Chapter 12

Kat's POV

I rounded the corner, my vision blurred with tears I refused to let fall.

My chest ached, like someone was squeezing my heart.

Why did it hurt so much?

Why did seeing him look at me like I was nothing hurt even more than the laughter in the dining room?

I wiped my eyes roughly with the sleeve of my top, not caring if anyone saw me.

I just needed somewhere quiet.

Somewhere to be alone.

Somewhere I could fall apart without an audience.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked softly from behind me.

I quickly wiped at my face with the sleeve of my top, trying to dry my tears before I turned around.

When I looked up, I saw Cindy standing there. She had a worried look on her face, her brown eyes filled with concern.

She was holding a tray with a few empty cups, like she had been helping clean up before she found me.

I tried to smile, even though my throat felt tight and my chest still hurt.

"I'm fine," I said quickly, but my voice came out all shaky and weak.

I wiped at my face again, just to be sure there were no more tears left.

Cindy tilted her head a little, like she didn’t really believe me, but she didn’t push.

Instead, she gave me a small, understanding smile.

"Everyone’s still eating breakfast," she said gently.

"But if you don’t want to go back in there... that’s okay."

I nodded quickly.

There was no way I was going back in there. Not after what happened.

I could still hear their laughter ringing in my ears, making my stomach twist painfully.

"I don’t want to," I admitted in a small voice, staring at the floor because I didn’t want to meet her eyes.

I felt so ashamed. I had barely been here a day and I was already being laughed at.

"I get it," Cindy said kindly.

"Sometimes... people can be a little mean when they see someone new. They don’t really know you yet. They just act like that because it’s easier than being welcoming."

I blinked up at her, surprised.

Nobody had ever explained it like that before.

Back at my old pack, it was just cruelty for the sake of it. No one cared about being nice.

Before I could say anything, Cindy smiled a little more and said, "If you want, you can head back to your room. I’ll bring you a plate so you can eat in peace."

My mouth dropped open a little in shock.

She... she was being nice to me.

We barely knew each other, and yet she was offering to help me without even thinking twice.

"Really?" I asked, my voice small and a little disbelieving.

"Really," she said with a soft laugh. "It’s no big deal."

I felt my eyes sting again, but this time it wasn’t from sadness.

It was because someone was actually being kind to me.

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling my chest swell with gratitude.

Cindy just smiled bigger and waved her hand like it was nothing.

"Go on," she said. "I'll bring it up when it’s ready. Promise."

I nodded quickly, not trusting my voice anymore.

I turned and walked as fast as I could toward the stairs, not wanting to bump into anyone else.

My shoes made soft tapping sounds on the floor, but otherwise the hallway was quiet.

My heart was still racing, like I was scared someone was going to jump out and say something mean again.

I hurried up the staircase, my hand brushing lightly along the wooden railing for balance.

The walls here were painted a soft cream color, and the big windows let in lots of sunlight, making everything look warm and bright.

But even the pretty surroundings couldn’t make me relax fully.

When I reached the top floor, I glanced around quickly.

No one was there.

Relief flooded through me, and I hurried down the hall to my room.

I opened the door and slipped inside, closing it behind me with a soft click.

Just to be safe, I turned the lock.

I leaned back against the door for a second, letting myself breathe properly again.

The room was still just as beautiful as it was yesterday.

The sunlight streamed in through the big windows, casting golden patches on the floor.

The bed looked so soft and cozy with its fluffy white blankets.

Everything smelled faintly of fresh linen and something sweet, like vanilla.

I walked over to the bed and sat down slowly on the edge.

The mattress dipped under my weight, and for a moment, I just sat there, twisting my hands in my lap.

My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten since yesterday.

I pressed a hand to my belly, feeling it rumble again.

Hopefully Cindy wouldn’t forget about me...

But somehow, I knew she wouldn’t.

She seemed like the kind of person who kept her promises.

I looked around the room, trying to distract myself while I waited.

There was a small wooden desk by the window with a comfy-looking chair tucked under it.

A tall bookshelf stood next to the desk, though it was mostly empty except for a few random books scattered on the shelves.

Maybe later, I could find some books to fill it up.

There was a soft-looking armchair in the corner with a little table beside it.

A perfect spot for reading, I thought, feeling a tiny bit excited at the idea.

I kicked my legs a little where they hung off the bed, feeling a little more relaxed now.

It felt nice to have a space that was just mine.

Even if I didn’t know anyone here yet...

Even if people were mean to me downstairs...

Maybe, just maybe, things would get better.

I hugged a pillow to my chest and closed my eyes, trying to hold onto that little bit of hope.

And I waited for Cindy, the first real friend I might ever have.

After what felt like forever, a soft knock sounded on my door.