FABIAN'S POV
A lavish dining room is elegantly prepared for a meal to celebrate our first night back. Trudy has completely outdone herself. Each place setting has crystal glasses and shining silverware. It seems that every type of food imaginable is set out on the buffet - there is so much that it isn't possible for it to fit on the table.
I count the place settings. 13? Trudy has even added another wooden piece to extend the table. But why 13, is what I am wondering.
The thought slips my mind when all of my friends enter the dining room. They file in, taking their seats, spilling all the gossip. KT sits on one side of me, and Eddie takes my other. We begin a conversation about the upcoming events for the year - the Holiday Dance, senior prom, and of course, graduation. The word still baffles me; I can't believe this is my last year at Frobisher.
The new boy Liam enters. I smile, offering him a seat beside me. Eddie scoots to the right and makes room for Liam. He doesn't talk much, if at all, and still seldom brings his eyes into view. I empathize with his shyness; back when I began at Frobisher, I was terrified that people would look upon me as a nerd or geek and refuse to talk to me. Sure, they see me as those things, and I'm sure more, behind my back, but I've made friends. They tease me, but out of love. I vow to make sure Liam has the same result I have - the most loyal, lifetime friends in the world.
A delectable meal is served and we dive in - some more than others. Alfie lunges forward, snatching the bowl of biscuits for himself. Yeah, I think that was the only thing I may not have missed over the summer.
Just as we're about to clear our plates, a low grumble sounds and the room falls quiet. A looming man in a tan trench coat enters, casting a dark glare at us. The mood of the room turns dismal and gloomy.
Oh, yeah, I also didn't miss Victor.
Victor stares at us with his pointy nose and beady eyes. A mass of shaggy black hair is piled atop his scalp and below his chin. It's weird - almost disturbing - to see Victor without his polished facial hair, sleeked and gelled back.
"Mr. Rutter…" Victor gumbles grimly. "Come with me."
Everyone in the room stares blankly at me. Typically, if called to approach and follow Victor, bad things occur. Cautiously, I rise from my seat and hand Trudy my plate. My eyes never leave Victor.
He turns with a flourish and briskly exits, and I have to scamper to keep up. He latches his enormous hand onto my arm unexpectedly and pulls me forward that my heels dig into the ground.
We climb the wooden staircase, which seems to drag on. At the top, I attempt to peer into his office, for I know that's where he's taking me, but the blinds are pulled tightly shut.
"Enter," he demands.
Slowly, I cross the threshold. I expect the worst, but confusion circulates when I see three teenagers standing in a horizontal line across the length of his office, their heads all buried into their chests. Tension flows through the air.
Well, guess they've met Victor.
"Mr. Rutter, I'd like you to show these students around the school. They'll be staying at Anubis. Take them on a tour of the establishment and answer questions. Understood?" he asks.
"Crystal clear," I say hesitantly.
The new students are all wearing name-tags. On the far left, a tall, blonde, muscular boy named Beck Oliver stands. He is wearing a football jersey for a team I couldn't name if I tried and had exquisitely blue eyes. In the middle is a girl named Esmay Verne. She is fair and pretty, with long, curly, chocolate locks and a soft smile. Closest to me is Callan Holmes, a brown haired boy with bright green eyes and was close to my height, though slightly taller.
I clear my throat and say:
"I'm Fabian Rutter."
The three heads turn and lock eyes with me, expecting me to continue.
"So… I guess we'll be going on that tour then?"
They nod their assent and we scamper out of Victor's office like rodents escaping from a cage. The three haven't been here five minutes and they already feel the bad vibes escaping Victor's office. I can't decide if that's a good or bad thing.
The creaky staircase brings back memories of my second year at the house - the year Nina arrived. We searched diligently and endlessly for the cup of ankh to prevent Victor from gaining immortality. A clue led us to "Under the eighth stair." We had pried open the floorboard and found a key - but we'd forgotten to seal up the floorboard again. Victor had tripped down the stairs and injured his ankle. The memories flood back to me, and when I reach the eighth stair, my foot lingers, listening to the creaks.
I keep twisting and twisting my foot. But, before I know it, the floorboard flies off and I'm sent flying down the stairs.
I hear my scream, which I'm fully aware of, but I hear another scream. My eyes are closed, but I know for sure that I've just fallen on top of a girl.
"Ah! Fabian!"
I rub the blur out of my eyes and blink.
"KT? God, I'm sorry." I extend my arm to help her off the ground. She brushes the dust off of her jeans and looks me in the eye with a soft smile.
"You ok? That was quite a topple you just had."
I chuckle, slightly more high pitched than normal. "YUP! JUST DANDY! HAHA!" My voice cracks and I latch a hand onto my throat. I can feel my face burning red. Why…?
"Well, gotta go! Off I go! Yup, gotta take these guys on a tour! Hehe…"
I dash out of the foyer with what little manly dignity I have left. I motion for Callan, Beck, and Esmay to follow me; they have to scamper to keep up with me as I try to exit as quickly as possible.
Once we're outside on campus, I turn to face the group.
"Hope you don't mind me asking, but what was that about?" Beck asks with a smirk.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" I say as chipper as possible. "There was absolutely nothing about that!"
"Whatever man, just keep going on the tour."