the faces of my professors, as I looked up and realized the other seven contestants had all finished… how long did everyone sit in agonized, awkward silence as I combed through the grass like an idiot? How long did it take before everybody realized the Unpredictable had failed so badly?
I remember my worry that Dmitri threw his fight with me in the battle royale, that he let me win. God, I hope that’s not true. He would’ve succeeded in this competition. He wouldn’t be letting the entire school down.
My phone rings. It’s Maddy—I can tell by the ringtone I picked out just for her. If I don’t answer, she’ll know something’s wrong.
With a sigh, I swipe the screen to answer. “Hey, Mads.”
“Hey. How’s it been?” Her voice is careful, like she already knows something’s up. Maybe word has already gotten back to her about how the competition went. Maybe she watched the livestream.
Oh shit, I hope she didn’t.
“It’s been fine,” I reply, keeping my tone neutral.
“How’d the competition go?”
“Crappy.” Those fucking tears sting my eyes again, and for a moment, I can’t say anything. Then I force my voice to sound light as I add, “It’s okay though. It’s not like I expected to win or anything.”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line. “Would you like to… um… watch something on Netflix together?” Mads asks. “Some stupid comedy? Or a bad horror film?”
“That… would be really nice.” It’s been ages since we did something like that together.
It doesn’t make things completely better, but watching something with Maddy, even if it’s just over the phone and we’re still miles apart—just getting to be a sister again— helps. It makes me forget about the world outside for a little while.
Even if I fail at literally everything else, I’m good at being a sister. I might be a disaster in the rest of my life, but Maddy’s the one thing I know I’ve done right.
Chapter 14
It’s been a week and a half since I… well, for lack of a better expression, tripped and fell flat on my face, metaphorically anyway. I’ve been handling the whole thing with the grace and poise for which I am known.
That is to say, I’ve been hiding in our dorm room for fourteen days.
I go to classes, of course, and take my stupid midterms. But every second I’m not in class, I’m holed up in the room I share with the guys. Dmitri doesn’t seem inclined to tell me to get out, although he doesn’t look pleased at my hiding, either. Cam’s been doing his best to try and coax me outside, even just for a run through the woods on the west side of campus. But I really don’t feel like being around people right now.
I liked being anonymous, you know? Back in Portland, I was a nobody, and I didn’t exactly like not having friends or connections—but Jesus, at least there wasn’t this massive fucking pressure. People didn’t talk about me, people didn’t care who I was, what I did, where I went, or who I hung out with. I could just be myself without looking over my shoulder constantly wondering if I was going to be judged for every action or decision.
Now everyone’s watching me. Not just my classmates and professors, but the visitors from other schools as well. I can’t stop wondering what they’re thinking.
I never would’ve thought it before, but I want to do well in this competition and make my school look good. I want my classmates to see me compete and feel proud, to know that we’re just as good as any other magic users out there.
But as it stands right now, I’m just going to be another example of why Unpredictables are so looked down upon.
I’m lying in bed and generally feeling sorry for myself, wondering if I should marathon a few more episodes of Law & Order so I can at least pat myself on the back for not getting murdered in some back alley, when Asher walks in.
He’s been very sweet this whole time, bringing me food, making sure I shower, and not letting me turn into a total depressed lump.
When Asher sees me lying there like Bridget Jones, he stops short. “Um, Elliot?”
“Yeah?”
“Why aren’t you getting ready?”
“For what? My expulsion?” Okay, so that was a little dramatic. Sue me.
He frowns. “No. The Inter-academy Ball is tonight.”
Oh, fuck me.
I’d forgotten about it until right this second, but part of the whole “schools intermingling” thing is