After a couple of hours of office work, I put the last files into the archives and began my walk towards the gathering room.

Knowing the fact that Brandon would be there, made me feel the urge of getting there faster.

Even if I would sit with him or not, his presence was just enough.

I smoked a cigarette on my way through the corridor and heavily breathed in the toxic smoke for the burning stick to reach its end...

I stepped inside the big room with high ceilings and looked around while I walked through it. With no sign of Brandon, I decided to sit down next to Mildred who had already begun to read her usual magazine.

Without even noticing it myself, I desperately searched the room over and over again, hoping to find my sight on the gorgeous, imposing killer from ward 5.

With not much of success and a strong feeling of disappointment, I began to small talk to Mildred instead. It was so nice to have friends at work, who even had the same scheduled hours like myself.

Because of the reason I couldn't talk to Dolores or Vincent about my job, it felt extraordinary to have people inside the institution that I could talk to as my friends...

In the middle of a conversation about the latest gossip about Elvis and his new released hit song called Jailhouse Rock, I suddenly got interrupted by the big double door opening up the room.

As always, with a guard tightly behind him, he walked into the room and passed through the silence and many staring eyes. He really drove all the attention to himself.

I shivered as the room turned completely upside down by the atmosphere that he caused.

The tall, white-dressed man looked at me and his intense, beautifully mysterious gaze immediately got stuck into mine.

Not even for a second, he let go of my eyes while he walked through the room. I felt my hands get humid because of the captivating, slow passing moment. My breath got heavier and I tried to settle myself from the heavy arouse.

Halfway through the room, he turned his steps to the right and began to walk in my direction.

Just like the last time, he sat down in the armchair in front of me and Mildred.

This time without asking first.

"Nice to see you made it here, Brandon," I said, still looking deep into his eyes.

Mildred stayed quiet and I could sense her discomfort in the air between us. Brandon made his normal rude grin while he leaned back in the armchair.

"I told you I would come, didn't I?"

His intense eyes made me feel embarrassed.

"I thought you maybe fell back to sleep?" I said with a determined voice, trying to keep my power over him and not fall for his cockiness.

I was glad about the way he acted towards me in front of others, but I would lie if I said that his brutal rudeness and narcissism didn't make me a bit fretful.

"You know I never lie,"

Brandon's words were short and harsh. I was well aware that he was not a liar, but if he happened to fall asleep again to miss the gathering hour, I wouldn't call that lying even if he had told me that he would come.

I took a deep breath while I looked at him with kind eyes.

"I know, Brandon,"

It got quiet between us and when the presence was no longer manageable for Mildred, she raised from her chair and laid her soft hand on my shoulder before she left.

"I'll see you later,"

I smiled at Mildred's friendly face and nodded my head at her before she disappeared to leave me alone with the well-known psycho killer...

Suddenly I remembered that I had to tell Brandon about the approval I got from Dorothy earlier and that I would take him outside after lunch already.

"I have something to tell you,"

Brandon's eyes got wide of curiosity and he adjusted his position and leaned forward to get closer to me.

My heart was pounding as he approached me like a magnet.

"Then tell me?"

His intimidating grin made me feel submissive.

"I spoke to Ms. Schwartz this morning. She approved for me to take you out in the garden. We have two hours after lunch, if you still want to?"

A shy smile was forming my lips but I kept myself a little held back to wait for Brandon's reaction.

His face didn't even twitch an inch.

"That's great,"

His dark voice didn't sound really impressed. I knew his feelings and physical hyperactivity probably were a bit numb due to the strong drugs he was on, but I did expect some sort of reaction after his beg of taking him outside.

"Don't you think?"

My insecurity took over and I had to say something. He made me feel so small and so dumb.

"I just told you I did?"

Once again I felt embarrassed and stupid for asking him that question and I remembered the lying part again.

Of course, he wouldn't have told me it was great if he didn't think it was, because he never lied.

"Yes you did, I'm sorry,"

I grinned a little to ease the moment and Brandon did the same.

One part of me wished that I didn't have to be so careful with every word around him, but that was one of the things that brought the excitement.

The constant unawareness about what the next reaction would be, the constant wonder about what the next response would be.

Everything about his unreliable mentality made it more exciting to be near him.

His mysterious way of acting and uncontrollable emotions made him appear so powerful and terrifying even though he was a weak and broke down human being.

"Thank you... you know... for doing that,"

Brandon suddenly said with a low and raspy voice, looking down on his tied hands placed in his lap. I noticed those words must have been difficult for him to say due to the language of his body's motions.

I decided not to make a thing out of it and just gave him a friendly smile.

"You're welcome,"