your responsibility to learn how to handle situations without escalating them. You come from a long line of Prescott’s, and with that comes certain expectations.”

I bite back a retort about how those expectations are exactly what’s making my life here a living hell. Instead, I force a nod. “I understand.”

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