Page 7

SEVEN

ROSALIE

U nease trickled through me as I eyed the foreign object on the floor near my door. It was wrapped in gifting paper with a pink bow on top. With cautious steps, I moved forward and scooped it off the ground. The item bent in my hands, clearly a book of some kind with something hard attached to it—like a box. Maybe Alex had it sent to me? He didn’t mention any gifts at visitation, though. Frowning, I started peeling the paper off of it, my breath catching when I realized what it was.

A coloring book with a box of crayons.

Suddenly, it didn’t matter where it came from. A small smile pulled at my lips as I stared at the bright image on the polished cover. A unicorn with a rainbow behind it and hearts floating around the animal. This would definitely help to pass the time.

When the knock sounded at my door, much earlier than anticipated, I tossed the book and crayons on my bed.

Gloria stepped inside. “Hey.” She beamed. “So, I have some good news for you today.”

Were they letting me out? My heart skyrocketed into my throat at the prospect. Did they realize this had all been some kind of mistake?

“You’re going to the East Wing.” She smiled. “No more being locked up in here.”

My shoulders dropped. It was good news, just not the news I was hoping for. She looked around the room, noting my giant bags that were sprawled all over the floor and the few books that took up the empty side of my bed.

I wanted to go home. More than anything. Mom needed me right now, and I needed Alex. Tugging my lower lip between my teeth, I turned around and moved back to my bed. With slow movements, I started stuffing my belongings into the bags, my mind elsewhere.

“Stop letting me win,” Daisy complained, folding her arms across her chest.

I bit back a smile. “Letting you win? Why on earth would I do that?”

She gave me an exaggerated pointed look, then motioned around the room. “There’s nowhere to hide in here. You came in here on purpose.” She frowned. “Hide and seek isn’t fun if only one of us is playing right.” She propped a hand on her hip.

My chest tightened. Fuck. I missed her. I missed her sassy, little attitude. I missed her giggle. I missed the way she’d jump on Alex’s back and tell him where to go like he was her horse. I missed the games we played. Everything .

“It’ll be okay,” I’d said . “I’ll protect you.”

“Promise?”

In the end, it was me she had to fear the most. A lone tear pooled along my waterline and trickled down the side of my face. Wiping it away as quickly as possible, I hauled my belongings to the door where Gloria stood waiting. She shot me a small smile before taking one of the bags from me and hauling It over her shoulder.

“Thanks,” I murmured.

She opened the door wider and stepped out, leaving me to follow behind her. With heavy breaths and lazy footsteps, I trailed after her. White walls, white marbled floors with black specs, random doors with plaques on them. There was nothing interesting about this place.

The building felt like a giant maze. There was no way to memorize how I’d gotten to my new room. Every hallway looked strikingly similar to the last. The only difference was that some halls contained more doors than others.

Gloria led me to a bland looking door before stopping and turned to face me. “This is your room.” A soft smile lifted her lips. “Down that hall, take a right, and that’s the cafeteria.” She pointed in the direction she was talking about before moving to unlock the door and pushed it open.

The only difference between this room and my last one was that this one was bigger.

“You can decorate it how you’d like,” she explained. “The art room has some supplies they don’t mind parting with. You’re welcome to paint the walls and hang up pictures.”

I nodded. At least that was something. Glancing around the room, my gaze snagged on a large, digital clock. That was another thing my last room didn’t have. At least I’d know when mealtimes were now. I made my way inside and placed my bags on the bed. Gloria waited by the door, shrugging off my last bag and extending her arm in offering. Reluctantly, I took it and tossed it with the others.

“I’m going to leave you to get settled. Don’t forget, breakfast is at seven-twenty.” She shot me one last smile before slipping from the room and pulling the door closed behind her.

Glancing at the clock again, I sighed. There were still fifteen minutes left before I needed to be in the cafeteria. Moving over to my new bed, clad with a white comforter and white pillows, I took one of the bags and started sifting through it.

I hung the majority of my clothes up in the closet and placed my undergarments in the dresser on the opposite side of the room. I didn’t go through all the bags Mom had sent me, so now seemed like a good time to do that. There were more books, most of them romance novels from the neighbor’s daughter, along with body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

When I reached the last bag, I tugged out a stuffed animal, my breath stuttering out instantly. My fingertips ran over the worn, brown texture of its fur, tears attacking my eyes immediately. This was Daisy’s bear. She slept with it every single night. Hell, the thing even played hide and seek with her. Pain sliced through my chest. Mom should have had this buried with her. Why did she give it to me ?

