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What if I really was safe there?
What if I could just… live?
If that was the case, I was really fucking grateful for the penny Linsey had practically forced me to take.
A knock sounded on the door, and I tensed.
“I left clothes for you on the bed,” Mare called from outside the room. “Feel free to use my brush, bandages, and anything else you might need. It’s in the bathroom, and the fae supply all of it.”
“Thank you,” I called back, ignoring the panic that had swollen in my chest.
I was still fine.
The door to the bedroom hadn’t been locked when I went in to take a shower—I hadn’t wanted to piss Mare off when she was being kind to me. So, it wasn’t surprising that she’d been able to come into the room. That was fine.
I was fine.
Fuck, I hated being vulnerable though.
I crossed the room and quickly locked the door.
Getting dressed in the soft, sturdy leggings and oversized sweatshirt calmed me down a bit. I was built thicker than Mare was, so everything was a bit tight, but I was used to that after a childhood full of thrift-store clothing. And the sweatshirt was so massive for her that it was still large and comfortable for me.
Back in the bathroom, I tugged a brush through my hair. Unlike the clothing, it didn’t look like it was from Earth. The bristles were strange, and the handle was made out of the white, stone-looking wood I’d seen so much of in the forest. It felt odd against my fingertips, but not uncomfortably so.
I looked through the rest of the cupboards, checking for anything that might possibly be suspicious. When I didn’t find anything, it didn’t make me more comfortable. If anything, it just urged me to wait for the next pin to drop.
Fully dressed, with my hair combed and my feet bare, I padded out of the room a couple of minutes later. Mare shot me a quick smile from her seat on the couch. Ana was eating something that looked suspiciously like cake, sitting beside three girls I didn’t recognize. I waved at them, and they waved back.
Not feeling like I was in the mood to socialize, even for the possibility of cake, I headed over to the couch where Mare was sitting. I wouldn’t sit next to her—didn’t want to annoy her—but she felt safer than the other girls, so I’d stick with her.
Though I didn’t want to read, I pretended to scan the books on the shelf. I had a shitty case of dyslexia that made it difficult to read at all, and while I could push through it when I wanted to, I had no desire to do so at the moment.
What I really wanted was a nap, but I wasn’t going to get that. Not until I had a room of my own, with a lockable door. A place to feel safe.
Fuck, I would’ve given anything for that back on Earth. I’d just have to embrace it for as long as I had it now that I was in Vevol.
Opening to the first page of my book, I stared down at the words. I was skilled at pretending to read—people reading books seemed laid-back and unconfrontational, which were two very good traits to possess in juvie.
So Iread.
And silently watched everyone interact.
I only had two minutes to study them before there was a knock on the gigantic door.
All four of the other girls went silent.
“It’s time,” one of the ones I didn’t know murmured.
“Fucking hell.” Ana sighed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jeans. I noticed that she had cleaned up and changed. My gaze followed her as she grabbed a backpack that I hadn’t noticed sitting on the floor by her feet.
“It’s going to be great,” one of the girls promised.
“It’s going to be hell,” another one grumbled.
“I’m going to survive, which is what counts,” Ana shot back at both of them. “And so are you. Don’t touch the guys, don’t let them touch you. I’ll see you when your time is up here, okay?” She looked around the room, and her gaze made it back to Mare, and then stopped on me. “Good luck, newbie.”
I shrugged back.
