subject 13 // h.s. au

chapter twenty.

I tried to kick off the tangle of sheets encasing my legs, the haziness clearing from my mind as I slowly began to wake. 

I looked around in confusion as I realized that I had been sleeping in my own bed. I ran my hands over my face, trying to wake up.

How had I gotten here?

Images of last night crashed through my head and I grimaced as I recalled what 12 and I had discovered.

The last thing I remembered was nodding off in the cafeteria, my cheek pressed against the table. Someone must have found me and brought me in my room.

 I shrugged it off, waking up in my own room was the least of my worries.

I had slept surprisingly well, feeling calmer and more relaxed than I had yesterday, but the nagging guilt and dread slowly crept back in as I fully awakened.

I tried to shake away my anxiousness as I walked into the bathroom to get ready. I avoided my reflection as I pulled on a pair of dark sweatpants and a black tank top. I glanced down at the white marks on my arms and fought the urge to put on a sweatshirt. 

It was hot in here and the boys already knew anyways, I tried to reassure myself.

I made my way out of my room and trudged through the winding hallways, the pressure in my chest growing as I stopped at the cafeteria doors. Huck, Oliver, 12, and Harry were gathered around the table in the center of the room.

I took a deep breath, and pushed the doors open.

The boys were too engrossed in their conversation to realize that I had walked in, until I pulled out the chair next to 12. Oliver flashed me a bright smile, and Huck tilted his chin upwards in a greeting. I gave them a small smile and sat down, immediately looking at 12 so I didn't get distracted by Harry.

12 looked at me solemnly, "Give me a minute," he whispered, and I nodded in understanding. Today we would have to figure out what Asher knew, and come up with a plan in case we were discovered.

We needed a protocol.

A bowl of cereal slid across the table to stop in front of me, Harry's hand pushing it. I frowned slightly as I noticed he wasn't wearing any of his rings, the white lines stacked underneath his knuckles indicating that he hadn't taken them off in a long  time.

I snapped my head up to look at him, and my frown deepened as I studied his face. His eyes were dim, the underneath masked in shadow. 

His curls were looser, dropping onto his forehead. He was still gorgeous, my pulse speeding up as my eyes met his, but he looked exhausted.

"Eat," his gravelly voice commanded, and he stared up at me from underneath his curls, his fingertips still touching the bowl in front of me.

I raised my eyebrows.

He rolled his eyes, "You should eat," he corrected himself, pulling his hand back to run through his hair as he leaned back in his chair.

My heart skipped as I noticed the unbuttoned black dress shirt hanging off his shoulders, the swirling ink on his chest on full display.

I hurriedly looked back at the bowl in front of me, but I heard him chuckle softly.

Oliver, Huck, and 12 were all talking over each other, oblivious to the fact that Harry and I were still there. I had no idea what they were so passionately talking about and it didn't matter.

Or at least it didn't matter before Huck stood up, dragging his chair behind him to sit in between 12 and Oliver.

I had barely noticed the empty space Huck had left before Harry was scooting his chair closer to me.