Seven Crowns (Bellaton Book 1) by E.V. Everest

Author:E.V. Everest [Everest, E.V.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Everest Publications
Published: 2020-07-31T05:00:00+00:00

17

A Rat

Ana waited in the headmistress’s office. She wasn’t alone. Two other stragglers from the beach party were here—a boy around fourteen and a girl with fire-engine-red hair. She kept waiting to see if more kids would pass through the door. She hoped Adam wouldn’t be one of them.

He held the Rockwell obstacle course record this semester, and he was a fast-talker. She had a feeling she wouldn’t be seeing him again this evening.

What she couldn’t figure out was how she had gotten caught. With Adam as a decoy, no one was around. They were halfway around the campus and nowhere near the beach. What were the odds that a teacher would just be waiting on the other side of the wall?

Ana fidgeted in her upright chair and waited for the headmistress to arrive and dole out her punishment. The waiting dragged on and on. The restless students moved uncomfortably in their seats, though no one dared leave.

The redhead whispered, “Does anyone know what happened to Baylan?”

The young guy looked around before answering. “No. Nothing. I hope he’s okay.”

Ana had almost forgotten about Baylan and the terrible accident. She had been too caught up in the adrenaline of escaping. Now she raised her head in interest to look at the others. “The boy who fell from the outcropping?” she asked.

The girl nodded.

“Rob Noble and Lauren Fleur stayed with him. I couldn’t see if he was…okay though.” What she meant was, she couldn’t see if he was alive, but it seemed too cruel to say out loud. Thirty feet was a long way to fall.

The room fell back into silence.

Half an hour later, a shaken Lauren Fleur arrived. Behind her was the headmistress. She stormed in, and they all fell silent. The redhead sat up straight in her chair, as though good posture might save her from the headmistress’s wrath. The younger boy mirrored the behavior, but his hands shook in his lap. Ana wondered just how much trouble they were in.

Headmistress Whys’s mouth was tight, and her posture combative. “Baylan Arkwright has been badly injured. The medical care staff is doing everything they can, but I’ll be honest. It doesn’t look good.”

The redhead burst into tears. The younger boy’s eyes widened. Lauren closed her eyes for a long moment.

The headmistress continued. “I need to know everything that happened tonight. I need to know who was at the party, who was with Baylan, and if anyone saw the fall.”

Together, they filled in the details of what had happened. Ana was careful not to give any names she didn’t have to, especially Adam’s. She told the headmistress about the argument that had taken place before the fall and the graffiti.

Finally, when all was told, the headmistress gave them all a long, hard look. “As far as I am concerned, this was an unfortunate, tragic accident. Each of your advisers will be notified, and punishments doled out. Speak of this to no one. Is that clear?”

They nodded. Her eyes said “expulsion.”

“Now, I think

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