Breathing heavily, she looks in the mirror, unable to calm down. Everything is boiling inside her, and she feels like tearing the whole room apart. Anger bubbles up inside her so strongly that she is trembling all over.
She closes her eyelids and clenches the bedclothes in her fists, trying to normalize her breathing. Unfortunately, this doesn't help. Eventually, she grabs the picture frame and throws it against the wall. The glass shatters into a fine poppy, yet she doesn't care at all. She feels like destroying everything within her reach.
— It's your fault — she speaks to the mirror, clenching her teeth. — This is all happening because of you! — she screams to her reflection, and tears appear in her eyes. — If you hadn't died.... If you hadn't left me, life would have been easier for me. You destroyed me.
Hannah hides her face in her hands and curls up on the bed, breaking into hysterical crying. She has had enough. She thought the month-long vacation would help her forget everything and gain strength before she returned to school. The girl was not convinced that when she went to live in a boarding school again, it would all come back to her with redoubled force.
She feels even worse.
She throws herself down on the mattress and impulsively hits it with her hands, wanting to get rid of her anger. Joseph has made her uncomfortable again.... He insulted the most beautiful heirloom left behind by her biological mother. He did it on purpose. She saw indescribable joy and satisfaction in his eyes that he had made her uncomfortable again. Why? What suddenly happened to him, since they had started to get along before he left?
— Don't think to yourself that you will succeed in humiliating me. I won't let you feel satisfaction looking at my suffering.
He lies down on his back. She spreads her arms and looks at the white ceiling with wide-open eyes. A smile appears on her face. She begins to giggle, however, this innocent expression of joy transforms in time into frantic laughter.
— You will stop wallowing in victory. I will drag you down to the very bottom. No one will publicly humiliate me. Enough of this — she says into space, squinting her eyes. — I will become exactly like my sister. I will take an example from her and stop letting myself be pushed around. You will see how it feels, Dark Prince.
He arranges himself on his side. She leans on her elbow and looks at the butterfly she received as a gift from Jin with joy in her eyes.
— It is beautiful.
*
She too abruptly puts down the tray of food, with which she frightens Tom, who is sitting at the table. The boy lifts his gaze and looks at her with concern in his eyes. He can see that she is furious. This is a sign that she got up in a bad mood.
— Hi, wife. Is something wrong? — He asks, watching her carefully as she opens the carton of strawberry milk with evident brutality. — Still so angry, I haven't seen you since the beginning of the year.
— That's what you'll see every day now — he speaks, looking around the cafeteria. Jimmy is sitting in the company of Mariah, and the other two are not in the room. — Jin doesn't eat breakfast?
— He has argued with Joseph again. He probably doesn't feel like eating — he says, nervously rummaging through his food with a spoon. — He jumped on it in the evening because he didn't like the fact that our roommate spoiled your birthday. I get the impression that they have been arguing more and more lately. It wasn't like that before.
— Do you think it's because of me? — he asks straightforwardly, putting the cereal spoon in his mouth. He looks investigative at his older colleague's face to read it from his expression. He doesn't have to answer. Hannah can see that. — You made it clear to me.
— Are you feeling well? You are acting strangely, as if you are not yourself — she announces, wrinkling her eyebrows.
— And I should be myself? — She stomps on him, putting the cutlery back on the table. — Should I still be docile as a lamb and let myself be pushed around?
Several people look in their direction.
— I don't know what's going on with you guys lately. First Joseph, and now it's impossible to talk to you. — Tom is disappointed by the behavior of his younger colleague. He gets up from the table and leaves the cafeteria without a word.
Hannah feels the curious gazes of the students on her. They are always interested in what they shouldn't be. And of course, their eyes are full of excitement when the main star appears in the cafeteria. The youngsters start whispering among themselves, and Hannah just goes back to finishing her meal.
He makes her angry and sits down next to her. The girl lifts her face and looks at his mocking smile.
— I thought you hated me again. Shouldn't you sit at another table?
— This is my seat. If you're going to mouth off, talk sense. If something doesn't suit you, move over — he announces dryly, not taking his eyes off her.
The 17-year-old snorts in anger.
— I'm not going to listen to you. You may have a hook on me, but you are the kind of person who will reveal the secret even if I obey you, aren't you? — The boy rests his chin on his hand and looks at her with amusement in his eyes.
— Here's the thing. You don't know the time or the hour when I will decide to destroy your school life completely.
— Why are you doing it again? Didn't we start getting along? I thought you were on my side.
— When did I say that? — He loosely stretches out in his chair. — Did you think so because we started talking? You probably hoped that I would forgive you everything and our agreement would be broken? I'm going to stick to the words I said and turn your second semester into hell. You could have done better on the exam.
Hannah doesn't understand any of this. She wishes she could read his mind.
— So why did you stand up for me? Why did you also do it when you returned to school? I don't understand.
— Because I'm the only one who can take satisfaction from your pained expression. It's up to me to cause you suffering. Do you know why? Because I have a reason.
She looks at him uncomprehendingly.
— What reason? I haven't done anything to you. We haven't seen each other all the holidays.
The boy smiles sourly.
— But it was because of you that someone died. Because of you — he stammers through his teeth, pointing his finger at her. His face becomes more sinister. — You should not have been born. You, nor your sister. Take an example from her and disappear from this life.
