The Shrink Program

Chapter 96

"It's just like a sleepover!" Nigel cheered, rolling out his sleeping bag on the floor of the isolation room.

You'd think, if they were going to sentence someone to isolation, they'd at least have the decency to actually give someone a room to themselves.

But noooo. Alone time is too good for Maddison Trampth. Lock her up with a pair of idiots for the night instead. She deserves to suffer.

"But we do have sleeping bags, so maybe it's more like camping instead....?"

Isolation? More like Socialisation.

"I really do have to protest!" Artemis stood near the door indignantly, hands on hips. "This is highly inappropriate! Having two men share a room with a young lady..." He cut off with a sputtered "What the hell are you doing!"

I blinked at him, as innocent as a baby butterfly in a cup of sugar, shirt already halfway off.

"Getting changed."

"But we're right here...!"

I raise an eyebrow, secretly enjoying the mortified look on his Apollo-like face. "You can watch if you want."

I smiled sweetly.

"Just don't expect to wake up in the morning."

Artemis spun to face the wall.

"Oh my, it seems like I have found the most interesting spot on this wall here. I do believe that a spot of this calibre deserves further study."

"Really? Can I see?" Nigel jumped up to join the shorter boy near the wall. "Ahh yes, I see what you mean. The best spot I've come across in ages."

"Thank you, gentlemen." I scoffed, quickly changing into the pyjamas that pretty much looked like a grey version of the usual white uniform.

I had figured something out early on. With the three of us stuck together for the rest of the night, our only hope of survival was to go to sleep as soon as possible.

That's why I spared no time in getting ready for bed. I have the survival instincts of natural ninja, as well as zero capacity to deal with shit past my bedtime.

"I'm done," I informed the boys, folding up my uniform and setting it beside my makeshift bed.

"I suppose that we should get changed as well." Artemis sighed as he turned around.

"It would be much more comfortable for you if you did." I agreed, hands on hips.

We stared at each other for a moment longer before Artemis shuffled nervously.

"Aren't you going to turn around...?"

I met him dead in the eye, emerald to pale green, and crossed my arms challengingly.

"Now where's the fun in that?"

Artemis opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Nigel, one the other hand, sighed in defeat.

"... Did someone say she was a Lady?" He mumbled as he bent to collect his clothes, earning himself a swift pillow to the head.

When Artemis looked about to crawl into bed, fully clothed instead of undress in front of a girl, I turned away with a sigh.

As fun as it was, I did have a heart... somewhere... so couldn't bring myself to mess with the poor guy's head any longer.

Once the guys were decent with their innocence still intact, I gave each of them a stern look.

"A word of advice." Retrieving my pillow from the floor, I placed my hands on my hips. "For your own safety, please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. Clear?"

Artemis and Nigel both nodded in agreement before glaring at each other warily.

Like they were daring each other to even think about it.

Ignoring the sudden tension between the two, I gave a small wave and a yawn.

"Excellent. Good night then."

I climbed into my sleeping bag and turned my back to the boys, creating an awkward silence in the room.

I should probably be using this chance to interrogate Artemis... figuring out why he was here and what had happened in the past to make Apollo such a nutcase.... but after all that had happened, I just couldn't wait to be unconscious.

So, of course, Nigel had different plans.

"Um, Maddison..." I felt a boney finger poke me in the back and I stifled a groan. Maybe if I pretended to be asleep, he would get the message and go away.

And maybe a snowball could open up an ice rink in Hell.

"Maddison... Are you... Still mad at me?" Nigel asked, his voice sounding so crestfallen that my resolve to ignore him cracked and crumbled to ash.

"Why would I be mad at you stupid?" I rolled over to glare at him angrily... sort of undermining my attempt at reassurance.

"Well, there was that angry mob that I forgot to warn you about, and then I sort of hauled you away from the fight... And now you're avoiding me by going to sleep..." Nigel explained, staring at his hands, sorrowfully.

All True...

"I'm not angry," I muttered, turning back on him.

"That wasn't even a little bit convincing!" Nigel fretted, sounding close to tears.

"It's not easy when you remind me of all the reasons why I should be angry at you!" I protested.

"So you are angry!"

"I'm not." I sat up, looking Nigel seriously in the eye. "Trust me, on top of everything else that has happened to me lately, what happened today was nothing."

I gave him an admonishing poke to the forehead. "So don't worry about it and go to sleep idiot."

Nigel glared down at his hands, looking like he was mentally kicking himself for some reason.

He opened his mouth, about to say something further when Artemis' voice interrupted from the other side of the room.

"Talking about things that we've been through lately."

Nigel and I looked over to see him sitting against the wall, eyes on the ceiling.

"Would you mind filling me in a little on the reason why I was attacked by a complete stranger today?" He spoke softly, but with hidden steal.

His gaze lowered, looking me directly in the eye. "And what all this has to do with my little brother."

This is bad.

Up until now, Artemis had seemed harmless, with his endearments and gentlemanly personality.

But now my entire body was screaming at me.

Danger.

I didn't know for sure, but the more I thought about it, the more likely it had seemed.

"After everything that happened to my brother, after it tore his life apart, she still became the Ace?"

Artemis was probably the previous Ace of the Hill.

Licking suddenly dry lips, I met Artemis' calm gaze with one of my own.

"How about I give you three guesses," I crossed my arms. "Artemis Mc'Valium."

He visibly stiffened, and panic flittered across his face but was quickly hidden when Artemis covered his face with a hand.

"That blasted school." He breathed, obviously distraught.

After a long moment of weighted silence, Artemis leant forward, his eyes intent on my face.

"Tell me everything."