"Ashlynn, wake up. Come on, sleepy head."

She opened her eyes to see Cierra, who smiled faintly. "Hey," she said. "I've got you some water, and one of your pills."

Ashlynn smiled gratefully, taking the glass of Cierra's outstretched hand. She took a drink, swallowing the pill quickly. "You need food," Cierra said. "Don't you?"

"Yeah," Ashlynn replied.

She knew too well what happened if she took the pills on an empty stomach. Dizziness and the urge to vomit everywhere. "There's a diner a few blocks over. You up for a walk?" Cierra asked.

"Yeah, sure."

Cierra stepped aside to let Ashlynn climb from the bed, shoving the blankets to the side. Her blonde hair was frizzy around her head, and she self-consciously patted it down with her hand. Cierra offered a smile, taking Ashlynn by the arm as they left the room.

From the end of the hallways, James watched the pair leave, Cierra chattering excitedly, Ashlynn nodding along.

Ashlynn felt as if someone was watching them. She turned around, but there was nothing there. Shaking her head, she turned back to Cierra, speeding her pace slightly.

The walk to the diner was brief, but already Ashlynn was feeling the effects of her pill. She was dizzy as she slid into a booth, Cierra sitting across from her. "You feeling okay?" Cierra asked, leaning on her elbows.

"Yeah," Ashlynn replied.

"You had an attack last night. Do you remember?"

"A little."

"What do you think caused it?"

Ashlynn bit her lip, shaking her head. "I don't know," she said, though that was a lie.

It was the hotel itself, but Cierra would never understand if she tried to tell her that. Tried to explain that darkness oozed from its very walls, closing around her in an unbreakable grip. Cierra nodded faintly, perking up at the sound of the waitress' high heeled shoes clicking on the tile floor. "What can I get you?" the waitress asked in a voice that was far too cheerful for eight in the morning.

"Coffee," Cierra said.

"Lemonade," Ashlynn said, lowering her head.

"Coming right up. Here are some menus."

Cierra took the menus with a smile, watching the waitress return to the counter. "So, Ash," she said, finally tearing her gaze away from the woman. "What do you feel like?"

"Shit," Ashlynn replied, and Cierra laughed despite herself.

"That's not what I mean, silly. What do you want to eat? I'm paying."

She slid a menu over to Ashlynn, who flipped through it lazily. "Omelet," she said. "No onions, extra green peppers."

"You want me to order, or are you feeling up to it?"

Ashlynn started to speak, but Cierra looked her over, smiling sadly. "I'll order, it's fine."

"Thanks," Ashlynn replied.

She tapped her fingers against the vinyl seat with one hand, the over picking at a bit of plastic that was peeling up from the seat. "Hey," Cierra said. "Hands on table," she instructed, and Ashlynn did as told.

"Good. You know what you're supposed to do."

Ashlynn bit her lip, balling her hands into fists, then stretching them fully. She repeated this a few times, trying to fight the urge to tap her feet against the tile. Her mother had told her not to tap, since it could distract other people. "Find something else to do with your hands," she had said, and Ashlynn always tried to listen, no matter how difficult it was.

The tapping annoyed Cierra. Ashlynn knew that, no matter how hard Cierra tried to hide it. She would see the way Cierra's eyebrows pulled together and the faint lines that appeared on her forehead.

The waitress returned after a moment, drinks in hand. She smiled as she handed them each their drinks, eyes lingering on Cierra. "Do you two know what you'd like to eat?" she asked.

Cierra launched into action the way she always did if she and Ashlynn were at a restaurant. The waitress nodded along, jotting the order down in a notepad. "Is that all?"

"Yes, ma'am," Cierra replied. "Unless you want to give me your number."

The waitress chuckled, shaking her head faintly as she walked away from the table. "Why do you have to do that?" Ashlynn asked, and Cierra looked at her quizzically.

"What?" she asked.

"Flirt with everyone."

"I don't flirt with everyone."

"It feels that way."

Cierra rolled her eyes a bit. "You just think that because you don't flirt with anybody. So, by comparison, you think I flirt with everyone."

"What about that guy at the bar?"

"He's boring."

"It didn't seem like that when you were talking to him."

"Maybe if you weren't so busy making friends with the bartender, you'd realize I was just being polite."

Ashlynn shook her head, looking to her lemonade and taking a long drink. There was too much sugar, but she ignored it as she drank.

Cierra rolled her eyes again. "God, you're childish sometimes," she muttered, but Ashlynn didn't answer.

She continued, knowing that Ashlynn wouldn't argue back. "I mean, you can't even order for yourself at a restaurant. Do you know how it makes me look when I have to order for you every time? Do you know how it makes you look?"

"Stop," Ashlynn said softly, the word barely audible.

"Seriously, Ashlynn. Do you know how annoying it gets having to act like your mother? And you're not even grateful. I do so much for you, Ashlynn."

"I didn't ask you to," Ashlynn answered, surprised at the anger in her tone.

"Well, maybe I do it because I'm a good friend."

"You aren't!"

Cierra jumped, and the other patrons turned in their seats to see what was happening. Ashlynn's eyes clouded with tears as she stood from her seat. "Ash," Cierra said quickly, reaching for her arm as she passed.

Ashlynn pulled away sharply. "Ashlynn, come on."

She ignored Cierra the best she could, balling her hands into tight fists until she could feel her fingernails pressing into the skin of her palms.

"Ashlynn! God damn it, Ash!"

But she didn't even look back.