Page 136 of Stitches

“Too bad. So sad. So. This rabbit. You love him?”

I glared at him.

“Let’s skip that one since I know you do. But this other guy. He’s different. He plays pretend.” Asylum cocked his head to the left. “Mm, he’s a mirage too. Interesting.”

I closed my notebook and got to my feet. Asylum followed me out to the hall. A few steps into my annoyed march away from him, he grabbed my hand and yanked me to a stop.

“Everything isn’t as clear as I’d like it to be,” he said, turning serious. “That may be because as people make new decisions, things can change. All roads lead to the same place though. They always have. Your feelings are a mess. You need to sort them. I don’t like it.”

“Why?” I said sharply in a snarl. “Because they confuse the crap in your head?”

“Yeah, I believe they do,” he answered back, not even flinching away from me as I glared up at him. “You need to sort out what you want, firefly. Nothing can progress without it.”

“What do you see happening?”

“You already know the happy ending. It’s just the weird turns that are so foggy right now. I hate that I can’t tell. It’s never been this bad before.” He frowned.

“I’ll take her,” Stitches said, coming up to us in the hall.

Asylum stepped away from me. “Watch her. Shit’s all weird.” He tapped his head, a scowl on his face. “I need to meditate.”

And with those words, he left us.

“He being weird?” Stitches asked.

I grunted a response.

“Yeah, not surprised. He’s a fucking weirdo. I think he’s sincere though. He seems calmer lately. He’s been smoking some sugar. Guess he likes the high but hates the effects that seem to be lasting with him.”

Great. He was getting high on a new drug? Like he didn’t have enough issues as it was.

“Want to call it an early day? Free hour means skip. I doubt Sister Drunkard will notice.”

I nodded and gave him a quick smile that he seemed content with because we left and went home, him chatting away, seemingly in a better mood than he had been in lately.

I was tired of feeling the way I felt though. Asylum had a point. I needed to get things sorted. I needed to just come clean about all these weird feelings inside me.

When we got to the house, I went upstairs and unpacked my backpack, promising myself I’d actually get the homework done before Sunday night this week.

A note fell out when I pulled my history book out.

I picked it up and unfolded it.

Sirena,

Meet me tonight at the clearing. I miss you, and it’s been too long. Yours, Rabbit

I hadn’t seen him on campus in days. My worry had grown to the point where I’d almost questioned Asylum about it. I was used to seeing the white rabbit in the throng of students. His disappearance made me fear the worst.

I folded the note and tucked it into my notebook and went to my easel. Sighing, I sat down and painted the clearing with the rabbit standing in the center.

Tonight, I’d find a way to straighten this out. I’d bring him back to the house and beg for the watchers to listen to me.

It was time I told some secrets.

* * *

The guys were stillawake downstairs playing video games. I’d never be able to make it out of the house to see Mirage like this. I could have just told them to come with me, but maybe I was still nervous and needed Mirage to reassure me one last time.

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