Riverview School For Girls [GxG]

eighteen

In the dining hall, the cold faces pressed into the stained glass windows stared down at Willow, and she felt more judged than ever. Their eyes were undressing her, peeling back the barriers she had spent years building, until all that was left was her filthy core, riddled with secrets and sins. It made her hot, clammy, guilty. She wondered if everyone else in the noisy dining room could see straight through her, too. But no one was looking in her direction; all busy with their own lives, their own secrets, their own sins.

Willow focussed on her food, trying her hardest to block out the memory of Jordan pressing her against a desk, and kissing her like it was the only thing keeping her alive. The excitement at the danger of the situation had faded away — it had been replaced with regret. Willow was a prefect. She valued rules, and respect, and responsibility. Sneaking into an empty office and making out on the desk wasn't thrilling, it was careless.

Jordan made her weak. She made her forget who she was. From now on, she vowed to be the responsible one, she vowed to refuse to let Jordan drag her into trouble.

Willow continued eating in silence, shaking those thoughts away. She felt like what she had done with Jordan was written across her face, and everyone could see it. So, she looked down, prodding her food, quietly listening to her friends talking around her.

"He's always been my favourite teacher." Sydney twirled a straight black lock between her fingers, her food neglected on the plate in front of her.

"No, he hasn't." Val scoffed, "You always complain about him giving us too much homework."

"Well, it's ridiculous!" Sydney threw her arms up in exasperation, "It's an essay every week; it's too much!"

Dahlia rose her brows, an amused smile ghosting her lips, "So, Dr Lloyd is not your favourite teacher then?"

Sydney rolled her eyes, "Well, he is now." She shrugged, "I've never seen anyone talk to Burke like that before."

"I don't know." Val's head was in her hands, her elbows propped up on the table, "I reckon Jordan Kiani could give him a run for his money." She scoffed.

Willow's interested piqued, but she remained silent.

"You think?" Dahlia frowned.

"Well, she's always talking back to Burke." Val shrugged, "At first I thought it was brave, now I just think it's stupid."

Sydney glanced across at Willow, trying to gauge her reaction, before opening her mouth, "It is stupid." She agreed, "It's also cool."

Willow rose her brows, unimpressed, "You think Jordan's cool now?"

Sydney shrugged, "Sure."

Willow rolled her eyes, "Sure." She echoed in return.

"Anyway..." Dahlia cleared her throat, searching her brain for a way to turn the conversation around.

"I'm thinking of changing my hair." Sydney said, her fingers dragging through her dark locks.

Val rose her brows in surprise, "You haven't changed your hair for as long as we've known you."

"That's the point." Sydney replied, "It's time for something different."

Willow zoned out again, halfheartedly searching the dining hall for Jordan, though she had no luck locating those almond eyes she so desperately wanted to fall into. Jordan had been at Riverview for over a month, and still, Willow had never seen her in the dining hall. She wasn't sure where she ate, though Dahlia had once mentioned seeing her in the courtyard during lunch. Willow had never thought to ask Jordan — it never seemed like any of her business.