I propped the stuffed animal in the corner of my bed, making sure it was in a secure location and wouldn’t fall over. Afterwards, I took my bags and tossed them on the closet floor before casting one last glance toward the clock on the wall.

7:18 AM.

Damnit. Grabbing my hairbrush, I ran it through my hair a few times, making sure I at least looked presentable and then headed for the door. I stepped out into the hallway and glanced both ways. Patients littered the pathway, talking amongst each other as they made their way to the cafeteria. My heart rate increased, nerves trickling through my veins.

“Rosalie?” A familiar voice called out from behind me. I turned, coming face to face with Cheyanne. Her hair was thrown into a messy bun today, a few strands falling out of the updo.

“Hi,” I replied with reluctance, my gaze sweeping over her outfit. She was wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. “Are you headed to the cafeteria?”

She nodded. “You can sit with me and my friends if you want,” she offered.

“Sure.” I smiled, trying to rid my thoughts of the current of emotions that had consumed me moments before.

We walked side by side down the hallway and once we reached the end, we took a right. The room was easily the largest one I’d stepped into so far. Circular tables took up the entirety of the floor with the food station at the far end of the room, lunch ladies occupying the space behind it as they dished out food onto plates.

We stepped into the long line, my gaze bouncing around the room as we waited.

“So, they let you out of your cell at last, I presume?” she asked from in front of me.

“Yeah.” I breathed. “Finally.”

“It’s not so bad once you get used to this place. They’re extremely understaffed here, so we have a little more freedom than other psychiatric facilities.”

I thought about that for a moment as the line moved. I wasn’t so sure that was a good thing. More freedom meant more opportunities to find yourself in a screwed-up situation. A chill swept down my spine as my mind conjured up out of pocket scenarios. Things that weren’t likely to happen but could .

The room was loud with voices and laughter, the sound making my skin crawl. It was hard to imagine being able to laugh or have a good time after what happened. It felt like a disservice to my sister’s memory.

When we reached the front of the line, I eyed the assortment of different foods. Hot dogs with toppings, chips, and a drink of our choice. Odd choice for breakfast, but whatever. The lunch lady put chili and cheese on my hotdog at my request and then I moved down the line where the other lady filled my drink up with sweet tea. Clutching my tray in my hands, I followed Cheyanne to a table where a girl and two boys were seated. One of the boys had a black eye and busted lip, the sight causing my breath to catch as I slid into the spot next to Cheyanne.

“Rosalie, this is Tyler.” She pointed to the boy with the beaten-up face. “This is Shaylynn.” She motioned to the girl with short brown hair and matching eyes. The girl shot me a small smile before returning to her food. “And this is Ryder.” I remembered seeing him around from time to time. Probably in group therapy, since I hadn’t really been anywhere else. His light brown hair was longer, brushing against the collar of his shirt. “Guys, this is Rosalie. She’s new.”

They all mumbled their greetings, and I fixed my attention on my food once they were done. After a few bites, the feeling that I was being watched prickled against my skin, making me raise my head. My eyes darted around the room until they locked with Archer’s, who sat a couple tables down with Seven, Jordan, and the twins. Heat spread through me, my mind drifting back to the single conversation we’d had only a couple days ago.

Ripping my attention off him, I returned to my food. But I could still feel him watching me.

“So, Rosalie,” Ryder began. “Have you signed up for any of the classes here yet?”

I thought back to my conversation with Gloria. She mentioned doing that for me, but I hadn’t heard anything since, so wasn’t sure if she went through with it or not.

“Ms. Gloria asked me which ones I was interested in, but I haven’t heard anything back yet.”

He snorted at that and shook his head. “Chances are, if she didn’t get back to you that same day, then she forgot all about it. I can take you sometime so you can get signed up directly, if you want,” he offered.

“Oh, um…sure. Thank you.”

Shaylynn shifted nervously at his side, her gaze bouncing from him to me. Did she like him? Shrugging it off, I retrieved a potato chip from the bag and plopped it in my mouth.

After breakfast, I grabbed a change of clothes from my room and headed into the bathroom. The hot water trickled down my skin and helped to take my mind off things. It did feel good to have a little bit more freedom. Nobody was forcing me to stay in my room. There wasn’t a lock on the door. I could come and go as I pleased. Tilting my head back, the water ran over my chest, slipping down between my thighs.

