Remembering what Toby said about my cell, I swipe it from the table and stare down at the time.
Two thirty on a Wednesday.
Everyone will be—or should be—in class.
I can’t help wondering if anyone’s even noticed I’ve gone.
Who am I kidding? All I did since I arrived was cause drama. They’re probably relieved.
Thankfully, Carla returns only a few minutes later with a tray full of all kinds of food.
“I grabbed a bit of everything,” she says, lowering it to my table and wheeling it over.
There are sandwiches with different fillings, a sausage roll, a packet of chips, cake, fruit.
My stomach growls once more, and I immediately reach out for one of the sandwiches.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so hungry,” I confess a beat before stuffing almost the whole triangle in my mouth.
“That’s a really good sign, Stella. Just try not to over do it. You’ve had nothing in your stomach for days, so it might be a shock.”
I nod, too busy chewing to really pay attention.
“Thank you,” I mutter around the mouthful.
“You’re welcome. I’ll be back in a while with your medication.”
She disappears again, leaving me alone.
I’ve been alone a lot in my life. As an only child and with a mostly absent parent, I learned a long time ago to be happy with my own company. But since moving here, I can’t seem to shake the loneliness.
I think of Seb. He’s here when he should be at school.
It would have been so easy to allow him to stay here with me. To keep me company.
But can I even do that?
Can I forget everything that’s happened between us and pretend we’re… friends?
I shake my head, knowing that it’s not even worth contemplating.
He’s where he needs to be. Far, far away from me.
Reaching for my cell, I open up the messages waiting for me while grabbing another sandwich.
Harley: Call me when you can. We’re praying for a quick recovery for you xo
Ruby: Get well soon, girl. We love you x
I stare down at the two messages from my girls in Rosewood and my brows pinch.
Opening my call log, I find that multiple calls to both of them have been made since the day I was stabbed.
Someone’s been keeping them in the loop.
But who?
My answer literally bounces through my door less than five minutes later.