I frowned at my reflection, tugging at the hem of the plaid skirt. Whoever had chosen the uniform hadn't put too much time or thought into it, so they had gone for a cheap, stereotyped look - the pleated, red and black plaid skirt (too short), the black knee socks with black flats, and a scratchy white button up shirt under a black blazer with the school's coat of arms on the breast pocket. Now, not only was I going to stick out like a sore thumb, I was also going to look like someone's Catholic schoolgirl fantasy. Brilliant.

I turned away from my reflection's disgusted expression and crossed the room to sink onto the four poster bed, already neatly made. The room was small but nice enough, with the dark wood furnishings - a bed, a desk, two bookshelves, and an upholstered armchair. An old fireplace from when the building was first built took up one wall, but the rest of the walls were painted a boring beige that was reminiscent of cold oatmeal.

I could hear Adam, my twin, puttering around in the adjacent room, and although he was the reason I was in this bizarre situation, I couldn't help but smile to myself. At least someone was settling in. When our parents had first received the letter from St. Frances Preparatory Academy that they had a spot for Adam, right after their initial exhilaration had come a wave of worries about Adam's adjustment to a new environment. In addition to having severe social anxiety and a slew of phobias, he also had seizures, often triggered by dramatic change and stress. Needless to say, boarding school did not seem like a great idea.

However, St. Frances was persistent. They knew Adam was nothing short of being a math genius, and they were willing to do whatever it took to get him to their prestigious prep school - full scholarships (although my wealthy parents hardly needed the assistance), a private room, the smallest class sizes possible, etc. Still, my parents were reluctant to send their sheltered son to another state when he could barely go into our small hometown alone.

And then someone had the brilliant idea to toss me into the deal.

Even though St. Frances was traditionally boys only, after weeks of bargaining, they offered to accept me so Adam would have someone - his twin sister, no less - nearby to help him adjust.

My parents had spent all summer talking of nothing else. Eventually, Adam took to hiding in his room, leaving me on my own to combat my parents' boundless enthusiasm. I remember the day my mother had received the official acceptance in the mail.

"This is just incredible, Marina darling," she had trilled, tapping the pamphlets strewn across the oak table with one polished nail. "Do you know how many people apply to St. Frances every year? And how few get in? And they're just going to accept you right away! Just like that!"

"Yeah, seems kind of unfair, doesn't it?" I muttered, pushing my Fruit Loops idly around the bowl.

She wasn't listening to me, but instead flipping eagerly through the brochures. She looked like she was posing for a photo shoot, but I knew it was just the natural, unconscious ease with which she preened.

Helena LaFonde had been Miss France back in her earlier days, and her classic golden beauty had caught the eyes of even longtime bachelor Mitchell Pendleton, esteemed U.S. Congressman. Convinced he was in love, he sent dozens of roses to her every day and generally made a fool of himself until she agreed to a date with him. Their fairytale romance, as it was dubbed by the press, continued with them falling madly in love and Mitchell proposing in the Boston Public Gardens.

Eighteen years of marriage and three children later, she was still striking and even more glamorous - and more importantly, she and my father still acted like lovesick newlyweds. For the longest time as a child, I had been confused about her name, because my father called her Honey so often.

"Helena?" I asked. None of her children had ever called her just "Mom". She said it aged her.

"Mhm?"

"Are you sure this is maybe the best idea? I mean, we've been just fine with tutoring and homeschooling so far. If that's enough to make us prestigious boarding school material, surely it'll be enough to get into college."

Helena looked up, her face falling. "What do you mean, Marina?" she asked, the slight remaining traces of her accent jangling the syllables of my name. "You don't want to go?"

I scrambled to backtrack. "No, no, I know it's a big deal to you and Dad, it's just..." I trailed off, and spotted Adam's lanky frame lurking in the kitchen entryway.

Come help me! I mouthed at him.

Sorry, sis, he mouthed back with a shake of his head, making his escape to the solitude of his room. Useless brother.

"Just what?" Helena prompted.

"It's just a big change," I began cautiously. "Homeschooling in the country to a boarding school is a huge jump."

"Oh, I know, sweetie," she assured, coming around the counter to wrap me in her arms and the scent of her Gucci perfume. "But that's why it's so wonderful that you're going, to make the change easier for him."

I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes, but they still made it up to the ceiling. "Well, it's a big change for me too," I pointed out.

She stepped back, holding me out at arm's length, a soft, loving smile on her face. "Marina, do you really think we'd put you up to this if we didn't believe you could do it? You're strong enough to handle this, and you can't hide at home forever because of Adam's problems. You can help him, yes, but you can also grow so much from this if you give it a chance. You have such a powerful spirit, sweetheart, and," she leaned in, "I have a feeling that you're meant for something greater at St. Frances."