The body wash Mom had brought me was pink sea salt and rose water. The feminine scent permeated the air, but it was familiar, and I liked it. After I was completely clean, my hands moved through my damp hair and I twisted, expelling the excess water from the strands of blonde. Turning off the water, I wrapped a towel around my body before stepping out onto the cold tile. Cool air instantly greeted me, making my nipples pebble from the immediate contrast.

I quickly got dressed, gathered my dirty clothes, and started for my room to dispose of them when I was stopped in my tracks halfway to my door. Archer had just rounded the corner, his blue eyes searing through mine.

“Hey.” He smiled, revealing a row of perfect white teeth and canines that should be illegal. He could probably rip my throat out with those teeth. A shudder rolled through me at the mere thought.

I shifted uncomfortably, hating the way he looked at me—like I was a meal he’d devour if given the chance. Despite being frightened, there was also something about him that intrigued me, that set my pulse racing whenever he stared at me with those intense, piercing eyes. He was a project I wanted to unravel, to see how his mind worked, and to find out what made him tick.

“Archer, right?” I asked stupidly. I knew his name, and he knew that I did. It was written all over his face and in the way his eyes darkened and his mouth tilted into an amused smirk.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten me. I’m just going to have to up my game, aren’t I?”

There it was. The truth handed to me on a silver platter. He did have ulterior motives for wanting to help me. Guys like him didn’t do anything without getting something in return.

My arms tightened around my clothes as my heart started to beat faster. I knew what he wanted. To show me around the asylum like he offered before. I’d let him, only because he was the only one kind enough to offer. But after that, keeping my distance was probably in my best interests.

“ I didn’t intend on killing her, but I did.”

Those were the words he uttered my first time in group therapy. It didn’t matter that he sounded remorseful when he said it.

His voice rang out, cutting through my thoughts like butter and causing them to disintegrate. “Are you busy right now? I was thinking I could show you around like we talked about before,” he offered.

My teeth sank into my lower lip and his eyes followed the movement. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Let me just drop these off.” I held up my clothes for emphasis.

He nodded and then moved to stand beside me instead. I took that as an invitation and started for my room, slipping inside and dropping the garments on the ground by the door. I’d put them in the dirty clothes bin later. My eyes drifted toward my bed, checking to make sure Daisy’s bear was where I’d left it. Satisfied when it was, I made my way back into the hall where Archer still stood.

“Where to first?” I asked.

“The gym is right around the corner. I can take you there first.”

“Okay,” I agreed, not really knowing if I’d get any use out of the place, but it would be nice to know where it was just in case.

I followed him down the hall like we were headed to the cafeteria, but at the end of the walkway, he led me left instead. At the end of the hallway was a set of double doors. I recognized this part of the asylum immediately. This was where I’d gone to church on Wednesday.

“I come here often,” he admitted, shoving through the two doors, leaving me to follow after him.

A giant basketball court took up the majority of the space. The floors were polished with smudges across it from recent use. A bench sat near the doors and a set of bleachers was folded against the wall on the opposite side.

He pointed toward another door at the far end of the room. “There’s a weight room in there with treadmills and ellipticals. The weights are built into the machines so they can’t be used as weapons,” he explained, his tone holding a trace of amusement.

Next, he showed me the music room. It looked like any other choir that you’d see in school with chairs positioned on different levels of a ramp. Podiums were lined up against the far wall and on the other side of the room were instruments. I used to like singing as a kid. It had always been therapeutic and was a great way to express yourself when those feelings were difficult to talk about.

As we continued to the next room, I felt myself relaxing. He didn’t seem that bad. Maybe what happened was similar to my situation and it had been a one-time thing and a complete accident. That’s what I wanted to believe, anyways.

“Wow.” I breathed, once we stepped foot into the theatre.

A large stage sat up front with rows and rows of seating surrounding it. When the doors closed behind us, my body tensed, the lights dim compared to the ones in the hall. It struck me then, that I was completely alone with him in a room that was so big, I wasn’t sure anyone would hear me scream if it came to that.

His body heat surrounded me as he stepped against me from behind. My breath caught in my throat when his hands drifted along the outside of my arms, his fingertips brushing along my skin, raising goosebumps with each stroke of his fingers.

“This is the drama room,” he whispered, his breath feathering against my ear.

