I heard the bell go off and I slowly unfolded my legs. My body ached from not moving for an hour, but I ignored it as I walked with the other girls to the dinner table. We stood in a line, awaiting instructions I assumed, and I felt someone smack the back of my head.
Trisha.
I sigh and turn to face her.
"You think you can just shut us out? We're trying to help you and you just left us hanging!" Trisha snarls, looking forward as Alec comes into the room from the other side.
"It doesn't seem like you're trying to help me when you told me you wanted me dead." I say back, keeping my eyes on Alec. Trisha scoffs next to me, waiting until Alec's eyes had passed over her before speaking.
"It made you look good, and me look bad. That's what you needed to stay in Alec's favorite zone. Apparently it worked for the best because he forgave you for lying, which saved all of us. Quit being so narrow minded. I'm on your team and we're going to win this game." Trisha stops again as Alec's eyes settle on her.
"Is there something you wanted to say, Babe?" Alec's voice brings everyone's attention to Trisha. She smiles at being in the limelight and I saw Alec's jaw tense.
"Not to you." She waits for him to get fired up, but Alec simply nods.
"Very well. Darling, you've had what seems to be the worst day of everyone, why don't you sit beside me?" Alec refers to his right side. I hardly thought I'd had the worst day but I walk over calmly and sit in the familiar chair. Alec's tall form stands above me and I feel so utterly small as his gaze sweeps the room. "Babe, you seem to be having a little trouble controlling yourself lately and I believe we need to have a little conversation. Would you please sit on my left?" Trisha grins.
"It would be my honor." Her mockery doesn't effect Alec at all. I stare at the empty table and then suddenly Alec sits and the rest of the girls move forward by some unknown force. Makayla sits on my other side and I relax, happy that she was so close to me. I search under the table for her hand and when she feels mine she grabs tightly. I squeeze once and then she lets me go. No one else had seen the small action, but it made the world of a difference to me.
"Now, let's eat shall we?" Alec is excited about the meal and something tells me he is going to start a conversation that we don't want to happen. I close my eyes as the food is brought out. My stomach writhes in pain at the thought of eating something, but I knew it needed the nutrition. Makayla looks like she's going to puke, but Trisha looks starving. I sigh.
What a horribly matched trio we were...
We were served toasted sandwiches, a small salad, and a small bowl of soup. It was definitely delicious, and it did fill me up to a satisfying level. I was craving the cold glasses of water I was given and I saw Alec look at me in concern, though I didn't bother to ask why. My throat was dry, so I drank.
"I hope that meal was sufficient." Alec says. The girls all turn to look at him. Trisha leans back in her seat and gazes lazily over the room. Alec tenses at her action, but doesn't say anything about it. "Now, I'm sure you're all dying to tell or ask me something, so I will allow one comment or question to each girl. It does not matter if the question offends me or not, I will answer or reply back to your comments honestly. I only ask you don't get offended in return. Whoever wishes to speak first may. I do not have an order this time." Alec relaxes back into his chair and the deafening silence settles once more.
Finally someone speaks up. "Is there any way to stop these killings? Anything we could do? Say? Give you?" Alec's eyes settle on the red head.
"Interesting question, Sweetheart, but the answer is no, there isn't." Alec waits for the next question but Trisha sneers.
"That's a lie." She looks at Alec, disinterested, but he returns her gaze with a burning one of his own that makes her flinch.
"Unless you would like to use that as your comment to me, I would suggest you refrain from saying anything until it's your turn." Alec's voice is low and it intimidates Trisha but she grins anyways. I wish I could be that strong.
"Why? Because you know I'm right? Technically you've just lied twice. You said you would answer honestly, and then you didn't on the first question." She argues hotly. Alec takes in a deep breath and releases it.
"I am not arguing with you about this."
"What does she know that we don't?" Someone stands up, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. Trisha stares at the girl, probably thinking if she could recruit her into her little gang or not.
"Is that your question?" Alec asks tiredly. The blonde nods.
She looks kind of like Makayla. I frown and turn to look at Makayla who has gone sheet white. They must be sisters. Makayla's sister only nods.
"It's not really a good question to ask because I don't all of what she knows, nor do I know all of what you know. But since you did not wish to rephrase your comment, I am left with no option but to tell you that I don't know." Makayla's sister becomes angry.
"You know exactly what I am referring to!" Her volume raised and I see Trisha nodding in approval. My gut twists.
"I'm sorry, Princess, I don't. But perhaps someone else can fix the mistake you made." Alec remains smug as someone else stands up to defend Makayla's sister.
