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everyone here had the same unusual taste for dark clothing, or it was part of Combe Bank’s dress code which Eva may have missed when she was reading the contract. All the people she had come into contact so far in one way or another had given her the dirty glance as though what she was wearing was either inappropriate or lacking style. Eva didn’t blame them, especially for her poor sense of style or her mother’s for that matter. This morning Michelle had forced her to slip on her old turtle neck blue faded cotton sweater that hugged her body in all the wrong places. It did nothing for her minimalistic curves, making her upper body look lanky and her flat chest unflattering.
    “Not you Ariana.” The woman growled, rolling her eyes and clearing her throat, though it was clear, judging by her genuine smile and over exaggerated peppery voice, she had some coarse affection and respect for the wild girl.
    “Get away from here!” She ordered.
    It was clear to Eva that Ariana couldn’t return the love. She mimed a flipping off motion in the attendant’s direction and turned to Eva, daring for her to be offended.
    “Your attitude isn’t acceptable in my books, Ariana.” She said, shaking her head and cutting her off with her hands. “And just for that attitude,” she furiously scribbled a note onto a bright yellow sticky note with a harsh red marker, “ you’ll be given the task of showing little miss innocent angel around the campus.”
    The attendant pointed at Eva who was anything but an innocent angel. Had she read her record? All the faults marked against her name? She’d been blamed for all the incidences that went on a Margate despite most of the accusations being untrue. Of course she had. Otherwise she wouldn’t have ended up here. Eva couldn’t decide whether that comment was a compliment or not. But the cockiness in which the lady had said it, disheartened her a little. Were they all as serious as this? Eva wondered, or did they just have a dry sense of humour that she wasn’t used to? If some of the girls from Margate had been here, they would probably laugh at how hostile and serious everyone was around here. You were like walking on egg shells. If you did or said the wrong thing, you’d be picked up for it. Either way, the attendant had just placed her in the trust of a stranger and Eva couldn’t help feeling a little coy and intimidated by the girl.
    Before Eva knew what was happening, Ariana was already whisking her across the graveyard towards the commons. She could feel the dark descending over her as she left the gravesite and Eva wondered if it was a bad omen. A gust of frosty air blew over her bare skin and she tugged her sweater around her body. Soft clouds of snow floated like feathers to the ground beneath her shoes. She wondered what Michelle would be doing right now. Sitting on the lounge, a glass of red wine in hand, watching Jimmy Fallon, having a non-descript conversation with her Aunty Dotty, or trying to pass the time by baking her famous homemade cookies. Would she be missing her? She’d be home for thanksgiving and Christmas right? Apart from her homesickness, she’d wished she’d bothered to pay more attention to the forecast that morning like Michelle had reminded her about. If she’d known it was going to be snowing here, she would have bothered to stuff her winter coat into her suitcase as well. Then she wouldn’t be here dreaming of sitting in front of the log fire right now.
    “Ahh.” Ariana sighed suddenly after a long silence, causing Eva to jump in a major way, forgetting she was in her presence. Eva flushed with shame, cursing herself for being so embarrassing and directed a glare to Ariana for noticing, who slipped a massive lopsided grin.
    “Soooo glad I bumped into you.” She said without looking at Eva, but into the distance as if she was talking to an imaginary object. Then she turned to Eva, sizing her up, tapping one finger against her pale lips “I