Auriella climbed the stairs to her room slowly, her body heavy with exhaustion and dread.
Penny had gone to her own room with a promise to come get her before the assembly.
She unlocked her door and stepped inside, closing it softly behind her.
The room was exactly as she'd left it—peaceful, quiet, untouched. It felt surreal. Like the chaos of last night had never happened.
But the scratches on her arms said otherwise
.
Auriella kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Her mind wouldn't stop racing.
Celeste. Where is she?
The party. The security guards.
And then... nothing.
She closed her eyes, trying to pull at the edges of the memory. Trying to see past the darkness.
But there was nothing there. Just a blank void where hours of her life should have been.
How did she get hurt? How did she get back to her room?
And why couldn't she remember any of it?
Her chest tightened with frustration and fear.
She turned onto her side, pulling her knees up to her chest.
What if Celeste was caught? What if she's being expelled right now?
Auriella squeezed her eyes shut, trying to push the thoughts away.
She suddenly remembered the words that granny had spoken to her about blackthorn.
She was sitting at the kitchen table, filling out practice applications for universities. Granny sat across from her, sipping tea, watching her with those sharp, knowing eyes.
"Blackthorn," Granny had said, tapping the name on the brochure. "That's where you'll go."
"It's so hard to get into," Auriella had said. "What if I don't make it?"
"You will." Granny's voice had been certain. Absolute.
Auriella had smiled, but then frowned at the fine print. " "You said you schooled there right ?
I heard their rules are so strict and It's like a prison."
Granny had leaned forward then, her expression serious.
"The rules at Blackthorn may seem strange, Auriella. Even harsh. But they're there for a reason."
"What reason?"
"To keep you safe."
Auriella had laughed at the time. "Safe from what? Bad grades?"
Granny laughed ,"maybe, no matter what happens make sure you go there , I want you to school in the same university I had attended ."
"But remember what I'm telling you. Follow the rules. Stay out of places you're not meant to be. And if something feels wrong..." Granny had paused, her voice dropping. "Trust your instincts."
At the time, Auriella had thought it was just Granny being overprotective.
But now...
Auriella opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling again.
The rules are there to keep you safe.
Safe from what?
Auriella's chest tightened. Granny had talked about Blackthorn her whole life. She'd known about the beautiful Gothic buildings, the prestige, the history.
But she'd never mentioned it would be this intense or hard .
Everything felt wrong. Off from what granny usually spoke about .
Exhaustion crept over her like a heavy blanket. Her eyelids grew heavy.
She didn't want to sleep. Didn't want to risk another nightmare.
But her body betrayed her.
Within minutes, she drifted off.