Page 41 of Seven is Swell

One of them slaps my ass as I drop to my feet and head into the locker room, passing everyone that’s in some sort of in between state of getting re-dressed, others on the way out and choosing to remain in the comfy clothes like me.

“Was that your locker?” a girl I was stationed next to today asks, pointing.

“What the fuck?”

“Hopefully you didn’t have anything important in there. I’ve heard that there are some assholes that like to break into lockers occasionally, but I’ve never seen it look so…angry.”

My locker is busted wide open, nearly hanging off its hinges. All my shit is spilling out of it, backpack upside down on the ground. “Uh, no I didn’t have anything important in there,” I tell her withmy heart speeding through my chest. I feel completely obligated to send a prayer of thanks up to the goddess for giving me the urge to wear my ring and take the note from my demon.

“Here, I can help you. This is really messed up.”

She kneels next to me and starts gathering papers up, straightening them before handing me the pile. “I’m Violet, by the way.”

I reach out and shake her hand. “Feels silly to be introducing myself when we’ve been in this class together for weeks, but I usually keep to myself. Delaney.”

“Hey, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. I’m a conduit too; it’s overwhelming sometimes trying to figure out how to handle the myriad of relationships we’re expected to find and develop, sometimes interacting with anybody else is too much.”

“Oh my gods, that’s exactly it. It’s not that I’m like, unfriendly, I just always have so much going on.”

“You’re across the dormitory hall from me, aren’t you? You’re that weird retro room on the end, right?”

I get everything back in my backpack and zip it up, pulling it onto my shoulders only for everything to fall right through the bottom of it when I stand up. “Motherfucker!”

“Ouch. Whoever did this must not like you; there’s a big hole cut through the bottom of your backpack.”

“Fucking perfect.”

“Um, that sucks. I’m really sorry. You sure there’s nothing missing?”

“If there is, it’s only assignments I’ve gotten back already. I turned in all my assignments today, and I see all my textbooks. Ithink one of my mates has my phone because he likes to hold it when I’m busy.”

“That’s lucky, then. I wonder what they were looking for?”

It’s way too soon to trust her, and who knows if she actually had anything to do with this. I’m not about to spill the deets on the ring and instructions I just received right before class, but I do twist the ring so the gems are facing my palm and therefore less obvious. “Who knows. I better go let our instructor know about the locker damage. Thanks for helping me.”

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be good. Like I said, some of my mates are outside so they’ll be able to help me carry all this.”

“Okay, well feel free to come say hi this weekend if you get bored. I just got this awesome new coffee maker, and we could make some lattes and chill if you feel up to it. My door is the one with the stupid stickers all over it; I have a mate that thinks he’s funny.”

“That’s—" it’s on the tip of my tongue to deny her, but then again, maybe befriending someone that knows what I’m going through would be helpful. “That might be really nice, actually. I’ll stop by some time tomorrow when I’m free and see if you’re around.”

“Cool. See you then!”

She walks out while I seek out the fitness instructor’s office over in the corner and give her a quick report of the broken locker, getting assigned a different one and a new lock before I can leave the locker room finally and tell August and Jackson about the shitshow I just experienced.

I’ll be lucky if I’m allowed to change in the locker room anymore or store any of my stuff in there from here on out.

Chapter Fourteen

Jackson

“His office hours are over for the day, and there’s a long weekend so I’ll have to take a message and have him get back to you on Monday, sir.”

“Absolutely not. I need to speak with him now.” I don’t want to come off as a domineering asshole to this sweet-looking old lady, but there’s no way in hell I’m waiting the entire extended weekend to talk to the headmaster; the scent trail is somewhat fresh, and it’ll be long gone by then. Something I’m sure the aggressor was counting on.

I breathe just a little easier when the headmaster exits his office, watching his eyes widen as he takes me in and considers reasons I might be here. He looks nervous, and there’s a large amount of glee I get from looking intimidating, cracking my knuckles tolet him believe I’m here to make him pay for what happened between him and my girl. He’s quick to appease me. “It’s fine, Rita. I’ve got this, you go ahead and head out.”

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