No. It was his armor. At school, he fought so hard to be seen and tried to be someone people liked because he knew he would never measure up to his father’s expectations.
I felt sorry for him. The pressures he must have felt all his life. Did he ever get the chance to make his own decisions?
Wrapping my arms around myself, I turned to stare out the window as we drove past the guardhouse.
Javi played his music, leaving me to my own thoughts and fears. If this was who they’d turned their own son into, what did that mean for me? How could I get away before it was too late? And did I just leave my cousin to his fate?
9
We arrived back at the house and dread built inside me. Something was going to happen. I just knew it. A bad taste filled my mouth as we left the car in the garage and headed inside.
Tía Teresa was there to greet us. “How did you like the school?”
My eyes shifted from her to Javi, unsure if this was the trap they’d been setting up for me. They stared back at me, dark eyes drilling into me. I shrugged off the eerie feeling and started walking up the stairs.
“It was fine. Nice school,” I answered.
“Good.” Tía nodded. “We should discuss—”
A ring interrupted her words. She apologized and excused herself, heading back to the kitchen.
Javi continued to stand at the entrance and stare at me. “Sorry you didn’t get to tour the classrooms. You’ll have to discover them as you go. Classes start tomorrow.”
I paused on the steps. “What did you say?”
Javi beamed up at me. “You start classes tomorrow. I got my dad to put you in House Dragon with me. You are going to love it. Best house there is. We have a game room, a pool, snack pantry…”
I held up my hand. “Stop. I’m not going to that school.”
Anger flared inside me. Who in the hell did they think they were signing me up for classes without asking me?
Javi gaped at me. “What?”
I walked toward him and paused on the step above him. “I’m. Not. Going to that school.”
He scowled. “You have to. You’re already signed up.”
The air was knocked out of me. For a second, I envisioned myself flying at my cousin fists first. The next vision I was marching to my tío’s study to scream at him.
Neither happened.
I stood, stunned, and then sank onto the stairs like a deflated balloon. A hollowness filled me. My mind raced as my heartbeat roared in my ears.
No. It was happening. They were forcing me to become one of them.
Nausea rolled through me.
Javi’s concerned gaze followed me, his mouth moving, but no words came out. At least not any that I could hear. My throat burned. It felt as if I’d been screaming, but I couldn’t muster a single sound.
It should have been obvious, right? Why hadn’t I expected this scenario? I stifled a sob and pulled my shoulders back. No use crying about it now. It was time to act. Soon.
That night, I ate dinner with Javi and his family at the giant dining table. For the most part, I ignored the conversations and focused on eating. Eating and scheming. If I moved to campus, they wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on me. I could find a way to break the bracelet and escape.
This idea gave me hope. I could play at obedience… for a while. Go to school. Do my work. Plan my escape. It was my best option seeing as I still didn’t have any solid plan of where I would go. If I took this course—leaving—I would have to break all ties to my past.
What would I do then? The idea of getting a job and running for the rest of my life didn’t sound appealing, but at least I would be free.
Free to make my own choices.
After dinner, I retreated to my room and took a long hot shower. My mind raced, going over my choices again and again until I felt as if my brain would burst. Turning off the water, I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders back.
For now, I had no choice but to play along. There were still answers I needed. My dad’s killer was still running loose. I needed to see him get captured and I needed to find out more about my parents.
There would still be time to plan my escape. Let them think I accepted this new life and then when they relaxed their hold on me, then I could make my move.
I threw on my giant T-shirt and ignored the knock on my door as I slid under the covers. It was probably Javi checking on me. To make sure I wasn’t ready to bolt. He finally gave up, and I pulled the blanket up and gazed up at the ceiling.
Moonlight trickled in from the giant window, making my room look creepy and strange. Try as I might, I couldn’t shake the images of Manny’s transforming face out of my mind. Would I be faced with more monsters like him?
My skin crawled as I tried to focus on sleep. Tomorrow was my first day at the school, and I wanted to be prepared for whatever they threw at me next.
The morning was bright and sunny. I groaned as an alarm blared from an invisible source. Forcing myself to stand, I stretched my arms above my head and walked over to my closet to choose the perfect outfit. I rummaged through my clothes, frowning.
I needed something that would not get me into too much trouble but also wasn’t boring. If I was going to be stuck at their secret magic school, I sure as hell would be dressing the way I wanted.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Before I could get undressed, Tía Teresa came in with a pair of black slacks, white button-down blouse, and a red tie. My hackles rose.
Oh.
