Life Saver.

Fifteenth Chapter - A New Friend.

"Oh, um, thank you?" I say, surprised on how she acted while Layalen was there, and how now she isn't.

"Ha- Haha!! Don't thank anyone here, Salem."
"So your name is Alayna?"
"Yeah. Been here for... 14 months now. I've seen many people come and go. What they don't tell you, is that there is a level after black."

"Really? What is it?"
"I'm not allowed to... Elaborate on that. But, I will tell you that I was the first one in that level. I was around a 190."

"Wow..." I say, looking at her wristband which was now orange.

"I got this just a month ago." She said, looking at her wristband.

"So why are you in here?" She asked.

"To be honest, they didn't really specify why. They just said that I don't have the mental capacity to live in the 'free world' anymore." I reply, looking around the hallway.

"Me too. So, I'll give you a tour of your room and level first." She said, bumping me with her elbow.
"Sure." I say.

She walked into a long but wide hallway, with white walls and a white roof. The floors were a light brown wood.

"This is the orange level, your room number is probably 10."

She leads me into a room labeled 4, and she opens the door.

"I share a room with her." She said, pointing to a girl with dyed blue hair.

"Afternoon."
"Afternoon, Natalia."

She closed the door and rolled her eyes again.

"She's a lying asshole, just so you know."
"Oh..?"
"No questions."

"Okay." I say, making sure that Alayna doesn't think otherwise of me.

"Well, I'm getting tired. You can tour yourself if you'd like. Goodbye!" She said, and she turned back around to go to Layalen's office.

I continue to walk down the halls, looking for a room number with 10 on it. Soon enough, I find one.

I knock first, and then open the door after no response.

A boy is lying on a bed opposite of the room, and it looks to be like he is sleeping. I slowly turn around to make sure that the number is in fact 10, and it was.

"What." He peeps.
"AH- I- Um... So, I'm new here-"
"Yes. Salem?"
"Uh yeah."
"Your bed is on the other side. We're roommates. Don't get ahead of yourself, though."

He reply's, still facing the wall.

"And you are?"
"Finn."
"Cool, cool... Where do I place my stuff?"
"Ha- Haha!! Your stuff? haha... Look, you won't have any 'stuff'' to use, or to have.

"Oh... Okay."
I place my bags on the bunk bed that I have, and I set up my blankets on the bottom.

"So where did you come from?" He asks, turning to face me.

I get red almost immediately at the sight of him. He's in plaid pyjamas and a black t-shirt, with his glasses on the side of the desk.

"Uh, America..?"
"No shit, dumbass. Where?"
"Chicago. You?"
"Indiana."

"Ooh, I like Indiana. Have you been to New York?" I ask, trying to avoid the fact that I was just staring at him.

"Yeah. Once when I was 10. My dad took my there for Christmas. What about you?"
"Twice - no, three times."

"Cool. You got any friends?"
I pause.
"Uh yeah. Why?"
"What are their names??"
"Simon, Taylor and Wren... Why?"

"Simon..." He says, looking up at me.
"Um... What about him?"
"What's his last name?"
"Oh, I'm uhm, I'm not too sure."
"Hm. Okay."

I look away.

"Hey, I've got a question for you." He says.
"What?" I respond.
"So I've been wanting to-"

Then, I hear a knock on the door.
"Come in..." Finn says, annoyed.

"Well! Salem it looks like you've found your room!" Layalen walks in, not closing the door behind her.

"Uh, yeah."
"Did Alayna give you the tour? She's quite fast, isn't she?"

I look over to Finn who's trying not to laugh.
"Um, why'd you put the opposite genders in one room...?" I ask.

"Oh! Well, that wasn't my decision. That's Mr. Hobkin's choice!" She said, smiling.

Already, I've learnt that Layalen is very energetic and won't stop smiling.

"Well, meet me in the library after supper, okay?" She says, and walks out.

"Uh..."
"Library's upstairs in room 294. I'll show you if you want." Finn interrupts.

"Yeah, thanks." I say, and I unpack more of my stuff.

Taylor's POV.

I really hope that Salem will be okay. I didn't have the guts to tell her that Simon's going to juvenile detention. Thank god she won't know until she gets out, which Simon will also get out around the same time she will. Half of me still expects her to message me, and I keep checking my phone. I can't imagine how she feels right now.

She's all on her own, now. Hopefully she'll make some friends.

Then, I get a message from an unknown number.

???
Taylor, it's Salem. I'm using someone else's phone right now. I've got a great plan. Message me back when you can.

Salem?! What the fuck... How does she just do it?

Salem! Oh my god are you okay? Who's the person you're with?
I respond.

His name is Finn, we were thinking to escape! Get Simon over to your house right now.

Oh... How am I going to tell her?

Simon is still in the hospital. He can't come today. But what's the plan?
I respond.

Okay, so, me and Finn will break out of the hospital, and we'll meet up at Centre Park. Then, we'll get Simon and we'll all run away. Together.

We're going to have to break Simon out if the plan works...

Great plan. We'll talk again tomorrow, okay?
I message back.

Okay. Bye, Taylor.

I don't respond. I can't respond. So she's already got a friend, Finn?
I make his phone a contact as "Salem but Finn" . I can't believe she got her hands on a phone.

Whatever. That doesn't matter. What matters, is that she's safe, and she's already making an escape plan.

Now, how am I going to tell her?