Obscurity

Chapter 37: Interest

Alma

I'm fuming. I can't ever remember being so angry.

"If you just calm down, I'll explain." Spencer says.

"I'm going to tell you right now, never in the history of the world, has anyone ever calmed down when someone's said CALM DOWN!" I huff.

"Shh. Alma, you're going to get the staff in here if you keep raising your voice." He says, his grin never leaving his face. It's like he's finding my current state funny. He must enjoy seeing me so angry.

"Why are you here, Spencer?"

"I'm here to check up on you."

"Vague enough answer, Spence." I roll my eyes.

"Your brother called and left me some weird message two days ago. Of course, knowing your brother, he left no number for me to call him back. Just one of his cryptic messages. I got concerned."

"That doesn't explain why you are here. Here on this unit!" I hiss.

"I tried to come to visit you yesterday. To see what the hell is going on. To find out why you're here. And they wouldn't let me see you." He explains.

"So what? You decided to check yourself in, so that you could see me?" I ask, my tone incredulous.

"Yeah. Exactly." He smirks.

I smack my own forehead. "Of course you would."

"Look. How much longer do you have here?"

"I don't fucking know, Spencer! Every time I think I'm getting out of here, someone throws a wrench in the plan and here I still sit."

He shakes his head. "You look good, though." He says as he looks over my shoulder.

"Oh fuck off Spencer." I turn to leave the room and see a quick wisp of blond hair pass by the edge of the doorway. As I exit Spencer's room, I see Sierra racing through the doorway of our room and the door slams shut behind her. What a little spy. I shake my head as I pass our room to go to the day room.

I reach the day room as dinner is being delivered. I take my normal place at the table nearest to the window and wait for my food. I watch the food service guy place trays in front of all the usual day room inhabitants. I'm situated the farthest from his cart, so I assume my food will be last.

My eyes wander over to the hallway when I see Spencer enter the day room. He's heading straight for my table. I shake my head at him. Nope. Don't even sit here. He reaches my table and plops down in the chair next to mine.

"Space, please." I say to him in an annoyed voice.

He scoots his chair a couple of inches away and keeps that obnoxious grin on his face.

"Better?"

"You should sit somewhere else." I suggest.

"I think sitting here is just fine."

"No. Really. It's not." I protest.

The food service guy sets our trays down, and I realize he's sealed my fate by doing so. Spencer isn't going to move now. That tray symbolizes the plot marker an old-world explorer would stake into the ground to claim his newfound land.

I do my best to ignore him. I wish he wasn't here. He's not going to be able to help me get out of here. And truth be told, he's probably going to impede or interfere in the process.

"Look. Alma. I'm sorry about how things went between us. I should have believed you." He says out of nowhere.

I lower my fork, resting my wrist on the edge of the table. Not this. Not now.

"Spencer, save it." I say as I shovel a bite of my ham into my mouth and chew with more aggression than I should. I stare straight ahead.

"I mean it."

"I'll bet you do."

I eye Sierra coming into the day room from the East Hall. She looks at me, and her eyes hold a million questions. I'd bet she's wondering why I'm sitting with her new guy.

Not one to be shy, she marches over to my table and takes a seat opposite me.

"Hey, Alma. Who's your friend here?" she asks. She's curious, but she's also trying to see why I'm sitting with a male she "dibbed" earlier today. I'm no fool.

"He's not my friend." I say as I eat another bite of my food.

"I am so." He argues with me, ignoring Sierra mostly.

She picks up on the brush off and extends her hand across the table.

"Hi, I'm Sierra. You are?"

"Spencer." He says as he shakes her hand. I spy his blue hospital wrist band. Hmm. So he's here for self-harm? Yeah right. Not Spencer. I wonder what elaborate lie he's spun to get admitted to this place.

She brushes her long blond hair over her shoulder, her interest in him evident. She's eying him like a protein starved girl who's been dieting on nothing but kale for months and he's a t-bone steak.

The food service guy sets her tray in front of her but she doesn't break her gaze from Spencer. He picks up on the obvious interest and engages in meaningless conversation with her.

I largely ignore their exchange and continue to eat my food. There's nothing like being a third wheel at my own table. I roll my eyes at the banter and focus on my tray. The quicker I finish my food, the quicker I can get out of this day room and back to the safety of my room. All without being a rude jerk by just standing up and moving to another table, like I so badly want to do.

I try to keep my attention on anything other than the two people at my table. I watch Lara pick at her food. Her meal nurse sitting close to her encouraging her to eat.

Abigail and Jim are sitting together, as always. Nick and Daniel are occupying a table a few over from us. When I glance Nick's way, our eyes lock and I realize he was looking at me too. Awkward. I flash him a small smile, and he returns one. I focus back on my nearly empty tray and open my juice. I down it quickly.

Once I reassess the contents of my tray, I decide I'm finished and I carry my tray over to the cart. The food service guy takes it and empties the trash and stacks the tray atop the rolling cart. I turn to head for my room and nearly crash right into Nick coming to return his tray.

"Excuse me." I say out of habit and walk around him.

He hands his tray off and shuffles up behind me.

"Wait up, Alma." He says.

"What's up?" I slow my walk but I don't stop. I need to get to my room.

"Who's the new guy?"

"I don't know." I say shrugging my shoulders. I hope my disinterest in Spencer is conveyed with the shrug.

"Well, he was sitting with you."

"I saw that." I say, detaching from the situation.

"Is he bothering you?" Nick asks, seriousness sharpening his features.

"It's fine, Nick. Don't worry about him." I say dismissively.

"If he's bothering you, I can tell him to back off." Nick offers as we reach my door to my room.

"Nick, I have zero interest in the new guy and I don't want you worrying about him." I say as I look him in the eyes. I put my hand on his shoulder.

He doesn't say anything.

"I know... or at least I think, you kind of like me. I like you too. I don't want you getting the impression you are in competition with anyone where I'm concerned." I assure him and I turn to go in my room.

"I do like you, Alma." He manages in a shaky voice.

"Have a good night, Nick." I say as I close my door.