Chapter Thirteen:

Amada: Spanish term meaning Loved.

*

Estelle started feeling better a few hours later. Aside from the rash still prevalent on her face and neck, she looked fine, if not rattled. "It's always the panic that gets me," she confessed with a half-hearted laugh, "I knew my pen was upstairs, I wasn't going to make it." Whenever I spoke with her she scratched at the rash. Despite her smile and dismissive responses to everyone's worry, she looked close to tears.

Ava was still in the kitchen, opting to pace back and forth as she rubbed her temples. When I approached her, I heard her mumbling to herself. Robyn was sitting at the counter, watching her friend go back and forth.

When Ava saw me, her pacing ceased, "How's she feeling?"

"Why not go ask her?"

Ava clenched her jaw and shook her head, "I just… I just need a minute." She leant on the counter and made a long sigh. I heard Robyn make a gulp sound, tapping her fingers on the counter to get Ava's attention before signing some things to her.

"What's she saying?" I asked.

"She's telling me it's not my fault," Ava informed.

I bit back a snark remark, opting instead to say, "You didn't know Estelle was allergic to nuts?"

Ava tensed up. "She never told me."

"And you didn't think to ask?" I countered, "You make brownie peanut butter brownies without knowing if anyone has an allergy? I've only been here a week and I found out from talking to Estelle."

The tension in Ava's body seemed to stretch to her voice. "Well good for you, Landon," she mocked with a cheery tone, "But you can't blame me for not knowing what someone hasn't told me. Estelle shouldn't have just stuffed her gob with a dessert that had the possibility of peanuts!" Ava's face flushed red, and her jaw had yet to relax.

I didn't want to get into an argument with Ava, but how little about each other did these girls know? Ava, the most informative one of them, didn't know about Estelle's allergy, and based on the reactions of Mia and Robyn, they weren't aware of it either.

"One second." I marched out of the kitchen, walking down the hallway upstairs and knocking loudly on each door I passed. When I made it to my door, I saw the large bell sitting on the side table. I quickly picked it up and started ringing it as I walked. As I went back down the hallway to the kitchen, Amia and Mia emerged from their rooms, asking me what was wrong.

"Meeting. Kitchen. Now." My words were harsher then I intended, but when I walked past them they followed, only branching off to go into the kitchen. I stood at the mouth of the hallway and rang my bell with deliberate volume. The vibrating noise was upsetting me as I cringed at the sound. Moments later, Bonnie rolled from one of the rooms, a displeased look on her face. I stopped ringing at the sight of her and approached.

"What the hell?" she snapped. She was rubbing her eyes as just woken from a nap.

"Kitchen. We're having a little talk," I informed.

Bonnie scoffed at me and went to venture back into her bedroom. I grabbed the door handle and closed it on her. She grunted as she pushed against the door, slapping at my hand to release the handle. "Let go of the handle."

"There's something I need to discuss with all of you," I said.

"And that's not my problem, you're not the boss of me." She pulled my arm away from the door with unexpected strength, making me stumble and brace myself on the arms of her modern looking wheelchair.

She squealed in annoyance. "Landon!"

I pushed myself up and grabbed the handles of her wheelchair, rolling her to the kitchen despite her protests. She promptly put on her breaks, the suddenness caused me to whack my knee against the metal framing. I yelped in pain as Bonnie folded her arms and looked over her shoulder at me. "I'm not going anywhere," she growled.

The break for her wheelchair was a large black stick on the side of her wheel. When I grabbed it to get the chair rolling again, it wouldn't budge. I tried from different angles to yank it one way or the other. "That's quite the break," I commented.

Bonnie snorted, arms still folded as she looked straight on, a smug expression gradually forming from my inability to de-break it. My palms started stinging as red marks formed from where I pushed against it. "Bonnie, this is important," I said.

"Everything is important," Bonnie grumbled, "Meetings, orientation, the terms and agreement section of everything, all so desperately important."

"Bonnie, Estelle had a severe allergic reaction because Ava didn't know she was allergic to peanuts." I saw the faintest flicker of worry register in her eyes, but she remained unchanged. "I just want to talk with everyone. Answer a suspicion of mine."

