Fake (A Pretty Pill) (9 page)

“Isi, what days do you work?”

“Monday to Friday, why?”

“I plan on annoying you frequently.  You are seriously the most fun I’ve had in months
, and considering I have months left in shithole facilities that suck you dry of humanity, I could use a friend.  Maybe we could trade battle stories and show each other our scars?” I cheekily offer.

“Oh my God Silas.  I could get into a lot of trouble even talking to you in a familiar way.” she
gasps and explains.

I laugh until I see the seriousness in her expression.

“You’re serious.” I huff.

“Yes.”

“Look, I’ll keep you a secret and if you can do the same, we can hang occasionally and just be friends.” I reason.

She
sighs and nods and when I still don’t move, she looks at the door and motions for me to check for her.  I smile and I go and look out.

“The coast is clear.”

“Okay, I’ll see you around.” she says, pushing her trolley out the door.

“I plan on it.” I smile at her and wave stupidly before closing the door and going back over to my clothes
; putting them on.

Excellent…  Twenty minutes with that gorgeous woman and although
it’s only friendship, I didn’t think about Shae even once.  Even now that I am, it’s not painful.  It feels more like a victory that I can think about her and not
think
about her. No way in hell am I getting rid of a friend that can make me feel better about myself for the sake of some stupid protocol with this facility.

I plan on breaking
the rules and tagging along whenever I can.  I’d like to find out more about this interesting woman.  She’s able to make me forget all my past bullshit, and that’s a good sign if you ask me.

Isi.

I can’t believe it.  I told him heaps
.  What is wrong with me? 

I’ve been numb for so long, and in one
brief moment, one short span of time; this young guy has made me wake up and want to run again.

So many doctors and counselors
and it takes one kid five minutes to turn everything around.

I’ve lived a lie for so long now.  I’ve been empty and frozen inside.  I didn’t think I
was repairable; and then kapow… here is this man-child, the same age as Scott was when he sacrificed himself for my protection, and I can’t seem to shake his effect off of me.  I feel alive – at least a little bit alive.

I’m fucked
.

This is dangerous territory, letting someone in
side my bubble.  But there he was, already surreptitiously transcending the bubble without bursting it.  This can only end badly.

I continue travelling along, cleaning each room and being enveloped back inside my
protective bubble, ignoring people and just getting the job done.  I didn’t get to clean Silas’ room; and I hope he cleans the blood from the walls of the shower.  In fact there is probably blood in the sink too.

Shit.
I really should’ve said something.

I walk out of the last room along this corridor, the last for today since I’m now due over at the residential units that allow clients to come and go
as they please; the final step before they go home.  I’m intent on quickly ducking back into Silas’ room and double checking that he’s cleaned off the shower; when I turn and quite literally bump into Ethan.

“Shit, Ethan.” I say, jumping back out of arms reach.  I don’t like him
very much.  He kind of gives me the creeps.  He’s asked me out on no less than a dozen occasions, and despite my less than warm reaction, he continues to occasionally drop the date question into conversation.

“Running into my arms again?” he smirks.

“Hah.” I reply, looking at my shoes.

Ethan isn’t a bad looking guy or anything.  He’s hitting
32 and he’s got a nice build, a genuinely cute smile and pretty hazel eyes.  I just don’t like the way he ogles me… and then there’s that creepy, under the radar feeling about him.  The prickles on my neck and the alarm he causes intuitively inside me.  And of course there’s the fucked up bullshit Ethan tells the kids here, because he likes to scare them into compliance. I don’t know how he gets away with it.  That religious crap?  He comes across as a psychotic nut, almost like he wants to outdo the mentally ill kids here.  I’ve heard him and he goes way over the top in a completely unbelievable fashion; I’ve complained to Dr Jensen and I believe she’s also complained to the directors.

However, he goes to church with some of th
ose directors.  I don’t believe for one moment that he’s even remotely religious, it’s all a front.  I just can’t understand how he gets away with it all, or what kick he gets out of it.  I think he covers up his prejudice with fake religious fervor.

I just
know that I should stay away from him.  The vibe he delivers to me is seriously scary.  I like to listen to those feelings these days.  The last time I tried to ignore such feelings resulted in me being injured and two soldiers being killed.

“You finished?” Ethan asks.

“Yes.”

“Do you need a lift over to the other facility?”

“No, I brought my car today
as usual.”

“Sure, sure
.” he says off-handedly.  “You doing something this weekend?”

“No.”

“You want to go out?  Catch a movie or something?”

“No.”

I look up then because I can see a shadow behind him and as I said before, I tend to be on major alert these days.

And there’s Silas with a curious look on his face, standing about two meters behind Ethan.

Ethan notices me looking at someone over his shoulder and he swings around.

“Oh, Silas.  Isobelle, this is Silas Tayte, the new guy for room 24.  Silas, this is Isobelle.  She cleans the rooms down this wing and the north wing also.” Ethan chirps.

Silas steps forward.

He’s wearing a green
, light weight sweater and I can tell he hasn’t anything else under it; probably because it’s still warm outside.  He’s wearing it like it’s a top; in addition to a pair of denim loose fit jeans and sneakers. He looks good; too good.  I really need to stop noticing this.

He reaches his hand forward to shake mine, and I return the gesture.  I notice he’s pulled the sleeves all the way down, and I can only barely see the white edge of the bandage.  I shake his hand and he gives me a gentle squeeze.

