The Similars (The Similars #1)(19)
Madison sits pin straight in a hardback upholstered chair in front of the door. Legs crossed, her lean body tense with anticipation, she monitors the time on the plum strapped around her wrist. At midnight on the dot, she stands to lock the tower door with her key. Hers must have that extra capability, since she’s the Ten leader.
“Welcome, new initiates,” she says, clearly relishing her authority. “You survived your first hour as one of the Ten. Like many of your predecessors”—she indicates the portraits on the wall behind her—“you will go down in history as among the most talented students to walk these hallowed halls. Well, some of you, anyway.” Madison’s eyes land on the Similars. “There are a few of you who may be here for other, questionable reasons, but it is entirely Headmaster Ransom’s business if he chooses to weight the stratum test in favor of certain…new transfer students. And scholarship students.” Madison looks right at Levi, Theodora, and Maude. “And scholarship students.” Then she rests her gaze on Pru. I feel bile rising in my throat. Is she calling out my roommate and friend as a scholarship student? Pru’s a legacy—her father attended Darkwood some twenty years ago. And even though he’s had a successful career as a journalist, Pru’s told me in confidence that her family’s finances are strained. Especially since her mom got sick and all the medical bills piled up. From what I can tell, they may never catch up. But I know for a fact that Pru earned that stratum ranking fair and square. By being the smartest and the best. I’m about to jump up, fiercely protective of my friend, but Pru levels me with a look to keep my thoughts to myself.
“As you may already know, being one of the Ten doesn’t make you special. It makes you invincible. If you survive your junior year in this coveted club, you’ll be automatic members next year, like us.” She gestures at Tessa, Angela, Archer, and Sunil. “You’ll go on to great things. An Ivy League university. A career in whatever industry you choose. Wealth and connections will be at your fingertips. But all those spoils come at a price—the price of being simultaneously adored and despised. The price of demanding excellence from your peers at all costs. The price of being gifted.
“Darkwood was founded on the belief that our peers are our best critics. It is not solely the job of our teachers to light a fire under us, which is why we must exhort our classmates to be their best, to try harder, to excel. As one of the Ten, you must uphold that vision. You must be ready to make decisions for the good of the whole, not just the individual. You must be ready to surrender to being one of the Ten, even when the agenda does not personally suit you. Does anyone object?”
I object, I scream somewhere deep within myself. I object to throwing people in Dark Lake and cutting off a girl’s hair, and I object to you.
I start to raise my hand, but before I can fully extend it, Pru grabs my arm, pulling it down and squeezing my forearm so hard it hurts. It’s clear she wants me to stay quiet. She must really believe we have to do this, to go along with Madison’s agenda. Is that why she threw me in the lake?
“No objectors,” Madison responds. “Good.”
I shoot my other hand in the air. Madison glares at me. “Yes?”
“Emma!” Pru warns, but I ignore her.
“You must have drugged me,” I say, the mechanics of my own initiation suddenly crystalizing in my mind. “To get me into Dark Lake. There’s no way I was sleeping that soundly. It was an injective, wasn’t it?”
“Go ahead and tell yourself whatever you want, Emmaline. But you and I both know that your little pharma habit took care of our job for us.”
I don’t have a response to that. She’s right, of course. I did take more than the recommended dose of my pills today. Still, I don’t believe her. And I’m not done with her. Not even close. I break my gaze with Madison, and my eyes land on Levi, who crosses his arms over his chest. The slight movement catches my attention. As usual, Levi is acting emotionless and unfazed—like this Ten business is just one more item on his to-do list. I don’t know whether to be angry or impressed that he doesn’t take any of this seriously. I look away, pained that he’s taking up my brain space once again.
“Moving on,” Tessa pipes up. “Your next action item as Ten members, and this one might be tricky considering, well…”—she indicates the Similars—“you’re completely new to the school. Darkwood’s esteemed founders wanted the school to be a place of excellence. Historically, the Ten have taken it upon themselves to prune the student body. By doing so, we ensure that mediocrity has no home here. We ask that at the next Ten meeting, you bring us the name of a student who isn’t living up to that standard. Have fun.”
Fun? As I start to connect the dots, I feel sick to my stomach. Is this what the Ten secretly does, without the school knowing? They make students suffer? They hurt them? Encourage them to leave, or worse? How many students who transferred out of Darkwood midyear were forced out by the Ten? How many kids who plummeted off Hades Point were driven there by their peers?
I won’t do it. I can’t. My heart tells me to leave. This room, the Ten, and even Darkwood. But no, I’ll never do that. Leaving school’s not an option, and not simply because my dad would never allow it. I can’t leave because of Oliver. This is where we spent two of our happiest years together. Our last two years. It will always be the place that reminds me most of him. Being here with Levi might be torture, but I have to stay. I’ll simply refuse to do what Madison’s asking.