Dinner came and went, as I tried to push aside every thought that ran through my head. I was exhausted, physically and mentally.
I rolled on the bed and glanced out of the window, watching the raindrops hitting the window. I had gotten used to being with him every night. Longing was a new feeling and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I had missed people before but nothing quite so intense. I tossed and turned trying to find, a way to put myself to sleep.
With a heavy sigh, I began counting in my head. It usually helped me to focus on something else. In his arms, I slept very much like a dead person.
I had lost track of how far I was able to get to when I fell asleep. At one point I was just thinking of random numbers.
Sleep did not have the desired effect on me. I woke up feeling more tired than when I went to bed. I wrestled with the sheets for most of the night.
The rain had stopped, but the skies were still covered with a thick layer of dark greyish clouds. It was half past four in the morning. I had given up on getting any sleep.
I didn't feel like getting out of bed either, so I turned around and hugged the pillow on his side. The musky aroma brought some comfort but at the same time made me miss him even more.
I was at a loss for what to do with myself. I've been leading a futile battle with myself for quite some time and lost. I wondered if he was thinking of me. I most certainly did.
Burying my head in the pillow to smother a scream, letting out some of my frustrations. It didn't work, not in the least.
I had questioned myself many times, my sanity, my actions and everything that I did leading up to that point. All in the hope that maybe things would change. I wasn't any different from Ava. I just chose to do it differently.
That was a dreary thought. I didn't like that one very much. It sent cold shivers through me, making me shudder. For the love of god. I needed to stop. And with that, I rolled out of bed and made my to the bathroom. Since I was awake, might as well put some of that time to good use and prepare for the interview.
After I had a shower and got dressed, I made my way towards the kitchen to make myself a coffee and have something to eat. It was still quite early but I needed fuel.
Picking my coffee and the toast that I made, along with the piece of paper, I made my way towards the library to get all I could find on the academy. It was a good starting point. I knew that the books were there. I had leafed through a few of them, in passing when I moved to Northenhay. That felt like a lifetime away.
I picked up the earliest edition of the book that delved into the academy practices. It was just as old as Morston itself. The academy had been built by the founding families. One of them was the Morston family. No wonder Ava thought she was better than everyone.
Over ten generations had been born and raised in Morston since that day. What had begun as a colonial settlement, quickly turned into a major tourist attraction and a maritime town.
The academy had produced one of the brightest minds that had enriched Morston, pouring all their knowledge into advancing the town. It was a hub for those who sought to make the world a better place.
The list of famous people that dated back over a few hundred years was remarkably long. It started as a science academy but over time they shifted onto other things since it was restrictive and the academy was quickly bombarded with accusations of elitism.
Thus the quote on the cover of the book " Bright minds come in all shapes and forms" in golden lettering. According to the book, the academy had experienced several scandals over the decades that brought about several strict rules. It did not specify which or what type of scandals they had been involved in.
I briefly wondered what impact my relationship with Mason would have, if it were to ever come to light. It was an outlandish thought. The possibility of that happening was zero.
I turned my attention back to the book and carried on reading some more. Albeit informative, it lacked panache. I was a thrill seeker when it came to books. That wasn't it. It didn't keep me engaged long enough.
Closing the book, I leaned in the armchair. I needed to speak with Laira before filling my head with useless information. There was a good chance that the questions would be completely different from hers but I needed a general run down, so I can focus on the appropriate information.
I was somewhat terrified at the thought that I will be joining such a strict institution but I had managed to survive Mason for almost two years. With a few adjustments, I would pull through. I was encouraging myself, to keep it together.
Time slowed down for some reason. I grimaced at the clock on the wall which showed six o'clock. A little annoyed, I pushed myself out of the armchair and dragged my feet back to the kitchen to make some proper breakfast and have some more coffee.