Chapter 4 Jerk with no filter

Vee's POV

The long hall soon proves to be much lengthier than I first concluded. Chloe takes the second turn in the unending hallway.

"You'll hear the first bell at five every morning," she calmly states, breaking the silence. "Always take the first bell as a warning."

I nod, making mental notes.

"I will be awake." I say more to myself than her.

She takes a third turn before speaking again. "Breakfast starts at seven. Lunch starts at one. Dinner isn't compulsory but it's always by six.”

That's surprising. I honestly expected sour beans to be served once a day. Considering this academy is likened to a prison by nearly everyone on the outside.

"You should remember everything." She glances at me. "Nobody survives here by going against the rules.”

I lower my eyes to the floor for a second.

“Every disobedience earns you a strike. And the more strikes you get, the harder it is to get out of here.”

We burst out of the hallway directly outside the building. A bit ahead of us is a familiar building.

"This is Sun House.” She informs the obvious, proceeding to lead me inside.

"It has rankings," she continues. "All houses do. You don't have to respect everyone but you should be cautious of reoccurring names.”

I nearly roll my eyes. Everywhere is so organized. Nothing like the rumors. It almost feels like I'm in highschool all over again. If telling me to watch out for certain people is what she feels will make me dread, she needs to try again.

Hell, I just need to sleep.

"Sun House is the deadliest house in the academy. Luckily for you, no one is permitted to harm a house mate.” She looks over her shoulder but I'm not sure what reaction she's expecting so I just stare blankly.

“So you're the leader?” I ask.

"Jules leads it. He's nineteen by the way. The youngest leader.”

I mentally put down his name.

"Wait, you said Nineteen?"

"He has been here since he was seventeen."

My brows furrow. "I thought this academy only accepted new adults. Isn't seventeen underaged?"

A sad smile touches her lips. "The academy is for the elites. No one really cares if your child is old enough to go through hell or nearly old enough, Vesper."

I don't need her to explain further. My parents had signed the papers giving the academy full custody over me without thinking twice.

But why should they? It's not like I'm actually their daughter. If I couldn't keep what meant the most to them, why should they care what becomes of me?

If Chloe notices the change in my demeanor, she chooses to act indifferent.

"Beware of Earth House. They're sneaky, deceptive, conniving, and they never stop looking for weaknesses. Believe me when I say their leader is smarter than he seems."

"And who's their leader?"

"James." She responds like it should've been obvious.

I frown. "The same jerk with no filter?"

"The very same." She nods, her pace more relaxed than earlier.

“But didn't he just get in with me today?”

"He has been leading Earth House for two years."

"He has stayed here that long?" I question, trying to wrap my head around what she's insinuating.

"He came when he was eighteen."

“But if the academy released him, why did they take him in again?” I mutter, none of it making sense to me.

"James is the only one who has somehow bribed his way out several times."

“How?” I ask out of sheer curiosity.

"I don't know. No one does. But he always comes back. The academy doesn't bring him back. James always returns."

Or perhaps he always gets sent back. I think to myself, remembering how his mother had pointed a gun to his head.

“Why doesn't he just escape?” I mutter to myself.

She shakes her head, clearly having heard me.

"Psychopaths like him love it here." She says.

"Is he really that much of a terror?" I honestly need to know. Considering the fact that I did hurt him that evening, it would be terrible if he decides to get back at me.

Chloe says nothing. She pushes open a door and walks in.

I step into the nearly empty bedroom behind her.

For some reason, her silence unsettles me.

"You must be deadlier than him to stand up to him like that." I add, hoping it's true. If it is, I can find a way to get Chloe to befriend me. Or at least I can be part of her inner circle.

I may have been brought here against my will but I sure don't plan on dying here like a chicken.

"That's funny," she smiles and I notice a golden tooth in her mouth.

"He didn't seem that dangerous back there. If he really is who you say he is, he would have hurt you surely. Except he knew defeating you was impossible."

"Defeating me would be pointless for him. If that is power then sure I have power over him."

"But there is someone deadlier than James." She says, carefully sitting in the bed. She does it with such sluggishness that I wonder if she sprained her back.

"The principal?" I guess randomly.

"No." She answers. "The First."

"The First?" I repeat. “I've never heard of that before.”

"Roman Lombardi." She adds.

“Well I've never heard that either.” I shrug then look around.

The space is smaller than my bedroom back home. But at least there's a door and there's no chain on the bed.

Still the room is so bare it is depressing.

"The First stands above every house and every resident in Deranged Minds Academy."

"He's that old?"

"Old?" She laughs as though I've just made the funniest joke. "He turned twenty this year."

"Twenty?"

"Him and James are among the oldest residents here."

"How long has Roman been here?" I ask not sure if I just want to know or I actually think I might learn a pattern here.

"No one really knows." She leans against her elbows.

"You cross him, and your ass gets handed to you."

"By him?"

"If you're lucky." She responds.

I raise an eyebrow.

Chloe gets up with a groan. "The people desperate for his attention usually get there first."

I watch her as she strides back to the open door. "And if they don't?" I ask.

"The monitors finish the job." She folds her arms. “They rarely get to do so, if you know what I mean.”

I glance at the open wardrobe, recoiling internally at how dusty it looks.

"Everything will be brought in by evening," Chloe mutters. "Until then, I could lend you some clothes."

"Thank you. That would be nice."

She smiles, revealing her distinctive tooth again. "It isn't much, but it'll do."

Seemingly done with the conversation, she pushes herself away from the doorway.

"Alright. Today is monday. The First addresses everyone every Monday so…."

A loud bell suddenly echoes through the building.

"What is that?" I ask as multiple footsteps thunder down the hallway outside.

"Oh, you'll find out." Chloe smirks.

A/N___ Hehe, I'm so happy TMSTY is coming alive!