Chapter 3: Eve

A shuddering chill climbed up my spine as I was pulled, still cuffed, up the wooded pathway from the dock. We were here, on the island, and it was just as bitterly cold and depressing as I had expected. Even the looming academy itself looked more like an insane asylum than it did a private school. Faded red brick made up the building, and long, twisting ivy snaked up and down the walls. It looked like it hadn’t been updated in years, and it reminded me of when Mother told me the school was first opened in 1915 for people just like me.

“Welcome to your new home, kiddo,” the guard who had a hold of me said.

I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to correct him. I didn’t belong here, and everyone knew it. I wouldn’t be stuck here long.

I stayed silent to avoid trouble and allowed the guard to lead me up the gardened path toward the academy. A few people were outside, men and women around my age, and everyone stopped to stare at the new intake. Some staff members were outside, too—professors maybe, enjoying the fresh air in the yard.

Ignoring the cold stare of eyes on my back, I stepped through the academy doors, still firmly held by the guard. We entered a large, lobby-looking room, and the guard pointed for me to sit in a chair while he went to speak to the woman behind the desk. I strained to hear what they were saying but couldn’t quite make it out. The woman glanced at me over the guard’s shoulder, nodded at him, and then stood from behind the desk.

“Evelina,” she said, and I sat up straighter, glancing down again at the cuffs on my wrists.

“Here,” I replied, standing up abruptly. I raised my hands in the air with a scowl. “Could somebody take these off? It’s kind of ridiculous. This is a fucking school.”

The guard turned on me, face twisted with anger. “I already told you, kid, it’s policy. So sit down and—”

“James,” a cool voice said, and an office door opened to my right. “Uncuff her, please. And send her in.”

Feeling smug, I watched as the guard, James, hesitantly undid the cuffs. I drew my arms into my chest, rubbing the raw spots with a grimace.

“Go on then,” he snapped. “The boss is waiting for you.”

I didn’t know who the boss was or why he was waiting for me, but I complied, glad to be out of the vicious grip of the douchebag in front of me. Stepping into the doorway, I caught sight at once of the man sitting behind a large oak desk. He smiled warmly when I came in, waving his hand to the empty chair across from his desk. I sat, shivering, as the exhaustion finally caught up to me.

“Evelina Bloom.” He offered his hand. “My name is John Carter.”

“Hi,” I said awkwardly, looking around the nicely decorated office. A large, vibrantly decorated fish tank glowed from one side of the room, and certificates and awards hung up and down the walls. It was professional, yet homely. This had to be the principal.

“Do you run this place?” I asked, and John laughed.

“Yes and no. We all run this place together. None of us could do it on our own.”

“Ah.” I focused on one of the colorful fish in the tank, my eyes following as it darted back and forth in front of the glass.

“Evelina,” John said, clasping his hands together as he sat up straighter. “Why do you think you’re here?”

“At this school for weirdos?” I asked, and after a moment, he nodded just once.

“For lack of a better term, yes.”

“I’m here because my stepfather hates me,” I said bluntly. “And he’s trained my mom to do the same.”

“And what makes you think that?”

I shrugged, glancing down at my hands in my lap to pick at the cuticles nervously. Mother would slap me if she saw me doing it.

“I think you know why.” I nodded toward a folder resting in front of his hands on the desk. My name was on it; there was no explaining to be done.

“I see.” John didn’t seem angry or even annoyed. He appeared to be, if anything, amused.

“I know, I know,” I said. “Everyone here thinks they don’t belong, right? You probably get that a hundred times a day.”

“Something like that.”

“Do I look crazy to you?”

“No one said you were crazy,” he assured me. “I just wanted to hear it from you.”

With a sigh, I forced my attention away from my bloody nailbed, focusing instead on the strange, artistically framed paintings on the wall.

“You like those?” he asked, and I shrugged.

“My mother is really into art. She’s a collector. I think it’s stupid, to be honest.”

