Gray POV

I looked up at the school standing in front of me and for a moment, I frowned at it. For so long I resented going here. Standing in front of it brought up those feelings again for a moment. It took a second to tell myself that I wanted to be here, that I was here for Stella. I would do anything for her. 

By time I crossed the gate to Jackson, the sun was already rising. I walked the miles to get to school through the snow. At first, I was freezing but after walking the distance, I wasn't so cold anymore. 

I opened the front door of the school and walked in. 

The warm air of the school hit me like a comforting hug. I smiled as the familiar smells filled my nose. Stella often smelt like this school.

"Hello Gray, it's nice to see you!" a middle-aged slender woman who worked behind the desk asked me as I passed it. 

I stopped and turned to her with a small smile. It was interesting that she knew my name. I didn't think I was that memorable. "Hi." 

"So, are you back from your exciting travels?" 

"I'm just here for the day."

"Ah, I understand. Well, it's good to see you again." She smiled at me then turned back to her computer, allowing me to slip away from her. 

I continued to walk down the hall and sat at the first seat I found. The clock on the wall said it was 7:20 which meant that students would not be arriving for another 20 minutes. I would have to wait until Stella came and this spot I found was perfect for people watching. 

As I waited for the first student to come in worry filled me. I thought back to how I ran off through the barrier. Churchwell guards saw that I ran away. Word would get to Else soon enough and she would come for me. She would not waste any time to find me. She didn't want me anywhere near this place nor Stella. I just hoped Stella would come soon so we could have as much time as possible together.   

"Hey. You're back," Alice's voice rang out, breaking me from my thoughts. 

I turned to face her with her normal athletic clothing and fake dyed hair. Alice was never my favorite person, but I had never been so excited to see Alice in my life. Seeing her meant a better chance to know where Stella was. "I am."

"What brings you here?"

"Just here for a visit." 

"Cool," she said as she let silence fill the space between us. It was an awkward silence as if she didn't know what else to say to me without sounding rude. 

"Do you know when Stella will be here? I would like to say hello," I said kindly.

Alice frowned as another girl came up to her. "I don't think she will be at school today." 

The frown on Alice's face caused me to worry. For the small amount of time that I knew Stella, she never missed a day of school. She valued her education too much to do that. "Why?" 

"She fainted yesterday at school. They took her to the hospital, but she told me she was fine and that she is now at home. I think she is laying low for the next few days to rest."  

<>

I stood up from the bench. If she wasn't coming here, there was no point in me staying. I would have to go to her. Alice's words were supposed to calm me, but they did the opposite. It didn't matter is she said she was fine. I knew Stella and I knew that if she passed out, something wrong had happened. I needed to make sure she was ok.

"It was nice to see you too," Alice said sarcastically as I passed her. 

"Likewise," I mumbled as I continued my path to get out of this place. 

I shivered as the cold air hit me as I walked out of the school. It didn't matter if I had to walk another few miles to get to her house, I would get there at any cost. With my head held straight, I pushed forward. There wasn't any time to lose. 

In a matter of an hour and a half, I found myself looking up at Stella's house. My nose ran from the cold as I sniffled, looking at the front door. It had been two months since I had been here and for a moment, I questioned what I should do next. What if one of her parents answered the door instead of her? What would I saw to them? What if no one answered? 

I looked behind me to check that Else wasn't around. If I waited any longer, she would be. With a deep breath in, I knocked on the door and waited for what would happen next.

I heard shuffling on the other side then Bed opened the door with a cup of tea in her hands. She looked tired but she still managed to smile at me. "Hi, Gray."

"Hi," I said as I held back a frown. I was hoping to Stella, not her. And I wondered if she was tired because she was worried about Stella. If that was the case, I would never be able to see her.

"Back from your trip?" 

I nodded as I wondered what Stella told everyone. Before I thought too much about it, I went along with it. "Just for a moment then I'm off again. I was wondering if Stella is home."

Bec frowned as she looked down the hall towards Stella's room. "I don't think she is up for visitors right now. Last I checked she was sleeping. She's not feeling the best."

So, she was tired because of Stella. I only had a few hours left until Else came and if I didn't see her now, I would miss my chance. I wanted to protest but I held my mouth tight.

