"Claire Danvers?" One of the guards called my name, "Your friends are here to get you. You're free to leave,"
I didn't waste any time jumping up from my seat and rushing out of the cell. I looked behind me one last time before I left, glad to be escaping the depressing grey walls and bars. A security guard led me down a narrow passageway and I saw my roomates at the other side, crowding around a table.
We reached a room with a window. I couldn't help but peer through. Michael looked dishevelled and worn down, running his hand through his blonde hair that was currently spiking off in crazy directons. Eve looked worried and tired. Shane looked blank, but curious. They all looked up simultaneously as I walked into the room. They were being questionned by a police officer, I guessed. I watched Michael mutter something that I couldn't make out to the officer and they all stood up and came out towards me. Shane grabbed my hand roughly and pulled me out towards the car.
No one spoke until we were in the car and already a whole street away from the police station. Shane was still grabbing my hand as we sat in the back. Eve was in shotgun and Michael was driving. He ran a hand through his hair again and sighed, giving Eve a knowing glance. She returned it to him with a hint of anger.
"What the hell, Claire?" She asked angrily, turning around to glare at me. Her clenched fists gripping the seatbeat.
"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinally confused.
"Eve's right, Claire," Michael added, "You can't just pull stunts like that and expect there to not be consequences,"
"I was just sticking up for myself!" I argued. Michael made a frustrated shrugging gesture at Eve who did the same. Shane just turned away from, staring blankly out of the car window at the sun which was orange in the setting sky.
"You know what Monica's like, Claire! You could have been arrested!" Eve complained, sounding tired and worn out.
"But I wasn't, so it's okay!" I whined, cringing at how young and bratty I sounded. Ugh.
"Only because she dropped charges!" Michael replied, clenching his hands onto the steering wheel. His voice was raised slightly.
It took a few seconds for the reality of the situation to set in. Monica, as in Monica Morrell, had agreed not to charge. I wondered why she would do that. Did she geniunally feel sorry for me? I almost chuckled. It was Monica, of course not. Why then? Did she want to play the kind little victim card? Could she not be bothered with going to court? Maybe it was too much work. Then it hit me.
When I can prove what you and your boyfriend did, I'll get you for it.
That's what I'd said, although, I don't remember making the concsious decision to say it. But when I did, Monica freaked out. It must be important to her, for some reason. What had she done that was so bad that she would react like that? Is that why she dropped charges? Because she was scared I would tell them whatever she had done? Because she was hoping that she could somehow bribe me into not telling anyone? I had no idea...
"Why did you do it?" Eve asked me suddenly, tearing me out of my thoughts.
"Uh-" I stuttered, then decided to just be honest. They were my friends, they wouldn't judge me, "There was a voice in my that told me what to do."
There a few aching moments of silence. My heart pounded nervously, scared that they would pull over, turn around and take me to the mental hospital, if Morganville even had one, that is. I tried to take steady breaths. I instantly regretted telling them.
Suddenly, everyone burst out into laughter. I had to double take to make sure that I was hearing them right. Were they seriously laughing at something as important as that? But then again, when someone tells you they hear voices in their head, how else would you react. I felt my cheeks go bright red and I forced out a laugh, so I wouldn't seem strange. I should never have told them.
"Voices in her head..." Eve muttered almost incoherently between hysterical laughing. I smiled at her, making it look as geniune as possible.
There was no more talk about my arrest after that. We all talked about our days and funny things that had happened to us. We talked about where to get dinner - Eve wanted Chinese, Michael wanted McDonalds - since it was too late now to cook anything. Shane was starngely quiet, still staring out of the window. He must be upset or angry. He would have jumped at the chance to offer his opinion on food otherwise.
We finally pulled up at the Glass House and Michael let me, Eve and Shane in and then went back out to get some food. I went straight up to my room, changing out of my blood-stained outfit and into a pair of pink jogging bottom and a white shirt. Literally as soon as I was changed, there was a knock on the door. I swung it open, expecting it to be Michael with the food. I was pleasantly surprised.
Shane leaned against the doorframe, his dark hair flopping easily over his eyes, "Can I come in?" he asked.
I nodded immediatley and he gave me a smile. He shut the door behind him and threw himself down onto the bed, lying for for a couple seconds before sitting up and look at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey," He said.
"Hey?" I replied cautiously. I thought he was angry at me? Wasn't he coming in to lecture me about how dangerous Monica was and why I had to stay away?
"What's up?" He asked, concerned. He stood up and came over to me, brushing my hair behind my ear gently. Well, he obviously wasn't angry anymore.
"I thought you were coming to lecture me..." I muttered sheepishly.
He looked shocked, "Lecture you? Why would I lecture you?" I shook my head and looked down, so he continued, "You were just defending yourself, and so you should, that girl is trouble"
"I dunno," I started, small tears in my eyes "I just feel like you guys were angry at me," He pulled me into his chest for a hug. I rested my head against him and he stroked me hair.
"We couldn't be angry at you, Claire," He soothed lovingly, "Sure, Michael and Eve were annoyed at first but they don't know what it's like to be hurt by Monica like you and I do,"
I lifted my head up and looked at him, "You mean Alyssa?" As I said that, the room started to spin and I felt woozy and nauseaus.
"Whatever you did to Monica, she desevered it," He confirmed.
I nodded weakly, scared to move my head to much in case I fainted again. I took deep breaths, concentrating on the in and out bit. I could hear Shane wrapping his arms around me to support me, asking if I was okay and calling for Eve and Michael when he figured that I wasn't. The last thing I heard were pounding, rushed footsteps up the stairs and the last thing I saw were my roommates bursting into the room before I drifted away.