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She nods while holding her ankles and tilting her head in thought. “Talk to Dr. Rawlins. She’s on their board of directors on the East Coast. You should talk to your mom.”
“I don’t talk about it,” I say quietly, “but I’m okay if I only have what’s in my pocket. But my mom could have better care if we had the money for it.”
Charlotte is quiet. She pulls a painted box out of her closet and then offers me a stack of thin Oreos she keeps stashed inside. “I shouldn’t eat these,” she whispers, “my father would be upset if he knew.”
“Why would he be upset?” I ask, biting an Oreo in two.
“He’s a doctor,” she replies, “Head of surgery at Rockingham.”
Charlotte stretches her arms above her head and grabs her fuzzy purple slippers. “Come on. Let’s get you back to your room.”
I fold the throw and place it on the couch. “Thanks for the clothes, Charlotte. I’ll give them back as soon as I wash them.”
“Keep them,” she says, grabbing her passkey. “They look ridiculous on me. I’m not edgy and fierce like you. I don’t slap boys or look like I can make love on the back of a Harley.”
I laugh. “Stop flattering me.” I bite my lip then speak. “And thank you for being nice. I needed it.”
Charlotte smiles. “They have empty lives, so when someone who has a worthy challenge shows up, they do what they can to drag the person into their rut. Misery craves company. You’re an oddity at Stonehaven, Astrid, but not for the reasons you think.”
I follow Charlotte down the hallway. She knocks on the room next to mine and steps inside. I’ve never met the girls in the room next door. I only hear their voices when I open the bathroom door, and they shout for me to leave.
“I need to borrow your bathroom.” Charlotte walks straight through their room, not caring that we weren’t invited in.
We step inside the joined bathroom, and she waits as I open the other door. I glance behind me, and Charlotte waves before she disappears.
“Where did you come from?” A groggy Roni is in bed. She reaches for her phone to check the time. I don’t know how late it is, except it must be after midnight.
“It’s 3:00 a.m.,” she says, “When did you get back?”
“A while ago. I was sitting in the lounge.” I debate changing but climb into bed with Charlotte’s clothes on.
“Weren’t you wearing your uniform when you left here?” she asks, poking her head up farther. “Why’s your hair wet?”
I sigh while I stare up at the ceiling. I’m so tired, and Roni is bringing down the mood Charlotte spent over an hour creating. “I went swimming and had to borrow some clothes.”
I glance over at Roni, who has an incredulous expression on her face. It makes no sense what I just told her, but she decides not to question me further.
