C32

In a matter of minutes my life went from good to bad to worse. And I'm still in the middle of processing everything but my punishment began the moment I stepped out of the headmaster's office.

Students couldn't go along with the training because of what happened, which gave the therapist the time to shower, eat and prepare for our session.

I waited in front of her office for her to come. It was the place I could come that no one was. Crossing the mental health check up off list means I go to the Experiencé du hors corp and return earlier to begin the dish duty at the cafeteria.

I have enough time in the Experiencé du hors corp to think about what happened and how to go further from here.

Miss Mulligan takes her time before letting me into her office. It looks different, she redecorated the place, adding some more furnitures: two Accent chairs, artworks on each side of the walls that enclosed the room, a sofa with blanket folded neatly on it, and potted houseplants. She don't seat behind her desk today, instead she makes me sit on the newly added Accent chairs that's placed directly opposite her.

She swaps her tracksuits for a black and white pantsuits. Her blonde hair is falling down her shoulder. She crosses her leg over the other, showing me the notepad and pen she's holding.

Oh, great. I didn't think it was a therapy session until I saw those.

I relax on the chair, making myself at home and comfortable as I lean against it with legs spread as wild as they can go. I place my arms on the chair's arm and keep my eyes on the artwork, trying my hardest to find out what it is I'm looking at but I don't answer the question as Miss Mulligan decides to talk.

"Good afternoon, Camille," she greets me like we haven't seen each other at all today. She's keeping things formal and professional.

Nice.

"It's Cami," I correct her through grit teeth. Biting my teeth down is the only way I know to control myself before I say something to anger her and punishment increases.

She nods. "I know. How are you?"

I look away from her to the artwork again. It looks like trash glued on a painting.

"Cami, I asked you a question. How are you doing?" Her voice breaks the inner battle I'm having with myself about this artwork.

How dare she ask me that? She was on the field, she saw everything that happened and she's asking how I'm doing. This has to be some kind of a sick joke.

I promised myself I wouldn't cause any trouble. I wouldn't run my mouth to the wrong people but I can't take this. Everyone thinks I'm the bad guy and I guess I should just be the bad guy.

I do the next thing possible, I snap at her. "Make up your fucking mind, is it how I am? Or how I'm fucking doing?"

She doesn't seem surprised at my tone, infact she looks like she's been expecting it. "You're angry." She notices and I know she's about to comment on it.

"Damn fucking right I am!" I lean away from the chair to sit properly.

"No cussing."

"Or what? Lock me in the prison for forty eight hours."

She shakes her head and write somethings down. "I won't do that. I don't have the authority," she replies.

I scoff and cross my arms above my chest. "What the hell am I even doing here?"

She looks away from her notepad and asks, "What do you think you're doing here?"

I chuckle with no humor. I know the drill, she asks me questions and bait me into telling her my deepest and darkest secret but that shit won't break me. Therapy isn't my thing, yeah I know some people gain something from it but I don't. The ones my father took me when I was younger was enough to last me a lifetime. You see, no one can make me talk unless it is what I want.

"I'm sure you're very good at your job but this crap"–waving my hand at her in an 'all this' gesture–"don't work on me. May I be excused?"

I think I've had enough.

"What happened on the field today, Camille?" She continues with the question like she didn't just hear what I just said. Did they really pay these people to listen to shit?

"My name is Cami," my tone start of low but increases with each words. "Fucking Cami! And my mental health is fucking golden. I don't need this shit and you don't too, but if you want to be a shrink, go be a shrink to someone else because I'm fucking done."

"You and Penelope have never been close. You punched her the same week you resumed to The Vale, wha–"

It's like somebody left a memo for her to ignore everything I say and do. Can't she just take a hint? The Headmaster and his asshole son forced me into this and I hate being told what to do and that is exactly what I will be doing for the next five weeks, I have a right be angry. And I'm fucking livid.

"Fuck you Miranda. Fuck you!" I get up and approach her. "You were there!" Pointing an accusing finger at her. "You knew it wasn't intentional."

She doesn't seem affected in my outburst. God I wish I had her courage and patience. If I was in her place, I'd kill me.

"The shot wasn't but you almost killed her, why?"

She didn't ask where the sword came from. She didn't ask how I could fly with the levitation spell. She isn't asking the important question. The truth I could open up to her if I wanted but she's asking the wrong questions. She knows me but sadly I don't know her but giving past experience I know whatever it is we say will never stay in this room. And everytime I'm around I keep remembering that she hasn't told me how she knows me and my lineage. It doesn't matter now.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I take a step back and open my eyes to glare at her. "I think we're done here."

