*3*

The steak is horrible, and worst of all it's already precut. My schoolmates mingle and chatter while two stern looking nuns and an old security guard keep watch.

Dutchy and Queenie came running in ten minutes late, cat calls ans jeering went out to them. They both looked desheveled and bitter. Specs sat a few chairs down from me, comparing cut marks with a dark hair girl he called Polecat. Mush was giddy and sitting next to a small girl --I can only imagine she's called Tiny or smalls or Shortie. Besides that, I don't know a single person.

"So you must be the new guy, huh?" A tall and dark haired guy sits across from me.

I shrug, "I would guess so."

"I'm Skittery. I heard you were in here for stabbing somebody."

It didn't exactly go that far."

"Oh, here lookit this," he pulled his shirt sleeve back to reveal a thick scar across his wrist. "My most recent attempt and nearly succeeded," he bragged. "I've done other shit, popped pills, ran from cops, dived in front of cars. Guess a little blodd finally got Mom's attention."

"You cut yourself open for attention?"

He shrugged, "At lease she stopped screaming at me for awhile and just started screaming."

"Davey, I want ya to meet somebody," Mush sat down at the table, Skittery sneered and walked off.

"This is Shortie," he motioned to the small girl with highlighted brown hair. "She's my girlfriend." His tone said 'so back off', even though his face was lit up with a smile.

"Yeah, hi."

"Hi," she chirpped.

Inside my head, I groaned. Please don't tell me she's as bubbly as her other half.

"Is that watch a real Kenneth cole?"

I glanced down to the band on my arm. I never really gve the thing too much thought. My grandmother gave it to me for my birthday last year.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

Her green eyes grew a little wider as she looked intently at my watch. Mush cuckled, "Shortie has expensive taste without the cash to match."

She sighed, "You should see my closet at home. Gucci, Versace, nothing like the rags I had to bring here."

Technically, I don't think DKNY would count as rags.

"Move out of my way before I ram my fist down your throat."

I glanced across the room to a girl threatening the old security guard. The old man barely blinked an eye and the raven hair girl looked at him menacingly.

I looked over to Dutchy, thinking it was Queenie ready to pummel the guard. Nope, she was eating her steak.

"Fucking move!," the girl was enraged now. I sat up straighter in my chair, maybe a fight would break out, that'd be cool.

"That's Ruin," Shortie said. "Shes really... really... well just look at her!"

Mush nodded, "She came here from East Side. Grew up in a bad family situation or something. She use to sell drugs to, well, to most of the people here who use to do drugs."

"Why doesn't Kloppman do something?," I asked as the old man just stood there. I girl had her fist bunched and looked ready to take a swing.

Mush shrugged, "He can't touch us unless we try to leave the building. Ruin's only talking shit, she does that sometimes. Things get boring and people get antsy, need something to liven the place up."

"What is going on here?," Medda rushed into the cafeteria. "Ruin, what's wrong?"

"I need some air."

"No one's allowed outside without supervision, you know that. Mr. Kloppman certailnly has no authority to let you out of the building."

"He's blocking the fucking door."

"Because I'm paid to keep you in."

"Ruin, sit," Medda instructed. "Everyone, return to your dorms."

"I'm not sitting, if eberyone else gets to go back to their rooms then so do it."

"No," Medda's gentle tone turned firm. "You are to sit and we are going to talk. Have you seen Mr. Denton today?"

Ruin scoffed, "Fuck, Denton."

"David," Medda took my arm as I passed her. "You wait here too, Mr. Denton has scheduled an appointment with you."

"Denton? Who's he?"

Ruin flopped down in the closest seat, "He's out Goddamn, fucking shrink."

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