Page 4 of Atone

Except, something went wrong. Something no one outside Sigma House will talk about. All anyone knows is that Alex’s initiation landed him in Montgomery Psychiatric Ward. Broken, scarred, and utterly silent for the past two years.

I’ve accompanied Patience a few times when she’s gone to visit Alex at Montgomery. He doesn’t speak—doesn’t so much as look anyone in the eyes. So I guess I can’t blame her for hating the House that put him there, even if they do throw the best parties in town.

“Why are they here?” Patience’s eyes narrow on Declan Pierce and Kole Christiansen cutting through the crowd.

Nothing riles her up like the Sigma Sin Kings of Hell, even if they were two of Alex’s best friends growing up.

“You know why they’re here.” I nudge her arm. “Kole is Violet’s boyfriend now. You’re going to have to play nice.”

“I’ll play nice when they pay for what they did to my brother.”

“Patience—”

She storms away before I can finish. The back of her ponytail bounces as she disappears into the crowd.

Worry mars Violet’s face as she follows my gaze, but it fades as Kole slips his arms around her. He leans down to whisper in Violet’s ear, while Declan weaves around a pole, aiming for Teal.

Unlike Kole and Violet, who can’t keep their hands off each other, Declan and Teal’s relationship is more like an ongoing, unpredictable battle. One that has been shifting lately, as they sneak around and secretly spend more time together.

“Short on people to torture tonight, Declan?” Teal glares up at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

He grins. “You know I’d rather torture you.”

“The only way you could bother me is if I actually cared about the ridiculous things that come out of your mouth. Don’t flatter yourself. You and your words mean nothing to me.” Delight flares in her vicious glare.

“Is that what you tell yourself, Tealene?” Declan props an arm on a post, towering over her.

“It’s the truth.”

He hums with more interest than irritation.

There was a time Declan and Teal couldn’t be in the same room together. But one look at them and I understand what’s been bothering Patience lately. I doubt she’s missed what’s going on between them.

“I’m going to go find Patience.” I point my thumb over my shoulder, taking a step back.

Teal snaps her gaze off Declan like she just realized they aren’t alone.

“I’ll find you later.”

Teal nods, but Violet is too wrapped in whatever Kole is whispering in her ear to notice as I turn away from them.

As if there isn’t already enough tension in our shared dorm room with Violet dating Kole. If something starts between Declan and Teal, I don’t know if anything will be able to thaw the cold war brewing between Patience and my other roommates.

I weave through the crowd, which is getting thicker as it fills with college students. It takes me longer than I expect to find Patience. And when I do, she’s standing outside the trapeze tent.

She glances to the other side of me when I stop beside her.

“Don’t worry, they didn’t follow me.”

Patience nods, focusing back on the tent in front of us. “It’s incredible.”

It is. No matter what memories stir when I’m here, nothing dulls the spectacle of the carnival.

“So this is your big secret? You grew up with a traveling carnival.” Patience’s brown eyes cut in my direction. “This is why you won’t talk about your family? I thought maybe your parents were serial killers or something.”

“You think everyone is a serial killer.”

“Because there are more of them out there than people realize.” She scoffs like it’s obvious. “But seriously… when you said you spent your childhood traveling, I thought you meant in an RV.”