Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

That night, I took my time in the showers inside of the gymnasium building out on the grounds. I let the drops from the shower head, that mimicked the ones from my eyes, to fall down on me as I sat against the marble floor. I have never felt more alone in my life.

I'll come back. When I have the cash, the time, I will. His words echoed in my ears, mixing in with the sound of the showers and door�"the door had opened.

“Did you see the new girl?” A perky voice chimed from a few paces away.

“Yeah, I heard she's nuts.”

“I heard she's mute.”

“I saw her talking with the...you know...group.”

“So, she isn't mute.”

“Apparently, Not.”

“Wasn't a question.”

“Oh.”

“She still acts like a freak.”

“It's like she's afraid of us here or something.”

“She should be.”

“Yeah, totally. Maybe she just doesn't like it here.”

“But, who in their right mind wouldn't like this place?”

“It does have to grow on you.”

“Bite your tongue.”

“Don't be such a sour puss just because your Dad is the dean here.”

“I like this place. You should too. If not, I don't know why I even talk to you.”

“A-Amber, come on.” The girl pleaded. “I-I didn't mean it.”

The voices faded as the sound of the door closing made it's way back to my ears. Hated in the new school too. My life just can't get any worse, can it?

Biting my lip, I pushed my back hard against the shower walls, feeling a sharp pain in my spine and shoulder blades. The pain made my mind ease up a bit. Made the sadness still, until it came crashing back like the water against the top of my head.

I was shaking now. Not from the water or the draft that had been pouring through the bottom of my curtain, but from the ache in my chest that caused tears to sting my eyes once again.

“Alice?”

I sniffled as I wiped the water from my cheeks and closed my eyes, trying to will the drops coming from my eyes away.

“Alice? I know you're in here. A boy in the hall saw you come in...two hours ago.”

Maurice peered into my shower cubicle, her eyes on mine. I pulled my knees tight to my chest, trying to cover what part of me that I could.

“Uh oh. Are those nasty wet things on your cheek tears? Sure doesn’t look like shower water to me.”

“They're not.”

“Sure.”

I wiped my face again, but I guessed she could tell because of my puffy eyes and red nose that I had been crying.

“Mind if I join you?” She didn't wait for my answer and moved past the curtain. She sat on the marble floor beside me. “I'm going to give you some advice.”

Here it comes. There's better fish in the sea. I need to get over him. There's so many people here to like�"to fall for.

“Wait til you're alone in your own room to cry. Trust me. You don't want any of the students here--” she stopped for a minute and corrected herself. “that aren't in our group, to find you crying over a boy back home.”

“I thought you were going to tell me to grow up. Find some other guy.” I shrugged.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because�"It just strikes me as something you'd do or say.”

“Been there, done that. I know you don't want to hear someone telling you what to do. You're eighteen, you know what you want. I'm not your Mother.”

“Thanks.”

She nodded then pulled me to her chest and leaned her head on mine. “Cry all you want, curfew's about to start then we have to go. So...take advantage.”

So, I did. I broke down in her arms and allowed my tears to tear me apart until I was nothing but a shaking hollow shell in her arms. Until there were no tears for me to shed. Nothing but whimpers and the sound of my teeth clattering against each other. If I didn't like Maurice much before, I loved her now. No friend�"no one back at home would have done this for me. Would have kept their mouth closed, no sighs, no sign of annoyance, as I broke. No pull yourself together. No grow up. This was something no one had done for me, no one apart from Bryce. This would be the marking of my trust in her, my friendship with her.

If she didn't rub it in my face later.

 

Darkness fell on us, like a black hood. 

Curfew. Students find your way back to your beds. The emergency lights are on in the hallways and on the grounds to guide you. Students find your way back to your beds.

The words repeated three times until the sound stopped.

Maureen was the first to giggle as I lay still against her chest, still shocked from the abrupt change. I glanced over at her, my brows furrowed �" though I couldn't make out one expression on her face.

That made her go into a fit of hysterical laughter.

“The lights are out because of curfew. They do it all of the time.”

“Thought it was because of that. It’s just�"It was weird having the lights just go out like that.” I shook my head and stood to my feet, a little happier now that I didn't have to grab a towel in front of her with the lights on.

“Yeah. You'll get used to it. Here.” giggling, she pushed something soft against my stomach.

I reached for the towel, turned off the water and quickly began drying off my soaked frame.

“Hurry, we don't have long before the teachers go searching around the grounds. I don't think you want to stand outside naked, do you?”

“They do that?” I gasped

“No! What do you take this school for?” She waited a moment and then added. “Well, at least I don't think they do...I've never heard of anyone taking a shower this close to curfew before.”

I ran the towel through my hair and felt around in the dark for the pile of clothing I had laid out.

“I'm going to wear your pants and tank, you have the sweater.”

“What?”

“I got drenched in that shower, plus I need the pants because I don't have any panties.”

“You're not wearing�"“

“Yes, I am. They are soaked from the shower.”

“Fine. Fine.” she handed the sweater and panties over, I slid them on after drying�"then handed her the towel and waited for her to finish.

“Okay, let's go.” She wrapped her arm around my waist and we headed out of the gymnasium, only bumping into two chairs, a weight bench and tripping over two balls on our way out.

Her laughter, loud and bubbly, became contagious and I couldn't stop myself from a few giggling fits.

“Why in the world did you have a sweater anyway? It's August!”

“I get cold easily.” I'm not sure what was funny about this, but we both burst out into giggles once again.

“Well, let's be thankful for your intolerance to the cold.”

“Exactly!”

 

We made our way to where we all slept, surprisingly, without bumping into one teacher. She went her way and I went mine.

Once I was safely concealed behind the curtains, I pulled off the sweater and shrugged on one of Bryce's button down tops that I had kept. It stood around me and came down, almost, to my knees. I removed my necklace, that had Bryce's class ring on it, and laid it down on my nightstand. Once in bed exhaustion took me in it's grasp within seconds and I was swept up into a dreamless sleep.