“Nice to meet you Isobelle.”

“You too.”  I reply softly and release his hand.

Ethan turns to him.

“Is there anything I can do for you Silas?  Lunch will be served in the dining room in about 10 minutes.” Ethan says.

“No, it’s all good; just thought I’d say hello to another member of your staff.”

“Isobelle’s just a cleaner.”

“Oh, well that makes her a member of the staff then.” He replies smartly, giving me a smile.

“Yes.”
Ethan grumbles.  He doesn’t like to be corrected.  I should warn Silas about that; he needs to realize he’ll end up being targeted.

“Is there something I can do for you?”  I ask.  “I went to your room before, but you were there and I’m not really allowed to go into the rooms by myself when clients are busy inside.” I explain, pleading with h
im not to reveal me to this guy; the worst guy in this facility for breaking rules that suit him, but enforcing them on everyone else.

“No, I tidied up myself.” he says.

“It’s no worry Silas.  It’s Isobelle’s job.” Ethan offers.

“No, seriously.  I cleaned up after myself.  There’s absolutely nothing to clean in there.” He explains.

I nod and huff out the breath I had held inside at his admission that he cleaned the blood away.

“Okay.”

“Well, I’m off to see to some medication charting errors and I’ll see you tomorrow Isobelle.”  Ethan says, nodding at Silas and walking off in the direction of the office.  I watch him till he turns the corner down the west wing before relaxing.

“Shit.” I whisper.

“So, he’s a bit of an asshole isn’t he?” Silas growls as he steps forward.

I look at him.  Did he just growl?  Those words were seriously accompanied by a growling noise.

“Yes.” I reply, rubbing my temples.  I’m seriously going to get a migraine by the end of today.

“I’m guessing he’s not your favorite person.”

“You guess right.”

“Is he supposed to be hitting on you?” he asks.

I shrug.  I’m not exactly sure of the protocol surrounding staff relationships.

“Well it didn’t look like you were very comfortable with him asking you out.” he points out.

“I’m not.  But he doesn’t take the hint.  I think he has a personality disorder.”

“You actually need a personality to have a disorder with it
, don’t you?” he says, smirking.

I can’t help but smile up at him.

“Just pointing out the facts.” he says, smiling that big shit-eating grin I’ve now been privy to several times this morning.

“You’re going to get me into trouble you know.” I point out.

“Nah, I’m never in trouble.  I don’t have any problems or behavior issues; everyone else does.”

“Right,
of course.”  I reply chuckling.

“True story
.” he feigns innocence.

I have no idea why I do it, but I find myself punching him in the shoulder and turning to leave.
  It’s a signal to him that I like his company.  It’s a dangerous signal to be sending.

“You off now?” he asks, following me down the hallway.

“Yeah.  I have to be at the units in 15 minutes.”

“So you do morning here and afternoons there?”
He asks.

“Yep
.”

“So I’ll see you for the entire three months I’m here.”
He reasons.

“Sorry.”
I apologize.

“Why are you sorry?” he asks.

“You’ll be sick of me by the time you go.”

“No way.  I haven’t got many friends here in
The States.  Come to think of it, I haven’t got many friends period.”

“I find that hard to believe.” I scoff.

“I’m serious.”

I turn around and look at him.  I give him my best
‘I don’t believe you’
look.

He takes a big breath in and begins to explain.

“I’ve been wrapped up in my ex-girlfriend Shae for years; until she called it quits in June.  I have two friends in Australia, a number of mere acquaintances here; and then there’s my sister Jade and my best friend Ben, who also happens to be her partner, here in San Luis.  That’s it.” he says completely seriously.

“Wow, I guess good looks don’t buy you popularity.” I say, unlocking the cleaning cupboard and pushing the trolley inside.

“So are you friendless too?” he counters.

“Hah,
not really?  I have friends, not many that I spend a lot of time with anymore though.” I explain.

“Don’t connect with them since your experiences?”

“Something like that.” I grumble.

“Sorry.”

I look at him, and he’s looking vulnerable in that moment, obviously hoping he hasn’t caused me any distress or crossed any lines.

Despite my misgivings, I feel like I need to explain.

“I used to be your typical Californian rich girl.  Cheerleader, good grades and I lots of rich friends with great wardrobes.  However, I chose to enlist and become a medic.  Totally and utterly wrong decision if I wanted to perpetuate the Country Club lifestyle and marry a rich doctor.” I explain.  “So yeah, I don’t really connect with any of my former friends anymore.  I have a couple of ex-Army friends I talk to and see from time to time.”

“You and I are very similar.  I don’t go for
any of that fake shit either.”

Damn
Silas, just tunnel in a little further there why don’t you
; it’s just not enough that there’s a bubble, a significant age gap and my reluctance to let anyone in. You’ve just waltzed on in and claimed a little corner in my world.

I like him too much, so this could get awkward.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” I croak, smiling at him while pulling the cupboard door closed and walking off.

Silas.

I like her.  I really like her.
  Much more than I should.

And I really don’t like him
.  It took an excessive amount of control not to punch him in the face when I came upon them.  Her body language when he had her trapped between himself and her trolley was literally screaming
‘Fuck off.’
  He should’ve totally seen it and reacted correctly to the situation.