"I can tell her you stopped by though when she wakes. Maybe you can see her tomorrow."

I nodded, knowing that I wouldn't have tomorrow. I just had this one day and I would have to go back to Churchwell. I wouldn't be able to pull this stunt again. I had one chance and I missed it. "Yeah, that would be great. Can you tell her I stopped by?"

She smiled. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," I mumbled then with my head hung low, I turned on my heels and left down the road.

Disappointment flooded through me. In frustration, I kicked a rock down the road as I walked. Would Bec even tell Stella I came by? Would Stella wait patiently for me to come by tomorrow and be disappointed when I didn't? I came here for her. I broke all the rules to see her, but yet it seemed like everything kept us apart. 

I screamed in frustration only to have the snow muffle my cry in pain. I just hoped Stella knew what I broke to come here. Any rule was worth breaking to see her, but now that I had broken them and failed in my only goal, I just felt like this was a waste. I should have waited; I should have done a lot of things and now who knew when I would come again.

As I walked out of Stella's neighborhood, I quickly decided what to do next. With Else nowhere to be seen, the next best thing would be to go to my old house. I left in such a rush last time. There were a few things that I would like to gather and bring back. 

With sure steps and my hands in my pockets to shield me from the cold, I walked down the road to get to my house. The space that I resented so much.

It didn't take me long to get to my old place. I looked up at the small place as I remembered all the things that happened here. Else was always gone and I felt like I was living on my own most of the time, that was until Stella came. She wiggled into my life and forced me to fall in love with her. I would never take any of those memories back. 

Silently, I opened the front door, surprised that it was unlocked. and walked into the small living room. As I looked around, it looked almost as if we never left. Dishes sat on the table, a vase of dead flowers on the coffee table by the couch. 

I didn't know what to expect when I walked in, but I didn't expect this. I hadn't been back in what felt like forever, but this place hadn't changed. I knew Else had been back since I left but I wondered why she left it as it? Did she plan to come back at one point? Or did she just not care to do anything with this place? 

I opened the coat closet and slipped on a winter jacket. For a moment the cold fabric made me feel even colder but slowly, it warmed me. I pulled the coat closer to me as I walked into my bedroom. 

Clothes, nick-nacks, forgotten homework all laid on the bed and floor. The day I left was chaotic and messy and the state of my room proved that.

As I looked around the room and stopped at a folded card on my bed. I walked to pick it up and noticed Stella's neat handwriting on it. It was neatly folded, and the paper looked as if it hadn't been here long. My heart raced as I realized that this card might have been something new. 

"Gray..." Else's voice sighed.

Before Else took it away from me, I stuffed the card in my pocket then turned around to face her. 

"Out of all the places in Jackson, I didn't expect you to be here."

"Well, I didn't really know where else to go," I said plainly then picked up a sword. "And I wanted to pick this up."

She nodded as she looked around the room. "We need to get back. We need you in Churchwell."

"Ok," I said as I followed her out of the room and out of the house. 

Together we walked in silence as we made our way to the gate. By now my legs were tired from all the walking I had done, but she wasted no time getting to the gate. With her sure steps, it made me wonder what I had missed in Churchwell.  It was either that or she was fuming at me because of my run off. 

"Just spill it Else," I said as I walked beside her. 

She opened her mouth then closed it. For a moment she looked as if she was sorting out her thoughts. "I told you to be on high alert. Graywick was on the verge of attacking, you knew that. Do you even care about Churchwell? That is your home. That is your birthright and your father is on the verge of destroying it. You running off— this is the last thing I need right now," Else lectured me about my field trip.

I frowned as I started at my feet. Her lecture instantly made me feel guilty. "I just wanted to see her."

"And tell me, was it worth it? Stella doesn't know what kind of spell she puts on you."

"I don't know if she ever will. I never saw her."

She stopped and turned to me. "What?"

"I couldn't find her at school then went I went to her home I was turned away by her stepmother." 

She frowned towards me. For a second, I think she pitied me. "Oh. Well, then. We should go." 

Without saying anything more, she started walking towards the gate once again. 

I nodded as I followed her. "Yeah, we should."