destiny || m.c

II

robyn walked extra-slowly coming back from the dining hall. as she had been getting his lunch, she had been thinking about michael's behaviour. why did he hang on to that book so tightly? what did he mean it was his book, but he hadn't written it?

and why had that... feeling come over her when she had met his eyes?

it was all so mysterious, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it; that was who she was.

as she reached michael's door carrying his... well, she couldn't really call it a meal rather than slop... she peered through the window in his door and saw him sitting in exactly the same position, clutching the book tightly in his hands and staring at the blank white-washed wall of his room.

she took a deep breath and pushed open the door, talking as she handed michael the tray so that they would avoid an awkward silence. "we can paint that wall if you want, i'm sure it's not against any rule. i know white is a bit bland."

michael shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips as he turned to face her. "i like white. but anyway, doesn't that contradict your whole aim here? i thought you wanted to get me out of here as soon as possible, not paint me in."

robyn stumbled for words. "h-how did you know? i haven't said anything."

the smile suddenly fell off michael's lips, and he drooped his head to look at his book. "just a hunch." he murmured quietly.

robyn was confused, but determined to keep up his - slightly snarky - attitude that he had showed just a few moments before. she sat down next to him and watched his face. "yes, i want you to get out of here soon. but that's not for my sake. it's for yours. you need to get out of this place quickly, otherwise you'll be superglued to the floor soon enough." she admitted sadly, placing her delicate hand on his arm in a gentle nature, the way someone would pet a young deer.

their eyes met once more, and robyn held the gaze a few seconds before standing up and coughing. "um, i need to go and visit a friend of mine." she said, turning with purpose to walk out of the room.

however, michael quickly stood up and gripped her upper arm, turning her back to face him. "don't go and see calum." he warned, or... threatened?

"what? why not?" robyn asked, shaking his hand away as shivers ran up her spine. it was a frightened feeling, as michael was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. "and how do you know i'm going to see calum?"

"just..." he couldn't finish his sentence, and when he looked down at the book in his hands, robyn felt sure it was something to do with the book. he knew so much already and he'd only known her for about two hours. "i can't stop it." he said to himself under his breath, but robyn still caught it. it was her job to catch these subtle clues.

"you can't stop what?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

but michael only shook his head, turning away from her with a quiet sigh.

"eat the food, i'll be back in an hour." robyn ordered, angry with the blue-haired boy and herself.

she always felt apprehensive when she walked to calum's room. he wasn't with the most dangerous of patients, but his ward was somewhere in between that... place... and michael's room.

they would always shout at her, the patients around her friend's room, cat-calling and whistling. they were all men around her age, and she would always wrap her arms around herself and hurry into his room.

today was not so bad. most of them were just watching. a couple shouted questions at her, but the words were muffled through the glass and she couldn't make them out.

all she did was stick up her middle finger at the worst of them; this had become a tradition of sorts. he would shout the most crude things at her, and she would flip him off. it always empowered her, as she was on the free side of that large metal door.

out of habit, robyn knocked on cal's door and let herself in. today, he was sitting on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest and rocking himself backwards and forwards. she had seen him do this a couple of times before, and each time it had sent shivers down her spine. he normally tried to look strong in front of her, as he had always done ever since they had met.

robyn hurried over to crouch beside him, her heart clenching at the sight of tears running down his cheeks. he didn't seem to notice her there, so she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, attempting to soothe him.

as soon as he felt the touch of her hand, calum stood up and backed robyn against a wall, his hands on her shoulders and his dark brown eyes taking in every detail of her face.

"calum!" robyn exclaimed, as his hands tightened to a painful grip on her shoulders.

he only shushed her, his grip not loosening. "don't let anyone hear us. i don't want to be interrupted." 

robyn lowered her voice, and she heard it crack in fear as she said, "what do you mean?"

"i need to talk to you, robyn." he replied. his eyes never left her face. he seemed to be trying to make sure that she was the same as always, that she hadn't changed at all.

"what a-about?" she asked. stop shaking.

he smiled. she had only seen him smile like this once before. and that was before... before... no, she can't think about that. he's fixed.

she cowered against the wall, despite all her willpower trying to make her seem calm and collected.

this smile seemed to burn into her skin, etching itself into her eyelids so she would never be able to wipe the memory from her mind. she would see it all the time, every time she closed her eyes.

"i hear you've met michael clifford." calum said, tilting his head to the side. despite his smile, the grip on robyn's shoulders only tightened.

"yes, he's my first patient. he seems really nice." robyn nodded, and she tried to calm her wildly racing heart down.

calum scoffed and rolled his eyes at her. "oh robyn, always so naive. he's not nice, he's crazy. i don't want you to hang around him anymore." he brought his face closer to hers so that his brown eyes were the only thing she could see. they flooded her vision, the dark chocolate brown colour swirling around and around her and causing her to feel slightly dizzy.

"he's my patient, cal. i can't just stop treating him." she was trying to avoid his gaze, but his eyes were everywhere, and that smile... there was no escaping it. "and he's not a danger to me, or anyone. why do you want me to stop looking after him?"

calum ignored the question. "isn't there another nurse around who can take over for you? you could swap with mine?" his smile grew, and robyn shivered.

"rachel and dr irwin are doing a great job looking after you. now, i'm sure if i tell them the pain you're causing me they would not be very happy." robyn hated threatening him, but she was so scared of him at that moment.

the grip on her shoulders loosened and calum stepped back, the terrifying smile fading from his lips. all his face held was sadness and fear now.

robyn stepped forward and put a hand on his cheek gently, a great feeling of sadness chilling her heart. she had known calum for so long, and she hated to manipulate him like that, to remind him that he was no longer a normal teenage guy. he would always be stuck here...

which was exactly what she did not want to happen to michael.

"i have to leave now, calum." robyn sighed, and went to step away.

suddenly the tight grip was around her lower arm, and she whimpered at the crushing feeling. calum didn't seem to notice that he was causing her pain.

"you can't go. he's crazy, robyn. he'll hurt you."

tears sprung to robyn's eyes, but not because of the pain. she pulled her arm from his grip and went to the door. she turned before she left to meet his gaze and say, "here in the asylum, everyone is crazy."