Aria.
I stood in front of the dorm, staring at the cracked pavement beneath my shoes. The black car that had brought me back was already gone, fading into the distance.
My hands felt heavy at my sides, and when I finally pushed open the front door of the building, my heart sank even further.
Mrs. Holt was behind the reception desk, hunched over a stack of papers. She looked up the moment she saw me and narrowed her eyes.
“I hope you didn’t mess this up with your big mouth and troublesome attitude,” she said sharply.
I swallowed, trying to hold myself together as the sting behind my eyes grew worse.
I brushed quickly at my lashes, not wanting to let her see me cry.
Mrs. Holt let out a dramatic sigh, waving her hand as if brushing me aside. “Just go to your room. If I see one more S
