Page 18 of Unbidden

I scan the titles.

This is Water,The War of Art,Meditations.

By the names, I can tell I’m in the nonfiction section. Not that I mind. I love losing myself in a fantasy world, but sometimes I prefer reading a nonfiction book. It always fascinates me to learn about new things.

One title in particular catches my attention.

History of Brighton Academy.

I pull the book from the shelf before flipping through the pages. Not paying attention to where I’m walking, I start moving as I read.

Brighton Academy was established on August 20th, 1885. The vision for the school was to help educate the youth of the prominent families in the Chicago area, hoping to prepare them to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors. Founding members included Henry Yates, James Covington, Joseph Brooks, and Franklin Abbot.

The first year yielded only eight students, but those eight students went on…

A body slams into mine and I hit the ground, the book sliding across the floor away from me.

I look up to find Ingram and her two cohorts standing above me. The blonde with crazy curly hair is giving me an apologetic look while the others have an amused glint in their eyes.

“Watch where you’re going, tramp.” Ingram sneers down at me.

I pick myself up and watch as the blonde leans down and grabs my book. Ingram turns her fiery gaze on her.

“What are you doing, Poppy? We don’t help sluts.”

The girl—Poppy, apparently—freezes like she didn’t realize she’d done it. Her eyes flit from mine to Ingram’s.

“I, um….” She trails off, clearly unsure what to say.

“Ing, she’s showing us that the bitch is reading our history. Look.” Blair gives Poppy a meaningful look, “Right, Pops?”

Her wide eyes meet mine.

“I’m sure that’s exactly it. Can I have my book back?” I hold out my hand.

Ingram grabs the book and turns to me. “Sure thing. Learn all you can about us. That’s as close as you’ll ever get.”

Without warning, Ingram pulls the book over her shoulder before she throws it at me. I move my head just in time to for it to skim me in the face, but it slams into my shoulder. The book falls back to the floor as Ingram stands, waiting for my response.

Before I can say anything, Mrs. Lincoln comes around the corner.

“Are you girls okay? I heard a loud crash.”

Ingram turns on a bright smile. “Of course. She just dropped her book. Be more careful. You should treat books with respect.”

She gives me one more glare before turning to leave, her girls following her.

“Ms. Miller, are you okay?” Mrs. Lincoln asks.

I turn to her as I feel the adrenaline leave my body. My shoulder is throbbing, and a slight sting on my cheek makes me wince.

“I’m fine.” I glance at the clock and notice it's almost time for class. “I should go. Thank you for checking on me.”

“Sage, wait,” she calls after me, but I’m already out the door.

I hold my head high as I make my way down the hall, ignoring all the stares. Seems word has gotten out about me. The girls all sneer, but the boys? They’re staring at me like they want to do unruly things to me. Some make crude gestures or comments while others undress me with their eyes.

I make a detour to the bathroom at the end of the hall, glancing around to confirm its vacancy.

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