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“I’m Crew.” The pyromaniac of our group was already giving her a flirty smile. She didn’t return it even though her full lips twitched in an attempt. Her eyes were numb, dead, and I didn’t like that. I could already imagine how great a smile would look on her.
“He lights things on fire,” Layne provided her running commentary. She tucked her shoulder-length, black hair behind her ear, and her smile was feral.
It seemed like we were in for a manic day.
Knowing her, it wouldn’t last long before she plunged into anger or depression, whichever came next this round. With her Borderline Personality Disorder we had to gauge when to avoid her or stay quiet for our own sanity. Or whatever you had left of it.
“Who wouldn’t?” Crew said with a snort. His deep-brown eyes lit up at the thought alone, his fingers tapping his legs like he did anytime he got excited or anxious. A bead of sweat formed on his brow and trailed down his temple. Another sign he was fighting off the intense impulse of his own disorder.
We were a chaotic group, and Harlow already looked overwhelmed.
“Nice to meet you.” Her voice had a sexy rasp to it, and I felt my chest clench, wishing she’d talk more, but she didn’t continue.
Instead, she dropped into the empty chair that was waiting for her. Nurse Drew had dragged it out in front, ensuring she was the center of attention. It was a bit cruel. Especially when I knew every one of us was studying her, not only to see what kind of person she was, but to see if she’d received the same ‘welcome’ that we all had.
Or some variation of it at least.
Roman hadn’t told me the details yet, but gossip in the cafeteria always threw it around anytime someone new moved in.
It was a mostly unspoken horror of Dark Haven, an initiation that none of us asked for.
“This is everyone on the third floor. I’m Layne. Crew introduced himself. Captain Broody over there is Drake. Don’t piss him off, he turns into a demon, and Hiro over here shares his head with another personality... well, one so far, you never know what will happen next. What’s yours?”
When Layne stopped talking, silence hung heavy between us all. Harlow stared at each of us in turn as if she was weighing our worthiness before giving us any sort of answer. Who could blame her.
Outside of this floor, I trusted no one here.
“Schizoaffective,” she finally answered, her voice empty of all emotion. There was a dare in her gaze now, begging for us to say something and ready to fight us if we did. I liked that she was strong, it’d keep her alive here.
Dark Haven wasn’t for the faint of heart.
The walls had ears. Every nurse here reported to someone else. The doctors watched everything unfold, taking notes all the while. There were cameras in every corner except our rooms and bathrooms.
And the sounds that filled the halls at night?
They were enough to induce nightmares.
But hey, we get college credits, right?
“What do I need to know?” Harlow broke the silence. It was a question we all should have asked upon arrival. But when I got here, I barely uttered a single word and went into everything unprepared.
“Don’t give too much away to these doctors,” Layne said honestly, her voice pitched low so Nurse Drew didn’t overhear. She’d moved to the nurses’ station to give us a moment to get to know each other. Probably so she could gossip with the others. But at least we didn’t have a nurse that hovered. “And don’t leave your room at night. No matter how curious you might be or what you hear.”
A shudder ran through her, and Harlow raised her eyebrows.
Something off to the side caught Harlow’s eye, and she gave a halfhearted smirk that turned into a glare. She mouthed fuck off before looking back at us.
Talking to things that we can’t see? Yup, she’ll fit in just fine.
Even Drake who was watching this unfold with his usual quiet intensity sat up straighter at that. She was under too much scrutiny for it to go unnoticed.
At least by everyone but Crew who continued the conversation like nothing happened.
“We have pretty strict schedules. We have breakfast, online classes, therapy, lunch, group therapy, more classes, dinner, then the night is ours to spend in here bored out of our minds,” Crew added on. “But don’t worry, I have a feeling we’ll be fast friends.”
“Friends. Interesting thought,” she said with indifference.
“We all felt like that coming in,” I admitted. “This floor is one of the best. More relaxed.”
