CONFUSED DESIRES (Claimed by them)

Chapter Eleven

By the time I got home, it was already dark.

The cold evening air clung to my skin as I stood outside the apartment building, staring up at the flickering light in our kitchen window.

Everything felt different now.

The world.

The school.

Me.

Werewolves.

Vampires.

The words still sounded insane in my head, but after today… I couldn’t deny it anymore.

Not after Kael’s glowing eyes.

Not after Seraphina’s cold touch.

Not after the Headmaster told me directly.

I tightened my grip on my bag and slowly climbed the stairs to our apartment.

The door creaked when I opened it.

The familiar smell of cheap noodles and laundry detergent hit me immediately.

Small.

Warm.

Tired.

That was home.

“You’re late.”

I looked up.

My mother stood near the tiny kitchen, exhaustion written all over her face. Her work uniform was wrinkled, and dark circles sat under her eyes.

Guilt twisted in my chest instantly.

“Sorry,” I said quietly.

She sighed softly and rubbed her forehead.

“How was the new school?”

The question made me pause.

How was I supposed to answer that?

Terrifying? Confusing? Full of supernatural psychopaths?

Instead, I forced a small smile.

“Fine.”

A lie.

A terrible one.

But she looked too exhausted to question it.

“That’s good,” she murmured.

I noticed several papers spread across the table.

Bills.

Again.

My chest tightened.

Mom quickly gathered them together, almost like she didn’t want me seeing them.

Too late.

“You don’t have to hide it,” I said softly.

Her shoulders stiffened slightly.

“I said it’s fine.”

Which meant it definitely wasn’t fine.

Silence settled between us.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Then—

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

My stomach dropped immediately.

Her tone wasn’t normal.

“What is it?” I asked carefully.

She hesitated.

And somehow—

That scared me more.

Finally, she sat down slowly across from me.

“I called the academy called earlier.”

My grip tightened on my bag.

“What?”

"I..I..I asked them if students could stay and live in school"

“They said students aren't actually allowed to stay on campus but an exception for .s..so you would be allowed to stay on campus,” she continued quietly. “Dormitories. Meals. Everything included.”

Confusion flickered through me.

“Okay…”

Her eyes lowered slightly.

“Elena…”

That tone again.

No.

“I can’t afford transportation every day,” she admitted softly. “Not with everything else.”

My chest tightened painfully.

“Mom—”

“And I got offered another nanny position,” she rushed out quickly. “It pays better, but it’s farther away. I’ll be working late most nights.”

Something twisted inside me.

She looked exhausted already.

Now she was taking more work.

Because of me.

“I can stay here,” I said immediately. “I’ll take the bus or—”

“No.”

The answer came too quickly.

Too firmly.

She sighed softly afterward.

“You deserve this opportunity,” she said quietly. “I won’t let money ruin it..and also I can't pay the rent anymore.”

Guilt hit harder this time.

Because I knew the truth.

Money already was ruining things.

Our apartment was small enough that I could hear the pipes shaking at night. She skipped meals sometimes and pretended she wasn’t hungry. She worked constantly.

And now—

I was becoming another burden.

“I don’t want you working more because of me,” I whispered.

Her expression softened instantly.

“Oh, sweetheart…”

She reached across the table and squeezed my hand gently.

“You are never a burden.”

But I saw the exhaustion in her eyes.

The stress.

The fear she tried to hide from me.

And suddenly—

The giant academy didn’t feel exciting anymore.

It felt far away.

Cold.

Dangerous.

“You’ll stay in the dorms,” she continued softly. “Just during school terms.”

I looked down at the table.

At the unpaid bills she tried to hide.

At her tired hands.

And slowly—

I nodded.

“…Okay.”

Relief flickered across her face.

Then guilt immediately followed it.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

That hurt more than anything.

Because she sounded ashamed.

I forced a small smile.

“It’s okay.”

Another lie.

Silence filled the apartment again.

But this one felt different.

Sad.

Lonely.

Then she stood up suddenly.

“I should finish packing your things before my night shift.”

Night shift.

Of course.

“You’re leaving tonight?” I asked softly.

She nodded apologetically.

“I won’t be gone long.”

But we both knew she would.

I watched her move around the apartment quietly, gathering clothes, folding them neatly despite how tired she looked.

And for the first time since arriving at Blackwood Academy—

I felt afraid in a completely different way.

Because now—

I wasn’t just trapped in that school.

I was going to live there.

Alone.

Surrounded by predators.

And somehow…

That felt like exactly what they wanted.

But what could I do, I could see the tears glistening in her eyes..the ones she was trying so hard not let fall.

And at that moment I couldn't bring myself to argue or even utter a word.

I just nodded and she sighed in relief,

"Elena, since it's too sudden you can move into the school at the beginning of the weekend..so no rush it's just Tuesday..okay??"

I didn't have the strength to respond, just nodded my head obediently.

I could use the opportunity to secretly check out the dorms and start moving my things piece by piece.

I hate my life right now.