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5

Bianaca

Why did Aiden have to be such an…such anasshole?

I was fuming when I left the kitchen, the heavy duffle bag full of water bottles hitting my leg with every step I took. It was sure to leave a nasty bruise on the outside of my thigh, but the pain barely registered.

I was still muttering to myself, most of my curse words incoherent, when I ran face-first into a familiar female with jet-black hair and too pale skin.

Kelly.

Her wide, guileless eyes turned to saucers when she saw me, her gaze dropping briefly to my duffle bag before she refocused on my face. She trembled, tiny convulsions that made me fear for my friend, before she whispered, “Between.”

She’d been saying that same word for weeks, and I’d never thought anything of it. I’d assumed they were the ramblings of a slightly unhinged woman, but now…

Between.

As in…

Between life and death.

My heart hammered against my rib cage as I stared intently into her skittish, light blue eyes.

Did Kelly…did Kelly know the truth about this place?

She’d been the one to show me the monster, after all. And why would she repeat “between” if she weren’t aware of where we were? It couldn’t be a coincidence. No, not something like this.

“Kelly,” I whispered, my breaths sawing in and out. The noise was deafeningly loud in the silence of the halls. “Do you…do you know the truth about where we are?”

Her eyes shifted from side to side nervously, searching the emptied hallways, before she repeated, “Between.”

“You know.” It wasn’t a question, yet I found myself needing some sort of confirmation.

She licked her upper lip, her frail body still shaking erratically, before she dipped her chin in a nod.

She knew.

She knew.

And this entire time, she’d been trying to warn me. How did she know?Whatdid she know? Was it different from what Heath had told me?

Indecision warred within me, a fierce battle of sharp swords and iron shields, before I came to a decision.

Aiden was going to fucking kill me.

Grabbing her arm before she could hurry away, I moved both of us towards the far end of the hall, away from any prying eyes or way too curious ears. She blinked at me, her blue eyes appearing white in the vivid lighting.

Without giving myself a chance to overthink this, to regret my decision, I placed my hands on her shoulders and spoke in a low, terse voice. “Okay, listen. We don’t have a lot of time. I don’t know what you know exactly about this school and why we’re here, but I’m assuming it’s the same as me. We’re leaving, Kelly. Tonight.”

Not an ounce of expression crossed her elfin face as she stared, just stared, at me.

“Leave your room at exactly eleven forty-two PM and meet me at the shed. Not a minute earlier or later. Got it?” Again, not a single facial tick formed as she stared up at me with that unnerving intensity of hers. Unease skittered up my spine before I shoved it down, reminding myself she was my friend. “We can’t stay here a second longer. It’s not safe. Do you understand, Kelly?”

Slowly, she nodded, a single dip of her chin. My breath wooshed out of me as I gave her shoulders one last squeeze before releasing her.

“Good. That’s good.”

Aiden was going to be furious at me, but I couldn’t leave her behind. Not after she’d tried to warn me, tried to save me. If we were getting out of here, I’d be damned if she didn’t come with us.