Shattered Asylum

Chapter 30

I woke up to my phone screaming at me. My hand fumbles around the nightstand until I find it, yanking it off the charger. I silence the alarm and glance at the time. It is already 7:15 A.M.

This is the second time in three years that my nightmare hasn't been the thing to wake me up.

I bolt out of bed, panic setting in. My mind races as I gather what I need for school, black ripped skinny jeans and a hoodie, before running to the bathroom to brush my teeth, scrubbing furiously.

I barely finish before I dash back to my room, grabbing my black Converse and backpack, and rush downstairs. When I slide into the car, I glance at the clock: 7:28.

Groaning, I slam the car into gear and speed through the gates. I have a 22 minute drive and only 17 minutes to get there.

Why does the time fly when you're late?

~

I got to school with two minutes to spare. I use this time to finger comb my hair, attempting to make it look presentable. As I go to put it in a ponytail, the purple mark on my neck reminds me of the night before. I sigh, letting my hair fall back into place, strands sticking every which way.

By the time I walked to first period, I was already annoyed with the day. At least there is one plus side, we are leaving early. I spot Nora at her desk, absorbed in her phone.

"Hey, Nor," I say when I reach her.

"Hey, Av-OMG!" She gasps, her hand flying to her mouth.

"What?" I ask, glancing down at my clothes to make sure there isn't something on me.

"I think I can hear chirping from that nest you've got going on in your hair," she teases, poking at my tangled mess.

I roll my eyes and slap her hand away. "I woke up late. Leave me alone."

She raises her hands in mock surrender, her fingers locking over her lips. "What were you doing last night, anyway? You never answered my texts."

"Nothing much, just wasn't around my phone," I lie.

Nora's my best friend, and I'd love to tell her everything, but she's got a mouth on her. I don't need the whole school knowing my business, especially since I have no clue what is even going on between us.

She hums, replying to a text, and I take my seat, pulling out my notebook as class is about to start. Then Madison walks in, head down, looking like she is carrying the weight of the world.

She plops down behind me, laying her head on her desk. I can hear her sniffling, her shoulders shaking.

Is she crying?

She glances up at me through tear-streaked lashes, mascara running down her red cheeks. "What the hell are you looking at?!" She snaps.

I raise an eyebrow, turning back around.

What crawled up her ass and died?

~

Class dragged on. Madison kept kicking my chair, clearly trying to annoy me. I ignore her, knowing exactly what she wanted, a reaction.

I finally sink into my seat, waiting for second period to start. I catch movement in my peripheral vision, and smell the Amberwood and vanilla waft through the air.

He slides into the seat next to me, stretching with a deep, dramatic moan.

The sound of men moaning, music to my ears.

"I slept so bad last night," he says, yawning exaggeratedly. I glance at him. He is wearing black jeans, a dark green hoodie, and his hat is on backwards, with his earring catching the light.