Chapter 12 Used To Being Alone
Eileen’s school uniform was different from the usual boring shirt and skirt. It was an English uniform, with a blazer and shiny leather shoes. The schoolbag was made of a special material as well.
Petalburg High School was right across the road from Cloudberg Public School, a regular public school. It was, however, the most desirable public school, and all the students who went to Cloudberg were intelligent and talented.
The students at Petalburg got in relying on their parents’ wealth and
power.
The students at Cloudberg were not so well off, but had gotten into the school by working hard.
The wealth gap had driven a wedge between both schools, and they had been rivals for the longest time.
Eileen blinked. She seemed to catch sight of Eric’s car among the black SUVs, stopping at the school across the road.
Sure enough, Vera got out of the car.
Was Eric sending Vera to study at Cloudberg?
Eric sensed someone was staring at him. He turned around instinctively, and was greeted by the sight of Eileen in her black uniform.
She had her hair up in a ponytail, her tall and slender figure making her stand out in the crowd.
Eileen had not expected for him to turn around all of a sudden. She merely nodded and smiled, greeting him.
“Eileen-” A chubby girl in gla*ses and pigtails ran up to Eileen.
Walsh Byrd panted as she reached Eileen, a heavy stack of books in her hand. “You’re back, Eileen! I heard you were on sick leave, are you alright?”
Walsh was the daughter of the education minister.
She was also cla*smates with Eileen.
Her identity was not much of a secret in Petalburg.
“I’m much better now.”
“Hey, are you not wearing makeup today? Also, why are you so quiet? You used to be scowling all the time, why does it feel like you’re a different person now!”
Eileen had put on makeup in the past to attract Eric’s attention, which was honestly quite a fuss and took up at least an hour. She could now use that time to get more sleep.
“Am I supposed to scowl at you so I’ll look more normal?”
Eileen did indeed use to have a bad temper, and lashed out at people quite often. This left her on her own most of the time, which she was used to.
She did not care for making friends much, either. Everyone saw Eileen as an outcast, introverted and at
loner.
Walsh was the only one who would talk to her, and Eileen hardly ever responded to her.
Walsh waved her hands at once. “No, that’s not what I meant! I think you look nice like this too, and…. honestly, you look really good without makeup.”
Eileen did not have the best reputation in school. Her family background was considered a shameful
one.
Who would want to be friends with someone from the Swan family, who had blood stained on their hands just so they could have a place in Hulbury?
Anyone who knew the Swans knew that they had done some sketchy things in the past, some of them. gruesome and illegal. It was only after the blow that they finally stopped what they were doing. Eileen’s grandfather had even gone to prison.
It could be said that the Swans did not have much money or power, but few people dared to mess with. them.
Even the most powerful ministers would have some amount of respect reserved for the Swan family. No one from this family was to be messed with!
Eric looked away from Eileen’s retreating back, glancing at his watch. “There’s still time. I’ll walk you
in.”
“Was that Eileen? Does she study at Petalburg?” Vera was clad in a regular blue and Blake uniform, her hair tied in a bun.
The uniform, despite being plain, did little to hide Vera’s beauty. She was just the kind of person who looked good in anything.
“Yep. If I get off work early at night I’ll text you, and come get you.”
“That’s fine, I can take the bus back myself. The bus stop’s right in front of the school, it’s convenient enough. I know you’re busy, I don’t want to get in your way.”
“You’ll never be in my way, Vera. Got it?” Eric’s voice was low and earnest.
The two of them were willing to do anything for each other.
Vera nodded with a smile. “I know, Eric.”
“I’ll take you to the principal’s office so you can fill in the enrolment papers.”
“Sure!”
Eileen turned around to look. Eric’s charm and looks attracted a good deal of attention. He was walking
Vera into school, holding her bag.
Vera really was the one for Eric, huh? He was so worried she might get bullied that he had taken time out of his busy schedule to send her to school himself.
Eileen waited until they disappeared from her line of sight, and made her way to the cla*sroom.
Now that Vera wasn’t in the same school as she was anymore, her life’s course must have deviated a great deal.
“What are you looking at, Eileen?”
Walsh looked in the direction Eileen was looking at. All she saw were students rushing to their cla*srooms, what was there to see?
“Nothing. Let’s go to cla*s.”
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