Into the woods I P U B L I S H E D

„Now I realize that there are more of you,

More of people that I need to be afraid of.”

- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Since the day I had met Nicklaus in my bathroom, and the way he told me goodbye at the end of the hallway, I’ve always had a feeling that that wasn’t our last goodbye. There was always a tiny little devil telling me that we would meet again, but that little devil didn’t tell me that I would meet him here, at the Nightclaw University, standing a few steps in front of me with a smirk placed on his lips.

„What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you are studying here,” He gave me a side glance. I know that he already knew that I was going to University here. I’ve heard him asking Louis the day we had met.

I smiled, trying not to roll my eyes. „If I wasn’t studying here, I wouldn’t even be here.”

He bit his lower lip, looking back at his friends than at me. „What do you want?” He asked.

„I need to go to the principal office, but I can’t find it.”

„You could have simply asked me when I was at your house for help. I would gladly be your tour guide,” He made a step forward. His eyes turning a shade darker, and I tried not to get awkward in this situation.

„If I wanted your help I would have asked you. Besides, Ashley is already helping me.”

„Ashley? Ashley Peterson is helping you?” The blond girl asked. All of them started laughing, including Nicklaus.

„Yes, she is helping me.” I made a step forward to her. „Do you have a problem with that?” The blond girl rose her head high in the air and we both glared at each other for a moment before Nicklaus decided to grab my arm and pull me to him.

„Me? Not at all. But just so you know, she used to date Nicklaus. Pardon, she thought she was dating him, but he wasn’t interested in her in any way.”

„Monica,” Nicklaus threw her a death glare. „Shut up.”

I pulled my hand away from him, taking a step forward to the blond girl named Monica. I eyed her from head to toe. „It’s not necessary to be jealous of a girl who is much kinder than you ever would be.”

Everyone turned quiet, and Monica’s eyes traveled to my neck. She stared at my necklace, then turned to the rest of her friends with her eyes widen. I looked at her confused, but I decided to shake it off and I started walking away from them.

„I’m sorry for bothering you. I will find the office by myself.”

~ - ~

„Soo, Miss. Elizabeth, you come from Sweden?” The principal asked me, and I nodded. He moved my paper away from his face, slowly placing his glasses on the table too.

„Yes, but my mum is from here,” I smiled at him, even if my thoughts traveled to Nicklaus and Ashley. They were my only thought. I can’t believe they were actually dating.

„Miss. Elizabeth?” The principal brought me back to reality. Shaking my head, I apologized for my behavior.

He smiled. „It’s okay. It’s difficult to get used to this place.”

„Yeah,” I bit my lower lip. „I have a little help from Ashley Peterson. She helps me to get to know the place.”

„I know Miss. Peterson. She is a really good student. You found a good friend here,” He stood up from his desk, and walking around his office, he finally stood in front of the portrait. The portrait was similar to the one I saw in the library.

„You know, there are really good people in this place, but also bad ones,” He turned towards me. „You just need to realize that everyone is keeping secrets from everybody and that there are things that can’t be normal to people.”

„What do you mean?” I asked confused.

„We will talk about it another time.”

„Okay, and it was nice meeting you, Mr. Jackson,” Standing up, I walked to the door, not before giving Mr. Jackson a final glance and telling him goodbye.

Mrs. Dolloway was already waiting for me with my schedule for this semester. She was an old woman, but yet, she still managed to work like a pro.

„Here, my dear. This is your schedule for this semester, and this is a map of the castle, so you don’t get lost.” She handed me the papers with her shaky hands. After I had taken the papers, I placed them into my bag, and at the same time, I thanked the old lady.

„Thank you,” I smiled at her.

„Nothing, my dear. Don’t forget that after your last class you have a gathering in the gym.”

„What gathering?”

„Mr. Nightclaw will come to present something.” Standing up from her desk, she walked to the door, opening it for me as I approached the door.

„Is it true that you are from Sweden?”

„Yes, but my mum is from here,” I smiled.

„I can see. You are a real beauty.” My cheeks turned red.

After I’ve said goodbye to her, I focused on finding Ashley.

She told me she would meet me in the hallway, and that was where I found her, her and a brown haired girl beside her. They were talking, laughing about something. I guess that she is the one that Ashley was supposed to meet.

„Oh, you are here,” Ashley said when she saw me approaching them.

„Hello,” I waved awkwardly. Meeting a bunch of new people in these few days made my anxiety slowly rise again.

„This is Kathryn Weldon. She studies history,” I turned to Kathryn, smiling at her.

„It’s nice meeting someone who loves history as I do,” I give her my hand. „I’m Elizabeth Zemerlöw.”

„I heard a lot about your family. Your father Evan owns the biggest flight company in Europe, ” she said.

I shook my head. “You misunderstood me with someone else. Mr. Evan Zemerlöw isn’t my father.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought...” She started, but Ashley cut her off.

„How was at the principal office?” Ashley asked. I took a quick glance at her, but my eyes caught Nicklaus and Tyler talking in front of a door. It looked like something wasn’t right because Nicklaus looked really mad about something.

„Elizabeth?” Ashley placed her hand on my shoulder, bringing me back to the present.

