Falling In Love with Peter Ballard.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Papa.

AUTHORS NOTE:
AH OKAY HI. Sorry for updating very very slow. While on vacation I wrote a chapter, but it got deleted on accident which was annoying. And then once I got back from vacation, vol. 2 came out and I've been heartbroken ever since😍 BUT HERES A NEW (bad) CHAPT.

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September 16th, 1978

Anastasia's POV
It's been a couple of days since Peter and I went into the void. After we fell asleep that day and woke up for our shift, he still tried making me stay in bed. Ever since that shift he has been watching me like a hawk basically. He is constantly checking in on me in the morning, during breaks in the rainbow room he'll walk over to me and ask how I am, and before bed he asks me if I need anything. I'm still not sure what he would do if I said yes to that last one.

The past couple of days have been hard to get through since I have been getting nightmares about my mother. I just haven't told Peter or Papa because I don't want to make it a big deal. I've just been acting like I'm okay. Thankfully Papa hasn't suspected too much since he walked into the bathroom, he just stares at me seeing if I have any side effects from that day. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't come up to me asking what caused me to "pass out".

After staring at the ceiling for a couple more minutes, I threw off the blankets and got out of bed. I stretched my back and walked over to my dresser to get my uniform. As I was about to open the door, I heard Papa talking to Peter down the hall. Papa was asking Peter about the bathroom situation. Shit. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath while opening the door. They were standing by the breakfast hall. Peter stood with his arms behind his back and looked my way when he heard the door shut. He gave me a "we're fucked" look before looking back at Papa. I sighed to myself and started walking their way, avoiding looking at Papa.

"004? May I have a word with you after breakfast?" Papa asked me as I walked by. He only ever calls orderlies by their number (if they have one) if they're in trouble. Yeah, we're fucked.

I nodded at him, "Of course. I'll make breakfast fast." I waited for him to nod at me before walking inside the cafeteria.

While waiting in line, Peter stood at the end. We looked at each other and held eye contact for a second before he broke it to grab a tray. I got my food and then made my way to our usual table in the back. As I was waiting for him, I anxiously stirred my cereal with the milk then jumped slightly when Peter set his tray down.

"Papa is going to ask you questions about the other day. I thought the camera wasn't working in the hallway, which is why I picked that bathroom, but they turned on right when you willingly walked in." Peter explained to me while sitting down.

I nodded a little, "Did he say what he thinks we were doing?"

"No...but he probably has an idea." He avoided eye contact with me and started eating.

I blushed a little once I realized and started eating too, "What do I even say to him?"

"I have no idea. Do you want to tell him about the void? Your mother?"

I took a deep breath then looked down, "Not really..."

"Why?" He looked at me with raised eyebrows.

I looked at him then away, "I just don't want to unless I really need to."

"That makes sense I guess..." He clearly didn't believe me but kept eating.

As we ate, I tried thinking of what to say when Papa talks to me. What will he even ask me? Maybe he's just checking in on me...

"I should probably go find Papa." I said after I finished and stood up.

Peter looked up at me and nodded, "I'll see you later in the rainbow room. Good luck, Anastasia."

I smiled a little at him and walked out of the room to find Papa waiting down the hall. As I made my way over to him I fixed my posture and steadied my breath. He motioned me to follow him and then walked into the interrogation room.

"You may sit." Papa said while crossing his arms.

I sat down in the chair, placed my hands on my lap, and looked up at him, "Am I trouble?"

"If you tell me what happened, then no. If you lie about what happened, yes." Papa paced around the room.

I watched as he did so, "What do you mean, sir?"

"You know exactly what I mean." He stopped and looked at me, "Now, tell me why you met Peter in the bathroom."

I kept a straight face as he stared me down, "I don't know what you mean."

"You do. Why was Peter already in there? He or anyone else, besides security, never uses that bathroom." Papa rested his palms on the table, looking down at me.

I bit my inner cheek then looked at him, "I thought it was empty so I went in. I did my business, started feeling lightheaded, washed my hands, and tried getting a paper towel but I fainted."

We stared at each other in silence for a couple of minutes. I tried keeping a stone-cold face but got more anxious as the silence grew.

"Alec, escort her out. Tonight take her and Peter back to this room. Do not let them go back to their rooms." Papa finally broke the silence.

Alec walked over to me and yanked me up from my seat then walked out beside me, "He is going to hurt you two most likely."

"Why...?" I looked up at Alec.

He sighed and looked down at me, "He knows you guys went to the void."

"How?" My eyes widened.

He stopped outside the room and sighed again, "He walked into the bathroom around 20 minutes after you walked in. Came out saying you both had blindfolds on. He connected the dots and figured out y'all went to the void. I'm sorry, Anastasia."

"No, it's fine, Alec, really. Thank you for telling me." I nodded a little and avoided eye contact as I opened the door.

Peter was in his usual spot and looked over at us. I gave him a "we're fucked" look like he did before breakfast. He sighed and nodded, understanding it didn't go well...