Weybridge Academy pretty much went into lockdown for the rest of the week. Wes was one of many who got sick, so classes were half empty, and the dining hall was quiet most days as people rested and recovered in their rooms.
Wes’s cold kept him out of school all week, and even when the weekend came around, he wasn’t feeling well enough to get out of bed. Anna refused to leave her room because she was convinced she looked like a snotty mess, even though she didn’t seem that unwell, while Cress kept trying to convince us all she was fine despite the fact she couldn’t stop sneezing and sounded like she’d swallowed a bee.
She was supposed to have her date with Kaden on Saturday, so I think she was playing down her symptoms because she desperately wanted to go. Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—he got sick too and was smart enough to cancel. Somehow, I’d managed to avoid picking up any of the symptoms, and I was doing my best to help my friends feel better while keeping my distance as much as I could.
“Maybe I do feel a little unwell,” Cress eventually conceded on Saturday morning as she snuggled under her covers. She’d just received the text from Kaden saying he needed to cancel their date, and she was taking the news remarkably well. I suspected it was because she was feeling horrible, and so she was slightly relieved she didn’t have to get out of bed.
“This is what I’ve been saying for days, Cress. You’re sick.”
“I know, I know. I think I was in denial.”
‘Major denial.”
She sighed and gave me a reluctant smile.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked.
“No thanks, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? I could make you a hot lemon and honey drink? My mom makes them for me when I’m sick. It always makes me feel better.”
“Hmm, that actually sounds amazing,” Cress replied.
“Done,” I answered with a grin. It was a miracle I’d avoided getting sick so far, but I was more than happy to play nurse until my friends felt a little better.
I left Cress in our room and started for the dorm kitchen. I was heading down the stairs when my phone buzzed with an incoming call from my dad. We’d both been busy so we’d barely talked since Halloween. There was no one else around, so I sat on the stairs and answered the phone.
“Hey, Matthew.”
“Good morning, Isobel,” he replied. “I heard there’s a terrible bug going around the school. How are you feeling?”
It wasn’t all that surprising he’d heard about the cold doing the rounds at school. He always seemed to know everything that was going on here.
“Yeah, everyone seems to be getting sick,” I said. “But I’m fine. I’ve somehow managed to avoid it so far.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“How are you?” I asked. “Is your eye looking any better?” The last I’d seen Matthew was the morning after Noah had punched him, and the skin around his eye was starting to bruise. He hadn’t wanted to talk much about it at the time, and I got the impression he preferred to pretend the confrontation with Noah and his grandfather hadn’t happened at all. It had happened though, and I wasn’t going to act otherwise.
“It’s on the mend. Thank you.”
“Good.” I let out a sigh. “I still can’t believe Noah punched you.” Even now, the memory still shocked me.
“Yes, well, I could have behaved better that night myself,” he replied. “It’s probably best we all try to put it behind us and move on.”
“I guess.” Noah didn’t appear to be losing any sleep over the incident, and if he was upset about it, he seemed to be taking it out on me rather than my father. As for Matthew, I was surprised he was so willing to let it go. He clearly had the means to send a team of lawyers after Noah for assault if he wanted to. But maybe he genuinely thought he was in the wrong and deserved the punch.
“Well, it’s good to hear you’re well,” Matthew said. “I can’t talk long as I’m between meetings, but I’ll see you in a couple of weeks at Thanksgiving.”
“Oh, you’re coming to Rapid Bay?” My mom had told me she was planning to invite Matthew, but this was the first time I’d heard he was actually coming, so I couldn’t keep the surprise from my voice.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” He sounded genuinely excited about being with us for the holiday.
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
I found myself smiling as I hung up the phone. I was surprised how pleased I was to hear Matthew was coming to Rapid Bay for Thanksgiving. It also felt nice he’d called for no reason other than to check whether I was sick. It was a very fatherly thing to do, and while I was still getting used to the fact I now had two parents who wanted to look after me, I was growing to like it.
I stood and continued on my way to the kitchen. It was usually bustling with students raiding the pantry or hanging out, but today the room was empty. Most people were stuck in bed and probably feeling too sick to even come down for snacks.
I stepped into the large walk-in pantry where the kettle was kept and searched for the lemon and honey I needed to make Cress’s drink, ensuring I had enough of both to make a drink for Anna as well. She didn’t get along with her roommate, so I couldn’t imagine she was receiving much help today. Once the water was boiled, I poured it into two mugs, squeezed lemon juice into both, and then stirred in some honey.
As I let the drinks brew, I heard someone enter the kitchen. I couldn’t see who it was because the door to the pantry had swung in and was almost fully closed. I could hear the person clearly though. It sounded like they were on the phone.
“Yes, Mother, I understand.” I wasn’t listening too closely, but my ears perked up slightly when I realized it was Veronica’s voice.
I didn’t particularly feel like running into her this morning. Ever since she’d officially gotten together with Noah, she seemed to be throwing smug looks my way at every possible opportunity. It was unbearable. I could hear her rummaging through the fridge as she spoke on the phone, so I decided to stay hidden in the pantry. Hopefully, she would get what she needed and leave the kitchen before I was done making the teas.
“Mother, I told you I get it. And yes, I am planning on coming to Noah’s birthday in New York, but that’s weeks away. How do you know we’ll still be together?”
