Obsessive, Compulsive.

TWENTY EIGHT.

Morning rose and something was off. We all knew it.

Alice wasn't there. A few staff members were missing. The new girl wouldn't come out of her room. Everything was a little colder than usual.

I sat at breakfast and listened to Antonia's sobs as I usually did. Eve had been taken into the office so I was left sitting on my own. Robbie was off somewhere eating on his own. It was like an apocalypse. Hardly anyone was around. So many people had left in the last couple days. It was happy, because obviously they'd got better, but now there was only nine of us left. Ten, now, with the new girl.

I finished my cereal and pushed the empty bowl away. It was boring now. 24 hours a day of nothing got boring real quick. I was used to everything now. It was a routine. You'd think that I'd like routines, but I didn't like this one.

Robbie walked in and sat opposite me on the table.

"Hello." I said.

"I need you to do something." He said.

"What is it?" I half-dreaded his answer.

"I need you to kiss me." He told me. "I've decided it's time to kiss casually."

"Oh." I paused. "Ok."

I reached over and pecked him quickly on the lips over the table. He smiled and nodded. We blushed and avoided eye contact. It was a lot nicer than kissing Jay had been. Not like face-squishing, more like a gentle high five. With lips.

"By the way, your brother is on the main phone harassing the staff to talk to you."

"What?" I stood up.

"Yeah." Robbie nodded. "You should go."

Quickly, I jogged out into the blue carpeted hallway and down towards the main office. It was eerily quiet. Everyone's bedroom doors were tightly shut and people sat in their rooms silently. I reached the doorway and stood in it, leaning against the doorframe. Eve was standing excitedly next to Bill who was on the phone. She mouthed something to me that I didn't catch. I frowned and gestured my arms. After glancing at Bill she trotted over and whispered in my ear. "I'm going home!"

"No way!" I whispered back. "That's awesome!"

She nodded and grinned before becoming serious again. "Your brother's causing trouble on the phone."

I looked at Bill and mimed him handing me the phone. He took a deep breath and did just that. "Alright, alright. I'm giving you to her now." He sighed.

My hands took hold of the warm little phone and I pushed it against my ear. "Hello?"

"Bella!" Kai's electronic voice said. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Devin and Meredith are coming to visit you tonight, right?" He asked.

"Yeah..." What was he on about?

"Ashley might come at the same time, and maybe if I were you I'd send her away." He said sheepishly.

"Why? I've missed her." I furrowed my brow.

"Well, it's just... It's weird having my ex visit you." He said quietly.

I snapped. "For fuck's sake Kai."

Bill and Eve's eyes widened as they stared at me, before they quickly found something else to do.

"Well..." Kai mumbled.

"No, I'm sick of you! You're being selfish. What if I want to see her? It's not up to you." I was angry.

"I'm sorry. Forget I said anything." He said quickly.

"I hate that you cheated on her..." I sighed. "You're an asshole."

"I know." He muttered. "I'd give anything to..."

"When are you next coming to see me?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Soon." He promised.  There was a silence.

"Why did you want to call so desperately?" I said. "Just to tell me not to see Ash?" 

"I guess I wanted to hear your voice... I'm not really hanging out with anyone at the moment. I'm just staying at home with mum and dad." His voice was a little shaky. "I know you think I'm a dickhead but I really really try my best. I try my best for you. My baby sis." 

"I'm not a baby." I giggled.

"You'll always be a baby to me." He chuckled, cheering up on his end of the line. "Hey, has Felix phoned you with the news?"

"No?" I looked at my shoes. 

"He's at a job interview right now." Kai sounded smug.

"Oh yeah? That's awesome. He's only just finished his qualifications, right? Where's he going to work?" I asked. 

"Don't get too excited..." Kai paused, leaving some room for suspense. "But he might be working at your facility."

I screamed and jumped up and down before dropping the phone on the floor and begging Bill to let Felix work with us.