Read Online The Institute by Kayla Howarth - Free Book Online

there –
I’m sorry, I just got scared.”
    “I’m so sorry
Allira, I had no idea, I wouldn’t have done it if I—“
    “No, no, it’s
not your fault. I’m sorry for freaking out on you like that.” Drew
picks me up off the ground and places his hands around my
waist.
    “Home time?” he
asks.
    “Home time,” I
agree. He leans down and quickly brushes his lips against mine,
making me calm right down.

Chapter
Five

     
    I keep running
over what happened at the lake in my head. I smile at the thought
of Drew’s lips, his hands in my hair, but then I think about where
they went next and I wince at what I did in response. Why can’t I
just be like all of the other girls and just do it? At least, I
think that’s what the other girls do – if Ebbodine is anything to
go by anyway.
    It’s no wonder
I’m messed up when it comes to this issue. When I hit thirteen, Dad
tried to give me ‘the talk’. Ugh I can’t help but cringe at the
memory of Dad getting all flustered trying to talk to me about
female anatomy.
    I’ve been
pretty lucky to have my aunt to help me through those awkward
pre-teen phases though. I don’t know if Dad asked her to talk to me
about it after he failed, or if she knew that with Mum gone I would
need a female role model to look up to and ask questions. We lived
with her before we moved to Eminent Falls. I wish we got to see her
more than we do now but with her living in the city, we can’t
exactly just pop in whenever we want.
    Aunt Kenna is
the only one apart from Dad and Shilah that I can talk to about my
fears of the Institute. I don’t know if she knows about Shilah or
not though. I’ve never spoken about him or his ability, all of our
talks are generally about my fears.
    Aunt Kenna is
always good at reassuring me when I go to her with my worries. I
haven’t spoken to her in a long while. Maybe I will see if I can go
see her this weekend. Better yet, maybe I will ditch school
tomorrow. I survived the stares today but the thought of having to
do it again makes me want to run to the city just to get away. I
don’t like being the topic of conversation, the centre of attention
– that was all Ebb. And now Ebb is gone. Thinking of her makes up
my mind, I will definitely go and see Aunt Kenna tomorrow.
     
    ***
     
    As I board the
train to school which I have no intention of going to today, I
start over thinking my plans. Aunt Kenna works nights so she will
be home, but will she tell Dad that I came? I’m still in Dad’s bad
books at the moment, I don’t want to piss him off any further, but
I can’t face going to school either. I wonder if I tell him I had
‘lady troubles’, he might forgive me quicker than if I tell him the
truth. But it is more than that. I haven’t had the chance to talk
to Aunt Kenna yet about everything that is happening. She doesn’t
know about the car accident, she doesn’t know that my best friend
is missing and she doesn’t know that I have a boyfriend type person
– I don’t exactly know what to call him. It has been a while since
I have seen her, but I don’t think Dad will think that is a good
enough excuse to go see her in the middle of the school week.
    Drew comes and
sits next to me on the train and breaks my concentration.
    “Hey,” he says.
“Are you okay?”
    “I guess so,” I
reply. I’m not really in the mood for talking. “I’m actually
thinking of going into the city today. I need to see my aunt.”
    “Did you want
me to come with you?” he asks.
    “Thanks but I
kind of want alone time with her, that’s why I’m going,” I
half-heartedly explain. I can see the disappointment in his eyes
but it’s not like I can introduce him to my aunt; I can see her
maybe omitting the fact I skipped school to Dad but bringing my
boyfriend along? I think she would be straight on the phone. Also,
I can’t talk about him if he’s there.
    “Is this about
last night?” he asks almost sheepishly.
    “No, it isn’t.”
I say, confused.