"How are you feeling, miss Reeves?" the therapist asks while I press my nails into the palm of my hand.

"Just call me Veronica," I say with bitterness and she nods.

"It's been a month since you arrived. I think you are becoming more comfortable."

"You think that? You know what I think?" I inhale deeply. "That you are bullshitting me," I snap at her and she doesn't even flinch. No reaction, nothing at all.

"Do you want to talk about your constant panic attacks?" she asks in a gentle tone after a few minutes of silence.

I scoff and she smiles warmly.

"I don't think you understand the gravity behind your actions-"

"What? That I did coke once or twice?" I spit annoyed. I didn't do cocaine every day. I'm fine. I should be home now.

"It's a miracle that you are here today, Veronica," she says and I roll my eyes.

I'm fine.

"You don't get it. A few more minutes and you would have died. You didn't consume drugs only once or twice," she says in a sympathetic tone and I finally look up at her.

"Ok. So what?" I ask her disinterested.

I don't care. I always wanted to die but it wasn't intentional, not this time.

"Why do you not care?" she asks genuinely curious.

"I- " I take a deep breath so I think before I say something I will regret. "It's not your business."

"Time's up," I say while looking at the clock and I stand up before she says anything.

I hate therapy. She doesn't care about me. She is just paid to do so.

I wipe away the single tear right as I close the door.

"I don't care..." I murmur trying to convince myself.

My annoying roommate passes right by me and she stops when she sees me.

"Therapy? Probably the worst thing here," she says and gives me a half-smile.

I don't understand this girl, I don't understand if she is genuine and what is wrong with her?

"Let's eat together," she says snatching my arm and I don't protest. I've been eating way more here than at home.

We walk into the lunchroom and I sit in front of her.

"I was too mean to you, I don't know why. I'm just not used to roommates," she says and I can hear her french accent.

She sounds like she has lived here for a long time, she seems French but I'm not convinced.

"But you are going to be very helpful and I'll return the favor," she continues. Here it comes.

"How-" She cuts me off.

"Don't speak before I'm done," she spits and my eyes widen. What the fuck?

"Look, let's start again." She smiles.

"I'm Irène." She sips from her glass of water. "Irène Leroy." She smirks.

Her last name sounds so familiar but I can't quite understand from where.

"I'm Veronica Reeves," I say and she looks uninterested.

"I know. Let's get straight to the point."

How does she even know?

"I need to escape. And you are going to help me," she whispers and I shake my head.

"I'll help you escape too if you want," she offers.

"No- there is no point, anyway."

"Really? Don't you have a life out of here? Anyone?" She is trying to get into my mind and convince me to do whatever she wants.

"I do. But I don't need to escape," I say through gritted teeth and she laughs while eating a hamburger.

"Eat something. It's getting to you," she says pointing to the french fries on my plate and I take one.

They are pretty good, but again, this place is quite expensive. My mom told me my grandmother paid a lot for this.

"Ok, so, this is the plan-"

"I didn't even agree to this-"

"God, Vero. I'll do anything you want, just help me. I need it," she says putting her hand on mine thus stopping me from taking another french fry.

I think back to what happened with Derek and how much I need to see and hug him-

"There is one thing you could do..." I murmur while I eat another fry.

"I just need to see someone."

That's if Derek wants to see me too...

"Who is this someone? Why can't you see them on the weekends?" she asks curious and cautious. She needs to see if she can trust me.

"Only my mom is allowed to come-"

She cuts me off by laughing and stealing my fries.

Her green eyes are piercing through my soul as she is eating my fries.

"I will. But if you don't respect the plan, I swear-"

"Don't worry," I simply mutter and I look deeply into her emerald eyes.

Her attitude reminds me of Shanice, luckily I've grown to accept Shanice's presence.

Thinking of them makes me realize how much I miss my friends, the parties, alcohol...

We walk back to our rooms and she takes out a phone from the baggage.

"How- how did you get that?"

"Don't ask, just check if someone is coming," she says and I nod, walking near the door.

I wait at the door for ten minutes and no one passes so I go back inside.

Irène is yelling at the phone and when she notices me, she hangs up.

This girl is so weird.

"Take this." She hands me the phone and I grab it surprised.

"Call that person," Irène says and I realize how stupid I am.

"I haven't memorized his number..."

"His? Oh, so it's your boyfriend. Aw, cute," she says in a mocking tone and I roll my eyes.

"He isn't my boyfriend."

"Let's get this straight, he is just a boy you are fucking and he has absolutely no intention of being with you," she spits and I laugh at her, for the first time.

"Who hurt you? No," I say while laughing, and she fake smiles, not even bothered by my reaction.

"No male is worth it. Don't fuck up my plan for him. You will just meet him for a few minutes and then you will help me leave," she says and I roll my eyes, again.

I dial Dominic's number because I memorized it by how many times I called him for help.

