Page 35 of Her Wicked Plan

It’s utterly disgusting.

The sound of the dull knife hitting the plastic cutting board lying beneath it reverberates in my ears. The blade slices into the Gala apple in my grasp, one side of the fruit toppling over as soon as the knife is all the way through.

Deep in my thoughts of the past few days, I didn’t realize someone entered my personal space. My hand freezes, and my breathing picks up as I sense a bubbly personality standing beside me.

“Hi, Ronnie.”

Why the hell does Eliza keep bothering me?

Without acknowledging her, I continue slicing the apple, attempting to pretend she isn’t next to me. The tap of her slipper takes over the sound of the metal hitting the board. I stop cutting, tilt my head back, and let out a loud groan.

“What could you possibly want now?” My eyes shut as I await her response.

“Nothing,” she answers without a second thought.

I shoot my eyes open, turning my head to look at her. “Then why do you keep insisting on talking to me?”

She shrugs. “No one else wants to talk to me.”

“I wonder why,” I mutter under my breath, focusing on the apple I’m supposed to be cutting.

“I thought that since I’m newer and you’re the only one that has acknowledged me, we can start having our meals together.”

My head snaps up at her suggestion. This isn’t happening. If people see me getting friendly with another patient, then anyone will want to befriend me.

The thought of having friends causes me to shiver in disgust. Inhaling a sharp breath, I notice her hand resting on the counter.

It's time to get my point across.

In a swift move, I raise the knife and slam the tip into the wooden counter, a centimeter away from her hand. Eliza’s entire body jumps, distancing her from the object.

“What makes you think you can keep talking to me?” I rip the knife out of the counter, bringing the tip to meet the underside of her chin. “Talking to me is a privilege. One that I don’t allow anyone, so why do you think you’ve earned that right?”

“I-I don’t…” she stutters.

“I... I...” I mock her with a laugh. “I don’t want or need any friends. I am content being alone.” I press the tip of the knife into her a bit more, pricking the skin. “Leave me the fuck alone. If you don’t, I’ll do more damage with this blade the next time you approach me.”

Her eyes are wide, the brown and green in them flaring with fear. Good. She swallows hard, and I watch as her throat bobs from the action before lowering the knife.

“Veronica Rollins!” A voice I know all too well.

My head falls to the side, and I make eye contact with the old woman. “Hello, Edith.”

“Unbelievable.” She huffs out a breath. “They just allowed you back in the kitchen after the last incident! Eliza, dear, you are excused.”

Eliza nods, not sparing me one last glance before exiting the kitchen. “She keeps bothering me.”

“She wants a friend, Veronica. Eliza is new. You, of all people, know how hard it was when you first started here.”

“And look how I turned out!” I flash a smile, but the dishonesty drops as soon as it appears on my face. “I’m not the friend type, Edith, you know this. If she were to stay in my orbit, she’d only get hurt.”

She shakes her head. “You are lucky. I will keep this between us. Eliza, on the other hand, who knows if she will run to Dr. Bennett.”

“Eh, let her tell him.” I shrug, turning back to the neatly lined-up apples courtesy of me.

Edith steps in my peripheral. “He’ll send you to solitary for threatening a fellow patient.”

I lift my eyes, staring at the weekly lunch menu on the corkboard. My jaw tightens at the thought of being sent there again.