After getting what I was after I went back to the hall outside of the cafeteria just in time to watch Lolly watching the class B kids exiting the cafeteria. Just as they came out, the same red-haired boy jumped out of line and ran to Lolly. He wrapped her in his arms and gave her such a passionate kiss, I had to look away. It seemed too personal to watch a moment like that. But once again a guard grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back.

"I love you!" Lolly yelled.

I joined her then, as the class B kids were brought downstairs.

"Lolly,"

She snapped out of her love daze and realized I was standing next to her.

"Oh, sorry Chloe. I don't get much time with him."

I couldn't help but wonder, "Why are the class B kids going downstairs, don't they stay on the fourth floor?"

Lolly grabbed my hand and walked me down the hall towards the stairs the class B kids just went down.

"They're going outside. In fact, we are too," she smiled, "After dinner is one of the only chances we have to get some fresh air, so we should take it while we can. Plus, they have pay phones in the yards, so you can call home if you want."

I appreciated her kindness and tried to keep up with her fast pace.

Outside was beautiful, the back of Landry's was a football field sized yard outlined in the same tall barbed wire fence I saw earlier. Past the fence was nothing but trees, big beautiful trees. I never got to see woods like this much in Baltimore City. Of course, there were places I could have gone to see trees, just never did.

Close to the building were picnic tables, a couple basketball hoops, and a row of payphones. The rest of the yard was a walking track, where kids were currently doing laps to get some exercise. Off to one side was a separate fenced in area, where I could see the class B kids sitting around, or playing basketball while guards watched over them. Lolly stood on her tip toes to look for her boyfriend, but once she noticed him playing basketball she sighed wistfully and directed me to the pay phones.

I got in line behind several other kids and watched as Lolly found Sage sitting at a picnic table, alone. I wasn't sure how I felt about Sage, she looked just like me, built like me. If I didn't know any better I would say we were twins, or at least related somehow. But I've been an only child my whole life, and my mother had no relatives. Still, looking at her I couldn't shake the feeling that something was up. At the moment though I had so many other things to deal with, and think about. Like getting settled in here and trying to push through the time I had till I got out, or what I was going to do once I got out. It was all overwhelming.

After about ten minutes of waiting, it was finally my turn to use the phone. Before I started dialing, a guard standing watch let me know I had two minutes before the call would end. I dialed my mom and prayed she'd answer. I didn't have to wait long, after the second ring I heard my mothers voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello,"

"Mom,"

I gripped the phone tighter. I didn't even realize how badly I needed to hear her voice, until now.

"Oh God, Chloe, how are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Mom, they just showed me around today. I met my roommate and ate dinner, so far that's it."

"Oh, honey, I've been so worried about you. Are the other kids treating you good? No one's tried to fight you have they?"

I looked at Lolly and Sage talking to each other.

"No mom, no one's came after me. My roommate's great and I met another nice girl."

I could hear my mom trying to hold back the tears and tried to hold mine back as well.

"That's great, Chloe bear."

The guard tapped me on the shoulder.

"Mom, I only have one minute left. Look one of the girls I met, she looks just like me."

My mom's voice changed, it was distant and weird as she said, "Oh, Chloe, you know people always say we have at least one twin out there in the world."

"No mom, she has my eyes, our eyes. You need to see her she looks just like us, just like me."

The guard looked at me and said, "Times up." 

I nodded quickly and quickly said, "Mom, I have to go. When are you coming to visit?"

"It's going to be a month at least, sweetie, but I love you, stay safe. Stay out of trouble, and call me when you can."

I told her I loved her too and hung up the phone.

I walked over to Lolly and Sage and thought about what I grabbed from my room. As I sat down, I pulled out the picture of me and my mom and placed it on the table in front of Sage. Sage picked it up and looked confused right away.

"Is this you and your mom?"

I nodded, "Have you ever seen her before?"

It felt like a stupid question to ask, but it was all I could think of. She shook her head "No." and quickly slid the picture back to me. I don't know why but it felt like she wasn't telling the truth, but who was I to question her.

