Page 26 of A Taste of Torment
I get up and slam the door on the gawking onlookers and then curl back up into bed, pretending this didn’t just happen.
Corrine slips from the room without another word, probably to go gossip with the other students. Curled up in the fetal position, I weigh my options. I could go out there now, deal with the barrage of attention that’s going to come at me no matter what I do and at least get some breakfast and maybe a cup of coffee before classes start. Or I could hide away in here, mind spinning through all the unpleasant things of the past and present. I’ll be anxious and angry by the time I get up and get to class, but at least I’ll have forty-five less minutes of attention to deal with.
It’s tempting, but it’s another thing that has power over me. I won’t let it.So, I’ll take the high road and reclaim every bit of power I may wield.
I toss my blanket back before I change my mind and dress quickly. I throw some product into my hair but don’t bother with make-up. I could spend hours perfecting my appearance, but I’d still be lackluster compared to the others, especially the Elite girls.
I refocus my mind, then I exit my bedroom. There are still a few students whispering in the hall, who freeze and stare wide-eyed as I march past, but the rest have dispersed.
I enter the Minor food hall and more silence greets me, despite the fact that there are nearly fifty beings watching me. I ignore the looks and walk up to the warming trays full of meats and eggs. There are also two platters, one filled with pastries and another of fruits.
I fill my plate to overflowing. One, I’m hungry. Two, breakfast is my favorite. Three, if I’m expected to sit with the Elite, I doubt I’ll eat even a bite for lunch.
“When do you think she’ll move out?” someone whispers nearby.
“Today, probably.”
“I dunno, she might stay here. If he drops her in a week, what’s the point in going through all the trouble?”
My stomach gives an anxious squeeze at that, which is exceptionally stupid. We’re not even really together; of course he’s going to drop me.
“Candice!” a sweet voice calls, and I whip my attention to a tiny pixie waving at me from the far table. I smile and head her way. Janet is there too, her head still low.
“We heard about the flowers,” Lola purrs. “It’s so swoon worthy.”
I force a smile, but it’s stiff. “Still not sure what to think about it all.”
“You’ll still be our friend, right?” Lola asks.
“Of course! Honestly don’t expect it to last long anyway. We—we’re not really compatible.”
Lola shrugs, her curls bouncing, then takes a bite of her tiny muffin. Crumbs fall to the table as she mumbles, “Lots of humans have relationships with sups.”
I quirk a brow, and then I begin to shovel food into my mouth. Janet watches my sloppy performance, and her lips curl into a smile. “Lola’s right. It can happen.”
I shrug. “Just not getting my hopes up. Not sure the Under World will be thrilled to have me as a queen.”
“Maybe not at first, but if you were to be mated, you’d gain magic.”
“Some, but not a lot. And they’d be mad ’cause it would make him weaker.” I hold up my hand. “Waytoo soon to be talking about this stuff. It’s a long shot. I’m not getting my hopes up. The end.” I wouldn’t want that anyway. Even if Jarron’s and my relationship were real—which it’s not—and even if by some miracle we fell deeply in love and stayed together through all the ups and downs and we mated and married, I’d still be the weakest of them all. Stronger than a human, weaker than a demon. It’s not enough to take away that icky feeling of being vulnerable at all moments of the day.
We finish off our breakfasts in silence, and I work to ignore the whispers still floating around me.
“Jarron’s note,” Janet and Lola lean in as if I’m about to spill some big secret, “said he’d be holding me a seat at lunch. Which I guess means I’m going to have to ditch you guys.”
Janet looks down at her plate to hide a frown.
“Are you afraid?” Lola asks.
“Terrified.” Sitting with Jarron will mean sitting with all the top Elites. At least three demons and several other massively powerful supernatural students will all be there.
“You’ll be fine.” Lola hops onto my shoulder.
“Yeah, Jarron would kill anyone who even thought about hurting you,” Janet says.
I grimace.
“I mean it. Even though I’m pretty sure you’re undervaluing his feelings for you, even if it wasn’t that big of a deal to him, by pure pride alone, he’d have to make sure no one impedes on his territory.”
