The Warning

Delilah

“So, what do you think?” Julian asked after pushing open the door of my shared dorm suite. My mouth popped open in shock. I was surprised at how spacious the room was. “Don’t be shy; check it out,” he urged, pushing me gently.

The suite was large and pristine, with a tastefully decorated living room and chic furnishings that appeared to cost a fortune.

“This is so beautiful,” I whispered as I ran my hand over the back of the couch.

“Your roommate took the liberty of decorating.”

I left the living room for the kitchen and was amazed at the top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. I opened the refrigerator and gawked at the abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats.

“W-who is my roommate again?”

“Let’s see,” Julian said as he typed away on his phone. “Ms. Sabrina Blackwell is your roommate. Ms. Blackwell’s family is one of the wealthiest families in the country because they own multiple mineral and precious gem mines worldwide. The Blackwells are the largest producers of diamonds in the world.”

Of course, the school would pair me up with the wealthiest girl in the world as a sick joke. I hope she’s nice….

“Which room is mine?”

“The room to the right.” I entered the bedroom and gasped. “Oh, wow. It looks like your roommate took the liberty of decorating for you. It’s a little rude of her to assume that’s okay. If you don’t like it, then—”

“No, it’s fine!” I nearly shouted. “It’s…it’s perfect,” I whispered, voice thick with emotion. The bedding was pale pink with several fluffy pillows. I picked up a pillow and sank into the mattress with a sigh as I observed where I’d live for the school year.

An ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling, reflecting the light streaming through the white sheer curtains in the crystals. A white desk and a cutesy office chair rested in the corner. I had to rub my eyes to ensure I wasn’t seeing things when I noticed the brand-new laptop on the desk.

“No…this has to be a mistake. She must’ve decorated the wrong room by accident.”

“Not according to this letter.”

I accepted the letter from Julian.

Dear Delilah,

My name is Sabrina Blackwell, and I’m delighted that we will be roomies! For the sake of transparency, I have to inform you that I have two loving but paranoid and overbearing parents who had our security team run a full background check on you, including your student file. As an apology for the intrusion and violation of your privacy, I took the liberty of decorating your room. Your file said your favorite color was pink. I hope everything is up to your standards. Please help yourself to anything in the refrigerator. You’re not only a roommate, but a sister. I’m sorry I wasn’t available to greet you personally. I wanted to stop at the Alpha Delta Luna sorority info table. I’ll pick up an application for you, and if you’re interested, maybe we’ll pledge together! I’ll see you at the new student mixer!

—Sabrina B.

I was startled when the paper moistened when tear drops splattered on the page, blurring the perfect penmanship. I wiped the tears on the back of my hand.

“You shouldn’t cry, Delilah,” Julian said softly, offering me a tissue.

“Thank you,” I said, accepting his gesture. “I’m usually not a crier, but after my run-in with Anastasia, I hadn’t expected this sort of kindness.”

Julian leaned against my desk and folded his arms over his chest, fixing his intense gaze on me.

“I don’t make it a habit to lie, so I won’t start now. There is a running bet that you won’t make it through the first semester of Nocturne Academy.”

My throat clogged with an amalgamation of emotion—shock, sadness, and anger being the ones pushing to the forefront. The most worrisome emotion was the spike of fear that stabbed down my spine. What would the students of Nocturne Academy be willing to do to get rid of me?

I cleared my throat.

“There’s a bet already?” I asked.

Julian nodded his head grimly.

“Word travels fast around Nocturne Academy. Listen, Delilah. You’ll have to toughen up if you’re gonna stay here. You can’t let them know that they’re getting under your skin. Prepare for “half breed” to become your name, and for them to treat you like you’re dirt beneath their feet because of the tax bracket your family belongs to. Since the doors of Nocturne Academy opened, there has always been a classism issue. It’s full of rich, entitled snobs who don’t mind lording their wealth over those less fortunate.”

“And am I supposed to expect that you’re any different?” I asked.

Julian was nice—I’d give him that, but I couldn’t let his smile and soft spoken words pull the wool over my eyes. He could be trying to get me to let my guard down only to stab me in the back.

His smile tightened briefly at the corner of his lips before easing back in place.

“You’re right to mistrust me, and I’m fine with that. Everyone here should work to earn your trust, including me. My biggest advice is to make yourself useful and prove you belong here. You have to work twice as hard as the rest of us, and you will not be afforded grace if you fail. I’ll try to intervene the best I can, but I can’t be everywhere at once.” He paused to check his phone. “Case in point,” he said, waving his phone. “My presence has been summoned. I gotta go, but I’ll see you at new student orientation. Don’t be late.”

Julian left without another word, leaving me alone in my bedroom that might as well have been out of a princess fairy tale. I hugged my pillow, suddenly missing home, and wondered if coming to Nocturne Academy would be worth it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. The tension that had my body wrapped tighter than an anaconda slowly fled when I read my mom’s text.

Mom: I believe in you. You deserve to be there. I love you, Lilah

I sent her a quick text, returning her sentiment, and reassured her.

I lay in the bed and stared at the ceiling. I couldn’t let the mean girls run me off for one reason and one reason only…my mate.