Kaitlynn blew out a loud sigh and bounced around on the bed so
45
she could face Ariana. She sat story style at the end and pulled Ariana's feet up onto her lap.
"Good. Because I do not know what I would do here without you," she said, rolling her eyes and holding her arms across her chest. "The last two days have been a nightmare. It was so lonely in here."
Ariana felt a pang in her chest but ignored it. Kaitlynn would get used to it. She would have to. And in the end, they would be together again.
"Did Meloni freak out?" Kaitlynn asked, her eyes wide.
Ariana snorted. "Hardly. We're supposed to have some massively long session tomorrow." Not that they would. "But would you believe he told me to try harder next time?"
Kaitlynn's jaw all but hit the concrete floor as she sat forward in shock. "He did not."
"He did! He's such a jackass," Ariana said, reaching up to touch her gold fleur-de-lis.
"Oh my God! We have to do something!" Kaitlynn blurted, standing up and letting Ariana's feet drop. "He can't say that to you! What kind of doctor is he? He's supposed to help you, not--"
"Kaitlynn, calm down," Ariana said, sitting up.
Kaitlynn started pacing the small room, her ranting growing louder with each word. "No! I will not calm down! He should be fired. We should have him fired. You're clearly depressed and he's supposed to help you. He can't tell you to try harder next time. That's sick. Sick!"
"Kaitlynn! Shh!" Ariana grabbed her friend's arms and glanced at the door just as the guard rapped her fist against it.
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"Quiet in there!" she barked.
Ariana could feel that Kaitlynn was dying to say something, but Ariana stared her down and she stayed quiet. The guard moved on. Ariana allowed herself to breathe and released Kaitlynn's arms. She saw the white marks left by her fingers and felt badly for gripping her so tightly.
"Don't worry, okay?" she told Kaitlynn. "I'm going to deal with Dr. Meloni."
"So you are going to report him," Kaitlynn said, rubbing the spots on her arms.
"No. I just
mean he's going to get what's coming to him," Ariana assured her with a shrug.
Kaitlynn's expression shifted. She eyed Ariana warily. "What does that mean--what's coming to him?"
Ariana decided it was time to change the subject. She didn't like the way Kaitlynn was looking at her. As if she was suddenly afraid of Ariana. Besides, her friend didn't need to know anything more. It was safer for her that way.
"Nothing. Can we please talk about something other than Dr. Meloni?"
She dropped down on her bed again and grabbed the worn copy of Atonement she'd been reading. Kaitlynn hesitated for a moment, then sat on the edge of her own mattress, facing Ariana across the three-foot span that separated their beds.
"How was the food?" she asked. "Is it really as good as they say?"
"Better," Ariana said with a smile. "I was allowed as much dessert as I wanted."
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"Wow." Kaitlynn looked duly impressed.
"And you should have seen the view," Ariana continued. "I could see the whole lake from my window, including the beach at the hotel. I actually saw this couple making out in the middle of the night after they went for a swim."
Actually, they had gone skinny dipping and then had sex right out there on the beach for all of nature to see, but Ariana didn't want to shock Kaitlynn. The girl had never even been kissed before she'd been locked up in this hellhole.