The Wrong Side

Chapter 31

I don't remember going back to my room after that, but I some how made it without hurting myself. I don't think I even cleaned my cuts. I was so numb with confusion and there were so many thoughts racing through my mind, I didn't even process the walk back to my room.

I finally come back to reality a few hours later when Matthew snaps his fingers in front of my face.

"You alive in there?" He asks.

I nod.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"Bad dream," I say.

"Looks a lot more serious than that," he says. "Why are you bleeding?"

"Arm malfunction, I think. I'm not sure though but that's what I hope it is."

"How long have you been awake?"

I shrug, "Three or four hours."

"And you've been sitting here, staring blankly at the wall all this time?" He asks.

"I went to clean up earlier."

"So why are you still bloody?"

"I ran into Luna," I blink a few times and look up at him. "What does she mean when she says she like me?"

"Ah," he says and gives a slight chuckle. "She actually told you?"

"You knew?" I ask.

"Everyone knew."

"Oh," I look down again.

"W-wait," he says, "what exactly did she say?"

I shrug, not answering and staring blankly at the wall. He sighs and snaps his fingers in front of my face again.

"Get ready and cleaned up. It's her birthday today and she's probably excited."

I nod, still not moving from my spot on the bed and his words not registering in my mind.

"Are you okay?" He asks, "I feel like nothing is getting through to you."

"It's just... I'm just confused," I say. "I had a really... weird and disturbing dream and then Luna..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks. I look up again and his eyebrows are raised and his arms are folded across his chest.

I let out a weak laugh. "I didn't think that you were the sentimental type."

"Yeah, well believe it or not, I can be," he says with a hint of a smile.

I take a deep breath. Should I tell him? I've told Kadiya the partial truth and it surprisingly made me feel better, even if it was only slightly. Knowing that other people know what you're feeling feels better than keeping everything to yourself.

Don't tell anyone.

"Shut up," I mutter and Matthew raises his eyebrows.

"What?" He says.

"Nothing," I say and shake my head. I wait a second but the Voice doesn't whisper its warnings again. "You have to promise not to tell anyone. Not Luna, not Ember, not Summer or any of your other friends."

"What about Kadiya?"

I shrug. "I've told her already. I don't mind if you talk to her."

"What have you told her?" He asks.

I hesitate for a few seconds, and then I tell him everything I told Kadiya. I tell him about the Voice, about the flashbacks, and about the dream. I tell him about everything except the Voice's message about him, Kadiya and Luna.