Cut

I awaken to the sound of Rita's voice. She is shaking me and calling Maura's name too.

I open my eyes. She is hovering over me still calling for Maura.

Rita: Maura. Maura! Wake up. I let you two sleep through lunch but I can't let you go without two meals. Come on. I'll escourt you both to the cafeteria.

Did Rita know that Maura was a level two and that we didn't need an escourt? Maura gets up wordlessly and we follow Rita out the room.

Rita takes us down a long, plain hallway and soon we reach what could only be the Royal Oaks cafeteria. There is one long table that is filled with people. Maura and sit down next to Lilly. She looks so fragile that if we get to close we might break her.

Rita leaves.

I look over beyond Maura and see that Lilly is sitting next to Jenna who is sitting next to Hannah. Hannah is next to a boy I have never seen before. Across from Maura and me there is a girl with bruises all over her body. I ask Maura who these people are.

She whispers to me so quietly I can barely hear her.

Maura: The girl sitting next to us is Amber. Before she came here she was in an abusive relationship. Her boyfriend beat her. She kinda went....crazy. That's why she's here.

I look at Amber again. What Maura is saying makes sense. Amber looks....well, not crazy just....torn up. But then again, that's how all the girls here look. Including me.

Maura: That guy by Hannah cuts.

I freeze.

Maura goes on.

Maura: I still don't get why people do that.

My body goes numb. I say nothing.

Maura: I mean, why would you cause yourself more pain that you need? Ya know?

I nod and cover my cuts. The proof.

A lady comes over with our food. Maura and I eat in silence until she turns over and starts talking to Lilly. I don't think Lillyhadtouched her food but it is somehow all gone.

I look over at the boy who was here for the same reason I was. I still don't know his name.

He has brown shaggy hair that reaches over his eyes. I can't see the color of them.

He looks at me and smiles. But not a nice smile. Not a mean smile either, though. It's more like an I-know-what-your-secret-is kind of smile.

I look away.

Soon after dinner is over. Maura leads the way back to our room, gets into bed, and imeditately falls alsleep.

I wonder how somebody can sleep so comfortably in a place like Royal Oaks House of Help. But Maura has. Was this place better than her real home?

I knew the answere before I asked the question. Yes. This was better than Maura's real home. This was much better.

I fall asleep to the sound of Maura's breathing.