Stunned slightly by this assessment of my character, I had felt myself nodding assent, and so in two months Adam and I packed up and moved out of the mansion nestled in the Vermont hills, leaving behind our parents, little sister Cara, friends, and pretty much everything familiar, for St. Frances in upper New York.

And now, at the place where I was supposed to be leaving my mark, what was I doing? Sitting and staring at a wall.

Tired of moping, I stood and went to the door that adjoined my room with Adam's. I knocked once and poked my head in.

"Hey, stranger. Ready for tomorrow?" I asked.

He looked up from whatever he was tinkering with - some sort of mechanical thing - and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "God, do you really have to wear that?"

"Unfortunately. I'm already fearing a windy day." I looked around his room, the walls just as bare and prison-like as mine. "I smuggled in some food if you'd rather have that than risk the dining hall tonight."

Adam bit his lip and nodded. "Thanks, Marina." He turned back to his project, not seeing the frown that creased my forehead. He never called me by my full name unless he was anxious. He was getting better at hiding it, but too much more and he would have a full out attack. So much for my calming influence.

I stepped back into my room, closing the door softly, and went back to stand in front of the mirror again. Neither Adam nor I had been fortunate enough to inherit our mother's sunkissed beauty, but instead shared our father's dark hair and gray eyes. Adam had an olive complexion to my light one, and height to my short stature, but it was still easy to tell we were related.

I shifted from foot to foot in front of the mirror, already dreading the next morning. I would look too different. Too feminine - silly girl, what right does she think she has to be here?

Finally, I reached up and twisted my long hair into a bun at the nape of my neck, and rubbed off the touch of makeup I had put on earlier. I tilted my head, studying my reflection. That would be alright. If I seemed like just "one of the guys," hopefully I wouldn't garner too much attention.

There was a chirp from the cell phone on my bed, and I hurried over to answer it. My heart gave a little jump when I saw that it was a text from Jake.

J: Good luck tomorrow, pretty girl. (:
M: Thanks, sunshine. :D When's your first day of classes?
J: Not for another week.
M: Enjoy your extra days off! What are you up to?

I waited a few minutes, but there was no reply, and I resigned myself to the fact that the conversation was over. Jake had always been terrible at texting, even when we first started dating.

I sighed and dropped my phone back in my shoulder bag. Voices filtered in through the window that I had cracked open, and I peeked out, catching a glimpse of some latecomers moving their belongings in below. They obviously knew each other - most of the elite set of New England did. I felt a pang of nostalgia for home and my own friends, but I shoved it down, closing the window tightly. A book would be a good way to distract myself.

A while later, as I was working my way through the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Adam knocked on the dividing door and came in. "Got a minute, Mar?" he asked, tucking his hands into his pockets rather sheepishly.

"I'm not going anywhere," I stated, closing my book. "What's it about?"

"I just needed to let you know that we've - that is, the counselors and administration and I - decided that I need to ease into this more slowly, so I'm meeting with the professors one-on-one outside of class for a while, then in small groups, and then finally to the full class." He rubbed the back of his neck. "So... you might be on your own for a while."

"Oh." I sat quietly, processing this. "When did that happen?"

Adam looked contrite. "A few weeks ago. I just felt guilty about leaving you in the lurch since you're only here because of me."

His last comment stung a bit, but I brushed it away. "I'm still going to class as usual, though?"

"Yep." He frowned. "Is that okay?"

"No, that's fine," I said quickly. "Just gonna be lonely, that's all."

He nodded and hastily retreated into his room. "By the way, Sofia told me to tell you to call her," he called over his shoulder.

I couldn't help letting out a squeak of delight and lunging for my bag, where my phone was still buried at the bottom. The only notifications were from email and a reminder to update the software, and I ignored the pang of disappointment that there was nothing from Jake. Scrolling through my contacts to the name "Sofi" with a little heart icon next to it, I clicked dial and waited.

"Mari!" shrieked an overly exuberant voice right next to my ear. I winced and held the phone away, grinning. I could still hear her even with the phone a foot away from me. "So you finally decide to call me, huh? What's the point of being best friends if I don't receive hourly updates while you're away?"

Satisfied that she had calmed down enough that I wasn't in danger of a ruptured eardrum, I returned the phone to my ear. "If I gave you hourly updates, eventually you'd get tired of me." I flipped over and stretched out on my bed, propping my feet up against the wall.

"Pshh. I would never!" she claimed in a mock-serious tone. "But for real, how is it, running with the bulls?"

"Fine," I said hesitantly.

Sofia huffed through the phone. "Marina Olivia Pendleton, I have known you for too long to not see though that. Tell me what's going on!"

I sighed. Sometimes it was nice to have a friend who knew me so well, and other times it was a struggle. I knew Sofi wouldn't quit interrogating me until she had the info she wanted. She had always been stubborn that way.

