Tora (The Tora Trilogy Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

mixed emotions on Thea’s face when she’d told her she was leaving the squad tennis team and school altogether.
    Eva was bored. She imagined a stylish limousine escorting her to therapy. She imagined all the things she would be missing out on back at Margate. She’d be missing weekly late Friday night soaps and horror movie sessions, wild parties and her graduation prom. Thea would be painting her nails lacquer pink in French besides an empty desk, her eyes pouring over the latest vogue mag and she’d be fanning herself in the malodourous tech classroom.
    Everyone had been raving about what a good year that was to follow, but Eva couldn’t think of one thing to look forward to.
    A noise caused Eva to jerk her head away automatically. She looked past the woman, carefully to the door behind her. Her migraine freshened up, thrummed painfully at her temples. Then she’d caught a whiff of something that smelled like sour lemons.
    Then she saw them. Struggling to seep through the cracks of the door. The shadows. They lingered there, and Eva could see heat waves rising off the door and pressure building. If the door suddenly flung open, she’d have a lot of explaining to do. Eva took in a long jagged breath and tried to calm her nerves. Her stomach was clenched and she felt her feet slowly rising off the chair in anticipation of it all. Eva’s eyes burned. She strained them, hoping her eyes would have enough strength to clear them away – for now. And as prompt as they’d appeared, they dispersed, like dissipating clouds. And the smell, her migraine, the heavy head feeling she’d experienced had fled at the same time.
    The woman was flitting from files and appeared as though she hadn’t heard the noise Eva had.
    “I know you might be feeling the world is a difficult place.” She said, noting Eva’s hard expression as she looked up. Her feet slipped in and out of her taupe leather slip ons.
    “It’s not easy to lose your parents at such a young age.” She pressed on.
    The woman fixed on the word lose, as if she’d been lost in the crowd and they’d soon reunite. She noted the emphasis placed on the words. They came out sounding harsh. Was this woman trying to mess with her feelings when she already had enough on her plate? Trying to stir up her emotions? Based on Eva’s first impressions, she’d rubbed off as being shallow and ignorant. And she was only digging a deeper hole for herself.
    Eva rolled her eyes, annoyed, suddenly not caring what she thought of her, but hoping that she’d notice how awkward this conversation was.
    Dr. Smith sighed. She bent forward in a conservative manner.
    “Eva, you’re making no effort to connect with me. I’d like you to get something out of this.” She whispered in a low voice even though no one else was in the room. She paused briefly considering something more motivating. “Your mother’s very worried.” She added.
    “Put your shoes back on doc.”
    There was nothing for Eva to get out of this. She was sick of strangers telling her how to act. She didn’t need someone on standby waiting for something bad to happen.
    Eva rose from the couch and grabbed her duffel bag.
    “I’ve gotta run.”
    Run from this session. Sort her life out. Make a new start.
    “See you Tuesday?”
    But by that time, Dr Smith was talking to a closed door.

Three
    ~†~
    Eva glanced over her shoulder for the last time. Michelle was doing her best to remain stoic, but her brown eyes were moist. It was hard for Eva to leave. Not because she’d be homesick, missing her best friend Thea, school or busy Boca Raton. She didn’t want to leave Michelle, her mother, behind. “It’s only for a year pumpkin.” She’d said, shrugging it off. “You have your whole life ahead of you. You won’t even want to come back.” She assured. But a year was too long for Eva. She’d miss a year of her life that she was meant to be having fun at home with family and friends. How would she survive a day