Breakaway - Sadie Jacks Page 0,16

in the light of day.

I knew that from personal experience.

Chapter 9 – Hollyn

I awoke in the dark even though light was pouring into the room. It crept towards my feet as I watched. I wanted to pull away. Wrap myself in the blanket someone had thrown over me and jump from the top of Thane’s building.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid, Hollyn. I couldn’t believe I’d shared that much of my life with him. I must have looked like such an idiot, cowering between his bed and a small set of drawers. Why he needed three drawers right next to his bed was another question, but it could wait until I’d climbed from the pit of boiling shame that was currently my life.

I rolled towards the light. Even my unconscious mind must have felt the crippling embarrassment, otherwise I wouldn’t have managed to be completely under the massive bed. As soon as the fresh air of the chilly room settled over my skin, I bounced up to my feet.

I caught the towel as it slipped from under my arms. My lips twisted in irritation at having to use it. But I wasn’t going to give Grumpy any more of a reason to grump at me.

A sheet of paper on the nicely made bed drew my eye. HOLLEN: I’ve gone to work. I’ve left my phone number on the pad in the kitchen. Please call me when you wake up. THANE.

I smiled at my misspelled name and gave the man a pass. It was an odd name, and he’d done the best he could. I wasn’t sure what a phone was. And did he expect me to yell at him? If he was already at work, and I didn’t know where he did that, I could potentially be yelling for hours before I found him.

Near the bottom of the page, in scribbles I had a hard time deciphering, it said: Clothes on the chair by the shower. Enjoy the rain.

A huge smile pulled over my face as I ran to the bathroom. Dropping the blanket, I made sure to keep the towel so I could use it when I was done. I stuttered to a halt when I saw the handle of the faucet, my heartrate picking up a bit.

“You did it last night. You can do it this morning, you big baby,” I muttered to myself. I examined my fingernails again. Not a single hint of black. Maybe it was just the metal at the Oaks that I was allergic to? I shrugged as I spied the clothes Thane had left me. I put my towel on top of them and danced into the water room. The shower, I reminded myself.

First, I turned the knob to make the water fall from the ceiling. Then I turned the handle to get the temperature just right before I stepped into its sultry torrent. A moan purled from my lips as the water sluiced over me. I would go splash in mud puddles if it meant I could stand here ten times a day.

A hard knock interrupted my bliss. “Hollyn?” one of the men called.

I almost fell over, I jumped so high. “Y-yes?”

“It’s Tove. Thane called, wanted me to check on you.”

I laughed as my heart unstuck itself from my ribcage. Then his words dawned on me. “Wait! Don’t leave.” I slapped at the handles and knobs. Darted out of the shower and ripped the door open. “How do you call him? How did he call me? I didn’t hear anyone yelling.”

I made sure to stay in the bathroom so I didn’t get Thane’s floor fabric all wet. That could get stinky fast, and I wasn’t going to be an ungracious guest.

Tove was just staring at me. Well, my body at least. I don’t think he’d looked up to my face yet.

“Tove? Up here.” I reached out and lifted his chin with my wet fingers. “My boobies can’t talk to you.”

He chuckled. It sounded a little strange. “Are you sure? Pretty sure they wanted me to lick them.”

I laughed even as I heard a faint yelling. “Oh. Is that Thane calling me?” I reached down to the chair, grabbed the towel and wrapped it around me, up to the armpits. These boys were weird. “Why can I barely hear him? If I didn’t know he was calling out for me, I wouldn’t be able to hear him at all.”

“THANE! I’M IN THE BATHROOM!” I yelled out towards the living room. At least, I think that’s what