Ben shrugs. “We don’t know your tastes. Lucy’s practically in love with the dude even though they’ve never spoken more than three sentences to each other.”
“Well, I can assure you that regardless of my tastes, I don’t make a habit of cuddling up to hostile strangers.”
Ben pounds the armrests. “Hostile! I knew it.” His face sinks into a concern I’m not sure I believe anymore. “Wait, did he hurt you?”
“Okay, not exactly hostile.” I suck in a breath, buying time. This was a mistake. They hate Daniel. Obviously, I’ll get nothing helpful from them. Or at least, they pretend to hate him. I glance back at Laura and the strange change that’s come over her. “Seriously, there’s nothing to tell. It’s just, people don’t become what you described without a reason. Something must have driven him there.”
Laura snorts a laugh, and I fight the rising resentment. “Great, so now our resident psychopath has a disciple.”
“Give her a break. She’s new. Everyone likes the bad boys until they get hurt. We’re just trying to protect you,” Ben says to me.
Maybe. Probably not.
“Well, thanks. I’m probably just really tired,” I say, pushing up from the chair. It’s one of the few things that wasn’t a lie in this conversation.
“Just be careful,” Ben calls after me.
I feel their stares in my back as I retreat to my room.
A bad dream of an intruder. No, wait, definitely a scraping door.
I straighten in my bed, pulse pounding in the dark. I strain for a better read of the noise, and my fear dissipates when I sense the commotion has no interest in me. Still, if curiosity killed the cat, I’m on life number eight hundred, and tiptoe toward the common area to investigate. I peek out just in time to spot a shadow drifting toward Daniel’s room. A different kind of surge plunges through me at the prospect of a reunion.
I’ve thought of little else since our explosive encounter yesterday, and my hands shake as I creep into the living area and reach for the lamp. Should I explain my strange reaction? Apologize? Pretend it didn’t happen? Demand more information? Will anything coherent come out of my mouth when he lands that scalding gaze on me?
The shadow materializes into a security guard when I reach his room, ending the debate.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“I’m sorry for waking you, miss. Please, go back to bed.”
Yeah, right. I cross my arms and settle into a skeptical stance against the doorframe. “What are you doing here?”
“This doesn’t concern you. Go back to bed.”
He moves to Daniel’s dresser, and I gasp when he yanks out the drawers and dumps the contents.
“You’re destroying his room!”
“I told you to stay out of this.”
“What are you looking for?”
“None of your business.”
He goes to the closet, and I tense in anger when he begins overturning the contents there as well. This can’t be legal. It’s definitely not right. But something burns deep in my gut that tells me this violation of Daniel’s privacy isn’t only sanctioned, it’s routine.
The guard stops suddenly, lifting a gold necklace to the light. The triumphant smile on his lips makes my stomach churn.
“Maybe that’s his,” I hiss.
“Sure,” the guard scoffs, pocketing the necklace and crushing Daniel’s belongings under his boots on the way to the door. “Have you seen the kid? Heart pendants aren’t exactly his thing.”
“Maybe it’s his mother’s or a girlfriend’s.”
The guard glares at me. “You’re obviously new, so let me do you a favor. Enjoy your pretty school, your new friends, and all your fancy stuff. This?”—he waves a hand around the disaster he created—“Stay far away from this.”
He tears off for the exit, leaving me alone with the mess. I turn back to the shattered remains of Daniel’s room, not sure what to do. I could listen to the guard and ignore the sudden emotion welling inside me. I’ve been ignoring the truth in my visions for years. I’ve perfected the art of pretending. Of forgetting. Of denying. I not only could, I should. Who is this guy but an unsettling enigma that can’t possibly help in my quest to belong? At best, he’s made it clear he’s not interested in an ally. At the very worst? I can’t begin to answer that.
