Chapter 4

The old coach car reeked of microwave meals and sweat. I leaned against the window and watched the scenery slide past. Tamberlin was far away, more than 30 hours by train.

My phone stayed quiet because I had muted everyone. I did not check my messages until the next afternoon.

In the family group chat, Jack had posted a few photos of everyone together at Terminal 3 in Kelderwick. Clarissa wore a brand-new dress and was pushing that pink designer suitcase, smiling sweetly. Aiden stood beside her, holding her jacket, his eyes soft.

Jack tagged me: [Eloise, where are you? Aiden said you'd take the train here on your own. Don't dawdle on the way like always. As soon as you get to Kelderwick Station, share your location. Aiden will pick you up.]

I looked at the messages, my thumb hovering over the screen for a moment. Then I left the family group chat.

At 8:00 pm, the train finally pulled into Tamberlin. I carried my suitcase out of the station, and a gust of dry wind hit me in the face. The Tamberlin campus sat on the outskirts of town, surrounded by barren land. Still, I took a deep breath, and even the air felt free.

I had just settled into my dorm when an unfamiliar number called. I answered and heard Aiden's voice.

"Eloise, you blocked me?" He was barely holding back his anger, and the background was noisy, as if he were at a train station. "Where are you? I've been waiting at Kelderwick South Station for two hours! Your train got in ages ago. What's going on?"

I sat on the hard dorm bed and looked at the moon outside the window. "I didn't take that train."

Aiden drew a deep breath, as though he were trying hard to stay patient. "Then which one did you take? Send me the train number. Clarissa's waiting for us at the hotel for dinner—"

"Aiden," I cut in. "I'm not going to Kelderwick."

There was a long silence on the other end. Several seconds passed before he spoke again, his voice full of disbelief. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm not going to Kelderwick," I repeated calmly. "I'm already at the Tamberlin campus. I'll be going to school here from now on."

"Have you lost your mind?" Aiden finally snapped, his voice cutting sharply through the noise of the station. "The Tamberlin campus is on the edge of the desert! You're throwing away your future just to spite me?"

"I'm not doing this to spite you." I switched the phone to my other hand. "The Tamberlin campus has the major and the lab I want. Besides, none of you are here."

"Eloise!" He ground his teeth. "You think this is going to make me cave? Listen to me. Buy a plane ticket and get over here right now, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened!"

I laughed. "Aiden, you still don't get it, do you? I've already changed my legal residence."

His breathing stopped short. "What did you say?"

"I said my legal residence isn't with the Mallory family anymore." I looked at the peeling walls of my dorm room and lowered my voice. "From now on, whether I live or die has nothing to do with any of you."

Before he could say another word, I hung up and turned off my phone.

Outside, the wind howled, carrying sand with it. I pulled the stiff blanket over myself and rolled onto my side.