Death In Her Eyes - Erin Bedford Page 0,18

do.” She jerked her head around the table and the others copied her agreement. “You need time to adjust. Besides, tomorrow is class. You’ll feel better about it then. This time next week this will seem like the new normal.” She smiled brightly. I had no plans on being here that long, but I couldn’t bring myself to break her spirit just yet.

“Yeah. I’m sure you’re right.”

Chapter 7

A grimace marred my face. My nose scrunched up as I took in the uniform that had been left for me the night before. The plaid of the skirt lay spread out on the bed the lines of it mocking me as if to say this is your life now.

I'd prayed to whatever god was listening for years to make my time in high school shorter. To make me suddenly smarter and able to jump grades and be out of the massive hallways crowded to the brim with adolescents. As usual, no one answered my prayers.

The rage of hormones alone set my teeth on edge but the brush of each of my classmates against her was almost too much for me to bare. Nikki had been my only solace and I barely had her. I was always last to leave and last to get to class. Choosing to wait until the final bell had rang and the hallways were empty before making my way to my locker and then to my next class. I spent more time in detention for being late than anywhere else, but it gave me plenty of time to work on my schoolwork and less time having to worry about running into anyone after school.

It made sense that just the sight of a school uniform would bring back the anxiety of my thirteen years stuck in a death filled prison. Not that I ever had to wear a uniform. Thank God for that but I didn't see myself staying here long and since I already had avoiding people down to a science it shouldn't be too hard to fall back into old habits.

A knock sounded on my door.

Or so I thought.

The door opened before I could answer, and Ayden popped her flaming red head of hair into the room. "You're not dressed yet? We're going to be late for first bell." Without asking for permission, Ayden pushed into the room and shut the door behind her. She walked over to my bed and bounced down onto the mattress.

Normally, I would have thrown her out by her pleated skirt but for some reason she reminded me of Nikki and if I was going to get out of this place, which I hoped would be soon, I needed an ally on the inside. Better to be someone with some fire power, no pun intended, than no one at all.

"I'm always late." I commented without explanation. I grabbed the skirt and pulled it on over my pajama shorts, then shimmed the shorts out from underneath. Chunking my shirt, I slipped the white button-down shirt on over my bra and painstakingly slow buttoned each button. When I reached for the necktie, Ayden snatched it from the bed before I could touch it.

"So, they put you in the mind squad." Ayden's lips twisted to one side as she twirled the purple tie around her finger.

I arched a brow and reached for the tie. "Why wouldn't they? My power is more mental than physical."

She jerked it out of my reach with a smirk. "I don't know. You have something about you." She glanced over me with a curious spark in her eyes. "You've got the manic-depressive thing going on that is totally something the mentals have down pat, but I heard you in the office the other day." Ayden pulled the tie tight between her hands just out in front of her, her amber gaze locked on mine. "You have far more rage in you than they do. Perhaps your father had a bit of fire in him as well?"

"Who knows." Not wanting to talk about my dad, I snatched the tie from her hands before she could stop me and tossed it onto the desk. I'd probably get in trouble for not being in full uniform but fuck them. I wanted to get kicked out anyway.

I shoved my feet into my combat boots and stalked to the door. Ayden didn't seem put off by my action but simply followed after me with a particularly gleeful skip in her step.

"Why are you so cheerful?" I