We hung around the picnic table, trying to soak up the sun before it went down and listened to Lolly talk about random unimportant things before it turned completely dark. The only light coming from a few light posts. A bell rang from inside and everyone started to slowly head inside and back to the dorms. Some of the girls went straight to their rooms, while others were grabbing their items and heading to the showers. We said goodnight to Sage and watched as she entered the room across from ours.

Lolly stayed in the room, while I grabbed my night clothes and some hygiene stuff, and headed for the showers. But once I got to the showers, there was already a line, so I got to the end and waited my turn. When it was time, I got in the shower and tried to soak in as much of the warmth from the hot water while I got clean. When I got out to get dressed, I found I was alone, except for the guard. I quickly dried off and put on my night clothes then headed down the hall to my room. The hall was dark, only a few dimmer lights on here and there, a guard at the end yelled, "Lights out in ten."

In my room, the lights were already out and I could faintly hear Lolly snoring, so I placed my things on my dresser and climbed into bed. All in all, it wasn't a bad day, but tomorrow could be more difficult. Tomorrow was classes, and I had no clue what to expect from that.

I was woken up by the sound of guards going up and down the halls, banging on the doors and yelling, "Wake up!" Rolling over I could see Lolly was already awake, dressed and doing jumping jacks.

"You have got to be kidding me," I groaned and tried to hide under my covers. I could hear Lolly stop her jumping and soon the covers were thrown off of me.

"Up up morning glory. Time to get ready and go eat."

I dragged myself out of bed, dressed, brushed my hair, went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, and made it back to the room in time for the breakfast bell to ring. I followed Lolly out, where we met up with Sage in the hall. Sage and I walked side by side as Lolly skipped in front of us all the way to the cafeteria. Once there, we got our food and sat at the same table as the night before.

Sure enough, when the class B students were brought in, Lolly had her moment at the window with her boyfriend just as she did the night before. I was starting to wonder why he didn't get in more trouble when getting out of line, but it seemed as if it was just a regular routine for the guards, so they paid it no mind.

When classes started, it wasn't as bad as I was afraid it could be. In most schools when you're new, the teachers make sure to announce it to the class, but the teachers here didn't seem to think it was a good idea to draw extra attention to the new girl. Instead, I took seats in the back of the rooms, except for the class I had with Lolly. In those classes, she insisted on me sitting in the front with her. Before I knew it, twelve-o-clock came around and it was time for peer counseling. All I could think was one more class and then lunch.

I looked up and down the school hall for the peer counseling class, but couldn't seem to find a door labeled with it anywhere. Thankfully, I spotted Mr. B standing in the hall, watching the kids scurry around. I didn't really want to ask him, but it felt as if I had no choice. I slowly approached him and as soon as I was a couple feet away, his attention shot to me. So I quickly held up my schedule in front of my face.

"Sorry to bother you, but I can't find my peer counseling class anywhere."

"Cafeteria," he stated and pointed upwards.

I nodded and took off for the stairs. The farther away from him the better.

In the cafeteria, Lolly was already sitting in a chair, one of the several chairs that were placed in a circle in the middle of the room. The tables that were once there were pushed off to the sides. As I walked in Lolly ran over and hugged me, then pushed me into a chair next to hers. Soon we watched as Sage walked in, with a girl with braids, and a tall blonde haired guy. Sage sat on the other side of Lolly, the other girl sat across the circle from us, and the blonde boy in another chair.

We all waited but there was no teacher around, just as I thought it I started to hear the clip clap of heels. Oh great. Just as I suspected, in walked Ms. Pierce, followed by Mr. B.

"Good afternoon everyone," she greeted with that big white smile of hers while placing a stack of papers on a table.

"Looks like we don't have everyone here."

She shifted through her papers than handed a couple sheets to Mr. B, who disappeared back down the hall. I waited for her to say something but she stayed silent for several minutes looking through her papers until Mr. B walked back in, with two boys in black clothes.

