Courage Is the Price by S.L. Dove Cooper

Author:S.L. Dove Cooper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dovelet Books
Published: 2020-06-16T00:00:00+00:00

17

The next day, Rue is surprised to be called down by Mrs Krombel. She has not forgotten about Priti’s words, exactly, but she still has not expected the other girl to come. So she’s dishevelled and red-eyed and wearing comfortable clothes Amaranth would undoubtedly hate to see outside of a bedroom. Probably inside one too.

When Rue spots Priti beside Mrs Krombel, she can feel her face flushing. Of course Rue looks a mess. Of course she does. She digs her nails into her palms to keep from fleeing, but she truly does want to bolt. She doesn’t want to talk to people. Wants to hide. Escape the house. Find her friend. Not deal with Priti come calling for reasons Rue doesn’t understand.

She is mortified. Her mother’s words have never mattered so much as they have this morning. What if Priti will hate her now? What if Rue is going to make a fool of herself? When it felt so good to think that, maybe, she could have another friend. With time. Rue is so used to people talking about her, gossiping, though… She’s sweating with nervousness because telling herself that Priti wouldn’t do that, isn’t like that, isn’t helping.

“Hi!” Priti calls out and she even stands on her toes and waves. Rue can’t go back now. Can’t hide. Has to go forward. She doesn’t know Priti. Why is she here? Why didn’t she stay in her room and pretend to be ill? Rue’s heart races as she makes her way down the staircase. The hall isn’t actually large enough to require shouting, but Rue waits until she is at the bottom to greet Priti anyway. She has to. It’s given her the time she needs to scramble her brain into forming coherent words her mouth can produce. She’s not good with people. At least she manages to say ‘hi’ rather than gibberish like she did the first time Amaranth introduced her to someone. Priti shouldn’t be there, be here. Right beside Mrs Krombel, talking about a school project that they’re not even doing like it’s the most vital thing in all the world.

Rue can’t believe Priti is actually doing that, lying. She can’t believe that Mrs Krombel is falling for it either. Rue isn’t sure if her mouth has fallen open at any point, but she grits her teeth and clenches her jaws to make sure it won’t.

Rue manages interjections when Mrs Krombel asks her questions, but ‘Ask Priti’ might be the longest answer she gives. She’s not sure. The inside of her head is spinning rapidly and she only just understands that the project has something to do with woodwork. So she lets Priti take over the conversation and come up with all the ideas and just tries to follow.

Her brain is hurting, but here is Priti talking her way past Mrs Krombel, who would never let a working class person in the house if that person wasn’t a member of staff. Amaranth would fire her on the spot.

But Rue has given Priti the entrance codes.

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