out where it had come from. She didn't know him, he didn't know her, so what the crap? But Strafford found a quick fix and without another word or look in her direction, he left, pulling the door closed behind him and trapping her inside once again.
She felt like such a dork for feeling like the oxygen had just been sucked out of the room and wondered when, and if, she would see that gorgeous face again.
"Right this way, Oracle," The girl chirped, breaking into her thoughts. She glared. Why did they keep calling her that–– Oracle ? It had to be a code word for "headcase". Maybe "maniac". They would probably have a good laugh about all this later.
The cold marble floor sent chilly shockwaves through Chloe's sore bare feet as she walked across the room. She held her breath. This was it. After she walked through that door, she would either find answers or be put into the dreaded jacket and forced to hug herself for the next…… how long was she going to be locked away for? She wished her mother was there to tell her that her life hadn't truly sunk to its lowest point. She knew her mom cared about her enough to lie to her face. Where was Beth? How could she leave her here to face this alone?
Feeling an eerie flood of anxiety wash over her, Chloe stepped through the open door, and stumbled forward with surprise. She blinked twice to make sure her eyes were seeing clear.
She was now in a very big closet with racks and racks of clothes, and to her relief, none of the garments looked like straight jackets. All four walls each held three long racks of clothes of all types and in the middle of the room were several built shelves containing pair after pair of shoes. Hats galore hung from the ceiling above and the doors to a large, standing jewelry box were flung open. Chloe could see lovely necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings. On taller shelves and hooks, were bags and purses and her eyes were drawn to a cool knapsack with a colorful parrot on it. She scratched her head in confusion. What kind of psychiatric hospital was this ?
"It's all yours, Oracle," Mystic said, "But we'll get to explore it later. The others are waiting for us."
"What others ?"
Mystic pushed open a pair of double doors…into a hair salon. Chloe hadn't spent much time in them, obviously, but she knew what they looked like. It was a pink room with even pinker drapes over arched windows that looked out over a huge picturesque garden with every type of flower imaginable. There were hair dryers that you sat under, sinks for hair washing, and stations for doing manicures, pedicures, and facials. In the center was a chair that reclined back, and little trays and stands with all kinds of beauty products were set up around it. Now she was more confused than ever. Mental hospitals didn't have walk-in closets stuffed with designer clothes or salons with exquisite views of gardens.
"She's here, my sisters!" Mystic exclaimed.
Three young girls, busy with various tasks throughout the salon, all turned their heads towards them. They were dressed like Mystic––in wacky clothes with lots of sparkles and colored hair. One white, one a blood red, and the third, apple green. When they saw Chloe, their faces brightened and they put down whatever they were doing and gathered around her. Giggling and awing, they played in her tangled locks, poked at her skin, examined her fingernails and yanked on her robe. Mystic had to make them back off.
"Girls, girls," She said in her sweet voice, "You're frightening her." Chloe assumed it was all over her face. "Sit down over here, Oracle. We should begin right away." She gestured towards the chair in the center of the room. Chloe didn't budge.
"Come in, Chloe. They won't hurt you." It was the boy Ace. Where had he come from so fast? He had even changed clothes. He now wore a white collared shirt with a black vest and barely-knotted black tie. He still had on jeans, but had traded his skate shoes in for a pair of black
She felt like such a dork for feeling like the oxygen had just been sucked out of the room and wondered when, and if, she would see that gorgeous face again.
"Right this way, Oracle," The girl chirped, breaking into her thoughts. She glared. Why did they keep calling her that–– Oracle ? It had to be a code word for "headcase". Maybe "maniac". They would probably have a good laugh about all this later.
The cold marble floor sent chilly shockwaves through Chloe's sore bare feet as she walked across the room. She held her breath. This was it. After she walked through that door, she would either find answers or be put into the dreaded jacket and forced to hug herself for the next…… how long was she going to be locked away for? She wished her mother was there to tell her that her life hadn't truly sunk to its lowest point. She knew her mom cared about her enough to lie to her face. Where was Beth? How could she leave her here to face this alone?
Feeling an eerie flood of anxiety wash over her, Chloe stepped through the open door, and stumbled forward with surprise. She blinked twice to make sure her eyes were seeing clear.
She was now in a very big closet with racks and racks of clothes, and to her relief, none of the garments looked like straight jackets. All four walls each held three long racks of clothes of all types and in the middle of the room were several built shelves containing pair after pair of shoes. Hats galore hung from the ceiling above and the doors to a large, standing jewelry box were flung open. Chloe could see lovely necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings. On taller shelves and hooks, were bags and purses and her eyes were drawn to a cool knapsack with a colorful parrot on it. She scratched her head in confusion. What kind of psychiatric hospital was this ?
"It's all yours, Oracle," Mystic said, "But we'll get to explore it later. The others are waiting for us."
"What others ?"
Mystic pushed open a pair of double doors…into a hair salon. Chloe hadn't spent much time in them, obviously, but she knew what they looked like. It was a pink room with even pinker drapes over arched windows that looked out over a huge picturesque garden with every type of flower imaginable. There were hair dryers that you sat under, sinks for hair washing, and stations for doing manicures, pedicures, and facials. In the center was a chair that reclined back, and little trays and stands with all kinds of beauty products were set up around it. Now she was more confused than ever. Mental hospitals didn't have walk-in closets stuffed with designer clothes or salons with exquisite views of gardens.
"She's here, my sisters!" Mystic exclaimed.
Three young girls, busy with various tasks throughout the salon, all turned their heads towards them. They were dressed like Mystic––in wacky clothes with lots of sparkles and colored hair. One white, one a blood red, and the third, apple green. When they saw Chloe, their faces brightened and they put down whatever they were doing and gathered around her. Giggling and awing, they played in her tangled locks, poked at her skin, examined her fingernails and yanked on her robe. Mystic had to make them back off.
"Girls, girls," She said in her sweet voice, "You're frightening her." Chloe assumed it was all over her face. "Sit down over here, Oracle. We should begin right away." She gestured towards the chair in the center of the room. Chloe didn't budge.
"Come in, Chloe. They won't hurt you." It was the boy Ace. Where had he come from so fast? He had even changed clothes. He now wore a white collared shirt with a black vest and barely-knotted black tie. He still had on jeans, but had traded his skate shoes in for a pair of black
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