Chapter 33 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Scarlett’s POV
I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. Despite the cramped concrete walls and the narrow mat, I’d had a good night’s sleep. The cell was small enough that my own body heat kept the space warm, and the mat had a strange, spongy softness to it that didn’t aggravate my stitches. Most importantly, the double dose of painkillers had done their job, keeping the throbbing in my side down to a dull, manageable ache.
It was well past daybreak when the heavy iron bolt on the door slid back. The same masked guard from the night before stood there, his eyes tired and bloodshot. He jerked his thumb toward the corridor.
"Out. Both of you."
I stepped out into the hallway, my joints feeling a bit stiff. I looked over at Rachael as she emerged from the neighboring cell. She didn't look like she’d slept at all. Her eyes were shadowed, her hair was a mess, and she had a pale, sickly look to her skin that made me worry for her.
As we walked through the silent corridors back toward the dorms, we passed the dining hall. I glanced up at the giant clock mounted over the entrance.
8:25 am.
We had missed breakfast, but at that moment, I didn't care much. The guard walked us all the way to the entrance of the female dorm. Before he turned to leave, he shot me a long, creepy look that traveled from my face down to my boots. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, and I pulled my sweater tighter around myself until he finally disappeared around a corner.
We made it back to our room and, as if on cue, both of us crashed onto our respective beds. Rachael let out a long, pained groan into her pillow.
"I had a terrible night," she muffled. "My head is pounding. I don't think I'm going to make it to classes today."
"I'm sorry," I said, genuinely feeling for her. "But is it okay to just stay? Won't they come looking for you?"
Rachael rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "Every student gets a pass to be absent twice a month. As long as it isn't two days in a row, the teachers don't usually care. They'd rather we be asleep than causing trouble in the back of the room."
I nodded, making a mental note of that. I hadn't realized there was actually a bit of flexibility in this prison.
I forced myself to get up. I needed a shower to make myself feel human again. I headed to the communal bathrooms, carrying my fresh clothes with me. Since that terrible afternoon when someone had stolen my outfit, I never left my things on the outer benches. I tucked them into a plastic bag and kept them right there in the stall with me, even if it meant risking a few splashes of water. Blue wouldn't always be there to bail me out, and I needed to start looking after myself.
Wrapping my midsection was an arduous task. I had to be careful not to get the bandages wet while moving gingerly to avoid pulling the stitches. By the time I finished dressing and walked back to the room, the bell was already ringing for the first period.
Rachael was already out cold, her breathing deep and even. I grabbed my notebook and headed out.
I made it to my first class just as the second bell finished echoing. The teacher was already at the front of the room, though she hadn't started the lesson yet. It was Ms. Nina, the same woman who had met me on my very first day at Bellamy.
I stood in the doorway, feeling awkward. I didn't know if I should just slink to my seat or offer an apology for being two minutes late. Ms. Nina leveled me with a sharp, calculating look.
"Miss Rowe," she said, her voice dry. "I honestly didn't think you would survive this long."
A few students in the class snickered. I felt a flash of heat in my cheeks, but I squared my shoulders. "Me too, ma'am."
She gestured with her head toward the room. "Sit down before I change my mind about letting you stay."
I picked a seat near the window, my usual spot. It felt nicer to have the outdoors within sight, even if I was stuck behind glass. Ms. Nina began the lecture, talking about the history of social structures and the "Great Reform." She focused on the lives of historical figures who had started as criminals but changed their paths through discipline and labor. It was a clear attempt to teach us how to be better-behaved delinquents, but I found myself actually interested in the stories.
I was finally starting to get into the flow of the lesson when the door swung open.
The entire class went silent. Blue was standing there, looking even larger and more imposing than I remembered. He wasn't wearing his usual hoodie, he was in a dark, fitted shirt that showed off the breadth of his shoulders. When his eyes scanned the room and landed on me, my entire body went hot.
Scarlett, pull yourself together, I screamed at myself.
It was completely not okay to be crushing on a guy this dangerous. He was a bad boy and the leader of a group where they definitely did illegal stuff. But my mind unhelpfully reminded me that this same dangerous guy had carried me through the halls, paid for my surgery somehow, and stayed by my side in the hospital.
I bit my lip, my heart pounding. My mind continued to betray me, telling me that if he pulled me in and kissed me, I would probably melt into a puddle on the floor. Hell, if he wanted a reenactment of the night I’d given him a blowjob in his room, I’d be absolutely down for it.
The thought was so vivid, so intense, that I felt a burst of frustration.
"Not helpful!" I shouted, banging my hand down on my desk.
The sound echoed loudly. The entire room went dead quiet. Every single student turned to look at me, their eyes wide with confusion. Ms. Nina stopped mid-sentence, her chalk hovering over the board.
And Blue. Blue was now sitting right next to my desk, having claimed the empty window seat beside me. He was staring at me with a raised eyebrow, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. I felt like I was going to die of mortification right then and there.
"Is there anything you would like to tell the class, Miss Rowe?" Ms. Nina asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
I shook my head meekly, staring down at my notebook. "I'm sorry, ma'am."
Ms. Nina sighed and continued with the teaching. I felt Blue shift in the seat next to me. He leaned in, his scent filling my senses.