I'm led through twists and turns of hallways. Leane leads the way while Hailee gently guides me by my arm, making sure I don't fall flat on my face. My legs feel like jelly and my mind spins, but my pain has gradually ebbed away. I almost feel like a living doll, mindlessly pulled around with no opinion or actions I can call my own.

Finally, we arrive in a vast open room. Long tables clutter the space. They're occupied by various people, all chattering away. Silverware sits in front of them, yet their plates are empty. Dirt litters the floor and ruins the pure white of the tables. However, the men and woman, boys and girls, don't seem to mind at all.

Leane comes to a halt in what seems to be the front of the room. It's cleared of tables, and an old projector sits off to the side. Then, she loudly clears her throat, lifting her short arms into the air. Immediately, all conversations come to a screeching halt, and fear washes over me.

"Hello, my fellow friends," she smiles warmly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She looks so innocent, so friendly.

The crowd enthusiastically greets her while I stumble a step backwards. All eyes train on me and suddenly, I feel overwhelmed. I have no idea who these people are, but it almost seems like they know me. I mean, they must, right? This was and is my home, even if I fail to recall it.

"You guys remember Summer, right?" Leane smiles, her loud voice bouncing off every wall. The way she stresses my name causes a shiver to run down my spine.

Murmurs of agreement flood through the room.

She claps her hands together, and I watch her hair swish back and forth with the movement. "Great!" Then, she takes on a more solemn attitude. "Sadly, she doesn't remember us. Or anything, for that matter."

Looks of pity, and some I can't quite decipher, fill the faces of those around me. My palms begin to sweat and I rub them on my pants, which are baggy and grey. Actually, everyone is wearing the same pants as me, with loose grey tops to match.

"We're going to do our best to make her feel at home again," Leane continues.

Hailee's grip on my arm tightens and I let out a low whimper. I don't want to be here. I don't wish to stand in front of people I don't remember as their gazes fill with pity. What I want is to simply remember.

The next thing I know, Hailee gently tugs me toward a table in the front. I'm sat in one of the open seats, Leane sitting on my left and Hailee my right. Monica sits next to what I presume is her twin, seeming to be lost in her own thoughts.

"Let the food be served!" Leane cries, clapping her hands together once again.

As soon as her booming voice echoes throughout the room, people begin serving food to each of the tables. My gaze becomes transfixed on my plate, my hands tightly folded together. I purse my lips, hoping no one attempts to converse with me.

Hailee lightly nudges me in the side, causes my eyes to meet hers. "Are you alright?" She whispers. "I know it might be overwhelming."

I shrug, glancing down at my intertwined fingers. For some reason, I can't force my mouth to open and spill out all the words I want to say. Trust me, there are many. Instead, I press my lips together so tightly that it begins to hurt.

Eventually, food is placed in front of me. There isn't much. There's just a baked chicken leg (well, I think it's chicken), some rice, and a few green beans. To drink is a tall glass of water with a few ice cubes floating in it.

My stomach grumbles. I'm not sure when the last time I ate was. So, I tentatively reach for the leg, trusting that it's perfectly edible. I mean, why would these people attempt to hurt me? They've been nothing but sweet since I've awoken. This is my home and this is my family.

Slowly, I bring the leg to my lips. My teeth dig into the meat and I find myself smiling. It's delicious. I end up digging my fork into the rice and beans, which also taste divine.

"It's amazing, isn't it?"

I glance up, realizing it was the girl across from me that spoke. Her dark curls fall to her shoulders and her skin looks like chocolate. She offers me a bright smile before biting into her own leg. A laugh escapes me as she flashes me a thumbs up.

"Don't worry, the people here don't bite," the girl smiles. "Usually."

This causes me to crack up, nearly spewing food out of my mouth and onto the table. "Usually?"

"Nah, they don't. Just her rabid girlfriend," a girl snickers next to her.

Her smile falters, but she quickly plasters it back on. Pain swells inside her dark eyes, but she attempts to hide it by becoming interested in her food.

