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“Thewhatnow?” I ask, closing my bedroom door behind me as I move to join them, avoiding Brax’s harsh stare.
I come to a stop at the end of the table and it looks like a barbecue exploded all over the damn thing with the amount of meats and sides there are. I gulp, completely out of my comfort zone. This is more food than I can process. This would feed me and Mama for a month back home, and here it is just effortlessly available.
“Sit here.” Creed draws my attention as he pulls the middle chair out on the right. A small smile curves my lips as I mutter my thanks. My body tingles with anticipation as he takes the seat to my left and Eldon drops down on my right.
Brax sits across from Creed and Zane directly opposite me. Eight eyes are all aimed in my direction and I feel like I can’t breathe. They really don’t make them like this back in Shadowmoor. There aren’t any niceties there. No one pulling your chair out or eating dinner together. It’s cut-throat by comparison and a little bit jarring. So much so that I’m struggling to let my guard down.
They each dig into the food, loading their plates up with a bit of everything. Once they’re all occupied, I reach for the plate of ribs in front of me, taking two before adding some of the potato salad as well.
Happy, I bask in the silence, refusing to look up at anyone as I eat, until Zane clears his throat. Peering through my lashes at him, I note the confusion knitting his brows. “Aren’t you going to have more?”
I finish the food in my mouth before reaching for a napkin. “More what?”
“Food.”
“I don’t know what you mean…” I tense under their scrutiny again as Brax huffs.
“You’re going to need to eat more than that to survive the training. You’re going to need to bulk up your slim frame too.”
My nostrils flare at his judgment of my body and I glare at him, ready to give him a piece of my fucking mind when Creed places his hand on my arm and halts me. “I think what Brax and Zane are trying to say is that, starting tomorrow, everything is going to be full on. They put our bodies through the wringer time and time again, and that’s only in the first class,” he explains, alleviating the tension in me slightly, but not completely.
“What does that have to do with myslim frame?” I bite, pointing another glare in Brax’s direction, but he doesn’t seem fazed by my irritation.
“They’ll make an example out of you. They’ll enjoy breaking you, Sebastian especially. This place isn’t for the weak,” Eldon states, annoying me more.
“I’m not weak.”
“Sure, but you’re not trained to this level either.”
He’s not wrong, but that doesn’t soothe me at all. I hate being underestimated.
“Food wasn’t as easy to come by back home, so I can’t eat more than what my body can handle.” I return my attention to the food on my plate and do my best to ignore them. Thankfully, none of them say another word about it and I get to finish eating in silence.
I could definitely reach for another rib or a chicken breast, but out of principle, I don’t touch anything else once I’m done.
“So, what’s this roommate book I need to know about?” I ask Zane, and he smiles, snapping his fingers to produce a file in his hands. Holy shit, he wasn’t joking.
“It contains all the rules and expectations of what you bring to the house.” I nod at his words like it makes sense as I take it from him, but it really doesn’t.
“I spoke with Professor Burton too. He’s aware you’ve been located here with us and he’s happy for this to be our arrangement, even though it goes against the grain.” I turn to Eldon and the confusion must be clear on my face because he continues. “Usually, girls share with girls and guys with guys.”
“Maybe I should complain, kick up a fuss so I can be relocated and not be an inconvenience.” I direct the end of my offer to Brax but he ignores me as Zane shakes his head.
“Nope. Everything happens for a reason. You were meant to be here, it’s as simple as that.”
“You’re good… for now, at least,” Eldon adds, and I shake my head in disbelief.
When do I get a say in my life again? It’s gone from zero to one hundred in a matter of hours and I need a breather.
“Just don’t bring any bullshit to our door. We have enough on our plates already,” Brax orders, not looking up from his food.
I can’t decide if they’re being nice or not. I’m so used to hostility that I find it in the smallest of gestures, and Brax seems far more irritated about my arrival than the others. That’s enough for me to get the hell out of here, but where else am I supposed to go?
Nothing is going to happen by the end of tonight though, that’s for sure. So I need to suck it up for now at least.
“Are we done, or does this file dictate the rest of my evening?” I ask, my snark clear as Zane cocks a brow at me, but he simply shakes his head.
“No. You’re good.”
