The Illusion (Book Two in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Control The Bleed

I attended class the next day. And after sparring class I went back to my room and quickly changed. I headed over to the boy’s dorm, Luke and Michael following after me. They both knew I was going to do this on my own but they had to follow me.

When I pulled open the door to Aidan’s building, the matron looked up.

“Sign in,” he said, pushing the clipboard towards me. “I’ve been told to tell you to stack the boxes in the room and a moving team will be by later on tonight to move them to the designated storage unit.”

“Is the door locked?” I asked.

The matron nodded and slid a set of keys over to me after I handed him back the clipboard.

“For what it’s worth…I thought Aidan was a good kid.”

I gave him a grim small smile and grabbed the keys. “Thanks.”

I headed off down the hallway, hands tucked deep in my pockets. Some doors in the hallway were open and several boys did a double take as they saw me walk down the hall. Some even stuck their heads out to see where I was going. I stopped in front of Aidan’s door, which still had his name in the placard. I took a deep breath and then exhaled. I shoved the key in the lock and unlocked the door. Then I just stood there, staring at the door. I could hear rock music coming from an open doorway and video game sound effects out of another. There was laughter.

I finally turned the knob and pushed the door open. The door scrapped across some mail and onto the throw rug. The room looked the same otherwise, boxes on the bed excluded. I’d told the guys earlier that they’d wait out in the hall. I’d do this on my own. They agreed but reluctantly. I picked up his mail, not paying attention to the senders.

I walked in and took the key out of the lock and closed the door. I’d been told they were still going over his computer and it would be returned when security was done with it. I set his mail on his desk and then sunk into the desk chair. Now that I was here, I didn’t know what to do. On top of the boxes sat two rolls of duck tape and a black permanent marker. There was some newspaper for breakables and bags for trash.

I sat there for a while, just taking it all in. Aidan’s smell still permeated the air and I closed my eyes and drank it in. I could just imagine him sitting on the bed, scolding me for stalling.

If you’re going to do it, just do it, Ana.

I smiled and opened my eyes. I got up and moved everything off the bed. I stripped it and threw the dirty linens in a pile. The pillows were the hardest since they still smelled like him. I took down the curtains and gathered up the pile. I opened the door and headed out, Luke closing the door behind me. Michael stayed by the door and Luke followed me to the laundry room in the basement. I threw it all in two separate washers and headed back upstairs. They’d be done washing in thirty minutes and then I’d have to go back down to throw them in the dryer. When I got back to the room I constructed several boxes and hung a bag on the back of the closet doorknob. I started with his desk. I packed notebooks, CDs, books, movies, porn (which I smiled at since it wasn’t well used), matches, pencils, pens, and other office supplies. There weren’t many personal items at his desk so I didn’t have to worry. I wrapped the empty frame in newspaper and put it in with the other desk stuff. I taped the box closed and marked DESK on the top and side of the box.

I moved to his dresser next, clearing the top off. There wasn’t much and didn’t even fill one box. I couldn’t move to his clothes yet, knowing his smell would be the strongest with them. I went to the bathroom and stood at the pristine condition he kept it in. Cleaning supplies under the sink I left. The next person who moved in could use them. He’d taken his toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush (not that he needed one), and razor. He’d left hand soap, my toothbrush, my hairbrush, and the hair dryer he’d bought me when I started spending the night. I tossed the toothbrush and packed my hair brush and hair dryer in a bag I’d brought for my stuff. I moved to the shower, drawing the curtain back. He’d left a mostly used shampoo bottle and shower gel. His lufa was there as well. But my shampoo was gone as was my soap. I frowned. What could he want with those? I tossed everything but his soap. I uncapped it and smelled, smiling with the memories that flooded my mind. I took down the shower curtain, even though it looked barely used, and tossed it. I packed his towels in a box along with the few wash rags. I taped that box and marked BATHROOM on the top and sides.