I met Sofia when we were both nine and her family moved into the house across the bridge. Something just clicked, and we became best friends Mari and Sofi. We were basically inseparable, even though she started public school and I continued to be homeschooled with Adam. She was always the one exploring new places around town, and introducing me to all the friends she made at school. I was always jealous of how in touch she seemed with the world around her. It made her so changeable; she constantly flipped between personalities like putting on different hats. No matter her mood, however, she was always my soul sister, and it would be good to unload some of the weight of my worries onto her shoulders.

I filled Sofi in on the events of the day - which basically involved unpacking and hiding out in the room. "My strategy for tomorrow is to try and to blend in, " I concluded. "If I don't interfere with anything, eventually everyone will just ignore me. I'll be the generic face in the corner that doesn't get involved with anyone and doesn't stir things up. It's for the best." To me, that sounded like a pretty safe plan.

Unfortunately, today I had reached Determined-Woman-on-a-Mission Sofi instead of Laid-Back-Let's-Laugh-With-the-World Sofi. "No. Uh-uh. You deserve a little piece of the spotlight. Tell me exactly what you're planning for your big debut," she ordered. "The hair, the makeup, everything. Stat."

I rolled my eyes. "What does it matter? The more important thing is how I'm seen as a student, right? Not how I look."

"First impressions do matter," she insisted. "You've got to get people's attention so you can build a name for yourself. And anyway, aren't you aware that you possess a powerful weapon, and you're neglecting it? Femininity can be lethal, if used properly."

"Fine." I looked over at the mirror across the room. "I have to wear a uniform with knee socks and a blazer."

"I can work with that. Continue."

"No makeup, hair in a bun."

Sofi let out a dramatic sigh. "You're letting all of those unwarranted makeup lessons I gave you go to waste. Such a shame."

"Sofi, I don't want to be picked on for being uber-girly and seen as weak or shallow, either," I said.

"Hold up," she interrupted, her voice taking on a dangerous edge, "why does doing your hair and wearing makeup and caring about how you look have to mean you're shallow? Why does being feminine have to mean being weak?" I could sense her feminist side rising to the surface. "No, no, no. You need to blow them away with your brilliance, look amazing doing it, and then you walk around with your chin held high and make them wonder how you're able to do it all. I knew you'd get hung up on the boys-versus-girl issue. Do not let this gender thing make you feel inferior, Mari."

I groaned. "Dammit, how do you always make such good points?"

"It's a gift," she said smugly.

I laughed. "You win. I'll try it your way tomorrow."

She let out a little cheer. "Let me know how it goes, okay?" There was a brief pause. "By the way, how is Adam doing?" she asked, slightly softer. "When I asked, all I got was a 'fine'."

Sofi and Adam had been close friends almost as long as she and I had. She was one of the few people he was completely comfortable around. Sofia... well, she flirted with other guys, sure, but there were times when I caught her looking at him like he held the secrets to the universe. She'd never confided anything to me about crushing on him, but I wasn't sure if that was because she wasn't interested or because she was afraid of damaging our friendship.

"He's alright," I whispered back. "Well, about as alright as can be expected. I feel kind of guilty for feeling so sorry for myself when he's going through so much more."

"Poor Adam." Sofi sighed softly, her worry palpable. "If you ask me, your parents shouldn't have just thrown you both to the wolves so abruptly."

I shrugged, even though she couldn't see it. "Oh well. They had their reasons. Now enough about us, how are things back in Northview?"

"Same people, same place, same drama. I went to a pool party earlier today, and then to get ice cream with Rachel and her new boyfriend, Sam. It's so boring here without you, I'm almost looking forward to school starting!"

I smiled, imagining her pouting. "Oh, you poor thing. Sounds like a desperate situation."

"Don't sass me, woman! Appreciate my dedication to our friendship."

"Appreciated."

"Good. I've gotta run though, I promised my dad I'd do the dishes before he got home and I haven't started yet. Text me if anything interesting happens, okay?"

"You know I will. Call you again soon?"

"Of course. Get some cute boy's number for me!"

"I'll do my best." I hit the end call button and sprawled out across the bed. The talk with Sofi made me feel about ten pounds lighter. It felt reassuring to have a game plan for the next day. I would not, could not, let myself be trampled into dust.

Adam made a reappearance in the doorway. "Feel better?"

"Yeah. Did she really ask you to tell me to call her, or was that all you?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "Does it matter?"

"Aw, you do care about me!" I jumped off my bed and trapped him in a hug. "Best brother ever -"

He snorted and pushed me off. "Meh. You're alright. Kind of a worrywart."

"Dork."

"Baby."

"Scrub."

I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes, but we could both feel the sibling companionship in the air. Sometimes it was pretty nice to have a brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bleep. Bleep. Bleep. Bleep.

The annoying sound invaded my dreams, causing me to flail around in confusion, trying to do anything to make it stop. My hand encountered my alarm clock, and I hit buttons at random, my brain too foggy to distinguish which ones were correct. Finally, I just swiped it off the table, and it hit the ground with a thud, going blissfully silent.

