Chapter 6

• School was a process, not an experience.
• It wasn’t that I hated school. I had earned a full scholarship to Blackwood, the most prestigious institution in the country. But while most students dreamed of being accepted, for me, it had simply been… expected.
• Classes weren’t places where I discovered new things. They were just places where I proved what I already knew. As I fumbled with my jacket in my bedroom, my brother’s voice cut through.“Let’s go, Nova!”
• Kieran Aldridge, four years older than me, Dad’s son from a previous marriage, was my protector and my pest
• He had inherited our father’s captivating charm, handsomeness and effortless confidence that drew people in.
• I loved having a big brother who never saw me as “the genius,” just Nova, someone to tease mercilessly but shield fiercely. He made time for me, even with his world of late-night parties and girls chasing his attention.
• Come on, Nova! You’re gonna make us late!”
• I glanced at the clock, crap, he was right. I hurriedly grabbed my backpack and rushed downstairs.
• The scent of freshly brewed coffee and buttered toast filled the kitchen as I took my usual seat at the breakfast table. The faint drone of the radio played in the background, an old jazz tune my father liked, mixing with the quiet clatter of dishes.
• Mom moved effortlessly around the kitchen, placing a plate of eggs and toast in front of me.
• Across the table, Kieran scrolled through his phone with one hand, lazily stirring his coffee with the other. His uniform tie hung loose around his neck, a stark contrast to my perfectly knotted one.
• Dad sat at the head of the table, already dressed for the day, flipping through the morning paper. He didn’t check the news on his phone, he liked things the old-fashioned way.
• “Anything exciting at Blackwood?” he asked, peering over the paper’s edge.
• “Not really,” nibbling the corner of my toast. “Same old lectures, same old halls.” Except today was the last day before the senior trip.
• Kieran smirked. “Come on, genius, aren't you excited? You get to make everyone else feel dumb again today.”
• I rolled my eyes, “That’s not my goal.”
• “Maybe not, but it’s the result.” He reached across the table, snatching a slice of toast from my plate before I could swat his hand away.
• I kicked him under the table.
• “Ow! Rude,” he muttered, shoving the toast into his mouth with a grin.
• “Kieran, stop stealing your sister’s food,” Mom sighed, stirring her tea without looking up.
• “But she eats like a bird,” he defended. “She won’t even notice.”
• I shot him a flat stare. “I notice everything.”
• Dad chuckled behind his coffee cup then turned back to me, setting his mug down, his expression softer. “You sure you’re okay, sweetheart? You’ve been quiet and it’s a big day tomorrow. Are you all set for Iceland?”
• I hesitated, my fork hovering midair.
• The trip.
• Right.
• That’s what I should be thinking about, instead of a certain CEO.
• I blinked, realizing Dad was still waiting for an answer.
• “Yeah, of course,” I said, forcing a small smile. “I’m excited for the trip.”
• Which wasn’t a lie.
• Mom’s eyes flicked to me, like she could see right through me. “Eat up, darling.”
• Dad checked his watch. “You two should get going and Kieran, for the love of God, don’t be late again.”
• Kieran put a hand to his chest dramatically. “Dad, I am nothing if not responsible.”
• I snorted, slinging my back over my shoulder,
• “See? Even Nova doesn’t believe you,” Dad said, shaking his head as he turned back to his newspaper.
• We stepped into the chilly Alberta morning, the air sharp against my skin as I trailed Kieran to his beat-up sedan. He slid into the driver’s seat, tossing his bag in the back, while I settled into the passenger side, the worn leather creaking under me. The engine roared softly to life, and Kieran fiddled with the radio, switching from a staticky pop song to a mellow indie track that washed through the car with a gentle pulse
• I pressed my forehead against the cool window, lost in thought.
• “You’re quiet,” Kieran said, breaking the silence. “Thinking about your trip?”
• I nodded, shifting in my seat. “Yeah, just going over the itinerary in my head.”