“I like your honesty.” John Carter was a handsome man, that was evident, and the way he composed himself was gentle and honest. He was a professional—a safe space. I could learn to like him.

Maybe.

“Welcome to Blackwood,” John said, finally opening that fat file on his desk. He hummed quietly as he flipped through it, then shut it abruptly and pinned his gaze on me again. “We’ve assigned you a dorm with a roommate,” he explained, grabbing a notepad and pen to jot down some notes for me. “Classes start in the early a.m., at seven sharp. Don’t be late.”

“What about my clothes and belongings?” I asked, wondering suddenly if any of the guards had happened to grab my bag and bring it up.

“Your luggage will be delivered to your room. But otherwise, everything you need will be provided for you. We have uniforms for students that are, erm, school policy. Breakfast is at six, lunch is at noon, and dinner is at seven. If you miss a meal, you won’t get to eat. Your roommate will show you where the cafeteria is.”

“When can I call my mother?” I asked, only partially listening to his instructions. John sighed and removed the glasses from the bridge of his nose, pinching it briefly before smiling.

“We require our students to be here for a week before allowing phone calls.”

“A week?” I demanded. “I can’t wait a week. She needs to know the truth. I don’t belong here. I need to get out.”

“If you didn’t belong here, Evelina, then you wouldn’t be here,” John said gently, and for the first time since our little chat, I wanted to bloody his nose.

“It’s Eve,” I said stiffly. “Only my parents call me Evelina.”

“Very well, Eve. Now, do you have any other questions?”

“Um. Food, class, food, class, food. Does that about sum it up?”

John’s smile only grew. “Very well.” He stood then and crossed around the desk to open the door, poking his head into the hallway. “Kasey,” he said to someone. “She’s finished up in here. Show her to your room, will you?”

A moment later, a new face appeared in the doorway. She was a woman about my age, with mocha skin, auburn hair, and eyes so intense I almost squirmed in my seat.

“I’m Kasey.” She reached both hands up to tighten the messy bun on top of her head. “Come on then.”

I looked at John, who nodded kindly. “Go ahead.”

Unsure of what else to do, I stood to follow Kasey out of the office. She started down the hallway, giving me no choice but to follow her. More people appeared as we walked. Some of them were interested in my arrival, while others didn’t look like they gave a flip either way.

“So,” Kasey said, sticking her thumb in her mouth to nibble on the nail. “What are you in for?”

I laughed. “In for? Okay, it’s just a school for troubled adults. I didn’t commit murder or anything.”

“So what did you do?”

“I-I told my parents something they didn’t believe. They think I’m lying and delusional.”

“That’s it?” Kasey asked. “You lied to somebody about something?”

“Yes. I mean, no. I wasn’t lying. They just think I’m lying.”

“Do you think you’re lying?” she asked, and I had to stop for a moment to compose my thoughts.

“I don’t—I’m not sick like the rest of you,” I told her, and Kasey frowned.

“I’m not sick, either. Just because we have some troubled people here doesn’t mean we’re sick. We’re just normal people—”

“Who can’t function in society,” I finished. “Got it.”

“Okay, you’re kind of being a cunt,” Kasey said, catching me completely off guard as she stopped walking and whirled on me. Heat rose to my neck and cheeks as I stared back at her.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean…” I trailed off, unsure of how I could put it so that I wouldn’t offend her and everyone else here. “I don’t have a disorder or anything. I accused someone of something, and my stepfather covered it up. They’ll know I’m not crazy within the first few days. Then I’ll get to go home.”

Kasey laughed as though I’d just told her a corny joke. “Whatever helps the denial. Anyway, this is our room.” As she reached for the handle to open the door, someone came up behind me suddenly, breath hot on my neck. I recoiled, pulling into myself like a frightened animal as the man touched my shoulder.

“Hi, angel girl,” he whispered, brushing his lips against my ear suggestively.

I froze on the spot, too terrified to move, even breathe. In front of me, even Kasey seemed to be holding her breath.