"Indeed." She uncrosses her legs and closes her  notepad. "See you tomorrow, same time."

"Oh you didn't hear, I'm going to prison for twenty four hours, so good luck seeing me here same time." I let out a dry chuckle and turn my heels to head out but she stops me.

"Off the school records and reports. You know you can talk to me, Cami. I will not judge you. Don't forget that I know who you are and everything you've been through."

I scoff and turn my head to look at her over my shoulder. "Yeah? How?"

"We could continue with our conversation."

That's what I thought.

I flip her the bird before waving. "Good bye."

I open the door and step out. The guidance counselor's office is in the school building, so it's no surprise to see students walking around with no business here. Penelope was there when the head listed off my punishment and she's students favorite, I'm sure the whole school knows now.

And I confirm it when I step into the hallway, the whole place goes silent as they pause what they're doing to look at me. People aren't a fan of me and quite frankly I'm not of a fan of them either but I hate that I've been unfortunate to ever circumstances. It's always been me like another students to punch each other and take the mouths off me for a while but no, this is my curse.

Murmurs all around me, I wouldn't have heard it if not for my super-hearing, courtesy of my grandparents.

I begin to walk the time the murmurs begins. I don't keep my head down, I stare ahead so they don't win. I know what I did is wrong, but I have no control over the Elsword. It's not my fault Penelope is a bitch.

"That's her, Cami Stark, a junior."

"I was on the field, she almost killed Penelope, if Mr. Wallace hadn't stopped her."

"She looked murderous and the stupid glow around her was even more scary."

I stop waking when I hear that. A glow? No one told me about a glow. I never glow when I use the Elsword. My eyes changes color and my hair but glowing? I don't know.

"Yeah, it looked like a winged monster and birds. And did you see her eyes? It was black and dead as the night."

What the fuck?

I turn my head to direction of the three girls talking about it. They're leaning against the lockers, looking at me but when I look at their direction they look away.

"Oh, shit! We made eye contact."

"Did you think she heard?"

"She wouldn't do anything like kill us, right?"

"Look, is she still looking this way."

I scoff. "Cowards." Saying loud enough for the people here to hear. They can say shit about me among themselves but not in front of me.

I leave the school building and the gossiping bitch behind and head over to my dorm to get some supplies before going to the headmaster's office for sentencing. I can't spend twenty hours confined in a room with doing anything, I will lose my mind.

I stop when I see Jessica, Nate and Alicia standing in front of the building, waiting for me. Alicia is the first to notice me and she shouts my name and rushes towards me.

"Cami!"

I sigh when I see the look of relief in their eyes. They still care about me and that's enough for me.

Jessica and Alicia jumps on me, causing me to stagger back a little.

"You okay?" Nate asks.

I nod and pull myself away from the girls before they suffocate me.

"I just heard what happened, are you all right?" Alicia asks, pushing my hair off my face. I haven't even showered.

"I'm good guys, I'll talk to you when I'm back." I inform them.

Jessica frowns. "Where are you going?"

"Experiencé du hors corp."

"Only you?" Alicia asks, raising her eyebrows in question.

I nod. "Hmm mmm. And I have to leave now before the headmaster increase the time I'm supposed to spend there."

I give each of them a hug before walking upstairs to my room. I grab my shoulder bag and grab my notepad and sketch book from my drawer and put it inside the bag. I take a quick shower and change into a pair of tie-dye sweats. I grab my bag and head back to the headmaster's office.

"Know that I get no joy in doing this," he tells me but I'm not in the mood to hear this.

"I had so much respect for you, Dean Wallace even after you and your son betrayed my trust over and over again. You love this, I'm exactly where you want me and don't worry, I'll try not to destroy your home," I reply.

He nods and a flash of hurt crosses his face. "For what is worth, Cami, I'm sorry and know that everything I've done and I'm doing is all for you."

"Yeah? Could have fooled me."

The portal appears and I realize it's not like it happened the first time I went. He opened a portal in school after he told me he left on permanent in the library. It's none of my business anyway, I don't care about his powers or anything.

I step inside the portal and get off in the familiar environment of his mansion. His living room. Can't say I miss here but it'll do.

I hear footsteps approaches. I'm not the only one here?

Frowning, I turn around to see Damian coming from the kitchen. I close my eyes and scream inside.

What the fuck is he doing here?