Lolly freaked out, running across the room and into her boyfriend's arms. Behind him was the boy from dinner, the brown-haired boy that locked eyes with me the night before. At this proximity, I could get a better look at him now.

His brown hair was cut down on the sides with a little length on top. He was taller than me with a slim but firm built, tattoos covered his arms and his eyes, those deep gray-blue eyes. They were so much more intense now that he was closer. His face was all sharp and chiseled angles from his cheekbones to his jawline, with perfect "kiss me now" lips. Looking at him made me feel like I was going to melt into my seat.

Ms. Pierce looked up from her papers and smiled again before saying, "Great now everyone is here. Please take a chair."

Everyone sat down, only this time Lolly sat in her boyfriend's lap.

"Ms. White, in your own seat please."

Lolly huffed but grabbed a chair and dragged it next to his, where he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she casually ran her fingers through his red hair. Ms. Pierce took the last empty chair in the circle while Mr. B stood by the doors.

"So I believe in order for this peer counseling class to work, you all must get to know each other. You will each take turns telling the group your name and why you are here. This is a safe place so don't be afraid to share," she instructed and then turned to the girl with the braids who sat next to her.

"Alicia, why don't you start."

Alicia looked like she could have been mixed with a few different ethnicities. Her skin tone was a rich tan complexion, and she wore her brownish black hair in braids, one on each side of her head. Alicia flipped one of the braids over her shoulder and huffed.

"Fine, my name is Alicia Davis."

"And why are you here at Landry's, Alicia?" Ms. Pierce asked.

"I caused a car accident and someone died," Alicia quickly stated, with her nose high in the air.

I could already tell I didn't like this girl. The way she acted reminded me of Kelly and that thought alone had a burning feeling starting to form in the pit of my stomach. I balled my hands into fists to try and calm down and focus, as Ms. Pierce's bright smile turned into a frown.

"The whole truth, Alicia," she instructed in a soft yet stern tone.

"Fine," Alicia snapped, "but first, I'd like to ask if we are safe having two class B kids in here? They don't attend our normal classes, so why are they allowed here?"

Ms. Pierce gave a knowing smile and pointed towards Mr. B, who stood by the doors.

"Anything these boys can dish out, Mr. B can handle. You're safe. I assure you."

Alicia seemed to accept that.

"I was at school and my boyfriend of two years dumped me. Not a big deal, I know, and it wasn't like he was a major loss to me. But you just don't do that to someone on their birthday," she explained,  as she folded her hands in her lap.

"Later after school, I was driving through the parking lot and saw my ex and my best friend making out on the tailgate of his truck. Right there in the parking lot, in front of everyone." 

Her gaze drifted to the floor as she continued solemnly, "I don't know what happened, it was like I blacked out or something. But some skater kids shooting trick videos caught the whole thing on camera. Apparently, I drove my car straight at them."

Now her perfect posture was slouched and her eyes weren't focused on anything. It was like she was back in that moment, seeing it all over again.

"Nick was able to jump out of the way in time, but Tiffany wasn't as lucky. She died on impact."

The room was quiet but then she just snapped out of her daze and was back to sitting straight with her nose in the air. "Next person!" she nearly barked.

Ms.Pierce looked to the blonde boy on the other side of Alicia.

"Mr. Shaw."

The boy with his shaggy blonde hair leaned back in his chair, trying to act nonchalant.

"My names Declan Shaw, it happened on my last birthday. My mom was cooking my favorite meal, but she got distracted and burnt the food. Her bastard boyfriend got pissed and in a drunken rage, started smacking her around. My vision went red and I don't know what happened. I mean, I know cause my mom told me, and the police, but I don't remember it."

Alicia was looking at him, mouth wide open.

"What did you do?" she asked.

He didn't bother to look away from her shocked face as he answered, "I went at him with a knife. Didn't kill him or anything but he doesn't have his left eye anymore." Declan chuckled to himself and added, "Guess it's like they say, an eye for an eye."

