Mind Games

Mel sighed as she sat over the edge of the pool, her long graceful legs dangling over the side and into the water. She missed Vladen, she wasn't going to pretend, but she needed some time out to think for a while. She didn't usually swim this early, but Mel had found she couldn't study effectively; her mind kept wandering and couldn't concentrate on one particular thing. Especially not study.
Mel looked across the pool and thought about her past life with Black, and even before that. Her parents had kept her away from the world, obviously fearing her magical abilities.
And Black. He'd left her, abandoned her. He'd left her here in this Academy and run off to do what he wished. Well, at least he was free.
And Vladen. He had made Mel smile, and was the first friend she'd made. She was bumbly around him, and she tended to embaress herself in front of him. Did he really feel he could love such a silly little girl?
Mel didn't know anything any more. Her life had spun round and round, disorienting her beyond belief. Everything Mel relied on was gone. Could she really stay strong enough to keep standing through this tough time?