Chapter 14

Maeve's pov

I was sitting in Mrs. Donovan’s office, feeling like I wanted to be anywhere else. Home, my bed—really, anywhere but here.

Mrs. Donovan was one of those teachers that you couldn’t help but notice. She wore these big, round glasses that made her eyes look huge. And her clothes—oh boy. Today, she was wearing a purple dress with orange spots, and it looked like something from a cartoon. If it weren’t for her serious face, she’d look like a quirky aunt at a family reunion.

But right now, her serious face was aimed at me, and it made me feel like shrinking into my chair. All I wanted was to go home, lie down, and pretend today hadn’t happened.

I glanced around her office, trying to distract myself. The walls were covered with old pictures of students and little motivational posters. “Reach for the stars,” one said, with a cartoon rocket on it. There was a weird smell in the air, like old books mixed with peppermint.

"Miss Whitlock, are you even listening to me?" Mrs. Don