Note: There is nothing explicit, but this chapter does go into certain aspects of why some of Robbie's friends are in there.

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Zach, my roommate, poked his head in, "Hey, you up for hanging out now?"

"Sure," I said as I figured this would be the best way to make friends. I sat up and walked out with him. "What did you have in mind?"

"There isn't a ton to do, but we can play some board games." He led me to the main area. "Do you like Monopoly?"

"I haven't played in a long time, but yeah."

"Great." He went over to a cabinet and brought the box over to the table.

Trish walked over as she dragged Susie along with her and invited herself to sit down at the table first. "You guys better not be playing without us."

"Was just going to ask you," Zach said as he sat down next to Trish. I took the spot next to Susie, who I was certain would rather be anywhere else.

Zach chose to be the banker and dealt out the money, "I saw you went to go visit some people. Family?" Zach asked.

"Family and my girlfriend."

"Oh damn," Zach handed me my money, "Didn't know you had a girlfriend. Tell us about her."

We rolled for turn order. Zach, Trish, Susie, then myself. "She's super hyperactive and the most fun person I know. She also looks out for me a lot."

"She sounds like fun," Zach said as he rolled to move onto one of the light blues and buy it.

"She is. I still can't believe she asked someone like me out."

"That's not something to be surprised about," Trish said, "You seem like a really cool guy. And you're doing better than Zach by the way." She shot him a knowing glance like she was trying to get a rise out of him, which got Susie and myself looking at him as well.

"Can you stop bringing that up?" he asked.

"I know everything there is to know about you," Trish said as she patted his back, "I know it doesn't touch on anything sensitive. Besides, it's too much fun not to."

He looked dumbfounded and defeated at Trish. "The only person I had a thing for was someone from a long time ago. We ended up in this place at the same time. And that's all."

Trish leaned towards us, "He had the hots for someone that was here with him one time because they went through the same thing." She took her turn and rolled onto a brown.

"It was a long time ago and I really want to stop talking about her now."

Susie took her turn and landed on the railroad.

"That and I still say she was too young for you," Trish commented as I rolled and landed on visiting jail.

"Trish." he said as he glared at her.

"What? You said yourself you were fine with talking about it, but I'll stop if you really want me to."

He leaned back in his seat, "Just so you guys don't get any stupid ideas. She was only two years younger than me. And it wasn't anything serious."

"How old were you guys?" I asked as Zach landed on an orange.

"I was fifteen, and she was thirteen."

Wow, I knew he said it was his fifth time here, but hearing that it went that far back for him was shocking to me.

"Now you get to tell us about who you have the hots for," he said to Trish as she made her roll.

She shot him back the same glare he gave her and turned to Susie, "What about you? You got a guy?"

Susie just shook her head and took her turn.

"Really?" Trish asked, "When we get out of here we need to meet up and get you someone."

"I'm not really interested in guys…" muttered Susie.

"We can get you a girlfriend then. Same thing." Trish added.

"I'm not really into anyone…"

"Oh. That's fine too. Never mind then."

Out of nowhere, Alice, the super bubbly always smiling girl, planted her hands on the table. "Hey guys, could I join?"

"We're a few turns in," Zach said.

"I don't mind. I'd just love to play with you guys," she said like it was the happiest thing in the world.

Trish pulled out a chair for her, "Then take a seat. We'll be happy to have you."

"Thanks you guys," Alice said as she sat down and put her piece on go. "And it's nice to see you two again" she said as she looked at Susie and myself.

"Nice to see you too," I said while Susie stayed silent.

"So what were you guys talking about?" she asked as Zach gave her the dice to roll.

"We were talking about-" I was cut off when something hit my leg.

"What schools we went to," Zach said.

"Oh. I used to get home schooled, but now I go to St. Morgans," Alice said as she rolled.

Pern moved his bulb around to Zach and slapped one of his vines on the back of Zach's head for kicking us, making me have to hold back a laugh.

"Trish and I both go to South Rock High," Zach said. I actually knew that place, it was on the other side of town from my school.

Alice leaned forward towards Susie and me. "What about you two?"

"Westmound high," I said.

"Oh!" Alice shot up in her chair. "I know some people that go there. I hear it's a really great school."

"It can be I guess."

"What about you, Susie?" Alice asked.

"I don't really want to say…"

"That's fine," Alice as her smile didn't budge an inch. It really was one of the better things to see here.

"I love how much you smile," I said with one forming of my own, "It makes me want to smile too."

Alice, Zach and Trish all stared at me as he kicked me under the table again. 

"Thanks," Alice said as her smile twitched.

"Hey Alice, so how's your day been?" Trish asked.

Alice sat there and stared at me as she began to tear up, and it only left me able to look around at a loss of what was going on.

 

Did I say something I shouldn't have?

 

How are we supposed to know? We have no experience talking to people like this.

 

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm great," she immediately said, but she looked like she was going to break down crying any moment. Her hands rubbed against each other as her gaze fell down onto the game board.

