The sight of her froze me where I stood, half sure I was imagining things.

But there she was in front of me, looking the same as the day she left me in front of the police station. She narrowed her eyes as she took me in, not a hint of softness in her features. So familiar, and so alien at the same time.

Her letter had told me what she'd thought of my invitation, so why was she here?

"I didn't think you were coming."

My mother's expression never changed as she looked at me. Her eyes, a light brown, finally snapped to my face. Her scowl, however, never wavered.

"I decided I needed to come." Her voice was formal, stiff.

And despite everything, an overwhelming joy spread through my chest, warming me. Even after her letters and her less-than-friendly disposition, she had come. And without Vincent.

"Selene?" Naomi had a curious look on her face when I turned back to face her. In the heat of the moment, I'd forgotten she was even here.

"Oh, um, Naomi, this is my mother, Natalie."

My mother's appearance was surprising, but Naomi didn't let it show. Her face stayed neutral, before giving way to a small smile.

She held her hand out to my mother. "I'm Naomi and this is my mother, Brynn."

My mother didn't take Naomi's offered hand nor did she reply to Naomi's greeting. Instead, she looked at me with that same sharp look of indifference.

"Where is your headmistress? There are things I wish to discuss with her."

At that statement, Naomi's eyebrows raised. Before turning back to my mom, I gave a shrug of my shoulders. "I'm not sure where Inara is. I just got here."

My mother made no reply, just pursed her lips and stared around the entryway, as if that alone could make Inara appear.

"You're welcome to join us for breakfast," Brynn said. "Naomi and I were just about to head in."

For a second, I was sure my mother was going to turn them down, intent on waiting right here in the entryway for Inara to appear. But then, she conceded. "I suppose the headmistress could be in the dining hall."

Naomi gave me a comforting smile as she and her mother led the way into the dining hall. It was more crowded than usual, with the parents of students in for the day. And the chefs had certainly raised the bar. There was a buffet of food, piping hot. It all smelled delicious as we waited in line for our turn.

"I'm glad you came," I told my mother as we waited.

"It's not for you," she snapped, voice cold. "I've told you I wish to meet with your headmistress."

"Why do you want to speak to Inara so badly?" The question was burning in me. Why had she come all this way to speak to Inara? Especially after she'd told me she wouldn't be coming at all.

The dreams I'd had with Inara at her desk flashed back to me. In those dreams, Inara had said she'd needed my mother for some sort of information. But there's no way that was true, right?

A shiver slid down my spine at the thought.

"Is it common here to call your authority figures by their first names?" My mother evaded the question deftly, but I hadn't really been expecting a straightforward answer from her, anyway.

"Everyone calls her Inara," I answered. "Most of the teachers don't prefer being called by their first names, though."

My mother clicked her tongue as she grabbed an empty plate. "At least some people in this place have some sense, then."

I fell silent then, though Naomi was giving me odd looks that I ignored. I'd have a conversation with her later, after all this was over.

We gathered our food and headed to an empty table, though I didn't feel hungry. My nerves were churning in my stomach.

I was poking at my food when I felt someone approach from behind me.

"Natalie?" a woman's voice asked. "Is that you?"

My mother stiffened as she took in the woman behind me. I turned, surprised to see Alek standing there with her. And then it clicked. Alek's mother and mine had been friends before she and Alek had disappeared. Before my mother had pretended they'd never existed at all.

"Elyse, how lovely to see you again," my mother commented, her voice expressing nothing more than dismay.

"It's been forever since I've last seen you," Elyse commented. "I was just about to go see Inara concerning Alek. Would you care to join me for the walk?"

Though the disdain and stiffness remained in my mother's features, she stood, throwing her napkin onto her barely touched plate of food. "That sounds lovely."

She didn't bother saying anything else before disappearing with Alek's mother into the crowd.

Alek stood there for a second, watching them leave. Anger flickered across his face, though I couldn't tell who he was angry with. Then, with barely a glance at any of us, he stormed away, towards where Mari and Nadia sat at their usual table.

After they were all gone, I poked at the food on my plate, nausea churning in my stomach. But what little appetite I had was gone.

How could she be so cold and unfeeling toward me? And what did she want to speak to Inara about? Something to do with me? Was she bound to ruin Whitethorn for me?

The thought made me feel even more ill. I hadn't had the easiest time here, but I was adjusting. I'd made a friend, maybe two, if Jason counted. Though, after abandoning him today, he probably wouldn't consider me a friend.

And besides that, she'd been the one who'd sent me here. Would she want me sent somewhere else?

