Page 48 of The Favorite Girl

The silence in the icy room felt all the more frightening. I turned slowly but accidentally bumped into the table and knocked over the fork, which crashed onto the tile with a loud clang.

Gasping, Bradley’s mouth dropped as I turned to pick it up, but just as I turned, I fell backward as the girl flung upright with her eyes wide and a smile spread across her face.

“Noise.” She giggled excitedly as my shaking fingers trembled against the fork.

Before I could speak or even think, Bradley grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the room. The door slid shut and he pressed me against the wall.

“What the hell was that, Demi?” he seethed.

My entire body was covered in goosebumps as I trembled with the image of her pale face, hollow cheekbones, and dried lips curving into a delirious smile.

“What do you mean? You tell me what the hell that was? Why did she act like noise was so shocking? How does a colorless, soundless room have anything to do with withdrawal and coping with a drug addiction?”

“Demi, stop. You’re spiraling again.” Suddenly Bradley looked at his phone.

“I have to go back inside the room… damage control,” he huffed as he read a lengthy message. “Go into the next room, but don’t drop anything and don’t make a sound. I’m serious, Demi. They’re watching you.”

Nodding slowly, I made my way down the hall and waited in front of the door, but it didn’t open automatically.

“Use your badge,” Bradley hissed with irritation. I looked down at the badge and glided it over, and it worked.

Slowly pushing the cart inside, I couldn’t believe how frigid each room was. These girls were in short white gowns and mostly bald. They were thin and had a small blanket on each of their beds. There was no way the coldness in the room wasn’t torture for them.

Carefully lifting the plate, I shook while I placed it on the table, making sure to back away slowly. But just as I moved from the meal, I stopped.

The girl sat up and stared at me. The bags under her eyes were deep and the bright green stood out strangely against her almost translucent skin.

“Hello,” she rasped so softly, that if it weren’t for the way her lips moved, I would have assumed I was hallucinating.

“Hey…” I whispered. Looking up at the ceiling, I saw the camera directly facing the young woman. Turning halfway, I pretended to busy myself with the cart.

“Are you okay?” My words shook as I tried to keep my lips still and keep my voice as low as humanly possible.

“Yes.”

I looked at her with astonishment. “Really?” I breathed out as I flicked my eyes to the camera.

“Yes. It’s safe.” She grinned. But it wasn’t a smile that was filled with joy; it was a forced, rehearsed smile. Her dry, cracked lips shriveled back into a frown, showing me, it was a mere façade.

“Okay…” I looked into her eyes. Squinting, I could tell they were green-colored contacts. I left the room and went next door, repeating my actions. But this time, I was met with the woman who had mouthed the words, ‘Run.’ I looked at her as she was sitting up, blankly staring at the opposing wall. And unlike the other women I had encountered, her hair was starting to grow back and I could see specks of soft brown.

Placing her food down, she didn’t even flinch. She didn’t have headphones on, so I knew she heard the slight noise that emitted from the plate grazing the table.

“Hello…” I whispered under my breath.

She didn’t look at me. Walking closer, I leaned in and tapped her shoulder.

She didn’t move.

She just sat there as if she were a statue and continued to stare at nothing.

The door slid open, and Bradley appeared. Jerking me away from the young woman, I could hear his breathing change. I quickly grabbed my cart and moved closer to the door, but then I froze as I watched Bradley linger behind.

What is he doing?

He bent over and dropped to his knees, sitting eye-level with the young woman. Oh my goodness, is he about to do something intimate with her? My stomach tossed as I blinked rapidly, knowing I’d intervene if he dared to touch her inappropriately.

But then he whispered, “I love you, sis. I’m so sorry. I tried everything. There’s no way out of hell.” His words shattered me, and the air from my lungs dissipated with the realization that Bradley was working here because of her.

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