Midnight Secrets

Chapter 36

Hi - I know there was a mistake last chapter- here is the correct one.

"Up my ass?" I repeated slowly.

"Yeah, as in all in your business. They tend to find out somehow anyways. Don't you think it's better to let them know the details straight away?" Emma smiled at me with an arched eyebrow. As if I didn't understand what she was implying. As if the "them" she was referring to wasn't herself. She was a nosey bitch and she was giving me a subtle warning about it.

But maybe I was friendship deprived because I was eating this conversation up. My mind was trying to get ahead of itself and started to plan matching bracelets and outfits with Emma already. I reeled it back in.

It was hard to have friends during university and even harder when I was working. Apart from Shar, I didn't have anyone else. I never had a girl best friend. Last, I remember was when my mother was alive and she would take us to play centres- a thoughtful attempt to normalise our hellish lives.

And after that we would get McDonalds for dinner. I loved all of the two times this had ever happened.

"I guess we can have tea and exchange both ours then?" I said back, acting nonchalant and lifting up my nails to inspect them. But inside, I could burst with happiness. Could you imagine? Sitting down and having tea with someone and just chat shit for hours? Sounded so divine that I was already salivating.

Emma's face exploded in a wide smile. "Is that a tea date?" She wriggled her eyebrows, and I nearly lost my cool and burst into laughter.

"I don't put out on the first date," I added as a joke and now we were both unable to contain our laughter. I was laughing so much that my chest started to hurt, mainly because of my bruise there. Bloody hell, I need to rest.

Claud, who was watching this exchange with boredom was now looking at me with concern. "Let me take you to your room."

It would take me a long time to see Claud being concerned for me. Even then, I knew he was only doing this for Nate. Or maybe because he cared?

"I have my own room?" I asked slowly, unsure of how to approach that. Does that mean whoever else lived here would be kicked out their room? Or did they have plenty.

Claud started to move, and I followed him. Emma was still smiling at me as she fell behind us. I walked up the stairs and I was half afraid each step would break the whole wood. This house was barely standing on its tattered feet – how could there be occupants here?

I held onto the banister and it was cold to touch. Would there be any heating here?

"It's a bit chaotic here but construction is starting soon to make this place a bit better." Emma filled In from behind. She must have read something in my body language or how else could she know what I was thinking.

Claud let out a scoff. "I half expect to see zombies appear out of nowhere whenever I'm here. Reminds me of those hideout places in the walking dead."

I wanted to ask if there was any hot water but decided to just find out myself. I was grateful to be here. If that meant I couldn't take a shower, then so be it.

But there was one thing I needed to know. "Who else is here?"

Emma cleared her throat. "There is Dante and his two little kids. But they're cats."

Each step emits a groan, and because of the three steps there was being taken, the groan was very loud in my ears until we got to the landing. The walls, showing their age, bear the marks of time with faded wallpaper peeling in some places and revealing the rough surface beneath. The colours that one adorned the walls seemed to have dulled over time, leaving the hallway in a sombre light.