I still felt dazed, but I pushed myself up to a sitting position so I wouldn't fall asleep again. My limbs felt heavy and useless, there was a funny taste in my mouth, and my eyes felt glued shut.

Screw mornings.

I picked up my phone from the bedside table, squinting in the harsh light it emitted, and sucked in a breath when I noticed the time. 5:30? Why on earth had I decided to get up so early?

The previous day and the conversation with Sofi came flooding back to me. I groaned. Oh right, I have to transform myself into femme extraordinaire, which is obviously going to need that extra hour. Maybe even more.

I couldn't delay the inevitable any longer, so I stumbled over to the connected private bathroom, turned the shower on full blast, and let the hot water wake me up. I let my hair air dry as I brushed my teeth, dressed in the standard uniform, and packed up my things for the day.

Now came the difficult part.

I was alright with hair styling and makeup, but usually I did it on other people, since I didn't typically go out back home. Thankfully, Sofi had somehow snuck all of my beautifying tools into my bags as she helped me pack, or else I wouldn't have had anything to work with.

I studied my profile in the mirror just like the day before, but this time I was seeing it as a canvas to transform, full of possibilities. I plugged in my curling iron to let it heat up, and while I waited, I started applying makeup: slight concealer to hide any blemishes, touches of gray eyeshadow and dark liner around my eyes to make them stand out, and a bit of lipgloss. I stepped back and looked at my face once more, astonished at the change. The makeup made me feel - shielded, somehow, and it showed in the haughty look that had taken over my features. I looked unfazeable.

I should really start asking for Sofi's advice more often, I thought to myself.

One last step to attend to. I painstakingly curled every strand of the dark hair that stretched to the small of my back, creating big, loose curls that framed my face with their glossy volume.

I studied the finished effect. I tried on a smile, but it looked too simpering and doll-like. I tried a steely stare instead. Yes. Much better.

"You deserve to be here," I told my reflection sternly. "You are every bit as smart and worthy as everyone else. Hold your head high and meet their stares. Shock everyone." I puffed out a breath. "Also, stop talking to your reflection before you go crazy."

I went to knock on Adam's door before I realized that he wasn't going to be walking with me to class anyway. I ignored the fresh cloud of butterflies this released in my stomach, gathered my things, and walked out the door without looking back.

Look out, St. Frances Prep.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I had seen many pictures of St. Frances's elegant campus already - sweeping green lawns, towering stone buildings covered in ivy, cobblestone streets, and a picturesque lake - but I still took the time to admire my surroundings as I walked to class. It was only the beginning of September, but there was an autumn crispness in the air and several trees were beginning to turn red and gold.

I spent too much time dawdling and enjoying the scenery, and I wasn't early enough to be one of the first ones in my first class of the day, Pre-Calculus. Another way of interpreting that: I was slightly late.

When I pushed the door open, the professor paused in writing out formulas on the board and there was a shuffling as everyone turned in their seats to look at the interruption. "Can I help you?" the professor asked, using the stern I'm-disappointed-in-you teacher voice that all students know.

"I'm Marina Pendleton. Sorry I'm late." The only empty desk was at the very front of the classroom, so I sauntered up, set my things down, and sat. The professor looked like he wanted to give a lecture on the importance of being on time, but he just shrugged and turned back to the board.

"You should begin preparing now for the first exam, which will be in three weeks and cover the content discussed in Chapters 1 and 4 in your textbooks...."

I tuned him out and glanced over to my right. The guy sitting next to me was openly ogling, and I raised an eyebrow pointedly until he dropped his gaze. I looked to my left, and another guy quickly turned away. I sighed inwardly. This was going to be a very long day.

The situation was much the same in my next class, English, and the one after that, European History. My back was starting to ache from holding good posture, the homework was piling up with each passing hour, and the chorus of whispers that rose every time I turned away grew louder.

By the time lunch finally arrived, I was starving, with my main challenge still looming in front of me - navigating the minefield of the cafeteria.

Up until I actually had to go in, the eating arrangements had been what I was most excited about - I had spent the summer pouring over the pamphlet about dining services that was sent with the enrollment information. The more appropriate name for the cafeteria at St. Frances was definitely 'dining hall'. It had its own building in the center of the campus, a giant steel and glass construction that contrasted with the rest of the old stone buildings. It was built in the shape of an octagonal dome, so that it looked almost like an igloo from above. The giant windows and skylights let light flood the center area, which was set up with tables, chairs, potted plants, and even a fountain.

Lunch line? No such thing at St. Frances. Different rooms decorated like restaurant fronts circled around the edge of the giant room, and each contained a buffet with different styles of food from around the world. It was its own nirvana.

