IAN
Miles shuffled in the doorway, hesitant to speak since Draven was scowling at him for intruding. The cafeteria lady (I think her name was Ms Minton) looked terrified and her eyes never left the huge hole Draven punched his way through.

Miles coughed awkwardly, "I wanted to hear what happened from you instead of what everyone else is saying. I don't believe them."

My heart swelled in my chest. At least someone believed me.

"Chris lied," I told him, "and no one was listening to me." As I explained everything that had happened the day before, Miles and Ms Minton listened to me intently, although her nervous eyes kept glancing at Draven every few moments as if he was about to pounce on her at any second.

Miles shook his head, "that bitch!" he hissed with a scowl. "I'll find a guard and convince him to let you out."

Ms Minton shuffled in her spot, "I don't think they're going to let Draven out anytime soon, though."

I frowned as I took in her words. I didn't want to be away from Draven so quickly. I was afraid that he'd change his mind and start hating or ignoring me again. He didn't say anything.

"We can still try," I croaked weakly.

Draven stayed quiet and I desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. I could never tell with him. It was like as soon as Miles and Ms Minton wanted in a switch flipped in his brain and he became a different person again.

Does he want me to stay? Is he as upset about being apart as much as I am? Does he even care?

As I gazed at his blank expression, I couldn't help but wonder why I liked him so much. It didn't make any sense to me. It was like some invisible connection. I was just drawn to him. I was worried that this all happened too fast. He only started talking to me yesterday. What if I scared him away?

"I'll find someone to come let you out," Ms Minton spoke, tearing me away from my thoughts.

I nodded and thanked her quietly, wanting to be alone with Draven again in case it would be the last time for a while. I mean, he beat someone to death, so it made sense.

As the two of them went to leave, Miles smirked at me, his eyes darting me between Draven and I as he mouthed 'use protection'. My face burned red as I ushered him out hurriedly before he could say anything that would embarrass me. I slammed the door behind him and slowly turned around to face Draven who had his eyes on me in an instant.

It was quiet for a moment. His dark eyes just met mine with an unwavering intensity that made my stomach flutter.

"Do you want me to stay?" I asked softly and fiddled with my thumbs. He broke eye contact with me and turned around.

"No."

I sucked in a quiet breath, not wanting to admit how much it hurt for him to say that. I was hoping he'd say yes, but part of me knew he wouldn't. He didn't give a shit.

I blinked away the tears that formed in my eyes, grateful that his back was toward me so that he didn't see. "Okay," my voice came out a whisper. He didn't respond and there was a thick, uncomfortable tension filling the room. I wanted to say something but I didn't know what.

The door was pushed open and when
the man saw Draven his eyes widened. Draven turned around and give the guy his signature empty look.

"How the hell did he get in here?" he gawked.

My eyes trailed over to the broken wall wordlessly while the man just blinked at the sight.

"Can I leave now?" I asked before he could speak.

He didn't say anything as he just stared at Draven in fear. It was almost funny comparing the Draven who murdered a guy with his fists to the Draven who demanded I drink the rest of my water. That was the side of him that I liked. That was the side of him that made me so giddy inside whenever he looked in my direction.

"Get him out."

My lips parted in shock as Draven spoke. I knew he didn't care... but I didn't know my presence made him so angry.

The man immediately rushed over and yanked my arm, painfully, pulling me out of the room. Draven was clenching his fists with a deadly look on his face. Why was he so mad at me? What could've happened within the time Miles walked in?

The dude shoved me up the stairs as he asked, "did he break down that wall?"

"Yeah," I answered meekly, "he did."

The sound of our footsteps echoed around the creepy hallway we were in. Everything was dark and dirty. I only felt at ease when I saw some light peeking through.

"How the hell does that even happen? Not even a full grown lion could knock down one of those walls!"

I bit my lip with a bittersweet smile, "he can be intimidating sometimes."

It was late so everyone was asleep in their rooms by the time we got upstairs. The man led me to my room and as soon as I got in I collapsed on my flimsy sheets and started to cry.

Yeah, the breaking point was Draven. Draven and his stupid, breathtaking eyes and his ridiculously strong arms. He was the reason the tears started to fall, but soon after, when I started sobbing, it became more. It was about everything that had been going on, how crazy my life had been since that one night.

It was about my parents, my sister, my insecurities, my fear, and Draven. But he was just the tip of the iceberg that made reality come crashing down.

I only started to truly feel insane when I began to laugh. Tears were still flowing uncontrollably down my face as I started to laugh my ass off for no damn reason. I was finally just as insane as everyone else in here. Well, maybe not on the same level, but I was certainly on the path down the insanity.

My door cracked open a tiny bit with a loud creek. I flinched, startled at the sound but relaxed as soon as I saw that it was Miles.

"How's your ass?"

When I sniffled he realized that I had been crying and his gaze softened. At least I didn't have to put up with him bullying me for now.

"My ass is fine," I wiped my eyes with my sleeve.

He tilted his head at me and gestured toward me, "well it looks like something isn't."

I sighed, looking at the ground and wishing it would swallow me whole. I hated feeling dramatic, I didn't want to bother him with my problems. He was in a mental hospital, he had enough problems of his own.

As if he could read my thoughts he huffed, plopping down on my bed made of concrete next to me.

"You wanna know why I'm in here?"

I'd been wondering since the moment I met him what he could've possibly done for a person like him to get sent to a place like this. "Weren't you the one who told me you can't ask people that?"

He leaned over to ruffle my hair and I swatted his hand away in annoyance, "yup. But since we're friends I can make an exception."

I smiled at him. "You really don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I murmured quietly.

"I killed a guy."

It was silent.

Then I rolled my eyes, "wow, Miles, a professional comedian." I pretended to laugh, "now tell me what actually happened."

He shook his head, "Ian, I'm serious."

My laughter slowly died down as the stern expression on his face never left. He was serious? He killed a guy?

"I had just got my license," he explained, "the dumbass walked in front of an intersection while the light was green." He tried to sound indifferent, but I could tell there was hidden sadness underneath it. I was glad that he was comfortable enough around me to open up about his deepest secret, but I hated watching him trying to keep his mask of false happiness on. He was hurting too.

"Why would you get sent to a psychiatric ward for that?"

He sighed again, "I called an ambulance right after I hit him and I explained what happened to the police. They knew it as an accident and didn't wanna see my life be ruined by it. The only way they could get me out of legal trouble was if they declared me mentally insane."

I took in the new information and suddenly everything started to lock into place. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong here just like I didn't. We were the same.

I opened my mouth to speak but he interrupted me. "You don't have to console me, I've made my peace with it," he reassured.

Nodding, I leaned in to hug him and we sat there for a while.

"Well," I sighed, "do you want to know why I'm in here?"

"You don't have to tell me just because I told you, your reason is still recent. You need time to process everything."

I shook my head, "I'm not supposed to be here either. I'm not in here because I hear voices or see shadows or think I'm a wolf." I shuttered, remembering that one guy who started barking at me once. "What I did wasn't necessarily right, but I didn't have a choice."

He pulled away and looked at me curiously, "then what it is?"

I gulped, readying myself to admit the truth out loud. To finally talk about the incident that's been haunting me. To trust someone.

"I almost killed a guy."