"Are you okay?" Naomi asked me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced up and saw worry lines creasing her forehead. Brynn watched our interaction, but said nothing.

"I'm fine," I said, with as much enthusiasm as I could manage. "I'm surprised she showed up at all."

Naomi's mother made a face at that, but didn't comment. I had a feeling that my mother's coldness was bothering her, though she wouldn't say anything about it. At least, not to me. I'm sure she would discuss it with Naomi in private at some point.

"Do you think she'll stay all day?"

I stabbed at an egg with more force than necessary. "Probably not. She'll probably leave after she speaks with Inara."

"Did she tell you what she needs to talk to Inara about?"

Again, I thought back to the dream of Inara and the other person, the one whose body I inhabited. But no... there was still no way it was real. The thought of me being able to actually see through someone else's eyes was insane.

I gave Naomi a shrug. "She didn't bother to tell me. And I didn't ask."

Naomi and her mother exchanged a brief look, one that was so quick, I almost didn't notice it at all.

"I'm gonna put my plate away," I told them as I stood. I needed a minute to myself.

Weaving through the crowd, I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

But I wasn't sure I could calm myself. My mother hadn't come for me and I was stupid to think she would have.

I'd known for a long time she was lost and even after I'd sworn to myself I'd accepted that fact, I'd allowed her to worm her way into my head again.

Seeing all the carefree students with their parents made the pit in my stomach grow. It made me think of the relationship we used to have before Vincent. But all that had changed.

I tried to shake those thoughts away as I scraped my food into the trash and set my plate among the pile of dirty dishes. Turning around, I nearly ran into someone.

"Sorry," I mumbled, head down. Memories of my first day flashed in my mind and I prayed whoever I bumped into was nicer than Mari.

"Hey new girl," a familiar voice said.

I looked up, surprised. Jason was staring down at me, smiling. I tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. "Hey."

"I see you're hanging with Naomi and her mom today," he said. "Was my company not enough for you?"

He sounded hurt and guilt churned in my gut. "No, not at all. Um, my mom actually showed up today."

Jason glanced back toward the table I'd come from, a puzzled look on his face.

"She left to find Inara," I said. "Apparently she really needed to talk to her about something."

"I'm glad she showed up," Jason said. "But I'm a little bummed that we don't get to spend the day together."

Heat flashed across my cheeks. "I'm pretty boring to hang out with."

"I doubt that." He looked like he wanted to say more, but Naomi was heading for us, a forced smile on her face.

"Hey, they were handing out old yearbooks and my mom grabbed one. We're about to look through it."

"Well, I guess that's my cue. See you around, new girl." Without waiting for a reply, Jason headed into the crowd and toward the exit.

"That was a little rude," I told Naomi after he'd gone.

"And he's not a good person," Naomi said suddenly, her voice sharp. "Want to come look through an old yearbook while we wait for your mom to come back?"

I shrugged my shoulders, shocked at her sudden aggression. She'd mentioned she didn't want me around Jason because of his past connections to Mari, but this was a new level. She'd never said he was a bad person before. "I guess."

Naomi led the way back to our table, where her mom was waiting for us. A slim yearbook sat in front of her, its cover well worn and tearing at the spine.

We sat down, with Naomi in the middle. Her mother looked excited to reminisce about her high school years.

Naomi turned the pages in the old yearbook, though I had little interest in the unfamiliar faces on the pages. My mother was still gone, and Alek's mother. And I still had no idea what they were talking about.

Naomi sat beside me, while Brynn told stories of old friends. I give a small smile as Naomi's mother kept talking, laughing occasionally. Though every laugh I gave was hollow.

But I don't have the heart to really laugh along. My eyes continually scanned the dining hall, looking for my mother. Was she just avoiding me?

The meal was ending, with most people leaving the room to go explore the campus with their families. Parents still clustered around their children, talking and laughing.

I scanned the room again, still looking for my mother, even though I knew it was pointless. There wasn't even a guarantee that she would come back here once she finished speaking with Inara. She might just leave campus without a goodbye.

It would definitely be her style.

At one of the center tables, Mari sat with her mother, who had her nose upturned at the crowd that was still gathered. Mari's mother looked just like her, with pale blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Even the same resting bitch face. I guess it ran in the family.

Alek sat on the other side of Mari, trying his best to look interested in the conversation. He would nod occasionally, but I noticed that he was also searching the dining hall. Most likely for his own mother. Was he just as curious about their conversation as I was?

He caught me staring and I quickly looked away, but not before I caught his glare in my direction. Heat flashed across my cheeks and I could only pray he couldn't see it from across the room.

"Oh look," Brynn said. "There's your mother, Selene."