Mad | ✔ | GB+SB

Chapter Twenty Six

"No!" I yell with growing irritation. "That's not how you play the game! The rats run through that area!"

"I thought it was a laser grid!" Marc defends, yelling as well.

"No there are rats there!" Sean argues, actually right.

"Ugh! This game is impossible!" Nathan inserts, throwing his arms in the air.

I yell right back, "That's what I've been saying!"

"No, you all are looking at it wrong!" Corey shouts, mostly to be heard over everyone's shouts.

"You have to be optimistic!" Axel yells.

Victor chimes in, "Yeah! Look at the glass like it is half full instead of half empty, Sang! You too North!"

North merely grunts in response, too busy thinking about the "game."

"I'm a realist!" I yell back. "It doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty, the glass is still missing half of the damn water!"

"Would you at least try to be a little fucking optimistic?!" Gabriel exclaims.

Luke agrees, "Yeah! We can't plan well if you expect every plan to fail! To win a game, you have to think like a winner!"

"Fine!" I reply, growing tired of this banter and useless planning that will get us nowhere. "But when you all die, don't come crying to me!"

"If we're dead, we won't be doing any crying!" Brandon yells as Raven, in Russian, exclaims, "I don't do crying!"

We are still trying to plan out escape under the guise of playing a game. The "rats" are guards and the "laser grid" is where the the cameras are watching. Which is almost everywhere, unfortunately. And where the cameras aren't, such as bathrooms and the darker rooms downstairs, there are still the ever present microphones that record all noise.

"I don't care about your time spent crying! You can cry as much as you want and die on your own time! I want to win if we are going to!" I cry.

"We will win," Owen said firmly. "This is just another game. The fourteen of us are extremely good at games."

Apparently, Owen is growing more used to the idea of playing games and having fun.

I nod and go back to thinking, my eyes wandering as my thoughts focus on the task at time. Until my eyes land on the clock.

"Shit!" I yell, jumping up. "I have to go! Have fun with the game!"

Not waiting for their response, I race for the door and sprint to my room at an alarming speed. This is the fastest I have ran. Ever.

I throw open the door and change quickly into a long white nightgown that looks like it belongs in a museum.

After tossing my worn clothes in a hamper, I scramble into bed and pull up the covers and close my eyes, despite the panic that makes me want to keep them open and be looking around. I relax my body and deepen my breaths just in time. Mother flings open the door and creeps in as best as she can. She staggers to my bed and strokes my hair.

"My little doll..." She whispers into the quiet. She lifts a lock of hair and pulls a long knife out. In one fluid slash, she slices the lock of hair in half, not caring that she is ruining her doll's hair.

I remain as still as possible, a twinge of fear and dread spreading through my mind. Mother has never done this before. She normally just says goodnight or beats me up. Never has she ever, ever cut my hair or let me cut my hair.

She ties the lock of hair on her wrist loosely and presses a disgusting and sloppy kiss to my forehead. Her scent hits me like a slap to the face, and I can smell the cigarettes and alcohol that she reeks of, even through her strong floral perfume.

"Goodnight, doll," She murmurs before stumbling out of the room, leaning against the door at one point for support.

I wait a few minutes to make sure she is gone before changing into the comfortable clothes that I prefer. A pair of black leggings and a long green shirt that falls almost to mid thigh. I don't need to worry about covering up my tattoos now so I am free to be barefoot.

I slip out of my room and am promptly caught.

"Well, well, well," Marie sings.

"Is this Sang I see?" Jade finishes, flipping the black hair that the two identical twins share.

"Out past her bedtime?" Marie says, feigning shock, her dull blue eyes wide.

Jade continues for her, "What would Mother think?"

"Hmm... I don't think she would be very happy, would she, Jade?" Marie asks, looking down her nose at me. It trying to at least. It is no easy feat when I stand almost a foot taller than her.

"No, not at all, Marie," Jade answers in the same condescending tone.

I grit my teeth and force my features to go completely blank, devoid of any emotion. Marie and Jade roll their blue eyes in perfect unison—their eyes even go in the same direction, annoyed by the lack of a reaction they are receiving.

I almost snort. Do they really think they are scaring me at all?

Marie and Jade lean forward together and Marie hisses, "Bitch, we could kill you any time we wanted."

Jade adds, "Our generosity is the only reason you are still alive, bitch."

I smirk.

"Oh? Is that why I literally beat you in my sleep? Because you are so tough and scary?"

Their lips curl and Jade spits, "That was one time thing!"

"We could take you any time we wanted!" Marie chimes.

Their squeaky voices trying to sound scary only adds to my amusement.

"Sure thing darlings," I purr. "Too bad I don't fight trash. Wouldn't want to get myself messy."

They lean back, stunned.

Rarely do I ever speak to them in such a manner. These boys are affecting me and changing me. Making me bolder.

With a smirk, knowing that I won, I easily brush past them and return to the library where my boys are waiting.