DEVIANT [H.S.]

10 - Control Room Confessions

When I was younger, Jeriah would always go on business trips out of the country, leaving me alone with a sitter. I never really liked the idea of babysitters, and I still don't.

I'm reminded of that the next day, by the glare of Aubrey here in the control room.

She taps on the white cast that has slithered its way onto my right wrist, continuously discouraging me solely for the fact that I could have fractured Harry's rib cage in the boxing ring.

But, I didn't. So...

Harry and Malachi are in the interrogation room with the microphone shut off, so we can't hear their conversation through the glass. It wasn't long after I almost punched Harry in the face that Malachi regained his hearing.

And it wasn't long after everyone woke up this morning that Harry dragged Malachi in here, begging for a reason for why it had to be done in the first place.

And Aubrey dragged me here to watch the entertainment.

"It does no good that we can't hear them," I mention.

Aubriana stares down at me, her eyes never leaving my cast. "I guess so. I mean, they are talking about you. Would you want to hear all that?"

"He just made me so angry," I mumble to myself, looking down at my hands in my lap.

"He's a guy. He's never going to do things that you approve of. The smartest thing to do now is to realize that both of you share that anger. Malachi put you in the ring to vent, to help each other get rid of those feelings. For Harry, it has never been easy. But with you, his anger vanished in a solid five minutes. That I cannot wrap my head around."

I turn to Aubrey, wide-eyed. "You've known Harry longer and you haven't seen his anger dissipate like that?"

"Nope," She answers simply. "You might as well shut up... they're coming out right now."

My lips press together tightly as the glass window flips up and Harry and Malachi walk into the control room with no emotion. Malachi says no words as he motions for Aubriana to follow him out of the room.

The click of the door behind them shudders through my bones, leaving me shivering in my skin.

It's just Harry and I alone.

"Can I ask a question?" Harry asks, looking down to me sitting on the couch.

I nod, not really wanting to have another argument with him.

"Why do you hate me so much?" He says.

I'm taken aback by his question. Not necessarily in amazement, but realization.

He honestly doesn't know how bad he has acted toward me?

"Ask your hands. They seemed pretty comfy around my neck," I snap back at him, looking away from his tall figure.

"Look, I know I came off as an ignorant prick. But I think we can make a friendship out of this," Harry replies, his hands resting on his lap.

"Bullshit," I answer. "Malachi told you to say that, right?"

"Hey, you don't think this is tough for me?" He responds, truly inquiring. "I'm less than two feet away from the spawn of the devil who caused all of my problems. You act all innocent as if you don't know anything about the formula or the Coalition. You're putting on a front. That makes people like me despise people like you."

I stand up, fire raging from the soles of my shoes to the tip of my tongue. "And who are you, Harry?"

"I'm a Deviant! That's all I am, all I ever will be!" He exclaims, running his fingers through his hair furiously, tugging at the roots.