As soon as I walked in, however, I barely had time to be in awe before everyone fell silent and a thousand pairs of eyes were all on me, waiting to see what I would do. Instead of turning tail and running, I flicked my hair over my shoulder and assumed a haughty expression. Recalling to mind how I'd seen models walk down a catwalk, I placed one foot in front of the other, swaying my hips more than was probably proper, and let my steps carry me in, past tables of uniformed boys that I made a point of not looking at. The clacking of my shoes echoed in the cavernous room, and my heart was going twice as fast as my steps.

I reached a table in the middle by the fountain, unsheltered by plants. No hiding for me today. I sat and pulled out my books, trying to look busy, heart still in my throat. Gradually, the low hum of talk resumed, although I had a feeling it was directed more towards me than anything else.

I needed to go and get some food, but I needed a second for the adrenaline caused by all the attention to die down. Pulling out my phone, I hoped for something to distract me, but the only message was from Adam, asking how I was doing. Nothing from Jake. I was half-tempted to message him, but I knew he was probably too busy to answer anyway, and my clinginess would just annoy him.

"Are you even here to eat, or did you just come to strut?"

I looked up in surprise, dropping my phone in the process. Grinning down at me was a guy the likes of which I'd expect to see on the cover of a Teen Vogue magazine, Prep School Boys edition. He was wearing the uniform required of all the boys - slacks, white shirt, red tie, school blazer - but on him it looked effortlessly stylish. His hands were tucked into his pockets carelessly, and he had blond hair artfully styled so it looked like he had just rolled out of bed. I may not have been as good at reading people as Adam, but even I could tell that this guy was no stranger to trouble.

So even I was surprised when instead of explaining that I just hadn't gotten food yet, I tilted my head and haughtily said, "Maybe I am just here to show off. What's it to you?" I made a show of sweeping a glance over him. "Wait, let me guess -- you're one of the alpha dogs of the school, and this is the table you and your posse sit at. You're here to scare me off so you can reclaim your thrones."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Your opinion of us is way too high. Things like that - the ruling clique, the "cool table" - those only exist in fiction. And maybe public high school."

"Well," I retorted, "you need to step it up. What kind of prep school doesn't have a group of snotty rich kids who rule the school?"

"From the looks of things, you're trying to fill that position."

My jaw dropped open, but he didn't notice as he reached to pick up my phone from where I had dropped it. He took a minute to scroll through my notifications, the snoop. I grabbed it away. "Does privacy mean anything to you?"

"Not really. Who's Adam? Boyfriend?"

I huffed. "For your information, Adam is my brother. My boyfriend is too busy getting into a prestigious law school to text. And anyway, we don't have the kind of relationship that requires talking to each other every waking moment. We're more mature than that."

The boy wasn't even paying attention, but looking off towards the door. "Julian! Hikaru! C'mere!" he shouted, waving at two guys across the cafeteria.

"What are you doing?" I hissed at him.

"Did you really expect to sit alone?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. I am capable of entertaining myself, thank you."

He shrugged. "Then sit and ignore us. Doesn't matter to me."

The two guys he had been waving at arrived at the table. Of course they both looked like they had stepped out of a magazine as well. One was dark haired and blue eyed, the other with almond shaped eyes and Asian features.

"So it is true," the latter said, gazing at me. He turned to the blond guy who had been sitting with me. "Did she tell you why she's here?"

"Hello?" I said. "Sitting right here."

"Don't mind Hikaru," the other boy said, with a sweet smile to me. He adjusted the trendy, black-framed glasses sitting on his nose. "Everyone's curious about you, he's just less tactful about it." He held out a hand. "I'm Julian Moore."

I shook his hand firmly. "Marina."

Hikaru bowed his head towards me. "I apologize, Marina."

"She shouldn't have a problem with it. She hasn't been the sweetest towards me," interjected the blond boy.

"I'm not going to apologize for not being something I'm not," I told him archly. I flipped open my Latin book. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Chairs scraped as Julian and Hikaru sat with the blond boy and began talking about some upper level class I wasn't in. I guessed that they were 12th graders, which was why I hadn't seen them in any of my classes.

After a few minutes, I gave up trying to concentrate on my work and glanced up at my new tablemates from under my lashes. It was rather infuriating how perfectly at ease they seemed. The blond guy who had first talked to me met my eyes, and the corner of his mouth tilted up. I rolled my eyes, slammed my book shut, and headed off to get food - and give the blush a minute to fade from my face.

I picked up a turkey club from the buffet room decorated like a Parisian street cafe. My family was very well-off, but I still had trouble comprehending how posh the boarding school was. Wasn't bad food a hallmark of the school experience?

I was still receiving stares as I made my way back to my table. Not surprisingly, my companions chose the moment I took a bite of my sandwich to turn their attention back to me, intent on satisfying their curiosity. Julian was the first to address the elephant in the room.

"So, Marina, I'm sure you've gotten this question a lot lately - but why are you here?"

I took my time chewing, letting them wait for the answer. I finally decided on a brief version of the truth. "My twin brother is a math genius, and they really wanted him here but he couldn't come without me, because of... various reasons. They agreed to bend the rules. I have no idea if they'll eventually be open to all girls, or if it's just this once."

