Some of the pressure eases off my chest, and I manage a small smile, thinking about how I danced in the living room with him when I never thought I’d dance again. I can do this. I’ve made it through so much already. This should be the easy part.
Standing up straight, I open the doors and step inside with Luca, refusing to run away, to tumble into self-destruction, to be that lost illusion of myself.
When we enter the hallway, I notice every stare, hear every whisper, but I also feel Luca’s hand in mine.
“I have to check in at the main office,” he says, glancing around at all the people gawking.
“That’s okay.” I clutch onto his hand tighter. “I have to go to the guidance counselor’s office, which is right by the main office.”
We veer right and push our way through the people crowding the hallway. I see Cece standing with a few of her cheerleader friends, and when she waves, I wave back.
“So, do you want me to show you around after I get out,” I ask Luca when we arrive at the main office.”
“Of course.” He slips the handle of his backpack over his shoulder. “Okay, you’re right. I’m a little nervous. I’ve never started a new school before.”
“You’ll be fine,” I assure him, feeling really freaking anxious myself. “And if not, then we can both be outcasts together. You can even put purple in your hair and wear dark clothes so we can give everyone twice as many reasons to stare.”
“Sounds good to me.” He leans in and kisses my cheek. “See you in a bit, Anna.”
Smiling, I turn for the door and wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans before walking into the office.
Mr. Dalcbee glances up from a stack of papers. “Anna, please come in and have a seat.”
I drop down in a chair in front of his desk and pick at my fingernails, restless and fidgety because I’m here, getting ready to talk about my future with a clean, unpolluted mind.
“So,” he starts, adjusting his smiley face tie. “I wanted to discuss your grades again since it’s a new semester, which means you have a clean slate. I really think you shoulder take the opportunity to get your grades back up to what they were.”
I stare at my hands. “I guess I could try that.”
“Good. I’m so glad to hear that.” He sounds mildly shocked. He leans over and retrieves a folder from the file cabinet. “Now, I’d like to discuss your plans for college. I know at the end of last year you had a few colleges you were planning on applying to. Are you still planning on doing that? Because a lot of the schools have deadlines.”
I shrug, wringing my hands on my lap. “I’m not sure. Stuff’s changed, you know.”
“I know.” He pauses then closes the folder and sets it aside. “I know you’ve been through a lot and life has changed for you, but I’d really like to see you focus on something, just to jumpstart more ideas of maybe what you want do with your life.”
I’m not sure how to respond, and I have no idea what I want to focus on.
“How about this,” he says, crossing his arms on his desk. “Is there one thing you’re passionate about? Or maybe something that you’ve thought of doing after college?”
Seven months ago, I would’ve answered the question without a second thought. I want to be a dancer. A wife. A mother eventually. Happy. Healthy. Successful. In love.
Thinking about it right now, though, seems so overwhelming, so I decide to take it one step at a time.
“Honestly, I’m not really sure what I want to do in the future,” I tell him. “But for now, I kind of just want to be Anna.”
Upcoming books in the Honeyton Series:
Reclaiming Jessamine
Discovering Zhara
Alexis’s story (Title TBD)
Loki’s story (Title TBD)
The Metamorphosis of Nikoli
About the Author
Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author that lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
Other books by Jessica Sorensen:
The Coincidence Series:
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
The Redemption of Callie and Kayden
The Destiny of Violet and Luke
The Probability of Violet and Luke
The Certainty of Violet and Luke
The Resolution of Callie and Kayden
Seth & Grayson (Coming Soon)
The Secret Series:
The Prelude of Ella and Micha
The Secret of Ella and Micha
The Forever of Ella and Micha
The Temptation of Lila and Ethan
The Ever After of Ella and Micha
Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always
Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always
The Shattered Promises Series:
Shattered Promises
Fractured Souls
Unbroken
Broken Visions
Scattered Ashes (Coming Soon)
Breaking Nova Series:
Breaking Nova
Saving Quinton
Delilah: The Making of Red
Nova and Quinton: No Regrets
Tristan: Finding Hope
Wreck Me
Ruin Me
The Fallen Star Series (YA):
The Fallen Star
The Underworld
The Vision
The Promise
The Fallen Souls Series (spin off from The Fallen Star):
The Lost Soul
The Evanescence
The Darkness Falls Series:
Darkness Falls
Darkness Breaks
Darkness Fades
The Death Collectors Series (NA and YA):
Ember X and Ember
Cinder X and Cinder
Spark X and Cinder (Coming Soon)
The Sins Series:
Seduction & Temptation
Sins & Secrets
Unbeautiful Series:
Unbeautiful
Untamed
Unraveling Series:
Unraveling You
Raveling You
Awakening You
Standalones
The Forgotten Girl
Coming Soon:
Entranced
Steel & Bones
Connect with me online:
jessicasorensen.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Sorensen/165335743524509
https://twitter.com/#!/jessFallenStar
Jessica Sorensen, The Illusion of Annabella
(Series: # )
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