This time he looked at Sage. "Your turn Ramsey," he said with a smile. 

The look on Sage's face clearly said how bad she wanted to flip him off but since she already had the rooms attention, she started.

"My name is Sage Ramsey. It was December sixth, my birthday," she said slowly as she looked from Alicia to Declan like she was just realizing something.

"My grandparents raised me, I never met my mother, not until that day. She showed up out of nowhere screaming about some horrible accident and how my grandparents needed to give her money for a lawyer."

This time her gaze fell on me with an unreadable expression.

"Just seeing her was like a slap in the face. I tried to attack her, or so I was told, I don't really remember much. My grandfather managed to hold me back just long enough for her to get out of the house but when I got free I ran after her. It was too late, she was already pulling out of the driveway. My neighbor was walking by though, and my grandfather said I was like a rabid animal and attacked the next person I saw. I messed her up pretty bad. She'll have scars on her face the rest of her life and will never be able to use her right hand again."

Her resolve faltered as her gaze broke and turned to the floor.

Ms. Pierce got up from her chair to quickly grab some more papers, then sat down and looked at Lolly and her boyfriend.

"Okay, why don't you two go ahead." 

They huddled closer together before looking from each other to the rest of the class.

"My name is Lolly White," my roommate offered, playing with a lock of rainbow hair. 

"and my name is Lucas Knight," Lolly's boyfriend added while looking adoringly at Lolly, and then continued for the both of them, "Lolly and I grew up together, started dating when we were twelve. Last year we found out Lolly was pregnant, I was thrilled."

"We both were," Lolly added, smiling up at him.

"But Lolly's mom and stepdad were pissed. They wanted her to have an abortion." Lucas said, as his look of love changed to one of complete anger.

Lolly squeezed his hand and took over for him, "So we decided to run away together."

"And what better day than on my birthday," Lucas added now smiling again.

"The plan was for Lucas to sneak in the house that night. After my mom and stepdad went to bed we started packing some of my stuff, but while we were sneaking down the hall, my mom came out of her room to go to the bathroom. When she saw us, she screamed for her husband who came running out with a shotgun." 

Now it was Lolly who's face was full of rage.

Lucas held her tight while trying to pick up the story, "Little shit tried to shoot me, that was the last thing I remember."

"Lucas got the gun out of Frankie's hands and shot him in the chest. After that, my mom screamed and I guess blamed me cause next thing I know she pushed me down the stairs. But I held on and dragged that bitch down with me. I woke up a week later in the hospital, on my birthday no less. Doctors said Lucas was arrested, my mom was in a coma down the hall, and I had lost the baby. Hearing that I had lost both Lucas and our baby sent me over the edge. Don't remember what happened but the hospital says I snuck into my mother's room and turned off the machines keeping her alive. I was arrested later that day," Lolly informed us.

I couldn't help but be shocked. Lolly and Lucas seemed like such a loving a couple, but I guess that was the point, they loved each other enough to kill for one another. Then it hit me, why were there murderers here anyways? I mean I know I almost beat Kelly to death but I didn't, she lived. Seemed like for killers to be locked in here the security should have been higher, more like a prison, or at least the killers put somewhere out of general population. Then again, I didn't have much room to judge anyone else. Besides, Lolly was my friend, as crazy as she may be, I didn't feel like she would hurt me.

The boy with the brown hair and gray-blue eyes took it upon himself to go next, "My names Wes Coleman." 

His eyes once again locked with mine as if I was the only person he was talking to.

"I use to do some small-time dealing for these bikers. Nothing major just a little pot, make enough money to get me by. I never dealt with the serious shit, but I knew someone who did."

I wasn't sure if I was being drawn into his story or his eyes but either way, I couldn't look away. 

