“What do youdo, then?”
“Men with more to offer than amicro-penis, for starters …”
We both shared a laugh, and I would never admit it to anyone, but it was the only time I had been genuinely nice to someone.
Jake was the only one I couldn’t seem to avoid since he couldn’t take a hint. He was like an obnoxious dog looking for a bone, and I could only take him in doses. He wasn’t half bad, but that didn’t mean I was going to keep in touch with him after Dolor. Every day, he begged me to join his friends for their midnight rendezvous, and every day I declined.
Until tonight.
I got the impression he would continue to harass me until I agreed. Plus, boredom was eating me alive from the inside out, and I supposed going would be better than reading the book Dr. Conway had given to me last week.
Doors automatically locked on time. Stanley completed his nightly security routine. Midnight came around, and I paced my small dorm room in my flannel pajama shorts and a plain white tee, talking myself out of it at the last minute. Who was I kidding? Shit like this had my name written all over it. My head fell back to see a vent big enough to fit a body through, but I had no idea how I was supposed to reach it.
The desk wasn’t heavy. I moved my bed to the center of the room and somehow managed to lift my desk on top of it before climbing up. Standing over my makeshift mountain, I pushed up the vent to find the bolts already loose.I swear, if there is a dead body up here, I will have both of Jake’s heads—one ineach hand.
The distinct sound of Jake’s giggle echoed through the maze in the ceiling. After crawling four blocks to my left, I reached the opening to where the party was going on, and poked my head in to see Alicia’s curly hair below.
Alicia pointed up when she noticed me. “No way!” She moved out of the way. “Someone help her, yeah?”
Ollie appeared under the vent, wearing a black tee, sweatpants, and a smile reaching his exceptional green eyes. “Come on down, love,” he called out, and I pushed my feet through the hole. “I have you.” His fingers wrapped around my ankles before his hands slid up my hips and continued to pull me down until my feet reached the ground. His hands lingered around my waist, reluctant to break the connection.
“It’s about time,” he whispered as he scanned my face, then took my hand and held it high above my head. “Mia, everyone.”
“Mia!” The group repeated in a cheer, and Ollie looked down at me as our arms dropped between us. His mouth quirked up to the side. “Welcome to my humble abode.”
My eyes fell on Jake who sat on the floor wearing a red onesie and a content smile.
Yes, a fucking onesie—with candy canes, Imight add.
Ollie’s room had barely any furniture. No desk, no chair, no bed frame. Only a mattress on the floor and his clothes in a pile tucked away in a corner beside the mattress. How the hell was I supposed to get out of here?
“You already know Jake and Alicia. This here is Bria,” Ollie introduced with his hand extended toward the pixie-haired girl sitting on the floor. “And this is my mate, Isaac.” Ollie patted Midnight’s chest beside him, the same guy I’d seen him talking to in the mess hall.
Isaac was without a shirt, showing off his naturally tanned and toned muscles and carrying a kind of swagger I’d seen before, and I knew immediately we could have some harmless fun together.
Ollie’s green eyes fell back on me. “Have a seat. Tell us your story.”
Everyone else settled back in their spots, either on the mattress or on the floor as I took a seat next to Ollie on the floor over the blanket.
“I’d rather not.” All my opening up was saved for Dr. Conway and group therapy. At least they were licensed, unlike the peers sitting before me who couldn’t be older than twenty-one. They had their own problems, their own judgments, and their own opinions. All these kids wanted was something else to keep their minds off their own complicated life.
“We’re all screw-ups here, Mia. Give us something to talk about,” Bria begged, unknowingly proving my point.
“Anger issues? Lawbreaker? Psychotic?” Isaac rambled off.
Five pairs of anxious eyes were on me.
“I killed my mom,” I somewhat lied, and a stillness took over the room as the crew shot glances back and forth. Maybe I didn’t kill her per se, but I definitely played a role in her death.
“Shit,” Ollie breathed, reaching into his pocket.
Isaac held out the palm of his hand. “Pay up, Masters.”
My eyes went wide as I watched the exchange of currency. “You’re kidding. You guys made a bet? Getting me here was all a game to you?”
“Relax, darling,” Isaac said as he pocketed his winnings. “Don’t take it personal.”
The group broke out into conversation as I sat in discomfort. For one, I would not peg any of them to belong in a place like this. Jake was a push-over, you could tell by the way he leaned on Alicia for social support. And I admit Alicia was cool. She didn’t take the snickers from Bria and called her out on her shit. Alicia was beautiful. Her skin was smooth and dark, her eyes were the color of a hazelnut, and thick black ringlets framed her oval face. But the icing on the cake was the precious mole on her cheek.If only I were into girls …
