A/N: Hello! Here's another chapter. A little shorter than usual, but certainly gets certain points across! Hope you enjoy! And never be afraid to comment! We all help each other grow!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, a Miss Kelley Armstrong does.
Dinner, sadly, wasn't as quiet as it was my first night. It started out promising, with Liz chattering to Tori about the ridiculousness of classes, and the rest of us eating. Well, Derek wasn't really eating. More like shoveling.
"So, Chloe, I was interrupted earlier and never got the chance to ask. Why do you want to be a director?" Simon asked nicely. Liz turned her head toward our conversation.
"A director? That sounds pretty cool!" She smiled my way, encouraging me to speak. I took a deep breath as I put down my fork.
"Well-"
"I hope you'll direct horror films. I'm sure the things you see would be perfect for it." Tori cut in, mockingly cheerful. My head snapped in her direction. My eyes widening.
She now had the entire table's attention, even Derek's.
She met everyone's eyes, hers lingering on Simon's for a second longer than necessary. "Oh! You guys didn't hear?"
"Tori – please -" I pleaded quietly. She looked me straight in the eye and smiled.
"Chloe sees ghosts and monsters. You know, the usual hallucinations of a schizo." She sneered the last word. My breath quickened slightly as all eyes turned to me.
"Apparently, she ran out screaming and jumping out a second story window. Not before she slit her wrists, though."
The bandages suddenly felt heavy on my hands, and I quickly dropped them underneath the table, wishing the eyes would turn away. How did she know? Hadn't everything been kept quiet?
I knew I wasn't crazy, I knew I wasn't schizophrenic. I wasn't depressed enough to slit my wrists. But the sting was still there. The knowledge that I would be shunned for being crazy, for having no one believe me.
I looked up slightly, accidentally meeting Derek's gaze in front of me. He had put down his fork, and was looking at me intently.
Simon spoke up after a minute of deafening silence. "Tori, you shouldn't -"
"What? Reveal the danger we're near? What if she freaks out on one of us? What if the monster she's sees attacking is just herself?"
"Tori!" Liz yelled. Tori started sputtering toward her friend.
"All I meant was – What I'm trying to say-" I stopped listening.
Monster. That was a new one, but not completely incorrect.
I absently noticed Derek's gaze harden to a glare and slide towards Tori.
"Tori," his voice rumbled. Everyone stopped talking. "Stop trying to look good in front of Simon. You're further proving that you're a shallow idiot."
It was so silent that we could here Miss Van Dop typing in her office upstairs.
He scooped up more food and continued shoveling what was left, as if nothing had happened.
The rest of the table, however, would strongly disagree. I think that was the most I've ever heard him talk. It wasn't much, but still...
While Rae's, Liz's, and Simon's mouth looked like a gaping fish. Tori had turned a bright red and settled her glare on Derek, but didn't say anything more.
After pulling my eyes away from him. I turned my gaze toward my bandages. Maybe I deserved to get hurt. Maybe this shadow creature was my punishment for ignoring so many desperate pleas.
Physically, I had never hurt anyone. But that didn't mean that I wasn't a monster.
I pushed my plate toward Derek. He looked up at me, his face blank.
"I'm not so hungry anymore." I muttered. I put my hands on the table and pushed myself up, walking out of the now-quiet dining area and upstairs to Liz's and my room.
After changing into my pajamas, I laid back on the bed and started staring at my hands again. According to Mrs. Talbot, I should be able to take off the bandages tomorrow, but I was hesitant. There had been a little bit of blood today, so the scabbing had to be delicate. Although, considering that I would start my classes tomorrow, my hands wouldn't be put through the torture of cleaning. Giving the scabs some air might be for the best.
I frowned slightly. The thought of taking off my bandages gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. Now that everybody knew where the injuries had supposedly come from, I wasn't so open to the idea of taking the bandages off. I knew that the cuts had been ugly, and anyone who would see them would be horrified. Horrified and disgusted. If I could do this to myself, what would I do to them?
