I nod because I do. It makes sense and I’d actually not thought of it that much. The others in my group rarely converse with anyone but themselves, all of them still very closed off and suspicious. Something I don’t blame them for, but maybe if we all made more of an effort to become a society, things would be less depressing for the others.
‘Yeh, I know what you mean. Maybe we could talk to Pam and Sam about having a big dinner or a party. I can speak to the girls.’
‘A gaff in a stadium sounds like something younger us would be all over,’ Vish laughs.
‘Would definitely be impressive,’ I laugh with him. ‘Let’s do it. We need more laughter in here.’
‘Okay, darling. Whatever you think is best.’
I try not to feel sad at the defeat in his voice, but it’s there.
‘You just need to warn the others about how…’ I clear my throat. ‘Unique some of the girls are. They haven’t had much time to practice their social skills over the past few years, so don’t say you’ve not been warned.’
Vish shakes his head, covering his grin with the palm of his hand. ‘I don’t think you need to worry about that part.’
I look around, seeing some of the other Skulls laughing and joking around. For a group of masked men, they look terrifying when they are together, but the second they open their big mouths they manage to say the stupidest shit I've ever heard. They are nothing but a bunch of dafties. But none of the girls know this. How would they if they rarely leave the confines of their room?
When I think about it, who could blame them? I’ve never been interested in comforting them — that has always been Fauna’s job. And she’s been busy enjoying her new life with Ruaridh, exactly the way she deserves to be. But it’s not something new to us, them being shy and reclusive. Not to mention extremely suspicious.
We spent months talking about how we would avoid The Skulls and now we’re here playing house with them.
Ergh, it sounds so bad when I lay it out exactly as it is.
‘I’ll get them to join.’ I state, lifting my chin and pulling my shoulders back, the decision made for them.
At one point they are going to have to start living their lives for themselves but sometimes people need a little helping hand in the first few steps to freedom. After all, Liam was the one to teach me that.
‘Do tell how you're going to manage to get them out of that room. It’s not like we haven’t tried to be friendly.’ Vish states, not convinced.
‘Yeh dufus. What isn’t friendly about a bunch of muscled men that are tatted up to the eyeballs, have a death count in the double digits—’
Vish scoffs.
‘Fine,’ I roll my eyes. ‘In the hundreds and run around wearing Halloween masks. Not to mention you fucking hang people around the city as a warning of how mean and scary you are.’
His lips twist in a grimace.
‘Exactly. These girls have been fucking through it, Vish. Don’t you dare judge them for being apprehensive about playing tea party with a bunch of killers.’
‘You’re all killers too, Isla. In case you forgot that.’
‘They killed for survival. The rest of us killed for their survival. Just because some of us are more than prepared to end someone acting even the slightest bit suspicious does not mean every single one of them is. Dick head.’
Expression sobering, Vish nods his head, seeming to accept what I’ve spelt out for him.
‘You’re right. It’s been… harder to understand them when I’ve never spoken more than two words to them.’
I get it. I’d probably feel the same way if it was me being ignored. But this world is complicated. People have a lot of baggage and it comes in all shapes and sizes. Hopefully, we can help build up that trust little by little tonight.
‘I’ll talk to them.’
‘And if they say no?’
I grin, the plan forming in my head perfectly.
‘That look is kind of spooky.’
‘You just focus on getting everything in order for a good night.’ I assure him, spinning on my heels and making a beeline for the overexcitable six-year-old across the stadium floor.
