Page 48 of Degradation
‘Daisy, I?—’
I shake my head a little, mostly at myself.
Although Mav explained, I can’t help but remember what Blake said, how it’s made me feel. He must see it in the way I look at him, lookthroughhim.
I go past him quickly, hoping he doesn’t try to stop me as I go back into my room to hide like a coward.
He doesn’t follow me, and I let out a sigh. It’s short-lived though because, as I practice with my crutches, I notice something on the desk. A white envelope. My heart sinks as I approach it. I sit down in my chair and lean the crutches against the desk.
I pick it up. It’s not sealed.
I scan it quickly. It’s longer, more like a letter than a note.
Time’s ticking, retard, or don’t you want to know who had it in for your mom, who has it in for you?
Maybe spend less time partying. I thought I was gonna watch you get what was coming to you on Halloween, but then you got away. Pity. That would have been an entertaining watch.
At least I got to see you limping around the campus half naked. Reminded me of a dumb lemming running off a cliff.
P.S. Check your emails
I feel sick as I crumple the note and put it in the back of my desk drawer with the others. I was in the bathroom for five minutes and I don’t think it was here before that. Whoever it is was in my room.
Who’s doing this? Is it Blake? Hewasjust there.
The cameras.
My eyes narrow. They don’t know I can check them. I’ll be able to see who it is.
I stand up, but just as a I do, there’s a knock on my door and Shade enters without waiting for an answer. He’s carrying a tray with a white China teapot and a muffin on it.
I wonder where the teapot came from. I haven’t seen it in the kitchen anywhere.
He stops as he sees me. ‘I thought you might be in bed. Mav asked me to bring this. How are you feeling?’
‘Better,’ I say, looking past him at Blake’s door.
Checking the cams will have to wait.
I sit back down and offer Shade a smile, thanking my stars that he didn’t come in ten seconds earlier and see the letter.
‘Did you get me these?’ I ask, touching the crutches.
He nods. ‘I know you like doing things for yourself. I thought these would make it easier.’
I nod, smiling despite my churning stomach. ‘I love them. You’re right, it’s much better being able to walk around by myself, you know?’
He nods. ‘Yeah, I know.’
He moves around the room almost as if he’s looking for something and I watch him, a little puzzled.
‘I got you something else, too.’
He pulls out a rectangular box and hands it to me.
‘A phone?’ I ask even though I can see the sleek picture.
I pull the lid off slowly and look at the thin, Pop Tart sized mobile…cell.