The blond - I realized I still didn't know his name - frowned. "So they never really invited you?"

Julian rolled his eyes at that. "Obviously not, Theo. The stuffed shirts here would never think of changing tradition unless they had to."

Theo. So that was his name.

"And here we were, excited that they were finally shaking things up," Hikaru said, shaking his head. "St. Frances needs shaking."

"You don't like it here?" I asked, surprised.

"When you've spent your whole life in places like this, they get a bit dull. A bit stifling. That's why we were pleasantly surprised to see you here," Julian put in.

"And here I was, thinking you were just interested in me for my sparkling personality."

"Nah, it was just because our male hormones couldn't resist," Theo said drily. Julian elbowed him.

At that moment, a bell sounded, and everyone started scrambling to finish their food and gather their belongings. Before I could grab for my tray of dishes to return, Theo whisked it out of my reach. "You're in 11th grade, right?" he asked. When I nodded, he said, "You'll have last period free then. If you're interested, we're going into town at 2. Meet us at the statue of Headmaster Andrews if you're interested." With a final wink, he headed off with Julian and Hikaru, their presence parting the sea of underclassmen with ease.

I stood in place, full of questions about what had just happened, but the bell rang again, and I hurried off to Biology - at least there I'd only encounter questions I could answer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Adam was in my room when I got back to the dorms after my last class.

"Um, brother dearest? What are you doing in here?" I asked, dumping my keys and shoulder bag on the bed.

"I can't find my watch, and I leave for my tutoring sessions in an hour. Why are you back already?"

"Free period." I glanced at the clock next to my bed. All afternoon, I had gone back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to meet up with virtual strangers and venture off to who-knows-where. It was already 1:43. I'd have to hurry if I wanted to go. "Hey Adam, I need some advice."

"Shoot." He crouched down and started looking around under the bed for his missing watch, although I could've assured him that there was no reason it would be there.

"I met some people at lunch today, and they invited me to go into town. At 2:00. I want to go see the town, but I don't know if it's worth hanging out with a bunch of strangers."

Adam's head jerked up, narrowly escaping hitting the bed frame. "You made friends already?"

"Acquaintances," I corrected.

"Do you want to go?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" I put my hands on my hips. "You are very unhelpful with decision making, by the way."

He stood and patted my head. "That's why you're the oldest and wisest," he said as he disappeared back into his room.

"By two minutes!" I shouted after him.

Looking back at the clock, I saw that it was now 1:47. I'd have to run to make it.

I paused and shook my head at myself. I didn't need to get mixed up with that group -- they spelled trouble, especially if Jake ever found out that his girlfriend was hanging out with seemingly playboy millionaires. I should do the smart thing and stay in the dorm, get some homework done, and call my friends back home. They were all I needed.

Settled on a course of action, I changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt that read "ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK: GOT OXYGEN?" and hunkered down to conjugate some Latin verbs.

The minutes ticked quietly by, and the sunlight coming through the window slowly moved across the floor until it dimmed to the faint orange of sunset. I put the finishing touches on my last pre-calculus problem, and shut the book with a satisfied sigh. If there was one thing I was good at, it was homework.

Popping up, I stuck my head into Adam's room, surprised to find that it was still dark and empty. I didn't know exactly how his personalized schedule worked, but surely they weren't having the special classes for him this late?

It seemed that I was on my own for dinner, at any rate. I threw on leggings and a hoodie, grabbed my keys, phone, and ID card, and trekked back down to the dining hall.

The dining hall was less crowded than earlier, since people could go for dinner any time between five and seven, as opposed to the half hour for lunch. I judged it safe enough to try the pasta -- there wouldn't be as many witnesses if I accidentally spilled tomato sauce all over myself.

I had just set my plate down on the same table by the fountain when my phone buzzed in my pocket, nearly making me jump out of my shoes. It kept buzzing, signalling a call, and I fumbled as I tried to fish it out. A picture of Jake and I at Christmas lit up the screen, and I pressed Accept.

"Hey you," his melodic voice greeted me. As always, a fizzing warmth bloomed at my center and started radiating outward.

"Hey yourself," I said, noticing how my own voice became softer and warmer. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to call and check in. I'm sorry I didn't call sooner - this internship thing is running me ragged."

"I understand," I quickly reassured. "It's been kind of crazy for me too. This place is just insane compared to Northview, Jake. The cafeteria is like a five star restaurant, and the dorms are nicer than -"

"Hold on, Marina. My mom is calling me for something. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Yeah, of course," I told him. There was a rustling on the other end as he put the phone down, and I tilted my phone away from my mouth to snatch a few bites of pasta while I waited. A single noodle escaped and landed in my lap, and I quickly snuck a glance around the room to make sure no one had seen before picking it up. If they had, no one showed it. A part of my mind registered that I didn't recognize anyone - no Theo, Julian, or Hikaru.

