Beechwood Academy

chapter twelve

Sammy leaned over Duncan's bed, monitoring the boy's breathing to make sure he was completely asleep. Sammy sniffed and left the dorms, wiping blindly at his eyes. Regret was digging a pit into his stomach as he made his way towards Miss Drake's office. He hated himself for lying to Duncan, the anxiety that built up in his stomach when he saw the look on Duncan's face was enough to make him want to scream "I was joking!" but he couldn't and he knew that.

He slipped into Miss Drake's office, the light was on and she sat at her desk waiting for him. "So?" She said, sitting up in her chair.

"He was in shock, like literally in shock he didn't ask any questions he just looked like bloody deer in headlights." Sammy's gaze remained glued to the floor. He could practically feel Miss Drake's smile.

"And you told him I killed Rudy? Is he going to start suspecting the ginger?" Miss Drake stood, her heels tapped on the concrete floors as she grew closer.

"Undoubtedly." Sammy mumbled. "But you won't hurt any of them right? That's what we agreed on."

"Sure, as long as they don't provoke me." Miss Drake said with a carefree shrug.

"You can't make any of them like me, they don't need to go through that. Just swear to me that no more of my friends will be harmed." Sammy looked up and caught Miss Drake's eyes to make sure he took him seriously.

"I can't make that promise for I fear I've already broken it." Miss Drake turned and clicked back to her desk, ignoring the gaping look Sammy was shooting her.

"What do you mean you already broke it?" He nearly yelled the question. Miss Drake didn't respond to he pressed on. "I just lied to Duncan for your benefit just keep them safe, what the hell do you mean by you already broke it?"

"I'm sure you'll see soon enough, it won't be long now." Miss Drake said, she looked up at Sammy and shooed him away. "Get out."

He couldn't help but obey.

* * *

Sammy foot tapped nervously on the floor of the cafeteria as he listened to his friend's talk about the upcoming English quiz the next day at lunch. Each of them seemed normal, had Miss Drake lied? The possibility that she had was high and he could tell she had been waiting for him to ask her for blood. His stomach growled just thinking about it and everyone at the table stopped.

"Sammy, how long's it been?" Wren asked when he'd come out of his own head.

"Since what?" Sammy asked with a shrug.

"Since you ate, your stomach sounds a velociraptor." The concern in Wren's boy made him feel guilty, he could tell they were all worried.

"I'm fine." He mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.

"No, Sam, take my plate. You need to eat something, I don't care about whatever is wrong with you." Duncan slid his plate in front of Sammy and the blond curled his nose up at it. Duncan glared daggers at him. Rudy picked up Duncan's fork and dug it into the mashed potatoes and holding it in front of Sammy's face. Sammy pulled back.

"Don't make me force feed you," Rudy  warned. Sammy's eyes traveled around the table until they landed on Susie, she looked relatively bored compared to the rest of his friends. He didn't have the time to ask before Rudy shoved the fork between Sammy's lips and held his mouth closed until his Adam's apple bobbed, signaling that he's swallowed. As soon as Rudy removed his hands from Sammy's face, Sammy turned away and vomited every bit of food he'd just swallowed. He wiped his mouth and ran, he didn't listen to anyone calling out for him, he didn't even stop to breath until he was back in his dorm. He locked the door behind him and slid down into the floor, pulling at his hair and begging himself not to cry. There was a knock above his head but he stayed silent.

"Sammy?" It was a girl. It was Daisy.

Sammy turned and reached above him to twist the lock and move out of the way of the door as Daisy slipped inside. "I saw what happened and I ran after you." She sunk down beside him and put her hand on his knee.

"My body rejects anything that isn't blood. Everyone just thinks I have some type of medical problem but they saw first hand that I physically can not eat." Sammy said, his eyes glossing over.

"At least they won't push you to eat anymore."

"Yeah but I need them too. Their concern for my well-being is the only reason I force myself to eat what Miss Drake gives me. I can't starve and put them through that pain." Sammy met Daisy's gaze and wiped his eyes standing up and moving the his bed. He lifted his mattress and slipped out the blood bag he'd been refusing to eat. "Can you just wait outside and make sure nobody comes in?"

"Yeah, of course." Daisy stood and placed her hand on the door nob but hesitated to twist it. She turned back to him to find him still watching her. "Don't be ashamed of who you are. I know you think you're a monster but you aren't. My opinion must count for something."

Sammy nodded. "It does."

She smiled and left the room with sad eyes.