I convince Alli to go back to the common room with me after lunch and vitals. When we enter the room, it suddenly looks much smaller. It's filled with people.

I start to step out when a boy walks over to me. He has thick black hair and blue eyes and he looks... normal.

"You're Marley?" he says.

I nod once and reach out to shake his hand. When he slips his fingers into mine, I realize they're covered in little pink scars and a few bloody scabs.

"I'm Reese. I'm seventeen."

"Sixteen," I reply.

He grins and squeezes my hand before letting go.

I bite my lip to hold back a scream. He's just like him he's going to hurt you those hands hot sharp hands touching touching no NO

When I reopen my eyes there's a needle sunk deep in my arm. A nurse brushes back my hair gently but I scream and bat her hands away.

"Shh, Marley, it's okay. It's okay," she consoled. "Come with me, come on."

My vision darkens and I finally give in to the heaviness of my eyelids.

•••

"Should we just let her rest tomorrow? Maybe today was too much."

"No, she was triggered by something. You can tell. Riley, go tell Dr. Matthews. He can deal with her in individual therapy tomorrow."

"Myah, I think she's awake."

I peeled my eyes open and there were two nurses hovering above me. I shied away from Myah's touch and burrowed deeper in my bed.

We were in my room but Alli was nowhere to be found. It was 2:57, which means she was in educational therapy.

"How are you feeling?" Myah asked.

I didn't answer, just curled farther in. I wanted to disappear.

"Marley, do you need anything?" she repeats.

"No." My mouth feels like it's stuffed with cotton and my limbs are still partially numb. Every noise is slightly muffled.

"We'd like you to go to dinner and consider going to the common room for visitation hour," Myah says quickly, sheepishly, like she's nervous about letting me know.

"No," I responded immediately.

"Marley. Look at me. I know you don't want to. I know something... something happened to you, something bad. And I know something triggered you. But I'm a nurse and I want to do what's best for you and what will help you. If you get up and socialize, you'll feel better."

"Whatever."

But I get up anyway.

•••

The common room is stuffed with families. Myah tells me that Fridays are the most popular days for visitors. Alli is sitting alone in a far corner, so I said good bye to Myah and jogged over there, avoiding a few embracing siblings.

"How are you?" she asks.

I flinch. I'm still not used to hearing her speak. "Uh, um, I'm okay. You?"

Alli nods and seems to grin at my fumbling lips. "I'm good."

"You must be, you're talking." After saying it, I realize how incredibly rude it sounds, but she just nods.

"The first time I spoke in years was this morning. My therapist probably loves you. The first progress in forever happened when you came along. Oh, I forgot how much I... talk. You're the only person I feel okay with talking to."

Red patches bloomed on my cheeks. "Oh, well, thank you." I smiled. "So, will anyone be visiting you soon?"

She stares at her knee and picks and a loose thread. "No."

After offering no further explanation, I said, "Oh. I don't think my mom will visit much either. We live, like, eight hours away."

"Yeah. You can call, though. Do you want to? You can only call during visitation hour, so..."

"Sure," I replied, only in hopes that maybe this awkwardness that has gathered in our conversation would lift.

"Phones are in the front. C'mon."

I followed Alli out of the common room and to the front desk where we checked in. The receptionist pointed to the wall opposite where four landlines were bolted to the wall.

"I'll stand over here and give you some privacy," Alli said.

I punched in my mom's number and waited. It rung once before she picked up.

"Is everything okay? Did she with hurt herself? Oh, God," my mom shouted breathlessly.

"Mom, it's me. Marley."

"Oh, oh, okay. Marley, hi!" My chest collapsed when hearing her voice.

"Hi. How are you?"

"That doesn't matter, how are you?" she responded quickly.

Though her answer worried me, I said, "I'm fine. My roommate is amazing. Therapy's okay. The food is great."

"Awesome, honey! I knew you'd love it!"

What is this, summer camp?

"Yeah." I paused and licked my lips. "Um, Mom? Can I talk to Sam?"

"Uh... I'll ask if she wants to talk, sure."

I heard a muffled conversation before a loud door slam and my mom saying, "Sorry, she's doing homework. She can probably call you tomorrow."

"Oh." Lies, lies, lies. How dumb does she think I am?

"Yeah. She loves you though, you know that."

"Okay. Yeah, I gotta go," I mumbled.

"Marley, honey, I love you. I love you so much. Please call me tomorrow, okay?"

"Bye, I love you too."

I slammed the phone down and huffed, "I just love my family."

Alli smirks. "I understand. More than you'll ever know."

•••

Dinner was pizza, so spirits were high. I grabbed my tray and sat down by Alli. "What topping is that?"

Alli laughed. "Tuna. Don't frown, it's good."

"Hey," another voice said before I could reply.

"Reese, I don't think you should —" Alli began.

"Yeah, well, I want to apologize. Really bad. I feel horrible, I should've asked if you were okay with me touching you or whatever and I should've been way more aware of my boundaries. I'm sorry," he said, scratching his thigh as he spoke.

"It's okay," I said. "Really. Um, but, I don't think I really want to talk about it."

He nodded once. "God, is that tuna?"