But no. My tongue is heavy and my head is mush.
Be normal, Gwenna.
Whatever the fuck that evenmeansat this point.
“As director,” she goes on, “It is my obligation to maintain a healing, stable environment. We are a private institution, which means that residency here is at the discretion of the director. So, if any of our residents poses a distinct threat to that atmos?—”
“This was not anything Gwenna instigated,” Jessie pipes up. “I highly, highly doubt she?—”
“Please,” the director says sharply. “If I may.”
Jessie retreats, but not before shooting me a quick glance as if to saysorry, I tried.
I nod back.What did they do?my mind is screaming.What happened? What did they do? What did theydo?
The director is still speaking.
“…give your mother a call to inform her, and?—”
“No.” The single syllable jets out of me like a reflex.
The director pauses, slowly dials her gaze in on me.
“No?” The corners of her lips twitch.
“No,” I say. “Don’t…do you have to call her?”
The director blinks. “That depends, Gwenna. Would you prefer to underwrite the costs of your transfer to Garnet View yourself?”
What is she…Garnet View?
“Because your current account balance will not be enough to cover the additional fees.”
That’s the PC dorm.
“We’d need authorization to initial another bank transfer.”
That’s what Linda was on the phone about just now.
A shiver cuts through my mental haze.
“I…what?” I manage.
The director coughs.
“As I was saying,” she goes on, with a meaningful look at Jessie, “that given what happened today, it would be in your best interest to be on protective care for the foreseeable future.”
No. No. My heart plunges. What happened toat the discretion of the director?
My mind swirls as the director’s speaking words I can’t even hear. I thought she was going to kick me out. I thought, maybe, the guys had done?—
A knock at the door interrupts her speech.
“Yes?” she says, after a moment.
The door swings open, revealing Linda the admin wearing an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she says, “but this young woman insisted she?—”
