Page 26 of Bleed for Me

When we reached the front of the line, I eyed the assortment of different foods. Hot dogs with toppings, chips, and a drink of our choice. Odd choice for breakfast, but whatever. The lunchlady put chili and cheese on my hotdog at my request and then I moved down the line where the other lady filled my drink up with sweet tea. Clutching my tray in my hands, I followed Cheyanne to a table where a girl and two boys were seated. One of the boys had a black eye and busted lip, the sight causing my breath to catch as I slid into the spot next to Cheyanne.

“Rosalie, this is Tyler.” She pointed to the boy with the beaten-up face. “This is Shaylynn.” She motioned to the girl with short brown hair and matching eyes. The girl shot me a small smile before returning to her food. “And this is Ryder.” I remembered seeing him around from time to time. Probably in group therapy, since I hadn’t really been anywhere else. His light brown hair was longer, brushing against the collar of his shirt. “Guys, this is Rosalie. She’s new.”

They all mumbled their greetings, and I fixed my attention on my food once they were done. After a few bites, the feeling that I was being watched prickled against my skin, making me raise my head. My eyes darted around the room until they locked with Archer’s, who sat a couple tables down with Seven, Jordan, and the twins. Heat spread through me, my mind drifting back to the single conversation we’d had only a couple days ago.

Ripping my attention off him, I returned to my food. But I could still feel him watching me.

“So, Rosalie,” Ryder began. “Have you signed up for any of the classes here yet?”

I thought back to my conversation with Gloria. She mentioned doing that for me, but I hadn’t heard anything since, so wasn’t sure if she went through with it or not.

“Ms. Gloria asked me which ones I was interested in, but I haven’t heard anything back yet.”

He snorted at that and shook his head. “Chances are, if she didn’t get back to you that same day, then she forgot all about it.I can take you sometime so you can get signed up directly, if you want,” he offered.

“Oh, um…sure. Thank you.”

Shaylynn shifted nervously at his side, her gaze bouncing from him to me. Did she like him? Shrugging it off, I retrieved a potato chip from the bag and plopped it in my mouth.

After breakfast, I grabbed a change of clothes from my room and headed into the bathroom. The hot water trickled down my skin and helped to take my mind off things. Itdidfeel good to have a little bit more freedom. Nobody was forcing me to stay in my room. There wasn’t a lock on the door. I could come and go as I pleased. Tilting my head back, the water ran over my chest, slipping down between my thighs.

The body wash Mom had brought me was pink sea salt and rose water. The feminine scent permeated the air, but it was familiar, and I liked it. After I was completely clean, my hands moved through my damp hair and I twisted, expelling the excess water from the strands of blonde. Turning off the water, I wrapped a towel around my body before stepping out onto the cold tile. Cool air instantly greeted me, making my nipples pebble from the immediate contrast.

I quickly got dressed, gathered my dirty clothes, and started for my room to dispose of them when I was stopped in my tracks halfway to my door. Archer had just rounded the corner, his blue eyes searing through mine.

“Hey.” He smiled, revealing a row of perfect white teeth and canines that should be illegal. He could probably rip my throat out with those teeth. A shudder rolled through me at the mere thought.

I shifted uncomfortably, hating the way he looked at me—like I was a meal he’d devour if given the chance. Despite being frightened, there was also something about him that intrigued me, that set my pulse racing whenever he stared at me with thoseintense, piercing eyes. He was a project I wanted to unravel, to see how his mind worked, and to find out what made him tick.

“Archer, right?” I asked stupidly. I knew his name, and he knew that I did. It was written all over his face and in the way his eyes darkened and his mouth tilted into an amused smirk.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten me. I’m just going to have to up my game, aren’t I?”

There it was. The truth handed to me on a silver platter. Hedidhave ulterior motives for wanting to help me. Guys like him didn’t do anything without getting something in return.

My arms tightened around my clothes as my heart started to beat faster. I knew what he wanted. To show me around the asylum like he offered before. I’d let him, only because he was the only one kind enough to offer. But after that, keeping my distance was probably in my best interests.

“I didn’t intend on killing her, but I did.”

Those were the words he uttered my first time in group therapy. It didn’t matter that he sounded remorseful when he said it.

His voice rang out, cutting through my thoughts like butter and causing them to disintegrate. “Are you busy right now? I was thinking I could show you around like we talked about before,” he offered.

My teeth sank into my lower lip and his eyes followed the movement. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Let me just drop these off.” I held up my clothes for emphasis.

He nodded and then moved to stand beside me instead. I took that as an invitation and started for my room, slipping inside and dropping the garments on the ground by the door. I’d put them in the dirty clothes bin later. My eyes drifted toward my bed, checking to make sure Daisy’s bear was where I’d left it. Satisfied when it was, I made my way back into the hall where Archer still stood.

“Where to first?” I asked.

“The gym is right around the corner. I can take you there first.”

“Okay,” I agreed, not really knowing if I’d get any use out of the place, but it would be nice to know where it was just in case.

I followed him down the hall like we were headed to the cafeteria, but at the end of the walkway, he led me left instead. At the end of the hallway was a set of double doors. I recognized this part of the asylum immediately. This was where I’d gone to church on Wednesday.

“I come here often,” he admitted, shoving through the two doors, leaving me to follow after him.

A giant basketball court took up the majority of the space. The floors were polished with smudges across it from recent use. A bench sat near the doors and a set of bleachers was folded against the wall on the opposite side.

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