“She probably wants to work on her project later,” I replied, hating that I had to continue lying to her.
After dinner, I left Shaylee in her room and noticed that Jaden was still sleeping. I hoped Shaylee left her alone so she would be as rested as possible while she patrolled the school later.
I made my way down to the first floor and began a sweep of the building. Even though I knew Shaylee could be attacked without any obvious assailant in the area, I still felt better checking the entire building. I returned to their room after a few hours of wandering the halls. I knocked quietly and Jaden opened the door, slipping noiselessly out into the corridor.
“She’s been asleep for about an hour. It’s been quiet so far. No dreams,” she said.
I nodded, not in any way reassured. She turned and walked briskly to the stairs. I put my back against the wall and sank to the floor. We were so close to Shaylee’s Transition. Less than a day left before everything would change. Even if nothing happened, I would be forced to tell her the truth so that I could protect her.
The night passed slowly, Shaylee never making any sounds that would hint at distress. I hoped her night was truly as peaceful as it sounded from outside her door.
Chapter 18
Jaden
The dorm had an eerie silence to it, when I returned shortly before the alarm in my room was due to go off. I walked as quietly as I was able, wanting to avoid the echo of my footsteps on the wood floor.
When I reached the third floor, I saw Aaron sitting on the floor outside my room. His head was leaning against the wall and his eyes were closed. I approached him and his eyes popped open.
“Sleeping on the job?” I teased, already knowing there was no way he would fall asleep while guarding Shaylee.
“Hardly,” he replied.
“Go get cleaned up,” I suggested. “We’ll meet you at breakfast.”
I let myself into my room, silently. Shaylee was a tangle of limbs and blankets, but otherwise looked peaceful. I grabbed my uniform and a towel and went into the bathroom. Taking a shower usually calmed me and relieved my stress, but this time I found no comfort. This was the day we had been waiting for and somehow the shower only increased my agitation. I left the bathroom with shaky hands.
Shaylee gave me a small smile as she went into the bathroom. I packed my bag for class and began making a list of things I wanted to pack later. I knew there was a very good chance that when I left this room later today, I would never again set foot in it.
Shaylee emerged from the bathroom, her wet hair in a pony tail.
“Shay, you should really have let me do your hair,” I told her. “It’s your birthday. You should have beautiful hair.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head, ignoring my complaints.
I pretended not to notice when Aaron lightly kissed her forehead when he got to breakfast. He whispered, “Happy Birthday” into her ear. Aaron and I worked hard to keep things light through the meal and before I knew it, I was off to first period.
***
As the day progressed, I paid less and less attention to my classes. My thoughts revolved around the events that would be occurring in just a few short hours. I feared for the safety of my friend, but I was determined not to allow that fear to get the best of me.
After my last class, I practically sprinted up to my room. I threw my bag down and started setting up. I had just finished setting out all the make-up and hair products that I would need when Aaron and Shaylee came through the door.
“No,” I said, walking over and pushing Aaron back out the door. “This is girl time. We’ll see you at seven.”
I allowed him one last look at Shaylee before I shut the door in his face. I turned around and saw the look of shock on Shaylee’s face.
“Was that really necessary?” she asked. “Is this really necessary?”
She gestured to the mess I had created.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just ask me that,” I told her. “Now get into the shower and make it quick because I only have about an hour to beautify you.”
I pushed Shaylee into the bathroom and shut the door before she could protest. I waited until I heard the shower running before I changed my clothes. I decided on black slacks and a forest green blouse. Normally, I would have completed the ensemble with a pair of designer heels and some nice jewelry, but on this occasion, I decided to be more sensible. I put on a pair of black flats and decided against any jewelry.
Instead of the black clutch I usually favored on special occasions, I grabbed the largest purse I had from my closet and started packing. Thanks to the list I’d made earlier, I was able to quickly pack everything I thought Shaylee or I might need in the coming days.
After packing, I wrote a note to my grandmother. I needed her to know why I was doing what I was doing and I hoped that she would clean the remainder of our belongings out of the room. I ran out into the hallway and deposited the letter in the mail slot before returning to my room.
The bathroom door opened just as I was closing the main door. Shaylee shuffled out of the steamy bathroom wrapped in a towel. I could see the resignation on her face as she waited for my instructions.
“Here, put this on,” I said. I handed her a dress and walked away before she could protest. Shaylee walked back into the bathroom
A few minutes later she reemerged wearing the knee-length, sleeveless dress I’d bought for her. The dress was sheer with a black slip and gracefully flowed