His words are sharp as needles. The boy hits her right in the heart with them. He hurts her. He causes great pain, then pushes back her chair and walks away from the table.
He leaves her with unpleasant thoughts.
*
Hannah measures with her eyes the woman who stands in front of them, smiling friendly. She was brought to their floor by the director and turned out to be the new caregiver. She is beautiful, and more importantly from her face she looks friendly. Although. Appearances are deceiving because the predecessor only pretended to be friendly, and she had more behind her ears than anyone would expect.
Her short brown hair is pulled back behind her ears, which are adorned with delicate earrings. Her eyes are large and round, and her face is oval. Her beauty is perfect, and she probably can't chase away men.
— Do you have any idea who she is? — Hannah is interested in her older friend's words, especially when she sees the smile on her face. — She attended this school in the past. She is a legend because she was incredibly popular among the students. She was desired by every boy, but you know what the best part is? — The 17-year-old opens her eyes wider with excitement. — This is Halsey's older sister. Do you know who I'm talking about? I mean Joseph's ex-girlfriend.
Mariah looks like she knows this woman well, because when she looks in their direction, the woman raises her hand and discreetly crosses her fingers.
— Were you close with Halsey?
— We were good friends — she claims, without stopping smiling. The choice of a new sitter has clearly improved her mood. — Maybe we weren't very close, but we talked about everything.
The 17-year-old ponders her words for a moment.
— Let's say I understand.
— It's wonderful that she took this opportunity and decided to become a boarding school supervisor. The director remembers her well, so I think that influenced her to eliminate the other candidates. Ashley is the kind of person who gets things done. You will see how great she is.
The teenager puffs out her lips and nods.
— Since you praise her so much, she must indeed be great.
As the schoolgirls begin to disperse to their rooms, the young woman walks up to Mariah and hugs her in greeting.
— You have grown into a beautiful woman. It only took two years of not seeing you, and I can't get out of admiration.
— I can say the same about you — she replies, smiling happily. — You have given us a giant surprise. Just tell me... is there any particular reason why you decided to work here?
— There is. — Hannah looks at her with curiosity in her eyes. — Despite what happened to my sister, I have only good memories associated with this place. I missed it.
— How about Halsey? How is she feeling? — Hannah gets the impression that she is unnecessary at this conversation, but it is rude to leave without saying a word. She prefers to wait. — Is she doing well?
— She is fine. She only recently revealed the truth to us. We know that it was the caregiver who caused her to leave. It was because of Joseph, wasn't it? Halsey told me that this abnormal woman was jealous of him. — Mariah nods her head. — And just... what about that devil?
— After your sister left, he became terrible. It's impossible to stand with him. I think he really went through a lot when she left him.
Ashley bites his lip and nods slightly.
— I have to say hello to him. I missed that rascal. — Her attention is only now caught by the seventeen-year-old who is standing next to them. — You must feel bad when we gossip like this, and you have to listen to it? Sorry. I'm already leaving you alone because it's time for me to attend to my duties. I hope we all remain on good terms. — As she leaves, she smiles at them in a friendly manner.
— If Halsey is like her, I'm not at all surprised that Joseph lost his head for her. — Hannah talks back to her older colleague.
— We couldn't be more fortunate. She'll be the best caregiver they've ever hired.
*
In the evening, Hannah decides to buy herself a drink from the vending machine, so she heads to the cafeteria. On the way she passes students who are already returning to their rooms. The corridor becomes empty, but the teenager does not mind in any way. She is not afraid. Many times she has roamed around the first floor at night. The first semester was a nightmare for her because of the envious guardian, and especially the entity that began to appear in her room. Now? She's already used to it and isn't as scared as she was before the holidays.
Hannah drops coins into the vending machine and after a while takes out a soda. She is about to return to her room, but stops mid-step when something escapes her eyes. She wrinkles her eyebrows and looks carefully at the door that leads to the kitchen. The girl is sure someone has passed through them. She could have sworn that she saw a person dressed in black with a hood cast over his head.
Nevertheless, it's none of her business, so she merely shrugs her shoulders and heads for the exit.
She walks out into the corridor, but again gets the impression that something has moved behind her back. She looks over her shoulder, but no one is there.
Could it be that someone has picked up on the prank?
Her heart rises to her throat, and she puts her hand to her left breast as Joseph appears in front of her.
— Do you think this is funny? Don't you know how traumatized I was by the nightmare in the first semester? — She attacks him, as she almost went down to a heart attack. — Are you going to continue your ex-lover's task and stalk me?
— What are you talking about? — he says dryly, dodging her in the aisle. — If you're afraid, don't go alone at this hour.
She measures him carefully and sees that he is dressed in black. Except that. She doesn't notice any hood on his sweatshirt.
She is confused.
— Never mind — she replies. She bites her finger and hurriedly walks back to her room. The girl runs up the stairs and nervously opens the lock on the door. She supposes that something has apparently occurred to her.
Hannah goes inside and leans with her back against the wall.
She needs to take a breath.
— It's definitely not what I'm thinking about — she says aloud, closing her eyelids. She takes a deep breath to calm down and when she opens her eyes, her knees buckle under her.
She falls to the floor.
A person dressed in black is sitting on her bed. Unexpectedly, he turns his face toward her. He removes the hood from his head, and then Hannah freezes. She can't get the word out.
— It's about time we got to know each other, don't you think?
It's impossible...