His rough but soothing voice seemed to wrap around me as said, "We were shooting some hoops one day and he got a call to make a quick run. But he didn't have a ride so I offered to help him out. I drove him over to the meetup spot, and there was some tweaker waiting for us. My boy tried to make the deal but the tweaker wanted more than what he was willing to pay for. Guess he decided to keep both the money and the drugs, he shot my friend. The last thing I remember was sitting in the car before everything went blank. Woke up the next day behind bars. Cops said they found me in the parking lot of a gas station with my hands wrapped around the meth-head's throat. He didn't make it and the cops had all they needed to convict me. The cops witness testimonies as well as a surveillance video from the gas station, showing me chasing him and dragging him to the ground, was all they needed."

His eyes finally broke contact with mine, and I let out a deep breath as if I could suddenly breathe again.

"John wasn't just someone I hung out with, he was like a brother to me." 

Wes looked at Declan and added, "Like you said, an eye for an eye, right?"

His story was chilling and I couldn't help but visibly shiver, but now I was the only one left to speak. 

"My names Chloe McKenna. I guess it's no surprise by now that it was my birthday, December sixth."

I looked over at Sage who had the most focused stare lock on me.

"This girl at school hated me, always messed with me, but that day she took it too far. In class, while I was walking by she slid a chair out in front of me. I hit the ground and busted my head open."

Unconsciously I ran my finger over the scar I now had above my eyebrow.

"When I got up one of my friends wouldn't even look at me, like he was disgusted, while my other friend tried to get the teacher to do something. But that girl, Kelly, just sat there laughing, trying to convince everyone she didn't do it. Might not seem like much but after years of dealing with this, I just snapped. Don't remember anything after that but the classroom camera caught the whole thing on tape. I went after her, beating her unconscious and kept beating her after that. Doctors said one or two more blows and I could have killed her. Now I'm here."

Ms. Pierce stood up from her chair and started to walk around the circle we were all still sitting in.

"Well, by now it should be no surprise that you all have a few things in common. For one, all of your offensives happened on your birthdays, and for two, none of you can remember the actual act of violence you inflicted on others. I'd like to explain to you all why that is."

The lunch bell rang.

"But that will have to be for another day. It's time for lunch, so if you'd all please push the tables and chairs back in place for the students that are on their way to eat."

We all got up and did as she asked while trying to steal looks at each other. I could tell they were all trying to figure out what was going on, what was the catch. Truth be told, I couldn't come up with a single explanation.

"This class is going to be intense, so if any of you would like to meet in your free time please do so. If Mr. Coleman or Mr. Knight would like to be involved with these meetings, I will make Mr. B available to monitor. You all have a good rest of the day."

Ms. Pierce walked over to me and whispered "Don't forget to come see me after your last class. I'll be in the office." then she was gone.

While moving the tables and chairs around, I clumsily bumped into something tall and solid. I turned around to stare into the depths of a pair of gray-blue eyes.

"Sorry," I apologized.

Wes cracked a sly smile of perfectly white teeth.

"Your good. In fact, you can bump into me anytime you want," he said with a wink.

What in the hell? Was he flirting?

I just shook my head and tried to go back to situating the tables and chairs. Which was kind of hard to do when I could still feel him staring at the back of my head. I turned around and, nope I was wrong. He wasn't staring at the back of my head, he was staring at my ass. Worse of all, he didn't even try to pretend like he wasn't.

"Can I help you?" I asked with as much sarcasm as possible.

"In more ways than one."

I placed my hands on my hips and asked, "You have got to be kidding me?"

"What? You can't blame a guy for looking. I mean you sure was looking hard at me at the beginning of class," Wes answered with a cocky smirk.

I could feel my face get hot but I refused to blush, absolutely refused. But apparently, my face didn't get the memo.

"See I knew you were looking," He flashed another wicked smile and asked, "It's Chloe, right?"

"Yes." I tried to put off an aura of annoyance. It didn't work, either that or he didn't notice.

"You just got here yesterday?"

I nodded.

"Let me know if you ever need a friend in this place."

I tried to think of something witty to say but didn't have to try for long before kids started showing up for lunch. Mr. B called for Wes, who walked back towards him while keeping his eyes on me.