Bonnie made a clicking sound with her tongue, a very focused expression before leaning over her chair and fiddling with a screw on the inside of the break. I couldn't see what she was doing, but she grabbed the break stick and pushed it down, her wheels easing as she rolled forward on her own towards the kitchen.

I checked the gaming room for Amada, who had yet to leave from this morning. He had changed games and was wearing thick headphones with a mouthpiece. I called his name and rang the bell, but he didn't respond. I walked up behind him and startled him. "Kitchen, we're having a meeting."

"Can it wait a minute? I'm in the middle of a raid." Amada gestured to the screen, showing off a group of six people, made up of underdressed warriors, an iconic-looking wizard, and a blonde barbarian with an axe strapped to his back. They were surrounded by green monsters I assumed to be goblins.

"Can you pause it?" I asked.

"That's not how online multiplayer works, Landon," Amada said as he turned his attention back to the screen. "This is happening live."

I blinked, "Well which one is you?"

"I'm the barbarian," he informed proudly as he started bashing the keys on the controller, "I'm called Untermater, the Great." He started speaking into the microphone, planning a strategic attack involving taunts and some weird gamer jargon I didn't understand.

I sighed as I pulled the headset off Amada and spoke into the microphone, "Sorry, Untermater, the Great has to attend a meeting with his clan." I quickly pressed a button on the controller that brought Amada to the main menu. I could tell he wanted to object, but I pulled him over the back of the seat and on the ground, "Kitchen. Now, Untermater."

He growled in annoyance as he tossed the controller back on the lounge and exited the room, me close behind.

*

"What's this about?" Amia asked when we all sat down at the dining table. Everyone was there except for Alexis, whom I hadn't seen nor heard all day.

I stood at the head of the table, everyone sitting in their respective seats. "I have a genuine question," I lifted my head, "How long have you guys lived together? Known each other?"

There was a hesitation between them. Ava provided an answer. "The maximum is two years, minimum is six months."

I nodded, stretching my hands against my head. "Okay…" I took in a deep breath, "Do any of you know anything about each other?"

The silence was overwhelming as everyone took quick glances at each other. This didn't take me by surprise, but it did make me feel slightly sick. For years, it was just Dad and I moving from one place to another, sometimes entire countries, for his work. We stayed with friends, rented apartments with other researchers and got hosted several times by locals. Knowing the locals, the people you live or work with was important.

What if I didn't know about Estelle's allergy? Would she have collapsed somewhere else and died? Were there other things about these girls I didn't know? But moreover, growing up with a heart condition I relied quite heavily on those around me, and right now my dormmates may rely on me like today.

Or maybe I'll have to rely on them.

"Be truthful. Who here is aware that Estelle has an allergy to peanuts?" I asked. Everyone's expression had a moment of confusion as they looked to Estelle for conformation, some only just realising the rash. "Do you guys know anything about each other?" I asked, "Anything, at all?"

"Of course, we do," Ava countered.

I looked to her, "Alright. Name it."

Ava clicked her tongue. "I know Robyn is almost completely deaf. That Mia hates Brussel Sprouts at dinner." She paused, she tried to hide her hesitation. "Bonnie is a paraplegic because of a car accident…"

The pause was longer this time, until she was unable to add onto it with confidence.

"See? This is ridiculous guys!" I ran my hands through my hair. "If this was just a normal dormitory I wouldn't care, but you guys need to talk to each other, tell each other things. There are genuine things you need to know about each other for God's sake!"

"You've only been here for a week," Bonnie spat, "Why do you care?"

I tried not to scowl at her, and barely succeeded. "Why do I care? Because Amada and Amia were nearly kidnapped because of who their Father is. Estelle could've died because no one else knew she had an allergy and ate a brownie." There was an argument in my head over whether to mention Bonnie getting stuck at Windmill Hills over whether to mention it. I decided to. "You when your wheels deflated out in the middle of nowhere-"

"Wait, what?" Ava looked to Bonnie, genuine shock in her voice.

"It was nothing…" Bonnie crooned through her teeth.

I turned back to Ava, "You try to get involved in everyone's lives, but tell me, how much do you really know about them?" I asked.

Quite expectedly, Ava stood up so quickly the chair scraped along the ground and her fingers pressed against the table. "Do you really want to start playing this game?"

