I must have fallen asleep in my dorm, because the next thing I knew, there was a knock on my door, waking me and bringing me to my feet. “I told you to stay away,” I groaned while opening the door.
Then I was face to face with my love—Mia.
Her eyes went wide, and she took a step back.
“Dammit, Mia. I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t show up for dinner, I was worried,”—she raised a brow— “Maybe I should come back another time?”
“No, no, no,” my arm snaked around her waist, and I pulled her into me, “Don’t go.” I inhaled her, and her scent instantly brought me back from whatever nightmare I got sucked into.
Before I had a chance to close the door, an ear-piercing scream rang through the wing.
I peeked my head through the door, and a girl ran from the bathroom near the end of the corridor.
“What’s going on?” Mia asked, turning to see outside the door.
I shook my head. “I’m not sure,” I turned my attention back to Mia, “Stay here. Don’t leave this room.”
She nodded, and I took off down the hall.
The girl shook on the floor against the wall as she stifled her cries with her hands.
“What happened?” I asked as people formed a circle around us.
The girl pointed her thumb back toward the bathroom, unable to speak anything coherent. I pushed open the bathroom door, and I froze.
Hanging from the ceiling with a makeshift noose around the neck was Chad. Face blue, eyes wide open, and feet dangling. My stomach rolled, and I took a step back when someone caught my balance. I snapped my head around to see Scott standing behind me with his hand on my shoulder.
I fisted his shirt. “Where were you?” I screamed and threw him against the wall. His eyes darted back and forth between Chad and me. “You’re supposed to be watching them! Where the hell were you? How could you let this happen?”
“Calm down. I was—
“You were what?” I shoved him into the wall again as tears pricked my eyes. “This place is filled with people ready to take their own lives. You’re supposed to be looking out for them!”
Scott shoved his palms into my chest. “I can’t be everywhere at all times! Now calm the fuck down, I have to call this in.”
He put his palms up before reaching for the radio on his belt, and I ran my nervous hands through my hair as Mia’s voice sounded through the cracked door. “Ollie?”
“No, Mia,” I struggled to say, choking on emotion and took long strides to stop her. “You can’t come in here.” Slipping through the door, I blocked anyone from entering. I flew my hands over my face and dragged them back through my hair. Fighting. Battling. Struggling. A constant brawl raged inside me. The image of what was on the other side of the door seared into my mind. I curled my arm over my face, and Mia enveloped me immediately. Her warm hand slipped up the front of my shirt and to my chest as she held me close. My heart slammed against her hand, and I dropped my head over her shoulder.
“I can’t handle it,” I whispered as the sickness stirred inside me and a burn punctured my eyes. “It’s too much.”
“Let’s go back to your room,” she whispered.
I moved my head side to side against her. “Not until the police get here.”
She never asked questions, only stood with me, trying to comfort me the only way she knew how, and it was more than enough. When I’d reached the point of finally being able to breathe normally, I pulled the hood over my head and locked eyes on her. She’d always been that one person to quiet the turmoil seething in my heart when the surroundings got to be too much.
She was my center. My home.
Chapter Nineteen
“You’re a thief inthe night,
robbingmy gaze,
swiping my hand,