I stilled. Noah and Veronica had only just started dating, and already she sounded unsure they’d make it more than a few weeks. I couldn’t deny I was intrigued. She paused to listen to her mother’s response before letting out a sigh.
“Yes, we’re finally together, but maybe it won’t work out. Maybe we’re not meant to be together.”
There was another pause before Veronica gasped, her voice becoming a low whisper.
“Well, maybe it matters to me, Mother.”
My eyebrows shot up. I didn’t feel comfortable listening to this conversation. I couldn’t leave the kitchen without Veronica seeing me though. Then she’d know I’d overheard everything she’d been saying. And while a part of me thought about covering my ears and tuning it out, another part of me was listening with bated breath.
“I’ve got to go. I’ll speak to you later.” It sounded like Veronica had ended the conversation. Maybe she would leave now. I kept my back to the pantry door and stared down at the two mugs on the counter in front of me.
“You know, it’s pretty rude to eavesdrop on private conversations, Isobel.”
I tensed at the sound of Veronica’s voice and slowly turned to face her. She was standing in the pantry doorway, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. She looked like hell. Her skin was so pale it was nearly translucent, and her nose was red. Like almost everyone else, she must have caught the cold that was sweeping the school.
“I’m just making some drinks,” I said. “I didn’t mean to overhear.”
Veronica looked ready to argue with me, but she sighed and stepped into the panty, leaning against the countertop just inside the doorway. She must have been feeling too tired to give me her usual verbal lashing.
“But you did overhear?” she asked. “How much?”
“Everything you said since you entered the kitchen.” There was no point in lying.
“Great.” She sighed. “You’re the last person I’d want overhearing that conversation.”
“Well, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“No, I suppose not.”
We fell silent, and the only sound in the room was the light tapping of Veronica’s foot on the floor. She seemed anxious and was gently chewing on her bottom lip.
“Is everything okay?” I asked her
She glanced at me and looked me up and down as though she was trying to decide whether I could be trusted with the answer. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Okay,” I said, turning back to the counter to pick up my friends’ drinks. Before I could turn and leave, Veronica spoke again.
“It’s just my mom,” she started. “I can never do anything right in her eyes.”
“Oh, that must be hard.” I didn’t know what else to say. Veronica was probably right. I rarely understood the dramas and dilemmas people faced in this wealthy and privileged world. But Veronica seemed like she wanted to vent all the same.
“I’m just tired of pretending to be who she wants me to be all the time. To do what she wants me to. Be with who she wants me to.”
“Are you talking about Noah?”
“Uh, no.” She responded a little too quickly. Given the conversation I’d heard her having with her mother, I couldn’t imagine who else she would have been talking about. Before I could say anything else, her eyes landed on the two mugs I was holding, and a crease crinkled her brow.
“What is that?” she asked. “It smells good.”
“Uh, it’s honey and lemon tea. For Anna and Cress. They aren’t feeling well.”
Veronica lifted her chin slightly and closed her eyes like she was breathing in the citrusy aroma that was starting to fill the pantry.
“Do you want one?” I asked. “You look like you could use it.”
I was surprised when she started to nod.
“If you don’t mind.”
I turned back to the counter and fetched another mug from the shelf.
“I’ve been sick for a couple of days now,” Veronica said. “None of my friends have even offered to get me some tissues.”
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She seemed confused, or hurt, by the idea her friends hadn’t offered to help her. I would have thought I was the last person in the world Veronica would want to accept help from, but then again, she’d just confided in me about her issues with her mother. Maybe there wasn’t anyone else she could talk to about it. Just like there wasn’t anyone to make her honey and lemon tea.
“Maybe they just don’t think you need it,” I said. “You always come across as such a strong person. Not the kind of person that needs looking after.”
“Yes, well, things aren’t always what they seem,” she said.
“True,” I agreed.
We stood in silence as I finished making Veronica’s drink. When I handed it to her, she gave me a suspicious look.
“You haven’t poisoned this, have you?”
“What? I would nev—’
“I’m joking.” She smiled and took the mug. “Thank you.”
It was the most genuine expression I’d ever seen on Veronica’s face, and I smiled back. “You’re welcome.”
I picked up the other two mugs of tea, and we made our way out of the pantry. Just as we were about to leave the kitchen, Veronica paused. “Thanks again for the tea. And for listening to me rant.”
“No problem,” I replied. “I hope everything works out for you.”
“It will.” She flicked her hand as she spoke. “I was just being silly. This cold is messing with my head.”
I nodded, but Veronica stayed where she was, blocking the way out of the kitchen. She was looking down at her mug and biting her bottom lip again as though she wasn’t quite finished.
“I don’t hate you, you know,” she said. “I know I made fun of you for being a charity case, but I’ve got nothing against the scholarship students at Weybridge.”
‘Really?’ The way she’d treated me and picked on Lily so far this year suggested otherwise. “Then why—
“Because I have to maintain certain appearances,” she said. “More than ever right now.”
“What do you mean? Why now?”
“Look, I’m just saying that I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you, but like I said, things aren’t always what they seem.”
She turned and walked away before I could respond, and I stood there frowning after her. I was completely baffled by our conversation. Veronica had opened up to me and accepted my help, and now she had actually apologized to me. Maybe that cold really was messing with her head. After all that though, one thing she had said was stuck at the front of my mind. Had she been talking about Noah with her mom? Did she really suggest he wasn’t the person she wanted to be with? And if he wasn’t, could it be because there was someone else?