I folded my arms, her angered stare enough to make my body shiver. "If it'll call you all out, then yes." I took in everyone at the table and said, "I've been here for one week, and do you know what I've found out from talking to all of you?" Everyone managed to lift their gaze. "Robyn likes to cook and make gifts for you, stuffed toys, slippers, and others, and gets startled by sudden loud noise despite being deaf." Robyn blinked at what I said, I assumed she didn't catch what I was saying since no one was signing to her. "The twins mirror each other when they're in public, but when separated Amia is a sporty extrovert and Amada is a closed-off introvert." I could've added more to the pair, but Amada's cheeks were bright red as he sank down his chair. I continued, "Mia is a writing prodigy that chooses to remain silent, for whatever reason, and closes herself off to her classmates because she either doesn't trust them or doesn't like them. This makes her the subject of bullying, to which she retaliates." Mia didn't offer me any form of acknowledgement to these claims, aside from undivided attention of course. "Bonnie," like Mia she gave me her attention, her usual cold stare replaced by a weird sense of intrigue, "You're paraplegic due to a car accident, meaning you don't have any sensation in your lower half and strut around in a wheelchair. Despite this, you come off as cold and dismissive to make people leave you alone, so they won't help you, because you want independence despite your disability." I was anticipating some sort of objection, a visual scoff of some kind, but Bonnie folded her arms and turned her gaze to Mia, who's attention remained on me. "And Estelle, the eccentric Princess of the crème puffs, soon to be Queen of all pastries, has a sweet tooth, is blunt with her honesty, and over the top in most aspects of her social life, from how she treats her friends to how she treats her flatmates." Estelle pursed her lips to hide a smirk, I raised an eye brow at this reaction and added, "Who hides her insecurities and such from her flatmates to maintain a bubbly persona, like being allergic to nuts of all things." She allowed the smirk to curve slightly, but she made the airiest scoff.

"And Ava-"

"Tread lightly, Landon." Her lips barely moved when she said my name.

"You are a very touchy-feely and expressive person who likes reading and trying to make everyone happy. You know how to read brail and do sign, and I'm honestly surprised you didn't know about Estelle." Ava dropped her gaze to the table, her hands now clenched into tight fists. "You are a caring person, Ava, but you care more for Robyn then anyone else."

Just as quickly as the anger formed, Ava's body relaxed. "You do realise, aside from the allergy thing, everything you've just said we all know about each other already."

In response, everyone made small nods in agreement. I shrugged, "Perhaps. But that's what I've found out in one week of being here. How long have you all been together for?"

There was another pause amongst all of them as that realisation seemed to sink in. "Look guys, you've been together much longer then me, and I get that you have your own lives and social circles and such. But don't you think you should at least be friends? Or close enough to know each other? As the Dorm Guard for you guys I need to know certain things about you all, but what if I'm not here to help with something? What if Estelle eats the wrong thing, or one of you get picked up by a so called 'family friend' or 'associate of a family friend'?" No one had lifted their gaze, even Mia opted to look at the dining table, her fingernails running through the lines in the wood.

"What do you suggest then?" Amia asked, appearing to be the only one brave enough to speak.

I shrugged, "I don't know. Hang out with each other? Go shopping? Do make-overs or something? I don't know what girls get up to in their spare time." The faintest smiles appeared on their faces.

"Fine. I'll try," Ava announced looking to the girls, "We'll all try. Right?"

Some were more hostile to it then others, but overall there was a slow nod and murmurs of agreement. I nodded, a weird weight I didn't realise I had lifting from my shoulders. If the girls would look out for each other, then it would make my job easier.

There was another silence that lingered, soon an awkward hanging over our heads.

A sudden knock disrupted the quiet as Robyn tapped rhythmically on the table top. She started signing when everyone looked, her expression an animated look of confusion.

Ava, Estelle, Mia and Bonnie started smiling.

"What?" I asked, her signs to me still unreadable.

All of Ava's hostilities were gone, replaced with a wide smile and bright eyes. "She's wondering why we had to sit at the table. She has no idea what going on."

This realisation prompted a slight chuckle, the sound repeating as everyone realised. Robyn stuck her tongue out at all of us, annoyed no one had explained it to her.