"You haven't told me the plan y-" I whisper to Irène and she shrugs, I get cut off by Dominic picking up the phone.

"Yeah?" Dominic mutters and I'm so relieved to hear his voice after a month.

I stay on the line in silence for a few seconds, confused about what I should tell him and Irène rolls her eyes, impatiently.

"Ronnie-" he mutters and I'm shocked he knows it's me. How?

"Yes, it's me," I say and I hear him laugh shortly.

"You always cause me a heart attack. What happened to you?!" he exclaims and I smile.

"Long story but I need a favor."

"Of course, when does Veronica Reeves not need a favor?" he teases me and I laugh while Irène is giving me the death stare.

Lighten up, Iri. Or should I name her Rèn? It sounds like a dog name.

"Ronny?" Dominic repeats when I'm lost in my thoughts.

"I need to see Derek. I know he probably hates me but-"

"Veronica, I hope you aren't serious right now," he says and I frown confused and Irène mimics me.

"You have no idea how horrible he is doing without you, and how worried he was when you almost died!" He raises his tone and I get so surprised. Derek still cares about me.

"He will be so happy to hear about this," he finishes and I smile.

"The thing is that- that I can't leave this place and I can meet him only for a few minutes."

"What? What place?" Dominic asks worriedly.

"I'm at a rehab center and my mom denied any kind of contact. I will let you know the plan later," I say and hang up as I hear a noise behind the door and I quickly hand back the phone to Irène and she widens her eyes.

"Idiot," she whispers annoyed and a woman enters in, without even knocking.

It's one of the therapists, I think it's Irène's therapist because there aren't many here.

"Is everything alright, girls?" the woman asks and I look at Irène and she smiles, putting a hand around my shoulder.

"Oh, yes! We are finally getting more close!" she says excitedly and I smile.

If you didn't know her, you would think she is the sweetest most innocent girl ever.

She is the devil in disguise.

Her therapist leaves and I sit on Irène's bed while she hides her phone in the back of the closet.

Irène turns to me and smiles, I never saw her smile with her mouth open and it's always mostly a smirk than a genuine smile. Her eyes also seem dull and empty.

"Vero, we are gonna have so much fun together," she says and I roll my eyes. I hate that nickname.

"If you call me that again I'll call you Rèn," I say amused.

"That's a dog name," she replies with the same amusement but she doesn't smile.

"It fits you." She shoves me playfully and I laugh.

She reaches under her bed, taking out a piece of paper, and unfolds it in front of me.

"This is the plan." She shows me the paper and it's a drawing with the map of the rehabilitation center. I let out a chuckle and she looks at me annoyed.

"My dad owns this place and several other places, but this is going to help us. There is an exit that isn't surveilled and only the cleaners use it."

"How are we supposed to use that exit?" I ask and she rolls her eyes.

"We will steal the key. Simple, you are gonna pretend you are having a panic attack—like you always do and disturb my sleep—while the cleaner is in our room. She will call the nurse and you steal the key from her cleaning products. She always leaves it there, especially Martha. I don't advise doing this to Naomi, she won't react and won't call the nurse," she explains and I'm amazed by her planning abilities.

"Also, Martha cleans only on Monday and Tuesday and the weekends. The problem is that she uses colored keys and there are so many fricking colors... and we have only today to figure it out."

"Why is your dad putting you in this place if he owns it?"

"To control me," she replies and I'm left even more confused. "But that's not the point."

"After I figure out which color is it, we have to wait until Saturday, you will steal it and she will realize it's gone because she only cleans for a few hours at night and will have to use it to leave. She will either suspect us or she will go back to every room to search it. Martha isn't stupid, but she is clumsy," she says and I look at her amazed, is this what Irène does when she is bored and locked up here for months?

I look at her amazed and she crosses her arms as in to say 'what?'

"Why do you even want to leave this place? Aren't you turning eighteen in two months?" At eighteen years old she can just leave without being forced by her parents.

"Because I need to be out by the end of this week," she replies and I nod.

"What about Derek-" I say realizing she doesn't know his name.

"Derek? Right, your useless boyfriend. You will tell him the place and the time before but he will have to jump the fences and look out for the guards because you won't leave this place with me," she explains and I nod, it's what I asked for.

Did she just call Derek useless?

"Isn't there a guard at the exit door?" I ask concerned and she smiles.

"Of course there is," she says and I widen my eyes.

"Then how is this going to work?" I ask and she smiles again.

"Leave it up to me, Vero," she says and I look at her green eyes, she is difficult to read but I'd be damn stupid to not think she seduced the guard. I just know that look.

"How am I coming back?"

"They will probably catch you," she says and I gasp.

"They are going to give me more time in therapy..." I say and she shrugs.

"Aw. Anything for your cute little boyfriend?" she teases me and I roll my eyes, failing to hide my smile.

"I will go now, I have to find out which color is the exit door key and today it's Tuesday."

——

I love you!!