ol

eet her eyes. "This is a junior-level skill. W

ppreciative smile. From the corner of my eye, I cau

yone to take a seat again, I had no

k down. "Please come visit me after class. Th

n hour the bell rang. Students began to gather their

ood at my table with her minions. Knowing I wouldn't be able to s

" I a

g to her," she said to the other girls. "But I guess some

invite trouble, so I diverted my gaze, keeping my mouth

ne, I made my way ov

y, gesturing to the c

ray hair behind her ear. Her gaze was observi

om the Bloodrose Pack, correct?" s

sure where t

your dad, Greg. He was such a strong fighter, they were always togeth

corrected her, a smi

ents, they treated them like literal ghost

ed, "And I'm going to give you th

nfused. "What

eard of the

s, my cousin-" I hesitated, correcting mys

eed, he is, and so

the best students from all years. They were the face of the scho

the Elite Team," Esther said, as if it

d a beat. "W-Wh

who can heal thirty fish in one g

talent, but no one ever told me I had a bright future.

on, or what I wasn't doing good enough. Those w

hat I was good enough for something meant m

f the ordinary for a Bloodrose," Esthe

g the pressure that came wit

s, I made up for in healing-but I

n't k

trong, Violet-too strong. You need to c

his was only t

ee whether someone is good enough f

me, believed in me-and I didn't want to let her

said. "I

lieved. "I'll send you an

ng was bothering me-something only she could help with. "By t

sther's face. "Did I?"

"I saw a picture of Mom...with t

friends," Esthe

or best frien

o call you Claire. I got

e situation. "Do you maybe have her number or a

sed away man

away?" I r

gs depression ca

he dep

piece of paper from her desk. "I'll write yo

m for the next period. Esther scribbled something ont

old and distant. By her tone, I could tell the conversation wa

t, but there was something about the way they hugged in that picture that

g to let it drop before

ory and emotional healing-it

It was an unorganized mess. Everywhere I looked, students were t

ds at a table near the center. Kylan wasn't there

t seen him. I knew he meant well, but I had

ther, have classes togethe

e disliked them. It had

orner, hoping nobody would bother me, then

nt to ten in public? I was socially awkward, not good at mak

eady for somet

elling him the good news would cheer me up. Maybe he would be proud of me

ail, but I decided not to let it get to me.

haven't heard from you in a while, but I just wanted to tell

warm, affectionate or caring for a single day in his life-but I still loved him. He had taken

g around with th

idn't

e didn

her did

hose stud

tarlight Academy. The only one keeping me san

ng me flinch. My eyes widened as I looked straight

ing me, I figured I'd

as N