Page 140 of Degradation
Feeling elated and yet numb, I turn around and leave the lab quietly.
Out in the hallway, my hands shake, and I curl in on myself a little as I remember their faces.
I scrunch my eyes shut, and I walk alone to the Quad because I don’t want to go back to the house and torture myself by waiting at the window for them to come back with their answer. I just hope they don’t call my bluff, or I’ll have to think of something else.
Grinder is still closed as I walk by, and I haven’t heard from Lu since we went to the site of the accident, so I decide to go up to her dorm.
When I get there, I buzz in and go upstairs. I glance at the room where Travis and Mich brought me.
I realize I haven't even spoken to Mich. I should thank him for his help that night.
I knock on his door, and it opens a moment later. He looks surprised to see me.
‘Daisy. Hey, how are you? I didn’t see you at the Dagorhir battle the other week.’
‘Oh, that’s weird. I could have sworn you looked right at me,’ I say with a shrug. ‘I was sitting on the sidelines.’
He splutters something unintelligible, shuffling his feet. ‘Uh, yeah I mean I guess I did see you, actually, but, you know, that guy from the wrestling team and his big buddy, they kind of told me to stay away from you.’
That’s news to me. ‘Did they?’
My voice sounds cold even to my own ears.
‘Yeah, I mean I don’t want to make any trouble, but I sorta got the impression you were with one of them.’
Or all of them.
Or none of them.
‘Oh, right,’ I say, suddenly wanting to cry. ‘Well, I’m not really sure to be honest. Anyway, I should be at the next battle. I just sprained my ankle so I couldn’t really fight. I’m actually here to see Lu. I just wanted to thank you for that night. You were really kind when you didn’t have to be.’
He shrugs. ‘I’m sorry about Travis. I didn’t know he’d called the cops. I promise I had no idea.’
‘It’s okay,’ I murmur.
‘He’s gone now,’ Mich says, looking behind him and I see that half his room is bare.
‘Gone? What happened?’
I don’t know if I’m supposed to know, or if Mich is aware of who made sure Travis was expelled from Richmond, so I pretend I have no clue.
‘They found drugs. A lot of them,’ Mich answers with wide eyes. ‘I had no clue he was into all that stuff. I’m just glad he didn’t plant anything on my side of the room, or I’d be gone too. Anyway, last I heard he’s being charged.’
‘Wow. That’s nuts. I’m sorry,’ I murmur, knowing that’s what I’m supposed to say.
He shrugs. ‘That asshole deserved it and it's kind of nice being on my own in this room. They haven't given me anyone new yet, so...’ He trails off and looks at me expectantly.
I stare back with a bit of an awkward smile, not sure what that look means.
‘Do you want to grab a coffee, or something. With me?’
Doesn’t he know about Grinder’s leak?
‘Oh, I think the café’s still closed,’ I murmur. ‘Because of the flooding...’
He looks confused for a second and then laughs a little. ‘Oh, right. Sure.’
He doesn’t say anything else and I’m painfully sure I’ve missed something. Maybe he really misses Grinder. He was in there a lot talking to Lu when I was on shift.