“Who’s your friend, Kasey?” the man asked, taking a step back so he could rake his eyes over my body. I squirmed under his gaze, terrified yet stupidly attracted to this asshole in front of me. He was tall and built, with brushed-back hazel hair, a five o’clock shadow, and a gaze so intense I wanted to drop to my knees and beg him for mercy.

“My name is Evelina,” I said steadily. “Eve.”

The man’s eyes narrowed briefly, a smirk rising to his lips. “Evelina,” he purred, rolling my name around on his tongue as though he tasted it. “My name is Keane Hearne. My brothers and I run this institute.”

“You—what?” I looked over at Kacey, hoping for an explanation, but she still seemed frozen on the spot.

“We’re the bosses here,” he said. “But don’t worry, you’ll figure that out in no time.”

Creeped out, I took a step back, putting distance between us. I hated how he was speaking to me; it was frightening. But at the same time, I couldn’t stop my mind from making up fantasies about this guy, either.

“K-Keane,” Kasey said, and she looked so frightened to even speak his name that I almost laughed. “Carter wanted me to show her around.”

“Sure,” Keane breathed, flashing a smile at me. As we stood facing each other, he reached into his pocket for a cigarette, slipping it between his lips before pulling out a lighter and lighting it. He took a long, hard drag and blew the smoke into my face.

“Mr. Hearne!” one of the staff members scolded him from down the hallway. “You know the rules.”

Keane turned away from me to look at the woman. He was smirking. “Don’t worry about it, Mrs. Tucker. I won’t tell if you don’t.”

I was shocked when the woman let out a huff and wheeled around to walk away without giving him a single glance back.

“What the hell,” I muttered, and Keane’s gaze focused on me again. “I’ll see you around, kitten,” he said with a wink, then brushed past me and vanished around the corner.

“What the fuck was that?” I asked Kasey. “Or better yet, who the fuck was that?”

“Come in here.” Kasey opened the door to our dorm. I stepped in after her, stopping to look around. It certainly wasn’t anything fancy. Two twin beds against the wall, a large closet to share, and a small, tight bathroom inside the room.

“It’s the Four Seasons,” I said with a low whistle, and Kasey grinned.

“Basically. That’s your bed.”

I crossed to the one she was pointing at and sat down, noticing my single suitcase on the floor at the end of the bed. It was dingy and old here like the place hadn’t been updated since the 1900s.

“Okay.” I crossed my legs beneath me on the bed. “Tell me about that asshole in the hallway. What’s up with him?”

“Well…” Kasey trailed off for a moment as if trying to find the right words. “Keane runs around with two other guys, Beau and Teague. They’re best friends, as close as brothers.”

“Are they all as hot as him?”

When Kasey didn’t smile at this, I swallowed my cockiness.

“They’re hot,” she said. “But…they’re dangerous. They’re famous in this place because they’ve banded together and enforced the rules. So they basically get away with everything.”

“Even murder?” I joked, but still, Kasey didn’t laugh.

“Something like that.” She sighed, biting her lip. “Some people say they want to be here,” she whispered. “Just to have their run of the school. All they really do is pick on people and fuck the girls.”

“Fuck the girls? Like…rape them?”

“Nah, I think it’s all consensual.” Kasey shrugged. “It’s an honor to be picked as the Blackwood Rogues’ whore of the month.”

“Blackwood Rouges?”

“That’s what they call themselves.”

“Whore of the month?”

“Any girl they decide to fixate on becomes theirs.” Kasey lowered her voice. “Nobody has ever denied their request. If you could even call it that.”

“What do you mean?”

“They don’t rape the girls,” she said. “But they don’t like taking no for an answer, either.”

“They sound like a bag of dicks,” I muttered, and Kasey nodded in agreement.

“Don’t ever say that out loud,” she warned. “They could hurt you for it.”

I sighed and shook my head, kicking back on the bed, thinking once again of Keane Hearne. It didn’t matter how sinfully sexy he was on the outside. I wasn’t about to fall for a douchebag like that.

“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”