Perfect (Rewrite)

Chapter Thirty Nine

    "Chloe, open up," David shouted, banging on the door. It had been at least two days since the last time she had left her room. The man who whispered in her ear kept telling her to go and eat, but she refused. His orders only made her want to starve even more, but he wasn't the entire reason Chloe was keeping herself locked up. It was also Jacob.

    Jacob had snuck out and managed to get caught without even getting his second strike, and here she was with two because of her own stupid plan. Of course, she was glad he was safe, safer than her from facing the consequences of three strikes. Someone else approached the door and hit it hard, harder than a girl ever would. "Chloe," Jacob called out and then someone walked away. He was alone.

    She jumped up from her corner and swung the door open, let him in, and then slammed and locked it shut behind him. David ran back down the hall and then beat the door. "Let me in!"

    "What's wrong?" Jacob asked as Chloe leaned against the door as if her being there was what kept the door locked. She looked to him and then to the plate in his hand, food. He handed her the plate and then Jacob sat on her bed and patted it for Chloe to join him. She bunkered down in her corner again and violently ate through her food, even though she hated every bite of the delicious meal. Spaghetti and french styled green beans, the perfect meal for a hungry woman in hiding.

    "Nothing," Chloe mustered after finishing the last bite of pasta. Jacob stared at her like she was a savage beast. She wanted to argue but decided against it; her current state would only prove his point. Her hair was a mess, her clothes and skin were dirty, and she knew her face must've given way to purple bags under her eyes. It was only a matter of time before a good nights sleep would win her over.

    "You're not very good at hiding your real emotions," Jacob said with a smirk. "Did you know that?"

    Chloe looked him up and down as if this was the first time she had ever seen him. He was more handsome than she first realized, but it didn't matter. He didn't like her and he never would. "You're not very good at hiding things yourself."

    "What are you even talking about?"

    "Like you don't already know," Chloe responded, squinting at his figure. Her bluff seemed to tip him over the edge. It made her wonder if Jacob actually had something to hide.

    "I have no idea what you're talking about," Jacob replied, staring at the floor now. Chloe shook her head in disapproval; he was lying, it was obvious. "So are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

    "You can leave now."

    Jacob stood up and left the room; Chloe locked the door behind him and waited until his footsteps were gone before pulling the key out from its hiding place and flipping it over and over again between her fingers. Collin started crying the moment after a large thud reacher Chloe's room, this brought a smile to her face. Jacob was pissed.

    Melanie brought Chloe food at meal times; they sat together as she ate, and then Melanie would disappear until a later date. Jacob knocked on the door a few times, but he never said anything. Chloe wasn't entirely sure it was him or not, at least, not until after he left a note under her door. She grabbed the piece of paper and read over it again.

    I'm sorry I lied.

    It took every ounce of Chloe's strength to not rip the small remnant of paper to shreds. She stared at it with anger, wishing she would just destroy it, but it was the only proof she had of his treason towards them. The only problem being her lack of knowledge. Who knew what Jacob was really hiding? It could've been anything.

    Chloe looked back and forth between the door and the paper. Someone knocked against its surface and then she retreated to her corner faster than a road runner on steroids. "Chloe," Margaret tried, knocking on the wood again. "Can you try and calm Collin down, we can't get him to stop crying."

    She didn't even realize the reason for the loudness of his screams growth, but it was clear now that he was obviously closer than before, probably in the hands of Margaret just outside of the door. Chloe willed herself up and towards the door before letting the girl inside and taking Collin from her. "You don't have to stay," Chloe told her, but Margaret locked the door behind herself anyways.

    "I can't leave him alone with you."

    "I'm not going to hurt him," She replied before unlocking and opening the door for her. After Chloe peered into the hallway, she pushed the wood shut. Jacob shoved his way inside anyways. Then Chloe looked the door after him and held Collin closer to her.

    "We know you won't," Margaret replied. "But David thinks it's best if he stays with the rest of us instead."

    Chloe rocked Collin out of his fuss and then handed him off to Margaret. He immediately started crying again, so she fixed his attitude before opening the door again. "Leave."

    "You know we can't," Jacob said. "Not without him."

    "Fine," Chloe retorted before strutting down the hallway and entering Jacob's room. Thundering footsteps followed her, but she locked the door too fast for him. Collin's screams grew more intense before Chloe calmed him down. She placed him into his crib and then gave him his small rabbit stuffed animal. Collin played with it, bouncing the small creature around as he attempted to keep himself awake. His struggle didn't last long, but the banging on the bedroom door didn't help.

    The door swung open and then Chloe exited before returning to her room. Four people followed close behind, the tension between them all was insane. "What the hell were you thinking?" David shouted in a quiet tone; he knew better than to wake the baby.

    "Can't you hear it?" Chloe asked. "The bountiful silence. It's because of me." She sat on her bed cross legged and stared at the corner of the room with the camera. Her stomach wanted to roar, but Chloe wouldn't let it. They would've made her go downstairs and get food, maybe even carry her if she fought against their suggestion.

    David shook his head and then stomped out of the room. Collin let out a tiny whimper, but Chloe didn't run to him. He was their problem now. Melanie was the last to leave her room; they shared a longing glance with one another before Chloe locked her bedroom door after her departure.

    Chloe sat back down on her bed and stared at her mess of a sanctuary in the corner; then she sniffed herself and made a repulsive face. Her earlier assumptions had been correct, and at this rate, it wouldn't be long before she would have to leave to cleanse herself of the past few day's filth.