He puts his folder down on the maroon cushion and readjusts his blazer, picking a piece of lint off his shoulder. When he speaks next, his voice is smooth and calm. “Tell me about your conflict with Matteo.”

“It’s simple. He hates me and I don’t understand why,” I say, relieved to have something completely true to say.

“I’m surprised you don’t understand, considering who you are to each other.”

My heart skips a beat. “What did you just say?” Ash and Layla were right. Even though I don’t know who people are here, that doesn’t mean they don’t know who I am.

Conner gives me a look. “Pay attention, November. I said, I’m surprised you don’t understand, considering how you are with each other. I heard about your little altercation in the courtyard earlier.”

I give Conner a sideways look. That is not what he said. It’s also entirely possible he knows and is messing with me, trying to see how I’ll react. “He nearly pulled me out of the tree.”

“So you tried to start a fight with him?” Conner says.

“No,” I say, scratching my arm even though it’s not itchy. “I just wanted to get him to stop attacking me.”

“By attacking him?”

“By confronting him,” I say with sincerity.

“Well, I would stay away from him if I were you,” says Conner. “I don’t think causing more conflict is wise at this juncture. Do you?”

I just look at him, knowing that anything I say right now will only make it worse for me.

Conner crosses his legs and leans back. “You also told Headmaster Blackwood that you wanted to go home.”

My heart thuds.

He takes his time. “It’s odd that you would ask to go home after everything your family did to get you into this school so late. Unless…possibly you’re running away from something?”

“I’m…” I desperately want to ask him what my dad did to get me in here, but something tells me that letting Conner know I’m ignorant of that would be a very bad idea. I rub the back of my neck. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” he repeats, leaning into the words.

“I’m actually not sure why I said I wanted to go home. I think I was just frustrated at being questioned so intensely about a murder I didn’t commit.”

“If you didn’t commit the murder, the questioning shouldn’t frustrate you,” he says.

“Well, I’m not perfect,” I say.

Conner seems like he doesn’t buy it. “I look forward to our next talk, November. I believe you have a lot to think about. Although I don’t suggest lying to Headmaster Blackwood again. It will end badly for you if you do.”