Gone Girl

Chapter 54

I dial Dominic to let him know about the plan and to see if Derek is going to stick to it.

"Veronica!" he exclaims and I smile. I'm happy to hear a familiar voice.

"Derek agreed. He is really happy to see you," he says and it warms my heart a little.

"It's pretty far though, he already left," he continues.

"He will also have to jump a fence and run away from guards," I say in a half-jokingly tone and he laughs.

"That's nothing for him. He used to do crazier stuff," he says and I chuckle.

"I wish I could see you too," I admit, and he giggles.

"I'm still hurt that you preferred Derek over me," he says in a dramatic tone and I smile despite knowing he can't see me.

"I'm saving the best for last," I joke back and he laughs.

I hand back the phone to Irène and she has her usual resting bitch face.

"Cringe," she mutters and I roll my eyes.

"In thirty minutes she comes here to clean. So, get ready," Rèn says and I nod.

I had panic attacks before, I can fake it.

I bitterly laugh at that thought, I don't need to fake anything, I can just intentionally get some flashbacks and it will be credible.

I walk to the vending machine and I get a few snacks and a drink.

I'll just make it seem like we are going to study and do our homework.

I organize everything on my desk. A notebook, some pencils, and all the snacks.

Perfect, I look like I just want to study.

"Veronica Reeves, I'm impressed," Irène says while walking to my desk and I smile.

"I could get fooled by this if I was stupid," she says, completely taking back her compliment.

"What's wrong with this?"

"No one studies at this hour. You haven't opened a book since you came here, and neither have I."

"Maybe-

"Whatever." She cuts me off.

"They will check our rooms later, you will look like you are studying with me, and when we leave they will think we are in the bathroom, they will catch on eventually but it's enough time for me to escape and for you to talk to Derek," she explains and she takes out the piece of paper she showed me last Tuesday.

"You talk to Derek for a few minutes and the guard is supposed to let you back in but by then I'll be gone, in any case, just say you were having a big panic attack and you needed fresh air. The guard should be on your side," she finishes and I nod, quite concerned.

"You thought about everything, huh."

"I've been here for six months. Vero, you have no idea," she explains and I finally see a different expression on her face.

Regret, disappointment, and... revenge.

Why has she been here for so long if her father owns this place?

Maybe the less I know, the better.

Irène goes to the bathroom and I wait for Martha to show up.

I look at the biology notebook and I realize that I have to study just because of how behind with school I am.

I just know I won't have any social life this summer, no holiday.

Martha finally enters with her cleaning products and I greet her. She is always super nice to me.

"I can get on the bed while you clean," I say while looking at my bed that is made already and she shrugs.

"You are probably the only one here who makes her bed," she says and I smile.

Irène is always so messy.

When daddy owns the place of course you can afford to not give a fuck.

I go to the bed and lay on it for a few minutes and I turn on the music but at a low volume.

She looks at the empty bed and she turns to me with a bit of suspicion in her voice, "where is your roommate?"

"She is in the bathroom," I say without looking at her, and I continue focusing on my biology book.

She believes me and she takes out the trash can and now it's the right time.

I begin to pant and she turns to me after cleaning the bed.

I take a few quick deep breaths in.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" she asks and I shake my head and I sit up... Frankly, I don't even know what I'm doing because I never had to fake one.

I try to pretend I'm shaking and I think I succeed and she comes closer to me, dropping the mop.

"Do you want some water?" she asks and I ignore her, laying my head down.

She puts a hand on my shoulder and now it's the perfect time to yell, she doesn't deserve this but I have to do it.

"S- stay away from me!" I say through fake sobs and she takes a step backward, worried.

I continue pretending that I cannot breathe and she runs to the door, leaving everything behind.

I stand up as fast as I can when I don't see her anymore and I look for the keys.

"Fuck, so many keys," I mutter and I remember Rèn told me there are about twenty keys but she is pretty sure it's the orange key.

I struggle to take out the orange one as I keep looking towards the door.

I hear some steps and I scratch my finger and nail with a key when I finally take out the orange key.

A bit of blood comes out but I quickly suck it in my mouth and wipe it off my dark pants.

Martha and a nurse enter and they catch me standing right near the keys, but they don't suspect anything as I continue to pretend I can't breathe.

I look down and try to act wobbly for a bit and they come near me, instructing me to sit on the bed.

"What happened, miss Reeves?" the nurse asks and I try to make out a lie in my mind.

Irène would hate me right now, she always says you are supposed to think about every tiny detail beforehand.

"I just- I started thinking about my dad-" I say as I force myself to sob and the nurse puts her hand on my shoulder.

She stays with me for some time and consoles me and tells me how to relax.

"Are you feeling better now?" she asks and I nod.

"Ok, then, don't hesitate to come to me if you need help," she says and I smile at her, wiping away the few struggling tears at the corners of my eyes.

God, it's hard to fake cry.

Martha continues cleaning and I still have the key in my hand, so tight, my palm is getting scratched but I'm too worried about the plan right now. Irène isn't back yet.

The nurse is at the door when she turns to me again. My heart skips a beat and I tighten the grip on the key and I feel it protruding into my sweaty palms.

"Where is Leroy?" she asks and my lower lip starts trembling. She was supposed to be here already.