"Hey Alice, why don't we go somewhere quiet?" Zach asked. He barely finished his sentence before tears started rolling down Alice's cheeks. I looked around the table, and the only one that looked as lost as I was was Susie. I didn't know what to say, or if I should even say anything as Zach helped her up and brought her over to the couch. A few other people looked at her and a couple came over to sit down by her, but most kept their distance.

"What did I say?" I asked Trish.

"Sorry, but that really isn't a good topic for her."

 

Smiling not being a good topic? How? 

 

Pern looked over at Alice and Zach.

 

We don't know, but we should apologize.

 

I began to get up and go over there, but Trish cut me off. "That's really not a good idea. I don't know if you've noticed, but Zach's really protective over people.

"I can tell. I was just going to go over and say sorry."

"No, I mean you probably shouldn't try and go near him for a while…"

 "Why? I know I asked something bad, but I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know, but just trust me on this. Let him handle it and cool off. You can say you're sorry after."

Looking between Trish and the two on the couch, I sat back down and just thought for a while. Was that really all it took to make her cry? I know there are people who had it a lot worse, but it was hard for me to even wrap my head around.

 

We're not knowledgeable or tactful enough to understand and talk to people here right now. We need to be more careful.

 

I'm trying, but it feels like everything I say makes someone upset.

 

"Sorry for ruining the game," I said.

"It happens. Just don't feel too bad about Alice. There's some talk about her smile she's fine with, and some she really can't handle. Try not to compliment her about it though. That's a big no."

I leaned back in my seat. "What happened to make smiling a sensitive thing for her?"

"She told a few of us, but most other people here just know not ask questions or make too many comments."

I sat there in mostly silence after that with Trish and Susie. It got increasingly darker out, and eventually I realized it had been almost thirty minutes since Alice broke down.

"Is it okay to ask how long it takes for people to get past whatever that was?"

"Depends on the person. Some just need to step away for a minute, and others completely shut down."

I looked back at Alice to see her finally stop crying as a realization set in.

"I don't belong here. I don't like talking about why I'm here, either, but I feel my stuff isn't nearly as bad as everyone else's."

"Knock that kind of thinking off. You're here because you need support," Trish said as she crushed that line of thinking as fast as possible. "It doesn't matter if you have it as bad as others here or not."

That was at least one comfort I could take in. "Thanks. Hearing that does help a lot actually."

Shortly after Alice got up and walked to her room, Zach got up and left without even glancing at us.

"It's getting late and I had a long day, so I should get to bed," I said.

"Alright," Trish said as she stood up,  "It's almost lights out anyway. I'll walk you to your room."

"You don't have to."

"Yeah I do," she said as we made it to my room by the time she finished that sentence and stood by the open door way. Zach paced around inside muttering something to himself as I watched him for a bit. He didn't even seem to notice I was there.

"Zach?" I tried to get his attention as I walked in, while Trish looked over my shoulder.

He turned and marched up to me with tears and anger in his eyes. "You had no right to bring up her smile." and he went right back to pacing around the room like I wasn't there again. "She didn't do anything to you."

Pern wrapped his vines around me.

 

Be careful. The feeling we're getting from him is completely different now. That's probably why Trish is here. He could be dangerous.

 

I took a couple steps back. "I didn't know it was a problem . I'll say I'm sorry to her and won't bring it up again."

"You better," he muttered as he went back and forth.

"Zach," Trish said in the most stern voice I've heard from her, "You know Robbie's not used to being around people like this. Stop being a dick."

Zach stopped in his tracks facing away from us, took one big long breath and let it out, and did the same thing over and over for a solid minute.

When he turned around he was like when we first met. "You're right," he said to Trish before looking at me. "And sorry about you seeing me like that." he lowered his head slightly, "But I'm going to get some sleep now. And-" he lightly grabbed onto his arm. "I know seeing me like that might have scared you, but I'm not going to hurt you." He turned away before I got a chance to respond and climbed into bed. I looked back at Trish and she gave me a thumbs up before sliding out of view.

 

Sleep when facing him. Just to be sure.

 

I got into bed and kept an eye on him as he faced the wall.

 

Do you think he'll actually do anything?

 

We don't know, but we think he is capable of it, and that's all the reason we need to protect ourselves.

 

Making him out to be dangerous made me feel bad, so I thought I'd try and help.

"Hey Zach?"

"Yeah?" He responded without looking back.

"You didn't scare me. I just didn't know how to react."

It took a second, but he replied, "Thank you."

"And if it helps. You're not half as scary as someone else I know."

He turned around to face me. "Really?"

I sat myself up on my elbow. "Yeah. There's a girl at my school that is really tall and strong. Even a little taller than you, and she's actually sadistic." I rolled over on my back and stared up at the ceiling.

 "She used to-" I paused as a lump formed in my throat, even though I was able to say it earlier. "She used to make me-"

 

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"Say you're a mistake."

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"You don't need to say it," Zach said, "It's better to not think about it right now if it stresses you out."

"...Thanks," I said as we both decided there to call it a night and go to sleep.