Chapter 12 - Recess Margot's POV After a sharp whistle from the suited man who hadn't yet spoke a word , the sound of heavy boots striking the floor sliced through the silence ... Dozens of guards began to file into the room in perfect formation , each of them dressed in stark black uniforms , some wearing riot vests with thick gloves and heavy belts loaded with gear . Their faces were blank , unreadable , and all of them carried thick clipboards and sealed folders tucked beneath their arms . I instinctively sat up straighter , as did every other girl in the room , fearful that we would suddenly be arrested for breathing the wrong way . The air thickened . The guards didn't speak at first - they simply spread out , lining the perimeter like a black wall closing in on us all . on Their presence shifted the atmosphere from tense to near crippling as I could feel fresh tears prickle at my eyes ... What the hell is happening now ?! Then , almost as if on cue , they just started yelling names one by one ... " Leah Marsten , " one barked from the far right corner , scanning his clipboard . A short girl in a pale yellow tracksuit stood up , visibly trembling at being the first one called out . She hesitated until the guard motioned sharply for her to move towards him . " Madison Cove ! " came another voice , this one closer to where we sat . A girl with dark braids jumped up , her face unreadable as she complied . ' Erin DuPont , Rachel Lin . Sophie Vale ... " One by one , girls were plucked from the rows of chairs , led out single file through a side door at the far end of the room , I clenched my hands in my lap , trying to steady the tremble that had taken over my fingers as I awaited my own name . Cara leaned in slightly beside me , her voice barely a whisper . " They're just all disappearing through that door , I don't want to be separated from you yet . " She panics , as I blinked profusely to steady my emotions . I nodded , throat dry . " Just going out to sign the last contract I guess ? The guy said we would be assigned 1/4 3:12 pm P SDD . Chapter 12 Recess our prisoner and given a brief , this must be it , it's going to be fine . " I nod along with my own reasoning , reminding myself of what the man had told us would happen next . " Yeah . " Her eyes flicked toward the last few guards . " Still not hearing our names though , we must not be in the first group thankfully . " She sighed in relief , and I couldn't blame her . More names were shouted - faster now , more rhythmic . " Tina Salvo . Jasmine Kerr . Abbie Hope ... " Girls shuffled up . Some with stiff spines and brave expressions , others wide - eyed and terrified . And us ? We just sat there clutching one another , the tension clawing at our skin like invisible hands . After what felt like an eternity , the scarred man stepped forward again . - " Those who have not yet been called , " he said , voice rough and unimpressed as we watched on in silence , " just wait in here , you'll be taken in batches of twenty to sign and have your debrief . Until then Eat . Rest . Talk . Loosen up . You'll need your wits about you - we will arrive at the prison shortly . " He concludes , before cutting the mic and climbing off from the platform with the two suited men following at his back . Seconds later , a set of double doors at the side of the hall swung open . In rolled five long metal carts pushed by more guards , the wheels screeching out an unpleasant sound . The smell of food hit us instantly as my stomach growled at the foreign smells - warm bread , cold meats , something tangy and spicy I couldn't quite place . It would've been completely mouthwatering if I wasn't so close to throwing up from nerves in the midst of this silence ... The buffet tables were wheeled to the center of the room and arranged quickly . Tray by tray , they revealed sandwiches , wraps , plates of fruit , potato chips , small cold pasta salads in plastic bowls . Water bottles . Juice boxes . Cheap lemonade . You name it ! Girls began to rise . Hesitant at first . Then in small packs began laughing nervously , whispering among themselves when they realised that this was our time to act ' free ' . They were acting as though this were just some regular summer camp vacation ... and we all knew it wasn't ! Cara nudged me with her elbow . " Should we ? " I hesitated . " Might be our last meal , " I muttered darkly as she scoffed at the joke . She gave me a look . " Don't say that or you'll damn well jinx it ! " But still , we stood and headed towards the queue . Our steps were slow , guarded , as we tried to suss the others out ... I kept my eyes down as we approached the food , but I could feel people watching us . Judging . Measuring up 2/4 3:12 pm P DD PS Chapter 12 - Recess the others just as we had . There was a group of girls ahead of us in the line - five of them from what I could count , all wearing matching mint - green tracksuits like some fucking girl band . Their hair was done up in high ponytails and messy buns , makeup clad faces glowing with excitement rather than fear . One of them , tall and loud with a tiny waist and sharp cheekbones , was practically buzzing . " I can't believe we meet them tonight , " she gushed to her friend . " I swear if I get a big tattooed bad boy , I'm not even coming out of the cell . " Her friends squealed in agreement , giggling like it was some big sleepover we were having with celebrities . One of them snorted . " I saw one of the inmate profiles online - shaved head , arms like tree trunks . God , I hope he's mine . " I blinked . Wait - online ? They'd seen profiles ? But how ? Why didn't we think to google that ?! Cara and I exchanged a stunned look at what we were hearing . " Are they ... excited ? " I whispered back , testing if she had witnessed what I had . " Clearly ." Cara's jaw clenched . " And they came here together as though it's a vacation for them . Great . We're stuck in a prison with influencers . " I almost laughed . Almost . But my nerves were still shot . The mint - green girls kept chatting as they piled their plates with triple - decker sandwiches , sugary cupcakes , a mountain of fruit . One of them even snatched a second juice box like she was back in a school cafeteria . Cara leaned closer . " Do any of these girls even look over thirty to you ? Everyone's so damn young ! I thought it would be a mix of ages ... " I glanced around as I grabbed a wrap and some cold pasta . " No you're right ! They all look around our age . Eighteen , maybe early to mid twenties at most . Cara nodded slowly . " It's by design . They wanted girls young enough to be desperate and dumb enough to say yes , and pretty enough to keep the inmates interested - it's so obvious what they've done . " The words made my stomach churn again , and I set my plate down on the edge of the buffet table , suddenly unsure if I could even stomach any of it . " I feel like I'm going to throw up , " I murmured . 3/4 3:12 pm PS Chapter 12 Recess Cara touched my elbow . " No , you're not . You're going to eat , and you're going to survive this , Margot . Just like we survived everything else - come on , just remember we've faced worse than this . " Cara nodded , but her eyes held an uncertainty in them . I gave her a weak nod . She was right . We didn't fight tooth and nail to sneak on a bus , risk getting arrested , and escape our lives back home just to fold now . We need that cash no matter what we have to do to get it ... Chapter Comments 20 Write Comments < SHARE