Anger boils inside me. "Hey, nothing gives you the right to hurt another human!"

This seems to shock a few people around me, who warn me with their gazes.

The girl flips her fiery hair over her shoulder. "Just 'cause you lost your memory doesn't mean you can talk like that to me!" Fire as bright as her hair shines in her stormy eyes.

The curly-haired girl shakes her head. "Please, no fighting." Then, she turns to me with a solemn look. "Joanna is just a sensitive subject because she died last year fighting to protect us all." She sniffs, swiping the back of her hand across her eyes. "But it's alright. Kaylee's entitled to her opinion."

Kaylee. That name sounds familiar. Nonetheless, she is just making fun of her because of her sexuality. Although I've never met someone like the girl, it's not fair to judge what gender she prefers to date.

"I'm Audrey!" The curly-haired girl grins, extending her hand across her table. I gladly shake it, a little grossed out by the grease on each of our hands mixing together.

"Nice to meet you," I smile. "You already know I'm Summer." I lightly laugh, glancing down at my now clear plate.

Something flashes in Kaylee's eyes, but she quickly averts her gaze from us.

It's nice to idly chat with Audrey. She fills me in on a few things, like the people and the daily procedures. She practically hops out of her seat when she speaks, curls whacking her face and hands clapping together. Her smile is also contagious, as is her perpetual energy.

Finally, Leane announces the end of dinner. Old plastic chairs scrape against the cement. People then begin to file out of the door I entered through in a surprisingly orderly manner.

Audrey slings an arm across my shoulders, causing me to jump.

"Didn't mean to scare you," she laughs. "Anyways, don't you wonder how people can be so- orderly? So do I! But I guess it's because no one wants to upset good ol' Le."

I find myself laughing as well. She's put me in such a good mood by simply being in my presence. "Well, it's certainly impressive."

Hailee joins us, her lips tilting upwards. "Summer, it's time to take you to your room, okay?"

I nod, my smile fading slightly. I was having such a great time!

"What group will she be rooming with?" Audrey questions.

"Yours, actually," Hailee responds as Audrey links her arm through mine.

"Yay!" Audrey squeals.

"Where did I used to room?" I query as we too walk out of the room.

"It doesn't matter," Hailee responds.

"Who were my friends?" I press again, yearning for answers.

Hailee shrugs. "We don't want to tell you because we want you to remember yourself, not feel obligated to live by what we say."

I find myself nodding, believing her words. There are so many people here. Who knows who I could have befriended? The important thing is that I have Audrey, Hailee, and Leane. Although, I wish Leane would talk to me more. She seems so- reserved.

We arrive in front of a wooden door nearly falling off the hinge. The hallway is filled with other doors similar to this one. I'm pretty sure this is where the girls reside, as girly laughter resonates through the air. Plus, it smells fruity and sweet.

"Here's our room!" Audrey giddily shouts, pushing open the door.

"Night, Summer," Hailee smiles, patting my shoulder before heading in the direction we came from.

"Night!" I call to her retreating figure, watching her dark hair swish against her back.

Audrey grabs my arm and yanks me into the overly-loud room. Immediately, all conversations crash to a halt.

"You can meet the girls tomorrow. I'm sure you're tired," she rushes, pushing me towards a bunk bed. "I sleep on the bottom. I hope you don't mind the top."

I shake my head, hurriedly climbing up the ladder. Conversation resumes as I lie against the rough mattress, my eyes slipping closed before I can pull the blanket over myself.

"Wow, she's sleeping already," a familiar voice snorts.

"Shut up, Kaylee! She just woke up from a coma!" Audrey hisses.

With that, I allow myself to drift off into a peaceful slumber.

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Hey guys! Thanks for over 100 reads already! Like what? Thank you guys for all the support on this book and Removed!  I wouldn't still be writing this without your support!

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QOTD: So far who do you trust?

-Sarah