We walk back to the dorm an hour after Harper left us. Miles is still angry at Dex for scaring her away but she's going to have to get used to hearing things she doesn't like if she's going to be living in Oakwood, the breeding ground of misogyny.
When I enter the room my eyes are immediately drawn to the little cubby she's created. I kick off my shoes as Tyler inspects her posters and pictures. "Woah looks like we've got another twin," He exclaims.
This peaks my curiosity as I lean down, ducking my head so I can look at her wall. Tyler points to a picture of two little identical girls on a beach, eating ice cream. I instantly recognise Harpers blonde hair and button nose as she smiles goofily.
I wonder why she's here alone. I couldn't imagine being away from Emilio for anything more than a week, we've been inseparable since birth.
I don't react to the picture, instead turning around and heading to the common room with the boys following. Every sunday we binge watch the walking dead on the big tv in the common room which means that everybody has cleared out, anticipating our arrival.
People here are scared of me and Emilio, our reputation obviously proceeding us.
It's well known that my family is powerful and have links to the most dangerous organisations in the world so people assume we're violent and menacing.
When in reality me and Emilio have nothing to do with it, we've never killed people like both my parents no doubtably have and we've never sold weapons or drugs, my mum was adamant about keeping us out of that lifestyle.
I don't mind though, if people want to give me special privileges and stay out of my way then who am I to stop them.
We watch the walking dead all day, not moving an inch from the comfortable sofa. I'm grateful that my rugby practice was canceled because of this storm because I genuinely can't be arsed.
"Let's get some food," Carter says, getting up and stretching. I grab my phone and look at the time which reads seven pm. It's strange that Harper isn't back.
"I wonder where Harpers gotten off to," Miles wonders, as if reading my mind. "Probably off playing with the younger years or petting a duck somewhere," Carter snickers, making fun of her childlike nature.
We all saunter to the canteen and sit down at our usual table before proceeding to eat enough food to feed an entire family for a week.
We stay in the canteen until the last possible minute until we run through the storm and back to the dorm. Once we get back to the dorm I start to feel slightly concerned when I notice Harper is still not here.
I don't and never have cared about any girls feelings, I'll break a girls heart and watch her cry with no remorse but I'm not that sadistic that I don't care about their basic safety.
My mum has always drilled into me the importance of looking after women and vulnerable people. She would always remind me and my brother about consent and speaking up if I see anyone that's clearly uncomfortable in a situation.
All the common rooms and the canteen closes at eight and everyone needs to be in their rooms by nine which means that Harper is outside somewhere right now in an unfamiliar area, probably cold and wet.
"Do you think we should tell Davis," Tyler asks, clearly noticing Harper's absence. "Nah, there's still ten minutes till curfew," Carter replies dismissively.
"Yeah she's probably out in the halls somewhere enjoying getting hit on by all the boys," Dex snickers while changing into a pair of joggers.
We all climb into our beds and proceed to scroll through our phones for the next two hours, the concern really starts to grow when I notice that it's almost eleven.
Maybe she switched rooms? But her stuff is all still here. Just when I'm about to suggest we wake up Davis the door slowly opens.
My eyes widen when I see her, she's soaked head to toe, her whole body including her now matted hair is covered in mud and her legs are bleeding.
I immediately sit up in my bed, causing the rest of the boys to look at me then look at her. "Jesus christ," Carter mutters, equally as shocked as I am.
"What the fuck happened," Miles exclaims, jumping out his bed.
"I went on a run," She sniffles, making her way to her dresser and pulling out some clothes as her legs wobble unsteadily.
We approach her, "Where were you? Did someone hurt you?" Emilio asks what we're all thinking, images of the boys in the hallways looking at her like a piece of prey flashing in my mind.
"No no, I'm fine," She reassures, smiling at us but her red cheeks and tear stricken face tells us otherwise. "I'm going to shower," She says quietly, still shaking like a leaf.
"You can't, the showers close at eight," I remind her which seems to crumple her 'I'm fine' facade as her lip starts to quiver.
"Hey it's okay don't cry," Miles tries to awkwardly comfort her. "We'll vouch for you and tell Davis that it was emergency if he asks, right?" He says, glaring at me. "Right," I mumble.
She takes her towel and walks down the hall, leaving us absolutely confused.
"What the fuck." Dex says, exacerbated.
"Yeah what do you think happened," Tyler wonders. "You don't think someone did something to her?" He asks, now actually concerned.
"We'll have to get an answer out of her, we can't have some freak doing that shit to girls around here," Miles decides, running a hand through his hair.
We wait for Harper for another twenty minutes. Miles is yawning but none of us will go to sleep until we find out what happened. She finally returns, now drowning in oversized pyjamas with her hair now braided into two long plats.
"Let's take a look at it," Tyler says, motioning towards the red stain that has appeared on her knee, indicating her wound is still bleeding.
"It's alright, I'm just gunna-" She begins but I cut her off, "Sit." I demand. She does as she's told, sitting on her bed while Miles rolls up her pyjama bottoms revealing the numerous cuts on her legs.
"So how'd you get this," Miles asks while cleaning the biggest gash with the first aid kit every room has.
"I fell on my run," She replies, her face looking guilty. "Where were you running?" Carter now questions. "This nature trail I found," She answers.
"Are you fucking stupid?" I scold her, knowing exactly which trail she's talking about where all the junkies hang out. It's barely safe in the day, let alone at night by yourself.
"I just got lost on my way back from town," She sniffles, now upset that I yelled at her. Emilio nudges me with his elbow, reminding me that we want her to tell us what happened and shouting at her probably isn't the most effective way of getting her to trust us.
"Wait you ran all the way to the town?" Miles asks, probably shocked anyone can do more than five minutes of exercise.
"Harper did you run into anyone in the woods? Did anyone hurt you?" Emilio asks seriously. "No," She shakes her head.
"Then why are you so upset and covered in mud?" Carter asks impatiently, just wanting to figure out what happened to make her bubbly self so distraught.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore please," She hiccups, leaning back in her bed, pulling the blanket over her and facing the wall which is her nice way of telling us to fuck off.
I open my mouth, ready to argue with her but Emilio places his hand on my shoulder and shakes his head, telling me to leave it.
I sigh as I climb into bed, watching her silently shake in her bed as she tries to sleep.
I stir for another hour, not being able to sleep because of the questions I have for her flying around my mind.
Thinking everyone is asleep, I watch as Tyler climbs out of bed and drapes one of his blankets over Harper's shaking frame.
I'm so going to make fun of him for that in the morning.