After the incident with Kellin and Jenna, all patients were ordered to their rooms. We had to stay in there for a few hours while the doctors did damage control. At around 4:30, there was an announcement through the speakers that were apparently in the corners of my room.
"Attention patients." The voice said. I was taken by surprise by the voice and dropped the pair of jeans I was holding.
"You may now go to the common-room."
I exited my room and made my way back to the common-room. It looked really normal, there were people watching TV and others who were reading, and there was a group of kids in the back corner, all sitting in a circle, talking and laughing.
"Tay!" Vic yelled. I turned and saw him coming towards me from the couch.
"Hey." I said quietly.
"Come sit with me over here." He said, pointing to the row of empty couches on the right side of the room.
We walked over there and sat down, and Vic started talking to me about his day. He seemed like he was just trying to make me feel better, and he really didn't want to be talking at all. Suddenly, a boy with bright read hair came over to us.
"Hey Vic, and..." He trailed off, glancing at me.
"Tay." Vic finished.
"Hi Tay. I'm Tyler." He said awkwardly, playing with his sleeves. He seemed really uncomfortable, and he was practically squirming in his skin.
"Hi Tyler." I said with a smile.
Tyler sat with us for a while, both of us were really just listening to Vic talk.
"-and that's why Jenna isn't here right now." He finished saying, although I hadn't listened to a word he said, I was suddenly intrigued.
"Wait, what?" I asked.
"Jenna is in the infirmary and will be back tonight for dinner- probably." Vic said, closing his eyes and leaning back.
"Why is Jenna even here? And what's her story?" I asked. Vic and Tyler exchanged nervous glances.
"She apparently has major amnesia or something and can't remember any bad things she's done, and apparently she's done a lot of bad things. I don't know exactly what she did to get in here, but I heard she was once caught holding the burning end of a cigarette on a toddlers wrist, and she cut her sister's forehead open during her sleep." Vic said, his voice getting quieter as he spoke.
"Oh." I said, glancing around the room. I was kinda scared of her, but at the same time I was very interested. I really wanted to get to know Jenna, and I didn't know why.
—
At around 6:00 we were sent to the cafeteria for 'dinner'. I won't complain, because honestly it wasn't even that bad. There were potatoes, boneless chicken, peas, apple slices and chick peas. We also got a glass of milk or water if we wanted it.
I sat alone with Tyler at a far table. He actually seemed really cool. He'd gotten more comfortable with me, so he was talking and laughing effortlessly. I also noticed he was really attractive.
"It's your first day, they're obviously going easy on you." He laughed.
"How so?" I asked. It would get worse?
"Well, there is the downside that you're being watched like a hawk by Clarke over there, but really they're going so easy. Like," He stopped, shoving a spoonful of potato in his mouth. "Soon, they're going to see you're not an intensive patient, and pretty much stop caring about you. They'll forget to feed you well, and etcetera. Although they will give you more independency, it's not usually good." He explained. I nodded.
"Won't they let me go home when I'm better? When I'm not an intensive patient anymore?" I asked.
"They didn't for me." He shrugged, and stuffed another spoonful of peas down his throat.
I saw Jenna walk into the cafeteria, and glance at the tables. She had multiple abrasions on her face, and a dark bruise forming under her eye. She had an obvious lump on her temple, and there was a tight bandage wrapped around her upper arm; somehow she still looked flawless. Every table was filled up except for mine and another one a couple tables down. The inhabitants of that table were looking very unapproachable, though. Jenna glanced at me, and I smiled at her. She smiled back.
"Can I invite Jenna over here?" I asked quietly, glancing at Tyler. He looked shocked for a moment, before his face fell and he said, "Sure."
I waved Jenna over, and her face lit up. She made her way over to us slowly, and then gingerly sat down.
"Hi, Jenna- right?" I asked kindly. She blushed and nodded.
"Tay, right?" She asked, I nodded.
"Hi Tyler." Jenna said quietly. Tyler nodded in her direction before turning back to his plate.
"So, Jenna. How are you?" I asked. Jenna's face suddenly went white.
"Are you going to hit me with that chair?" She asked quietly, looking at the few empty chairs on the other side of the table.
"What? Of course not!" I said loudly. Jenna glanced at Tyler, who sighed and stood up, scraping his chair along the ground. I saw Jenna flinch back. I turned to Tyler and glared.
"I'll see you later, Tay." He said with a small smile, before turning and swiftly leaving the room. I glanced at Jenna who looked more calm, but still panicky,
"It's okay, Jenna. I won't let anyone hurt you." I promised, smiling at her. She grinned widely back, and blushed bright red, looking down at her lap. I smiled down at her, my face heating up as well.
—
After dinner, we were told to go to the sex-organized shower-rooms. All biological females were told to go to the 'girls' room on the right of the cafeteria, and the boys went left.
Jenna and I walked to the shower-rooms together. There were about 4 female doctors who stood around the room. It was really big, and had 5 shower stalls. They were all clear glass, but it was textured so you could only see the figures of people. It made me pretty uncomfortable.
"Jenna, you're up." One doctor said after a patient had left the bathroom. Jenna smiled at me before walking to her shower stall, stopping in front of it and taking off her shirt.
My mouth went agape as I stared at Jenna, who was practically stripping in front of me. I tried to look away, but I couldn't
She took off her jeans, and folded them in a pile on the counter. As soon as she started taking off her bra, I forced myself to look away.
I felt my face heat up, and I knew I was blushing. I took a deep breath and tried to stop my thoughts from going crazy over Jenna's perfect porcelain skin.
"Taylor, you're up." The same doctor said to me, and pointed to a now-empty stall. I wasn't as comfortable with my body as Jenna was, so I decided to take my clothes off in the stall.
Jenna already left by the time I was done my shower. I was given a towel to dry off, and then I put my clothes back on. I walked back to my dorm alone, in silence. Or at least, It was silent until I heard the quiet sounds of moaning. I rolled my eyes and kept walking, until I passed a room with the door open and saw the source of the sounds.
Jenna McDougall was inside, having a heavy make-out session with another boy that I have seen before, but couldn't put a name to the face. They were all over each other, kissing and touching, and I suddenly felt really sad, and very jealous.
Jenna glanced at me, and she smirked. She looked almost evil, like she intended for me to see, and she wanted me to be sad.
I turned around and walked quickly to my room, tears cascading down my face rapidly. When I went inside and shut the door, I let sobs out as I cried.