Behind Locked Doors

Chapter Twenty-two: Betrayal or Loyalty

A/N~~~~ I just want to start by saying I'm so so sorry that it has taken me this long to update. I feel like I say this everytime but I really am busy with school and everything else. I promise updates will be closer together in the summer. To anyone who has stuck around this long and put up with our terrible updating I love you guys so much! Now I hope you enjoy the next chapter of Behind Locked Doors. ---- Mikala :)

Dakota’s Point of View

Secrets and lies, that’s what my relationships were built on,  half of my friends didn’t know I was a konrope and the other half I felt like I was always lying to. No one knew about the agreement I made with Daniel Warring and that’s the way I wanted it. There was a reason for my reckless actions but no matter what I said, James, Rolin, Alice, and Derrick never stopped pestering me about it. Strangely enough Justin was the only one who hadn’t asked, but I figured he too would become curious. As I applied concealer to Justin’s badly bruised face neither of us said a word. We were in the dorm he shared with Derrick and James. I understood that waking up early to help Justin would be a normal routine until his bruises became less noticeable. James and Derrick were still sleeping, their snoring being the only sound that filled the room. I sighed dismissively and looked back at my work. Justin definitely looked paler than usual, partly due to the fact he bought the wrong shade of concealer, but other than that Justin’s dark purple bruises were almost invisible.

“Thanks,” Justin said, probably fighting the urge to touch his face. I nodded as I slid what was left of the concealer into the cabinet drawer. When I turned I saw Justin staring down at the blotched crimson red bandage that clung to his right arm.

“I should probably change that,” I said as I reopened the drawer.

“No, that’s okay. You don’t have to,” he said trying to cover the bandage with the sleeve of his navy blue t-shirt.

“Justin, if I don’t then the wound will get infected.” I rolled my eyes knowing that I had repeated that statement every day since we got back and yet Justin was still stubborn about it. The roll of band aids in hand I took a seat next to Justin on the bed. His blue eyes showed a hint of protest, but reluctantly he pushed up his sleeve. Gently I pulled at the bandage wrapped around his arm. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him biting his lip as I uncovered the wound.  My stomach churned just looking at the cut embedded in his flesh. Mr. Marcs did the best he could by stitching it up, but even with the generous amount of stiches the cut was nowhere near healed. I quickly rewrapped his wound struggling not to gag. He thanked me again as I put the rest of the bandages back in their place.

“Do you know what time it is?” I asked fingering through my long golden locks.

“About six thirty,” Justin said.

My eyes widened slightly as I picked up my charcoal grey backpack and briskly walked to the door, “I have to go.”

“Training?” Justin asked quietly.

I nodded. “Tell James I went to the library and I’ll see him at breakfast.”

Justin sighed disapprovingly, “Why don’t you just tell him about your Rebel training? No offense but the last time you guys kept secrets from each other it didn’t turn out too well.”

I leaned my head against the cool, metal door knowing I didn’t have time for this but also knowing that I would have to have this conversation with him sooner or later. “I want to tell him, but I don’t think he’ll understand why I’m doing it.”

“Why are you doing it?”

“There’s more than one reason, I guess: to try and stop the Union, to fight for a cause I believe in, and because I’m tired of always being the damsel in distress. You don’t know what it’s like to feel so useless,” I said. Justin gave me the last thing I wanted, a look of pity.