„Sorry. What did you say?”

„How was your talk at the principal office?” She smirked. „Why were you distracted? Did you see some hot body?” Turning around, she saw Nicklaus and Tyler standing in front of the door and she immediately lost her smile.

Nicklaus turned for a second, his eyes focusing on the three of us. Tyler turned around too, but unlike Nicklaus, his eyes were only focused on me.

„Aren’t that Nicklaus and Tyler?” Kathryn asked. Ashley stood buried in her place, her eyes were watering like she would start crying any moment.

Nicklaus waved at us, but I ignored him.

„Ashley, are you okay?” I slowly shook her.

„I need to get out of here,” With her head down, she ran down the hallway, leaving Kathryn and me behind.

As I turned around, Nicklaus and Tyler weren’t there anymore. They disappeared like a piece of feather in the air.

„She and Nicklaus were dating,” I turned to Kathryn as she continued. „It’s complicated, but it really broke her heart. And the guy next to him is Tyler. His older brother.” I tried to process what she just said. I can’t believe they are actually brothers.

„Brothers? Nick and Tyler are brothers?” I asked, walking through the hallway, searching for Ashley.

Of course, they are brothers, Elizabeth. They look the same.

The day I had met Tyler, I knew he reminded me of Nicklaus. They have the same eyes, hair and that smile. Fuck, that smile. I should have known.

„Yes. He, Tyler, Noah and there is another one. He is the oldest, but I can’t remember his name.” She stopped, looking at me confused. „Why do you call him Nick? Only his friends call him like that.”

„I already met him. He works with my uncle,” I whispered so that nobody could hear me.

„Does Ashley know?”

„No. I was about to ask her about the dating situation.”

She nodded. „It’s better if you ask in a couple of days when she gets used to you, you know. She will be more comfortable to talk about it.”

„Let’s just find her,” I said.

Ashley was washing her face when we found her in the girl’s bathroom. Even if I knew her for a few days, she already buried herself deep into my heart. She was a nice girl and whatever happened between her and Nicklaus must hurt her really bad.

„Hey,” I placed my hand on her shoulder.

„Let’s hear that shit in the gym and then we can all go to some coffee,” She wiped her tears with a tissue.

„If you want to talk about it, I’m here. You can tell me everything that is burdening you.”

„We will discuss it the next time when we had a support group. Of course, if you come the next time,” she said.

I smiled. „Of course I will be there.”

„I hate to interrupt, but we are going to be late if we don’t go to the gathering.”

~ - ~

The gym was already full of people when we walked in. The front rows were full of girls. They were talking to each other, and some of them were looking at themselves in the mirror.

My eyes traveled to the rest of the rows, searching for Nicklaus and his group of friends, and when I found them sitting in the last row, I felt surprised that he wasn’t with them. The two boys turned around like they knew that I was staring at me.

„What is this gathering about?” I asked Kathryn as we tried to pass through the people to the three free spaces left.

„The Nightclaws will talk about the new pool and something else. I’ve heard it is a big deal.”

„Pool?” I took a seat next to a black haired guy. Taking out the map that Mrs. Dolloway had given me, I looked at the way that was leading to the pool, and according to the map, the pool should be just behind those doors.

„Yes. An Olympic pool with a diving board. Cool, right?” Ashley said as both of them took a seat next to me.

„You know, I used to swim back in Sweden,” I said.

„Really?” Both of them asked at the same time.

I nodded, „Yes. I got a scholarship from my former University because of swimming. And there was also...” Something cut me off before I could even finish. I turned around, seeing the principal standing on the platform, taping a few times on the mic.

„Can I have your attention, please?” Everybody turnedsilent. „Thank you. As you all know, today we have some special guests.” Next, to him, Tyler was sitting on a chair with his suit on, waving at the students. But he wasn’t the one my eyes were looking for. I searched for Nicklaus, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found.

„Today, we have one of the founding family members here to tell us more about the new pool that they build just for you.”

„More for Nicklaus and his gang,” Ashley whispered.

„Please give a big applause for Tyler Nightclaw,” Everyone started clapping their hands.

Tyler stood up, walked to the mic and shook hands with the principal before he turned back to the students.

„Hello everyone. As you all know, this pool was build to replace the old one, which in my opinion sucked, but don’t tell everyone,” Everyone started laughing except Ashley and me. „Jokes aside, I’m here to announce that the new pool is much better and we have something exciting coming up, but I can’t say about that much. Also, everyone who was in the previous swimming team, or someone who has a talent in swimming is welcome to join the team. I can also tell you with big pride and pleasure that we are the best private University in Canada. With all your hard work and success we can prove it that we are the best. I also want to say that on 14. October there will be an organized party to celebrate the 180 years of our University. More details about that will be announced during the following weeks.”

„I didn’t know that the University was that old,” I whispered to Kathryn.

She nodded. „I didn’t either.”

Tyler smiled. „Thank you all for being here. I know that you have better things to do than be here and listen to me. If you have any questions just raise your hand, and I would love to answer them,” He said every word like he practiced this speech for days.

Lifting their hands up, a few female students started asking him question to which he happily answers.