"Alright, I'm back," panted Jake. "She just needed help unloading some stuff for the shop."

"How's business?" Jake's mom had dreamed of opening a flower shop for years, and had finally started down the road to fulfilling that dream a few months ago. The shop was quaint and picturesque, and reminded me of something one would find in the French countryside, but to Jake and his dad, it was just a reminder of how much that dream was draining from their scant savings.

Sure enough, Jake sighed heavily. "I think she had two customers the other day. New record. Mom thinks it's a sign that the shop is finally going to start making money. She's so damn optimistic about it all."

"Well, it's her dream," I reasoned.

"Well, it's just not practical," he snapped back. He took a deep breath. "Sorry, Marina. It's just one more thing to stress about."

"Have you heard back from Stanford yet?"

"No, and I'm worried. It shouldn't be taking so long." I could imagine his frustrated expression clearly in my mind's eye.

"I'm positive they'll accept you. How could they not?"

At that moment, the dining hall doors swept open, and I looked over reflexively. In walked Theo. He glanced in my direction, but headed off to the opposite corner of the room instead. I watched after him, oddly miffed.

What right to do you have to be offended? I thought angrily to myself. All of these people already know each other and have their own friend groups. Besides, you're the one who chose not to go and spend time with them.

"Earth to Marina, did you hear me?"

I jumped at Jake's voice. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Sorry, I just got distracted. What were you saying?"

I could feel him close himself off from me. "It's not important anymore. I should be going anyway."

"So soon?" I blurted, immediately hating how needy I sounded, and I wished I could suck the words back in.

"Marina..." Jake began.

"Sorry," I apologized again. "My bad. There will be other times to talk."

"Right," he soothed. "Bye, pretty girl."

"Bye. I love you!" I added hastily, but the line was dead. I stared at the phone in my hand, trying to resist the urge to heave a sigh. I'd been doing that too much lately.

"I assume it wasn't your brother that time."

I jumped, my heart skipping several beats. "Jesus, will you stop sneaking up on me?"

Theo stepped into my field of vision. "Not my fault you're always buried in your phone or a book."

"It's not like I'm expecting anyone here to talk to me."

"Why's that?"

"People here just stare at me like I'm from Mars." I raised an eyebrow as he pulled out the chair across from me and sat.

"I think the old adage is that women are from Venus, and men are from Mars."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for that clarification."

"No problem." He leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head.

"Where are Hikaru and Julian?" I asked, determined not to let his searching gaze make me uncomfortable.

"They're still in town. They've already written you off as not interested." He paused. "I told them I wouldn't bother you anymore - and I don't want to be that pushy guy - but I had a feeling you did want to come, but you stopped yourself for some reason."

"Do my reasons for not going matter?" I asked.

"Yes." Theo leaned forward intently. "Because there's something unique about you, and I want to see more of it."

I smirked to cover up my surprise. "Rather cliche, don't you think?"

"I don't mind being cliche, as long as it's effective." Theo raised an eyebrow. "So...?"

"So," I repeated, "I had some work to do anyway, so I stayed here."

"So... does that just really mean you were nervous, and used schoolwork as an excuse?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out, as my brain could not come up with a good answer for that question. Fortunately, I was saved from having to answer by the arrival of someone else at our table. He was short and skinny, with curly brown hair, a spray of freckles, and elfish features. He immediately whipped out a chair, spinning it around, and sat backwards on it, earning a scowl from Theo. The boy ignored him and leaned in towards me with a bright white smile.

"Sup, doll?" he said. "Is this guy bothering you?"

"Shove it, Noah," grumped Theo. "She's not interested, and, frankly, I know you aren't either."

"Hey, for all you know, I could be bi. Besides, I'm just being friendly," Noah said bluntly, winking at me.

"What'd you do to piss him off?" I asked Noah, gesturing at Theo.

"My birth sufficed."

Theo sighed. "Marina, this is my little brother, Noah," he said, stressing the word 'little', "and the thorn in the side of my family for the past seventeen years."

"You love me though," said Noah, reaching over to tousle his brother's hair. Theo ducked away.

"Nice to meet you," I told him, feeling a smile creep onto my face.

"Right back at ya. I've been dying to meet the girl who was so incredible even stuffy St. Frances couldn't refuse her."

I hesitated, the words to correct him on the tip of my tongue - that I was only here because they wanted Adam - but instead I heard myself say, "I've been getting that a lot lately. I have to disappoint you, though - I'm not too interesting beyond that."

In my periphery, I saw Theo raise an eyebrow, but thankfully he didn't say anything. Noah laughed. "Doesn't matter. I just wanted to make sure you knew that not all of us resent you being here; we're just curious."

"Wait -- so there are some who resent me being here?"

Noah froze. The brothers exchanged a look, one I recognized from whenever Adam and I were having a private mental conversation. Noah laughed again, slightly awkwardly. "I should get going, but it was nice to meet you, Marina." He stood and left as abruptly as he had arrived.