I whirled around to face him, the movement causing his hands to drop to my hips, which he tightened around my waist. Even in the darkened room, his eyes were captivating. Dark promises danced within them, sending my heart into my throat. He tugged me against him, causing a gasp to slip from my lips and I was forced to brace myself against his chest. His heart was beating hard beneath my fingertips.

“Archer…” I said hesitantly.

“Just one taste,” he whispered.

My head spun, trying to figure out what he’d meant by that, but his lips crashed down on mine in the next breath. They were soft and warm, a complete contrast from what one would expect by looking at him. I didn’t kiss him back. I couldn’t. But there was a part of me that was too scared to pull away. Would he take it as a rejection?

His hands slid up, wrapping around the sides of my face where he cradled me, holding me in place with a firm grip. Images of Alex flashed within my mind, guilt consuming me even though I wasn’t entertaining this.

I pushed away from him abruptly, my eyes wide with panic.

“Y-you can’t do that,” I stammered. “I have a boyfriend, and we don’t even know each other.” My chest rose and fell rapidly.

His eyes darkened at the mention of Alex. The sight had my skin crawling with nerves. There wasn’t exactly a handbook on how to talk to people like this. All I could think about was how he accidentally murdered that girl. My chest constricted as he took another step forward, invading my personal space once again.

“By the time I’m done with you, you won’t even remember his name. I promise you that.” He reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, allowing his fingers to brush across the side of my face with the movement. Finally, he dropped his arm and stepped away.

When he turned to open the doors, letting the light bleed into the large room, tension rolled off my body in waves. Hesitantly, I followed him back out into the hall.

Next, he showed me the art room. Gloria had mentioned this to me earlier, stating they didn’t mind giving away their supplies to patients for decorating purposes. Long white tables decorated the room with what appeared to be art kits in front of each seat. This room contained the most color with paintings adorning the walls and bright, marble wallpaper with various colors.

“My friend Jordan comes here a lot,” he said. “So if you have this class, you’ll probably see him more.”

Jordan—the one who raped his pregnant step-aunt in front of his uncle and then murdered her. My throat constricted, but I knew better than to speak my thoughts on the subject. If Archer was friends with him, knowing what he’d done, then I could only assume he wasn’t much better. The same could be said for Seven.

One of the last places he took me to in the building was the library. My eyes widened as he led me through the bookcases stacked throughout the room. There were probably thousands , if not more, books in this place.

As if noticing my admiration, he released a chuckle that vibrated through his chest. The sound did things to me I didn’t even want to contemplate. “You like books, I presume?” he asked with a small smile.

“I like all kinds of literature. Books, poetry, short stories, all of it really.” I grinned back, unable to help myself. There was just something amazing about getting lost in a story or entranced by words that had the ability to make you feel.

He glanced at me for a moment as if deep in thought, but he didn’t say anything more on the matter. Instead, he led me toward the back end of the library that was secluded from the rest.

“This is where I like to hangout. It’s quiet over here and no one else takes up this space,” he explained, motioning toward an area with a couch and table.

“So, you won’t mind if I steal your spot then?” I joked, the environment already putting me more at ease.

“Not at all. I wouldn’t have shown it to you if I didn’t want to share it with you.” He turned to face me, that same hunger in his eyes that was there when he kissed me.

Instinctively, I took a step back, not wanting to give him the opportunity to do it again. “Archer…” I said hesitantly.

“Don’t worry. I won’t come onto you again. Even though what I really want to do is lay you down on that couch and fuck you senseless.”

My breath hitched and heat spread through my body. I’d never had anyone say anything like that to me or be so…forward in general. I’d wondered what sex was like in the past, and even though, I’d agreed to the whole celibacy thing with Alex, I’d brought it up a few times which he always shut down.

Blowing out a breath, I trained my eyes on the floor nervously. “Y-you can’t say things like that.”

“Why?” he asked, titling his head in an innocent gesture, but it contrasted against his taunting tone. “Would your boyfriend get mad?”

“Probably.”

A slow smile stretched across his face. “Is that the only reason you want me to stop?”

Yes.

No.

Damnit!

Sighing, I shook my head. “Just…stop,” I whispered, not knowing what else to say. I wanted him to stop because I hated what it did to my body. Alex and I weren’t breaking up regardless of whatever this asshole thought. He was tempting me, testing me, and it just wasn’t going to happen.

As if seeing right through me, he smiled knowingly. A taunting kind of smile, one full of dark promises and determination. I didn’t like it. Not at all.