everyone knows about it."
This isn't news to me, but it still stings. I wonder how much shit they all got for me leaving, and then I think about North's cold reception and Nox's loathing-filled eyes. Nope, I don't think I care.
At least they all had each other. I had no one.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to eat in peace," she mumbles and snaps me out of my thoughts.
I frown at her. "Why wouldn't you eat in peace?"
She pokes at her salad. Her food looks even sadder than Gabe's had. "I'm kind of a pariah here too. My Bond prefers his other Bonded. Riley has made it clear to me that I'm not good enough for him. He's already graduated, but Giovanna still attends Draven. She hates that she wasn't the center of the Bond, so she's made it her mission in life to freaking ruin me. There, I think we're even now. You know all my shitty stuff too."
I don’t miss the distinct word usage there. Bonded. In our world, there’s always one Central Gifted person in the bond who is fated to be with two or more people. Once the Central has completed their bond, with sex, they become Bonded, something revered and highly sought after. Your power grows and you forge an unbreakable connection.
Her Bond has chosen that with the other girl but not her.
I already hate him.
My skin prickles under my clothes. "Do you really want to hang out with someone who rejected her Bonds though? I mean, you're kind of on the other side of that."
I should just shut my mouth and accept the friendship, because it'll probably be the only one I have offered to me, but I've never been good at faking this kind of thing.
She smiles at me and nods. “That fact that you have no idea who I am, or anything about my mess of a bond, means you’re the perfect person to be friends with here. My name is Sage, by the way, and I really wouldn’t mind hanging out with you. I could help you with your assignments, I know it must be hard coming in halfway through the semester. Besides, having the entire table to ourselves will be… nice.”
I guess that’s one way to look at it.
Because my day is freaking cursed, my first class after lunch is History of the Gifted. Normally, that would be right up my alley. I love learning about where we came from and how our abilities have evolved. The problem here?
My timetable shows the lecturer is Nox Draven.
Fucking kill me now.
Of the four of my Bonds I’ve met so far, he’s been the most vocal in his hatred and loathing of me.
As I walk with Sage into the lecture hall, my eyes are immediately drawn to the front of the room where Nox is talking to two female students, one of whom is caressing his arm and giggling.
Great.
My stomach drops and I tell my stupid bond to get over it; he hates me and I think he's a self-centered dick. It doesn't help that every eye in the room is on me as I slowly make my way down the stairs to sit as far away from Gabe, who is smirking openly at Nox, as I can. I take my seat and ignore it all.
Of course I’d have to end up with Bonds who are super freaking hot and popular, pillars of our society and renowned for their acts of service.
Of course I’m the villain.
I mean, I am the villain in this story right now. Even if they were to find out about what the last five years have been like for me… even then, I’d probably be the bad guy. Not that they will ever find out. If they do, they’ll be dead. It’ll be right when the Resistance comes here and murders us all. Not me though, nope, they’d keep me.
I’m too fucking valuable to die an honest death.
Thank God Sage is here with me and I have someone to roll my eyes with over the utter bullshit of this room. The whispers aren’t even subtle, they’re just openly talking about how shit I am.
Oh well.
“Wow. He’s really pissed off at you, isn’t he?” Sage whispers as she unpacks her laptop and settles in.
I shrug. “Pissed means he might get over it. I’m pretty sure we’re beyond that and firmly in the ‘I wish Fallows would die’ phase.”
Sage grimaces. “That’s… really freaking awful. Giovanna is like