The atmosphere in the breakfast hall felt heavy the next morning. The hum of nervous energy from everyone was palpable, like a buzzing beneath the surface. I walked in, scanning the room. That's when I saw them—Aiden, Jonah, Kai, and Nico—huddled around a table. Their heads were close, voices low, their body language too casual to be innocent. They were up to something, and it was obvious.
Before I could process why I cared, a voice called over to me. "Hey! Over here."
I turned to see Leo waving me over to his table. Two girls sat with him, both wearing forced smiles that flickered with irritation when they realized he was inviting me to join. I hesitated but shrugged and made my way over.
As I sat down, one of the girls, a tall blonde with sharp features, shot me a glance that made it clear I wasn't welcome. The other, shorter and brunette, fiddled with her food, barely acknowledging me. Leo, however, seemed oblivious to their discomfort. He smiled, his eyes lingering on me for just a second longer than necessary.
Leo was good-looking, I'll give him that. Sharp jawline, tousled dark hair, and that annoyingly charming smile that the girls seemed to fall for. But not me. His charm didn't work on me—not even a little.
"So, what do you think the next challenge will be?" Leo asked, leaning back in his chair like he was settling in for a long conversation. His gaze held steady on me, like he was waiting for my input specifically.
"I don't know. Something worse than last time, probably," I replied, keeping my tone casual, though I wasn't sure if I really believed it. The tension from the last challenge—the people that were lost—still hung over like a cloud.
The blonde girl, whose name I couldn't remember, scoffed. "They're not going to kill us off, right? I mean, it's not like they want to thin us out this fast."
"Maybe," the brunette muttered. "But a lot of people are missing already."
Leo waved them off. "You all worry too much. It's probably just another test, more of that physical stuff to weed out the weak."
I glanced around the room, noticing how many faces there were. The ones who didn't make it through the last challenge weren't just gone—they were erased. No one talked about them, no one asked questions. It was like they never existed.
After breakfast, there was a free period. Everyone seemed a bit thrown off by the sudden freedom. We were used to strict schedules and rigid orders, but now, it was like we could do whatever we wanted. People wandered around, some forming small groups, others exploring areas we hadn't been allowed into before. Even I found myself surprised at how much space we had to roam.
The guards stood at their usual posts, arms crossed and faces sour, watching every move we made. Despite the freedom, their presence was a reminder that it wasn't total.
I wandered aimlessly, walking just to feel some sense of control, some separation from the anxiety bubbling inside me. Eventually, I found myself back in my dorm room, sitting on the bed, letting the quiet sink in.
It was a while of me staring at the ceiling before I noticed Leo hovering over me, looking a little too casual for my liking.
"Hey," he said with that same smile. "Feel like taking a walk?"
I raised an eyebrow, unsure. "I don't know…"
"Come on," he pressed, leaning against the doorframe. "It'll be quick. I want to show you something."
I hesitated again, but Leo didn't seem like the type who took no for an answer. I didn't want to go back and forth with him. Reluctantly, I nodded and we stepped into the hallway.
As we walked, I noticed the way some of the girls glanced at me—sharp, sideways looks that made my skin crawl. I ignored them, focusing on Leo as he led me down a path I hadn't been before.
"There's this spot," he started, his voice low like he was sharing a secret. "No cameras, no guards. Completely private."
Something about the way he said it made me feel uncomfortable, but I didn't let it show. "Why are you showing me this?"
Leo flashed that grin again, but there was something off about it. "I don't know, I guess its a place to get away from all this madness, ya' know?"
He led me to a corner of the facility I hadn't noticed before, tucked away behind a cluster of old buildings. The moment we stepped into the secluded spot, I felt his hand on my arm. The touch wasn't gentle.
Without warning, he pulled me closer and tried to kiss me.
I jerked back, pushing him away. "What do you think you're doing?"
Leo's face twisted in confusion, as if he couldn't comprehend why I wasn't going along with it. "What? Oh, I get it—you're just playing hard to get."
Before I could react, his hands were on me again, stronger this time, forcing himself closer. I pushed at his chest, but his grip tightened. My heart pounded, panic surging as I struggled against him.
"Get off of me!" I shouted, but it was like he didn't hear me. His strength was overwhelming. He shoved me back, pinning me against the wall. My hands trembled, I tried to move away but it was like fighting a wall of muscle.
Then suddenly, he was gone.
I gasped, my vision blurred by the tears I hadn't realized were forming. When I looked up, I saw Jonah standing there, pulling Leo off me. His face was dark, his jaw clenched in anger.
"What the hell are you doing?" Jonah spat, shoving Leo back.
Leo's shock was obvious. He looked from me to Jonah, like he couldn't believe what had just happened. "What? This isn't what it looks like—"
"Yeah, it is," Jonah cut him off, his voice cold. "Get lost."
For a moment, Leo stood there, his face twisting in frustration, but he didn't fight it. He stormed off, his shoulders tense with anger, leaving me and Jonah alone in the quiet.
I stood there, shaking, trying to catch my breath. Jonah didn't say anything, just watched me with concern in his eyes. After a long moment, he reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
I nodded, but the truth was, I wasn't sure if I was.
"I saw you entering the hallway with that creep. He talks about how he gets girls alone in this corner to hook up, I wanted to make sure he wasn't up to his usual antics with you."
He had this look like he wanted to comfort me but didn't know what way to go about it. I was embarrassed and shrugged him off. I wiped my tears and took a deep breath. "Thanks, for your help but i'm okay."
I turned away and hurried off, my chest tight with embarrassment and something darker—anger, frustration, shame—all tangled up inside me.
Jonah called after me, but I couldn't bring myself to stop or look back. My legs carried me blindly through the halls until I found myself pushing open the door to the nearest bathroom. The quiet, sterile space greeted me, but I didn't care about anything other than the sinking feeling in my chest.
I made my way to the sink, gripping the edges of the cold porcelain as tears finally spilled over, silent but uncontrollable. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, trying to calm the racing thoughts that spiraled in my head.
A sob escaped my throat, and before I knew it, I was sinking down to the floor, burying my face in my hands. I hated how weak I felt in that moment, but I couldn't stop the flood of emotion. It wasn't about Leo, everything that had been building up—this place, finally has gotten to me. Everything came crashing down on me all at once.
I sunk into a corner and pulled my knees up to my chest, crying harder than I had in years, hidden away in this small, empty room, hoping that no one would find me here.