As we exit the restroom, students are stunned as we come out as white as ghosts covered in flour. More students gather and whisper as Martha, Sandra and Tori exit with the Headmistress. Embarrassed, they keep their heads down as their taken to the main office.
Brad pushes his way through the crowd and races to me.
‘Rose,’ he says. ‘What happened? Are you alright? You’re covered in flour,’ he says.
I try to open my eyes, but I’m so groggy my head only slumps down.
Brad gasps, and I feel dizzy and disoriented as he picks me up. My body feels heavy, and I can barely keep my eyes open. I slump against him, my head lolling to the side as we rush towards the nurse's station. The other students stare at us with shock and confusion, their eyes widening as they take in Janie and me covered in flour appearance. Brad calls out for the nurse and places me on the bed. The nurse runs in just as Mrs Higglepots, Janie and Xander catch up and enter.
‘What happened to her?’ she asks.
‘There was an altercation in the restroom with Martha. We’re not sure what is wrong with her,’ Mrs Higglepots tells the nurse.
The nurse takes my observations, ‘I don’t see any evidence of an injury,’ she says.
Although I’m angry at Xander, I can’t let the academy know I’ve been injected with wolfsbane. Otherwise, I’d be forced to show them I’m a werewolf. I mumble, ‘Food poisoning,’ I sit up and hold my stomach. ‘I ate my lunch and suddenly felt nauseous, and my stomach was hurting. Janie came with me as I raced to the bathroom, where we found Martha, Sandra and Tori attacking Imogen.’
‘Well, that makes sense of how you ended up in a dispute with Martha,’ Mrs Higglepots replies.
‘I didn’t see you eat lunch,’ Brad says. ‘You were supposed to have lunch with me at the cafeteria,’ he adds suspiciously.
‘The cafeteria was overcrowded. I couldn’t see you,’ I lie.
‘Rose, I would like you to go home and rest for the day,’ the nurse says. ‘I’ll call your mother to pick you up,’ she adds.
‘I can drive her home,’ Xander offers. ‘Janie can come with us,’ he says.
‘All right, but she must rest,’ the nurse says sternly.
‘Of course,’ Xander smiles.
‘I think it’s best if I drive her home,’ Brad says, glaring at Xander.
‘I’ve agreed for Xander and Janie to take her home,’ the nurse says.
Brad is annoyed, Xander gets to take me home, and I can tell he wants to ask me more questions, which I don’t want to answer.
‘It’s fine, Brad, really. I‘ll message you later when I’m feeling better,’ I say to him, forcing a mustered-up smile even though I have the urge to puke all over him. This wolfsbane is awful, and I hope never to have it again.
‘Are you sure? I will take you home if that’s what you want?’ he says.
‘It’s fine,’ I reply, leaning forward and kissing him.
‘All right, but I’ll be expecting a call or text later, ok?’
‘Sure,’ I reply.
‘You get yourself well, again,’ Rose,’ Mrs Higglepots says to me. ‘And I’ll inform the Headmistress of what you told me,’ she adds.
‘Thank you,’ I mumble.
‘I better get myself home and washed up,’ Imogen says, ‘I’ll see you all back here tomorrow,’ she says and waves goodbye.
***
I arrive at my abode after Xander drives me home in his eerie car. Janie and Xander are about to walk me up the stairs when my mother hears I’m home.
‘What happened?’ she asks Janie staring at us covered in flour.
‘Rose got food poisoning at the cafeteria. When I went to help her to the restroom, Martha, Tori, and Sandra flour-bombed us. You’ll probably receive a call from the headmistress shortly,’ Janie tells her. ‘The school nurse has seen Rose and wanted her to go home and rest,’ Janie adds.
‘Oh, goodness, Rose, are you all right?’ she asks me.
‘I feel nauseous and sleepy. Water would help,’ I tell her.
My mother stares at Xander. She’s never seen him before.
‘Oh, Mrs Peregrine, this is Xander, my boyfriend. Xander, this is Leana Peregrine, Rose’s mother,’ Janie says.
‘How lovely. It’s nice to meet you, Xander,’ she says.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,’ he smiles.
‘Oh, such a gentleman,’ she laughs. ‘I’m yet to meet Rose’s beau. I hope he’s just as handsome and sweet as Xander is,’ she says.
‘I wouldn’t hold your breath,’ Xander says to her.
With a sudden boost of anger, I glower at Xander, then smile at my mother. ‘Xander’s just jealous, Mum. Brad’s a very handsome guy, so please don’t worry. Now if Xander and Janie could be so nice and hurry me up to my bathroom before I puke all over the floor,’ I say to them.
‘Oh,’ Janie says and proceeds up the stairs preventing me from continued swaying.
I spend the next thirty minutes throwing up in the toilet and have a shower. It takes me a while to get everything out of my hair. Thankfully the only glue I had was on my arms, and it peeled off with ease.
Janie enters, washed and changed, holding my bunny pyjamas and a fresh glass of water. ‘I figured I’d race home and have a shower myself,’ she shrugs.
I ignore her, dry myself, step into my PJs, rinse my mouth over the basin, and thoroughly brush my teeth.
‘Feeling better?’ Janie asks.
I walk past Janie out of my ensuite. Janie’s face falls, and she looks guilty as I walk past her. She knows I’m hurt, and it shows on her face. I can tell she’s remorseful and wishes to undo what happened, but I’m still annoyed. ‘Not really. You could have stopped Xander from injecting me with wolfsbane, but you didn’t,’ I tell her in a hurt tone.
I try to ignore Xander sitting in my favourite winged-back mahogany armchair that my mother had upholstered in a luxurious, deep blue velvet and gold fringing that runs along the bottom of the chair, providing a beautiful contrast to the blue velvet. I crawl under the covers of my bed to sulk.