"Why did Trisha say that you lied?"
"There could be many reasons. I'm unsure of which."
"What did you lie about?"
"You'll have to specify when I lied. I'm not able to answer that correctly otherwise."
"Did you lie when you answered the first question?"
"Are you referring to today or yesterday?"
The questions kept getting wasted on Trisha's comment, and while it pleased Trisha, I was frustrated. We weren't getting any information out of this and were making no progress. Alec was becoming more sly with his responses, twisting it to make sure that no one truly got any information while effectively ticking off everyone at the table. I clench my jaw and close my eyes as the conversation dies off. "I believe there are only three questions or comments left." Alec eyes Makayla, Trisha and I.
Trisha speaks first, which seemed fitting. "Did you or did you not lie to the first girl who has asked you a question this evening after you granted us permission to ask questions or speak comments?"
"I did." Alec replies easily. Makayla frowns and goes to say something then stops. "Did you have something you wanted to say, baby girl?"
"Why are you being so difficult?" Makayla asks and then, closes her mouth abruptly like she didn't mean to ask it out loud. I turn from Alec to Makayla, then back again.
"Because I can be." Alec says flatly. He then turns to me, waiting expectantly. I hold his gaze and then turn my eyes away. His grin lightens the air between us and yet I am still afraid to ask my question. "Darling, you seem to be awful quiet tonight. What are you thinking in that pretty head of yours?"
"Why did you lie when you said you would be honest?" I ask the question and then realize how bland my question was. Alec had been demanding all of these specific questions and I gave him the bluntest one possible. Yet, Alec's answer was honest.
"Because, I'm playing fair." The words hit me hard. No one else would understand his answer, but I did.
I lied to Alec and he knew. He lied and I knew. We were even.
He was watching my face and when he saw the horrid effect it had on me he smiled. "You are dismissed." Alec stands and once he's out of the room the girls stand and start to filter to their rooms. Trisha, Makayla, and Makayla's sister stay behind.
I stand and all three girls watch my movements. "Austen." Makayla speaks quietly. I turn to look at her. "Why did he say that? What happened between you and him?" Her voice is so innocent and I clench my jaw.
"He knows we went into the library. The only reason he let us live was so that he could tell us he knew." I say slowly. Trisha frowns and leans back in the seat, staring hard at the table. Makayla's sister looks at Makayla with such a heated glare I grimace.
"Makayla! I told you to stay low and you go into the library?" The older version of Makayla snaps. I don't really like her.
"I'm sorry, Marisa, it just-" Marisa turns her head and Makayla stops talking for a moment. "Why won't you listen to me?" Makayla's voice is quiet and Marisa still won't look at her.
"She's your sister for goodness sake! She's struggling! Be a sister!" I slam my fist on the table. Marisa looks at me and then back to Makayla. "You're lucky you have someone here! Use it and hold it as tightly as you can." I snap at Marisa. She seems startled by my outburst, and to be honest I am too. My emotions are strung too tightly and I have no way to release it.
"Why?" Marisa asks. "So that when one of us dies it hurts worse?"
"It would be better to die having someone there who loved you enough to care until your dying breath." I argue and knew immediately that I shouldn't have said that.
"Are you saying that I don't love my sister?" Marisa comes around the table and even Trisha knows I messed up.
"No. I'm saying you're making a mistake by avoiding her. You're making it worse for her and for yourself. Be a sister."
"Who are you avoiding then? Everyone in here knows someone else, or at least a couple of people. Who are you avoiding?" Marisa's question brings the attention crashing down on me but I am utterly confused. "He said each and every one of us would know someone else here. So why are you all by yourself? I'd say you were using the same strategy I was." Marisa's accusation only makes my heart twist.
"I wish I had someone." I return. "I had no one."
"You don't want someone here." Trisha's voice comes in now. It was hard to believe her sister had died just this morning- no. It was yesterday. When I was outside with Alec it was dark.
Oh my god, my thing with the time. He had actually changed the time so that if we tried to escape using his balcony at "night" it was really still light outside. I focus back on Trisha though my mood had dropped even farther. "It's benefits are nothing compared to the disadvantages."
"Look, I'm tired and I'm irritated. We can talk later, just know that I'm into... whatever this is. See you all tomorrow- hopefully." Marisa grabs Makayla's hand and they walk off. Trisha gives me one last look before she leaves as well.
I walk towards the door and it's only then that I realize just how tired I was. My body was shutting down extremely fast. I tried to catch myself before I fell, but it was a hopeless cause. Darkness wrapped me up and all I could remember was Alec telling me not to stay out of my room at night.