I slept uneasily that night. Tossing and turning, dreaming of the ghosts that I had turned away, of the sobs and pleas that would follow me down the halls of my school. I woke up gasping after a particular nasty dream of the Thing, feeling sick to my stomach. I pushed my covers off of the bed and ran down the hall to the bathroom, puking my guts out. I felt a gentle hand pull my hair back, and I jumped slightly, but didn't get a chance to look at who it was before another wave hit me and I gagged out what was supposedly my dinner.
Hopefully the ghost was nice.
As soon as I had finished, a copper colored hand reached over and cleaned off the access saliva with a wipe.
"Looks like you caught a nasty." Rae said quietly, throwing the wipe into the toilet and flushing it. She let go of my hair and helped me stand up.
"T-thanks," I said quietly. "Did I wake you?" Rae snorted. "No, not at all. I just happened to be downstairs sneaking rice crispies when I heard someone running down the hall. Figured I should check and make sure you were alright." She reached into her bra and pulled out a small package. "Want one?"
I took one look and turned back to the toilet, my stomach hating me for even thinking about taking a bite.
I heard some rustling and a quick apology. "My bad, I'll refrain from showing you what else I snuck." She pulled my hair back again, waiting until I was finished before reaching and grabbing another wipe. She handed it over and let go of my hair. I took it and began cleaning back up.
"Thanks, again." I said quietly. I got up slowly and went to the sink, grabbing my toothbrush. I heard the flush of the toilet behind me.
"It's not a problem. I'm pretty used to barf. The smaller kids at home can get sick pretty easy." I hummed in acknowledgment, my mouth filled with toothpaste.
She stood up and walked behind me. "You may want to change your bandages though, your projected a bit." I looked down at my hands and grimaced. Gross. I rinsed out my mouth and put down the toothbrush, reaching into the cupboard below the sink.
"Here, I'll help. You're not in the best of shape, so your bandages won't be tight enough." I looked at her for a second in surprise, before handing her the rolls.
"Y-you sure? They aren't pretty." She scoffed.
"I don't exactly look like the Prissy Queen Victoria, do I?"
"Victoria?" I asked, slightly confused.
"Tori. It's her full name. She hates it, so I make it a point to call her it every chance I get. We don't exactly get along."
"I see." I said simply. We both sat across the floor as she unwrapped my bandages. She winced slightly as she got a full look at them.
I couldn't blame her. They almost looked worse than earlier today. Definitely wasn't going to take the bandages off tomorrow. Or... today? I had no idea what time it was.
"Whatever happened, it wasn't pretty, was it?" Rae asked quietly, wrapping them gently, but still firmly. I looked up and locked eyes with hers, before looking down, watching her continue. It was nice, having someone not assume the truth.
"No... it really wasn't."
Rae had walked me back to my room, and to my surprise, Liz had opened the door right as I reached for the handle.
"Chloe, you alright?" She asked, concerned. "I heard you throwing up, but when I came in, Rae said she had it handled."
My eyes widened a bit. I didn't even realize she was awake, let alone checking up on me in the bathroom. I must've really been out of it.
"I-I'm fine. Must've caught something." I whispered.
Rae nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't pretty. You'd be glad I sent you back, Liz, if you saw it." I blushed as Liz gave a small laugh.
"Thanks Rae, I owe you one. I'll take you from here, Chloe." Liz put her hand on the small of my back, ignoring my slight jump and guided me back into the bedroom.
"I'll see you two tomorrow. Get some rest! I'll be enjoying my treats, sure you guys don't want any?" Both of us shook our heads, and after a quick thank you from both of us, Liz closed the door as Rae walked back to her room.
Liz turned to me and made me sit on the bed. She put her hand on my head. "You're temperature is a little warm, but not fever-worthy." She sighed dramatically. "I can't keep you home, looks like you'll still have to go to school tomorrow."
I matched her smile, then faked a pout. "But moooommmm..." I whined quietly. We laughed for a second, me ignoring the soft ping in my chest whenever I said that word.
"No buts! Now get some rest! Don't want to be tired on your first day." She gave a quick wink as she pushed my shoulders down, forcing me to lie down. Once I pulled the covers over me, she gave a quick nod of approval before going back to her bed.
"Goodnight, Chloe."
I closed my eyes, smiling slightly. "Night, Liz."
I guess making friends would be inevitable.