• Kieran smirked. “Of course, nerd.”
• I huffed, crossing my arms. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
• “Right, because jetting off halfway across the world to see volcanoes is so chill,” he teased.
• I shot him a look but didn’t argue. It would be interesting, sure. A change of scenery and a chance to see in person what I’d only read about.
• The sedan slowed as Kieran pulled up in front of Blackwood Academy’s towering gates.
• “Try not to make too many people cry today,” he said, grinning.
• I rolled my eyes. “Try not to break too many hearts.”
• “No promises,” he shot back.
• Most guys like Kieran, popular, charming, a certified ladies’ man would have a different girl riding shotgun every morning.
• But not him, this time with me mattered.
• Even if he teased me relentlessly.
• Where I was quiet, logical, and socially withdrawn, Kieran was universally adored.
• He moved through Blackwood’s elite circles with ease, leading sports teams, making friends without even trying.
• And yet, for all his popularity, he was the closest thing I had to a real friend.
• And when he was busy being Blackwood’s heartthrob, my parents tried to fill the void.
• I shut the door behind me and faced the entrance, my backpack heavy on my shoulders.
• Another day of being alone in a crowd.
• The halls of Blackwood Academy were filled with students who either ignored me or saw me as an obstacle.
• Most of my classmates didn’t know how to talk to me.
• Some resented me for being the youngest and smartest, while others tried to compete, only to fall short.
• To most, I was aloof, distant, hard to approach.
• They assumed I wasn’t interested in making friends.
• I was, I just didn’t know how.
• I wasn’t trying to be rude; I just didn’t know how to relate.
• My professors? They were easier to connect with.
• Sometimes, I found myself enjoying conversations with them more than anyone my age. They challenged me, appreciated my intellect instead of fearing it. I felt more kinship with them than with any of the students I passed in the halls.
• Still, no amount of academic success could quiet the loneliness that sometimes crept in.
• I wanted a friend, someone my age.
• Someone who didn’t just see my brain, who didn't view me as competition or an anomaly, but simply me.
• Sliding into my usual seat at the front of the lecture hall, I barely glanced up as the professor began speaking.
• I had already read the material, twice.
• Around me, students scrambled to take notes, some whispering in frustration when they couldn’t keep up.
• I sighed, resting my chin on my hand, twirling my pen idly between my fingers.
• A few girls had been carrying on with their own chatter.
• I had been half-listening to the conversation behind me.
• It wasn’t intentional, blame it on the usual boredom that came with school being too easy.
• But then, I heard his name.
• “Did you hear? Seylan Vaelthorn is actually coming this year.”
• Every muscle in my body tensed.
• “He never comes to these ceremonies.”
• “Yeah, but apparently some prodigy broke all his records.”
• “You mean Aldridge?” A scoff. “She’s a kid, he’s not gonna care about some fourteen-year-old nerd.”
• My fingers tightened slightly around my pen, but I kept my face neutral.
• They weren’t wrong, it was exactly what I had told myself. Why would he care? Why would he even look at me?
• And yet…
• The fact that he was actually coming stirred something in my chest.
• A ridiculous, foolish hope.
• Ugh, why was I being delusional?
• I groaned inwardly, rubbing my temple.
• Even if I did meet him at the ceremony, even if I somehow impressed him intellectually, what did that even mean?
• Absolutely nothing.
• He wasn’t going to care that I had broken his records. To him, I’d just be another intern, a kid with an impressive mind.
• I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to focus on the lecture.
• “Before we continue,” my professor’s voice cut through my thoughts, “those of you selected for the junior trip to Iceland, I have your travel packets ready. Inside, you’ll find your itinerary, research objectives, and safety guidelines. Make sure you go over everything thoroughly, your flight leaves tomorrow morning, and I expect you all to be fully prepared.”
• I snapped back to the present as he placed a thick folder in front of me.
• I ran my fingers over the folder, forcing myself to shift my focus.
• Iceland, tomorrow.