Page 80 of Twisted Heathens
The hand skates higher, brushing between my thighs. “An order.”
Kade drops his textbook with a curse, mopping up the spilled juice spreading across the table. He quickly realises that we’ve joined him and blushes. “You been here long?”
Phoenix leans back, putting space between us again. “Nope, brainiac. What’s so interesting in that book of yours?”
Kade shrugs, tossing the textbook aside. “Got a final tomorrow that I’m cramming for, that’s all.” His eyes flicker to me, that warm smile making me tingle inside. “How are you, Brooklyn?”
“Good. Same old. Good luck with your exam,” I reply.
“Thanks. Can’t wait until it’s over so I can relax again. Are you guys coming to the party this weekend? I’ve been planning it for months.”
My eyebrow lifts. “A… party? Here?”
Kade shrugs, pausing to tuck his book away in his bag. “Halloween. It’s this Saturday, and when I say party, I mean crazy asylum edition. Not exactly a wild rave, but it’s the closest thing we get to fun around here. ”
I shudder at his mention of Halloween. Another reminder that the clock is ticking down, impending doom growing closer with each day. Rio fucked me over with the order, I can’t do anything with a single bag of blow. No blades, no pills. I’m getting desperate now.
Phoenix chuckles around a mouthful of toast, breaking my morbid thoughts. “Yeah, last year was zombie themed. Everyone fit in perfectly in this place.” He gestures at the patients around us, and the varying degrees of alertness. “Especially the nutters.”
“Hey,” I interject with a frown, “You calling me a nutter?”
“Obviously. You’re the queen of nutters, girl. Own it.”
He waggles his eyebrows at me, face lit with humour. I deliver a kick under the table that has him choking on a mouthful of breakfast. Kade laughs into his mug while I grin smugly, completely surprising myself. My swinging emotions give me whiplash sometimes.
“Anyone seen Eli?” Kade asks once he’s composed himself.
“He went back to his room to change,” I blurt, before realising just what I’d said. All eyes firmly on me, I struggle to reign in my embarrassment. “I… think. Saw him going that way.”
“Is that so?” Phoenix scoffs.
I shoot him a glare. “I don’t know. Ask him yourself.”
His eyes trail back down to my bruised neck, lip curling up at the corner. “Oh, don’t worry, I intend to.”
We lapse into silence while eating until another tray hits the table. Whispers around us put me on high alert as I look up, heart leaping into my mouth. Hudson lowers himself onto the bench, giving his brother a small nod of greeting.
Then his oceanic eyes are on me.
“Shit man, you’re back!” Phoenix exclaims.
They exchange fist bumps as I stare into Hudson’s weary eyes, the blue colour faded beneath the weight of exhaustion. His eyebrow piercing is crooked and thick black hair impossibly messy, sticking up in all angles. I’ve never seen him so unkempt before.
I struggle to swallow my immediate anger. “Hi.”
Taking a half-hearted bite of an apple, he nods. “Hey.”
Kade’s eyes bounce between us as he watches the awkward encounter, before clearing his throat expectantly. “It’s good to have you back, bro.”
Hudson doesn’t respond, just munches lifelessly on his apple. He’s washed out, drained and extremely pale. Just like I was after a trip to the hole. There’s something about that place that just drains the fucking life out of you. Nothing worse than being trapped with your own mind.
Kade forces a smile. “So, Halloween. We’re all in?”
I toss my napkin down, giving him an unenthusiastic shrug. “I guess, although I can’t exactly get a costume together in this place.”
“We’ll sort it,” Kade answers swiftly, holding a hand up when I begin to protest. “Seriously, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered, love.”
That warm feeling in my chest returns, and I mentally berate myself for enjoying the thrill. He’s got me covered. Why does that feel so damn good? How do I turn this feeling off?