Page 118 of My Favorite Secret
A guard shows me to my room. It’s bland in here too, with nothing but two desks, a bunkbed, and closet. Someone else’s belongings are occupying one of the desks. I suppose I have a roommate.
“Mealtimes are strict,” the guard says. “Dinner is currently being served in the cafeteria. If you hurry, you’ll make it in time.”
“I’m not hungry. I need to make a phone call.”
“Students don’t have access to phones. Lights out is at nine o’clock.” The guard leaves, closing the door.
Taking a seat on the bottom bunk, I gaze around this shithole of a room. I should be filled with anger, perhaps even fear over what to expect during these next five months trapped here, but all that courses through me is the desperate need to get in contact with Harper.
Being careful to leave everything as I found it, I search my roommate’s desk, looking for a laptop, a hidden phone, or any means of communication with the outside world.
There’s nothing.
I check the closet. The bed. Beneath the mattress. My roommate’s pillow.
Still nothing, until I hear the faintest crinkling sound when placing the pillow back down. I look inside the pillowcase, finding nothing at first, until I search deeper, discovering a hidden pocket. It’s filled with a bunch of letters addressed to a person called Lachlan. My roommate, I assume.
I scan the letters, realizing they’re love notes from a girl named Sophia.
My interest peaks when I find an envelope addressed to Sophia. Lachlan isn’t just receiving letters. He’s found a way to send them too.
A male voice speaks from beyond the room. I’m quick to return the letters and pillow to its original spot, and sit on the bottom bunk, pretending to busy myself with my uniform.
The door opens and in walks a guy about my age, the stark white uniform a contrast to his dark skin. Like every other guy I walked past on my way to this room, he has a shaved head. His build is thick and ink covers his arms. Nothing about him is approachable. His jaw isfirmly set as he looks me up and down, making his own assessment of me.
Lucky for me, people don’t find me approachable either. It seems I’ve already earned some level of respect when he holds out his hand to shake.
“Lachlan Vance.” His voice is deep. “They told me I’d be getting a roommate. What the fuck did you do to end up in here?”
“Shouldn’t say.” I stand and shake his hand. “Felix Blackwood.”
He smirks. “That bad, huh? I guess that’s why we’re all in here.” The guy climbs onto the top bunk and lies with both hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
I lean against a desk, folding my arms. “What do you do around here for fun?”
“Go someplace else inside your head. You got a girl back home waiting for you?”
“Yes.”
“Then think of her. I’ve been stuck in here for a year. My advice is to bide your time till you get out of here. Do what they say. Act the way they want you to. Make them think they’re transforming you into a good citizen.”
“Noted. You got any way of communicating with the outside world?”
He laughs. “If I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
I laugh along with him. “So, I suppose there’s no issue if I tell the guards about your letters from Sophia?”
His vicious gaze whips to me. I’m risking a lot, getting on this guy’s bad side, especially when I don’t know what he’s capable of. But it’s worth it if I can communicate with Harper.
He sits up, grasping the railings of the bed frame as he climbs down, ready to throw afist in my face.
I hold up a calm hand, amusement twitching at my lips. “You asked me why I’m here. I beat a man to death. Give me what I want and we won’t have any issues.”
Lachlan stops in his tracks, glaring at me. I’m not dumb enough to cause trouble at Westbridge. I intend to bide my time, as Lachlan suggested, so I can get home to Harper sooner. But he doesn’t know how unhinged I may or may not be.
“You’ve been here all of five minutes and you’re already threatening me?” he scoffs.
“I’m not here to get on your bad side. All I want is a way to talk to my girl. I always find a way to get what I want.”
