Fallen

Chapter Twelve

I was distant the next day, consumed with thoughts about the mysterious ­­­­­D. I Institution. I'd asked Danielle and Mark about it after our shift, but they'd not heard of it either.

"You'll have to ask Blaine when he gets back," Danielle said from the passenger seat as Mark drove us home. I looked up from my phone after Google searching the name yet again.

"Maybe Maria knows," Mark commented, glancing at me in the rear-view mirror.

Danielle turned to me in her seat with her eyebrows raised. "I bet she does."

"She's coming round for some food tonight. I'll ask her later."

Danielle grinned. "Let us know, yeah? You've got me intrigued."

Once Mark had dropped me off, I changed into clothes more comfortable to lounge in and started cooking food for the night. Nick had sat himself down at the kitchen table with me clearly bored and lonely. Ellie was getting herself ready for another night out that Nick had just thrown on a shirt and some jeans for. Luckily, they were pre-drinking at Sammy's house.

"Ellie told me that Blaine's left for work again." Nick's tone was low and serious. I wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Yeah, he'll be gone for a while I think," I said with a fake casual shrug as I checked on the lasagne in the oven.

"He seems like a good lad," he said. "If he ever treats you like shit though I'm gonna have to kill him, you know that."

I grinned at him over my shoulder after shutting the oven door. "I know, Nick."

"Good." He sat back in his chair as Ellie walked in.

"You ready?" she asked as she rummaged through her bag for something

"Sure thing, my love." He got up to leave, but I stopped them.

"Are you not going to eat anything?"

Ellie pulled a face. "Nah, I plan on getting very drunk."

I gave her a look. She sighed and took two sausage rolls out of the fridge. "Happy?"

"Yes," I replied. Nick grinned and grabbed one from her to devour it before they'd even left the room. We were both staring at him in bewilderment as he wiped the last bits of pastry from around his mouth.

"What?" he asked with a mouthful of food.

Ellie rolled her eyes and grabbed Nick's arm. "Come on, idiot. See you later, Anna."

"Stay safe," I called before the door slammed shut behind them. I sighed and sat at the kitchen table trying once again to find anything I could about the D.I Institution. I'd used every search engine I could think of, but it still came up with nothing. The curiosity was eating away at me. My head was loud, so I shut myself away in my room and pulled out my poetry journal.

Sometimes when you're gone

I look up at the stars and smile

Knowing they shine down on you too

And soon, they'll be guiding you back home

To me.

As I wrote the final line, the doorbell rang. I dashed to the door to let Maria in. Her usual smile was back on her face which was great to see.

"Hey," I said. "Come on in."

She thanked me and I led her into the kitchen.

"Would you like a drink?"