I crossed my arms and squinted at Theo.

"What?"

"What did you stop him from telling me? Don't think I missed that little silent conversation of yours."

He squinted back. "Don't think I missed your little fib about why you're here."

"I have little enough that makes me interesting, let me take what I can get." I took a deep breath and stood up. "I already know I'm not going to be liked by everyone, and that's okay - I don't need to be Miss Popularity. I just want to know what I'm up against." I grabbed my dishes.

"Marina, hold up." Theo made a move like he was about to grab my arm, but stopped himself. "It's not you. It's just the whole idea of change isn't exactly welcomed here. I know that Hikaru, Julian, Noah, and I are really just interested in being friendly, and not out of pity. You tell it like it is - which is refreshing - but a lot of people here aren't like that. That becomes a threat to them."

I took a minute to process this. "To be honest, I don't really know what I'm doing," I confessed. "This is my first time ever actually being in a real school."

"So let us show you the ropes," he urged. "If you end up thinking we're terrible company, then you can go about your enforced solitude, but at least you'll have a better grasp on things."

I nodded slowly. "Makes sense. Thank you."

His smile was back in place. "Now that that's agreed, about tomorrow. There's a rowing competition, and it's a big deal here to go and watch. I can let you know where to meet up with Hikaru and Julian to go over to the lake."

"Sounds like such a prep school thing."

"Yeah, well, that is where you are now. Better start including yourself in that group." He stood up as well. "I'll walk you back to your dorm too, if you want."

"You're not doing too well with the whole 'I'm not one of those pushy guys' thing, you know that?"

His smile lit up his entire face. "I've been told I'm a hypocrite many times. Hikaru likes making those kinds of judgments."

He followed me out of the cafeteria into the night air. The temperature had dropped, and I surreptitiously rubbed my hands together to warm them, falling into a comfortable silence as we walked along the narrow paths to the cluster of dormitory buildings.

Theo was the first to break the quiet. "So what do you like to do with your time?"

I watched my breath form billowing clouds of mist as I spoke. "Not much. I mostly just hung out with friends back home."

"Sports?"

"I wasn't going to public school so I couldn't join their teams, and I can't join any now, because there aren't any girls' teams here."

"So you just sit around and do homework all day?"

His incredulous tone made me laugh. "Pretty much. I like hiking, though. And traveling, but we don't do that much." I looked over at him. "What do you like to do?"

Theo's cheeks were pink, and I couldn't tell if it was due to the cold or embarrassment. "Uh, well, I'm on the rowing team." He shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Which, like you said, is pretty preppy."

"That doesn't make it necessarily bad."

"I guess. Most people find it kind of odd." He fixed his gaze on mine, daring me to try and judge him.

"My best friend's hobby is weaving," I countered. "Her mom is Native American, and so she taught my friend, Sofi, how to weave all these Navajo blankets and shawls. So, sorry to break it to you, but you are way more 'normal'."

"Somehow, I feel like normality isn't a very high compliment, coming from you." We arrived at my dorm building, Hagan Hall, and he turned to face me. "So, you'll be there tomorrow?"

"Again with the pushiness," I sighed dramatically. "You know girls don't really fall for that, right?"

"Good thing you have a boyfriend, then," he said with a smirk. "See you at the lake, Marina." He sauntered off down the pathway, leaving me, as before, feeling befuddled and slightly off balance.

The cold wasn't conducive to standing and pondering, so I hurried in. The halls of the dormitory were alive with chatter and laughter as hallmates became reacquainted and settled in. I opted for the seldom-used back staircase, preferring a little peace and quiet to myself. I had never been so surrounded with people for so long a time before, and it was starting to wear on my nerves.

The dorms where Adam and I stayed were on the top floor, formerly used for professors and separate from the rest of the students. The long hallway was eerily dark as I arrived, and I was slightly on edge as I fished out my keys and unlocked my door.

I could see a thin strip of light shining out from under Adam's door as I dumped my belongings on my bed and flipped on the lights. I crossed the room and tried to open the connecting door, but it was locked. I jiggled the knob. "Hey Adam, it's me. Where've you been all night?"

I paused and listened, but there was only silence. "Adam?" I repeated.

I pressed my ear to the door. There were slight, muffled thumps from his room, and a cold dread descended over me.

"Shit." I ran for my keys. "Shit, shit, shit!" My hands were shaking as I tried to shove the emergency key into the lock. Finally it slid in and I wrenched the door open, only to be met with the sight of my brother on the floor, body convulsing in the throes of a seizure.

~~~~~~~~
Some pictures I used as inspiration for the characters:

Marina Pendleton

Adam Pendleton

Theo Matthews

Noah Matthews

Julian Moore

Hikaru Myeong

Sofia Hunt

Jake Anderson

Helena LaFonde Pendleton